No Common Ground for Africa and EU on Climate Change

Added by Annika L. Krugel on December 2, 2010

A joint declaration on climate change between the European Union and African nations will not be signed by the latter as it does not reflect the priorities of the continent, diplomats say.

The declaration, that many hoped was to have been signed at the end of the two-day Africa-European Union summit which has been held over the weekend in Libya’s capital Tripoli, could have resulted in the delivery of a joint African-European Union statement at the opening of this week’s United Nations climate summit in Cancun, Mexico.

However, it was rejected by African foreign ministers on the eve of the Libyan summit.

An African source said that “The declaration was rejected as it reflected European rather than African priorities,” while a different source said “Africa has its own position.” Others reported that African leaders simply needed more time to look over the proposed climate agreement.

An EU diplomat said in response to the lack of finding common ground that the work is “not over” and that further efforts will be undertaken to strive to reach an agreement over measures to tackle climate change between the two regions.