Central and Eastern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa: Seeking New Partnerships?
Wednesday 24 May 2017
09:30 – 17:15
Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH
Repräsentanz Berlin, Französische Straße 32
10117 Berlin
AMBASSADOR SANJA ŠTIGLIC, STATE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
H.E. AJAY K. BRAMDEO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AFRICAN UNION, PERMANENT MISSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) AND AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC (ACP) STATES
DR STEFAN CIBIAN, ACADEMY FELLOW, AFRICA PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE
ATJE DREXLER, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, EUROPE AND ITS NEIGHBORS, ROBERT BOSCH STIFTUNG
MANSOURA FALL, JOURNALIST, AGENCE DE PRESSE SÉNÉGALAISE
IVAN JANČÁREK, JUNIOR DEPUTY MINISTER, SECTION OF NON-EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, CZECH REPUBLIC
HAMBANI MASHELENI, SENIOR POLICY OFFICER, HUMAN RESOURCES, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
PROFESSOR KILLION MUNZELE MUNYAMA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, POLAND
PHILIP MIBENGE, PRESIDENT, POLISH-AFRICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
The newest European Union (EU) member states from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are gradually becoming more visible in foreign affairs and trade with sub-Saharan Africa. A policy drive in this direction is evident from the strategies and political discourse of some CEE states, as well as the opening of additional missions in Africa. But there are important questions to be answered on the aims and sustainability of these renewed engagements, the interests in - and value to - countries in both regions of potentially stronger relations, areas for cooperation and implications for EU-Africa engagement.
This conference will explore the drivers, impacts and prospects of renewed Africa-CEE engagement. Speakers and an expert audience will discuss the political, trade and development dimensions of Africa-CEE relations, the role of non-state actors and potential areas for cooperation. The conference will also consider the role of CEE voices in EU-Africa relations as the fifth EU-Africa Summit approaches.
This conference is supported by Robert Bosch Stiftung.
DRAFT AGENDA:
Registration and Coffee
09:00 – 09:20
Welcome and introductions
09:20 – 09:30
Dr Alex Vines OBE, Research Director, Area Studies and International Law; Head, Africa Programme, Chatham House
Atje Drexler, Head of Department, International Relations, Europe and its Neighbors, Robert Bosch Stiftung
09.30 – 10.00
H.E. Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
H.E. Lubomír Zaorálek, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Czech Republic
H.E. Dr Anthony Mothae Maruping, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, African Union Commission
Session 1 | Africa-CEE Engagement: State of Play
10.00 – 10.40
Speaker: Dr Stefan Cibian, Academy Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House
Discussant: tbc
Chair: Elizabeth Donnelly, Deputy Head and Research Fellow, Africa Programme,
Chatham House
10:40 – 11:00 Coffee break
Session 2 | Africa-CEE Relations: New Partnerships in an Uncertain World?
11:00 – 12:30
Bogdan Claudiu Filip, Africa Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania
Berta Cossa, Director, Europe and the Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Cooperation, Republic of Mozambique
H.E. Amadeu Paulo Samuel Da Conceição, Ambassador of Mozambique, Germany
Anne Munene, Director, FM Group Kenya
Agnieszka Kosowicz, President of the Board, Polish Migration Forum
Chair: Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, Chief Executive, South African Institute of International Affairs
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
Session 3 | Common Interests? Prospects for Innovative Partnerships
13:30– 15:00
H.E. Gábor Sági, Ambassador of Hungary, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Philip Mibenge, President, Polish-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Achieng Maureen Akena, Executive Director, Centre for Citizens' Participation on the African Union
Dana Plavcova, Regional Coordinator for Africa, People in Need, Czech Republic
Hambani Masheleni, Senior Policy Officer, Human Resources, Science and Technology
Department, African Union Commission
Professor Killion Munzele Munyama MP, Member of the Polish Parliament
Chair: tbc
15:00 – 15:15 Coffee Break
Session 4 | CEE and the Fifth EU-Africa Summit: the impact of new voices on EUAfrica Relations
15:30 – 17:00
Koen Vervaeke, Managing Director for Africa, European External Action Service
H.E. Ajay K. Bramdeo, Permanent Representative of the African Union, Permanent
Mission to the European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States
Antti Karhunen, Head of Unit (Private Framework Development, Trade and Regional
Integration), Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, European Commission
Yentyl Williams, PhD Candidate, Centre of EU Studies, University of Ghent
Mansoura Fall, Freelance journalist, Senegal
Marjan Huč, Senior Advocacy Officer, SLOGA
Chair: tbc
Closing
17:00 – 17:15