Ties between Europe and Africa vary from archaeological and genetic evidence that modern humans began life in Africa, to more recent memories of colonialism with all its violence, exploitation and inequality, ills the two continents are still striving to overcome. At the end of the 1990s, the EU is trying to convince African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states that even 'the post-colonial days are over' as Commissioner Pinheiro put it to a recent ACP summit of Heads of State and Government in Libreville, Gabon.

Since the signing of part IV of the Treaty of Rome, and especially since Yaounde I in 1963, the EEC did scruple to take account of the concerns of its African partners. In fact, the succession of agreements between Europe and first Africa, then the ACP Group was significant enough to be considered as a 'EurAfrican construction', a project parallel to the construction of the European Union itself. And, at least for France, this was a project of almost equal importance. The EurAfrican construction had both internal and external dimensions. Internally, it was about sharing the factors of production from African minerals to European technology - though in the original, colonial version, the sharing was supposed to benefit both parties, but the Europeans were to benefit more. Externally, it meant that Europe had a world role. Just as the USA bestrode the Western Hemisphere, Europe could claim a hegemonic role in Africa.

But there is little doubt that after the end of the Cold War, Europe's interest in Africa began to waver. Dictatorial and kleptocratic African regimes became an embarrassment to their European supporters. President Mitterand called in 1990 for more political reforms in return for French aid. The EU lost interest in the Lomé convention as other regions of the world - the Mediterranean, Latin America, East Asia - seemed to offer more in political and economic terms. Even before the ink had dried on the mid-term review of Lomé IV in 1995, the question loomed of whether there would be any successor agreement when Lomé IV expired in the year 2000.

At the Libreville summit (held 6 and 7 November 1997) signs of a future of the EurAfrican construction after 2000 were more hopeful. Growth rates in some West African countries (not least Gabon itself) stood at 4-5%. The ACP Group, not normally renowned for its organisational skills, ably staged its first meeting of heads of state and government. A token of the EU's continued interest in the ACP states, was representation at that meeting by the President of the EC, M. Santer, and the Development Commissioner, Professor Pinheiro. Also there were Lord Plumb as co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and a Minister from the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU. The resulting 'Libreville Declaration' emphasised the need to continue the EU-ACP relationship and called on the ACP to have their negotiating mandate for the successor to Lomé ready by September 1998.

Marjorie Lister
Lecturer in European Studies
University of Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD7 1DP
UK

T: +44 (0)1274 733 466
F: +44 (0)1422 846 562

E: 100737.2053@compuserve.com