European Economic and Social Committee

CES/08/77

15 September 2008

EESC makes concrete proposals onfostering job creation in Africa

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is due to adopt its exploratory opinion on the EU-Africa Strategy at its 17-18 September 2008 plenary session. This opinion was drawn up at the request of Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, and explores ways to foster job creation in Africa.

Gérard Dantin, rapporteur (Group II–FR),is to give a preview of his opinion on 18 Septemberat a breakfast meeting for Africa specialist journalists. The EU-Africa strategy is at the heart of EU development policy for Africa, a policy which will play a decisive role in the decades to come. The EESC believes that job creation in Africa could go a long way towards reducing inequality and poverty. It would also contribute to social integration while reducing extremist-driven conflicts.

At present, Africa's growth is mainly natural-resource based and creates little employment. It therefore needs to branch out into the primary processing and refinement of products. The EU needs to make SME development a linchpin of its cooperation policy in Africa.

Moreover,developing human resources is an indispensable factor in all development strategies. The Committee believes that employment needs and the labour marketin Africa have to be analysed methodically in order to tackle the majorchallenges involved in adapting vocational training to employment.The Committee also argues that better social dialogue should accompany development policy, especially through collective bargaining.

Finally, good governance is the key to investor confidence.It is essential for job creation. It should be considered in its entirety and include respect for human rights and workers' rights,i.e. trade union freedoms and labour standards. In order to fight corruption, the EU and its MemberStates should make financial aid contingent upon the traceability of aid flows to the end-user.

For more details, please contact:
Karel Govaert at the EESC Press Office,
99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels
Tel.: +32 2 546 9396/9586; Mobile: +32 475 75 32 02
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The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.