Future EU-Africa partnership
Local communities play a key role in building resilience and human security
“The human dimension could still be further strengthened in the actions put forward by the European Union in its partnership with Africa, on peace and security in particular”, stated Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE, on the occasion of the Webinar on the role of local communities in fostering human security and resilience in the future EU-Africa partnership, held on Thursday 15 October 2020. The report is available here.
In view of the upcoming EU-Africa Summit, COMECE and its partners gathered policy-makers, Church representatives and stakeholders from the EU and different African countries to discuss ways to foster the people-centred dimension of the EU-Africa framework.
The Webinar, entitled “Fostering human security and resilience in the future EU-Africa partnership”, shed light on the importance of supporting and promoting the role of local and faith actors and communities as significant contributors to these objectives.
“In order to be mutually reinforcing, development and security should be people-oriented and place persons, families and communities at the centre”, stated Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE. “We believe – he continued – that the human dimension could still be further strengthened in the actions put forward by the European Union for its partnership with Africa, on peace and security in particular”.
The digital event offered EU officials and the broader European civil society, the possibility to listen to testimonies from six different African countries illustrating ways in which local actors are playing a key role in building resilience and human security.
“In line with the UN 2030 Agenda – stressed Fr. Barrios Prieto – Sustainable Development can only be advanced through an inclusive global partnership, allowing the participation of all stakeholders”. As outlined in the recent COMECE-SECAM joint contribution, Churches, religious communities and faith-based organisations are deeply rooted in local realities and they are “among the frontline and long-standing actors for sustainable human development and peace”.
The event was co-organised by COMECE, Community of Sant’Egidio, CIDSE, Don Bosco International, Caritas Europa, AEFJN and the Jesuit Refugee Service.
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