Inter-regional Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Bridging Institutional and Operational Gaps in the EU-Africa Partnership

(Anita Lum Amaanwi Wanki, Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

This paper assesses the institutional and operational challenges in the European Union (EU)-Africa partnership for development. Contextually, it explores the EU-Africa partnership from a development perspective. The study examines both organisations-albeit individually, as mutually inclusive-within the ambit of an institutionalised partnership. It will assess the recent changes in European aid management and explore progress that has been realised in terms of implementation. The operating thesis is that bridging these gaps will effectively enhance sustainable development in Africa. Quick-fix palliatives for long-term issues lack the potential to yield expected outcome. Hence, appropriate reform strategies should be employed, targeting the deficiencies extant in the current operational and institutional architectures of these blocs. Reforms should aim at building requisite capacity for the execution of the tasks of these organisations. Thus, for both unions to sustainably reform their institutions, they will have to initialise an all-inclusive and all-encompassing approach. This is inclusive of all levels; stretching from the state, to the regional levels on the one hand, and to sub-state actors like civil society organisations on the other. This requires institutionalising positive changes, although institutions need not become goals in themselves, since they have to be sufficiently flexible to adapt themselves to new contingencies.