The European Union has high ambitions in relation to Africa and in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. One example is the new Africa Strategy, where the EU wants to have a strong partnership with the African Union. Other European policies contribute to the lofty objectives of the EU, which is the world's largest donor of development aid. The high ambitions are not matched by the implementation. The European policies, shaped by the Commission and the member states, are partly contradictory and hard to fulfill locally in Africa. Furthermore, they are focused on intentions rather than outcomes. The European policies need to be decentered to allow for the African context to play a larger role in the design and execution of policies. The Sustainable Development Goals call for fundamental transformations, where political and economic development are of great importance to reach the social and environmental goals. This implies greater attention to the drivers and barriers for political and economic transformation in Africa. It also calls for a greater interest in the relationship between donors and recipients, to build trust and to find mutual gain. The EU needs to recognize that it is dependent on its African partners, while it simultaneously wants to influence and revise some of the African policies.
Lars Niklasson is deputy professor (bitraedande professor) of Political Science at Linkoeping University, Sweden.
"Niklasson's major contribution is to convincingly demonstrate that the EU must pay more attention to African contexts, to better understand drivers and barriers to achieve EU policy goals. This conclusion is an important insight that sends a clear message to EU policymakers. In his excellent review of EU policies towards Africa, Niklasson reveals ambitious goals but little in terms of strategies on how to reach them as well as a lack of understanding of the complex situations in African countries." --Ole Elgstroem, Lund University "This book presents a detailed critique of European policies towards cooperation with African states and the continent. Whilst acknowledging the efforts made to promote more joined-up and coherent strategies, it makes a compelling case for more evidence-based and tailor-made approach, which in turn requires further investments in learning, planning, and evaluation." --Niels Keijzer, Senior Researcher, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
