Ghana at 60 / Europe at 60 Last weekend we joined in the ceremonies for Ghana's 60 years of independence. This has been a time of celebration of all that Ghana has achieved in the last 60 years. We congratulate Ghana on its many accomplishments. Ghana has developed strongly, consolidating its democracy and respect for human rights, becoming a lower-middle-income country, and improving the wellbeing and prosperity of its 27 million inhabitants. I have been struck by how leaders and ordinary people these days have taken an honest view of the past, and have been asking themselves what more needs to be achieved, and how can this be done. The President ended his State of the Nation address with a vision of "Ghana beyond Aid", a sentiment echoed by the Minister of Finance in his first budget speech. We in the European Union share that vision. We would like our relations with Ghana to develop into a partnership with a middle-income country that is indeed "beyond aid". A new partnership, where we work together, focussing on common values and interests. By coincidence March 1957 was not only the month of Ghana's independence. It was also the month when the Treaty of Rome was signed the Treaty which laid the basis for the Common Market and later the European Union. *********** Sixty years ago, inspired by a dream of a peaceful, common future, the EU's founding members set out on an ambitious journey of European integration. They agreed to settle their conflicts around a table rather than on battlefields.
As a result, the painful experience of Europe's troubled past has given way to a period of peace, spanning seven decades and to a Union of 500 million citizens, living in freedom and opportunity in one of the world's most prosperous economies. The 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome on 25 March 2017 will be an important occasion. EU leaders will travel to Rome to reflect on the European project, to consider its achievements and strengths, as well as areas for improvement, and to show common resolve to shape a stronger future together. Last week the European Commission presented a White Paper on the future of Europe as 27. The White Paper will help structure the discussion at the Rome Summit and beyond. The Commission will use it as the starting point for a wider public debate on the future of our continent. And today I would like to share that debate with you here in Ghana. The White Paper looks at how Europe will change in the next decade, from the impact of new technologies on society and jobs, to doubts about globalisation, security concerns and the rise of populism. It spells out the choice Europe faces: being swept along by those trends, or embracing them and seizing the new opportunities they bring. Each of the five scenarios presented in the White Paper offers a glimpse into the potential state of the Union by 2025 depending on the choices Europe will make. The scenarios cover a range of possibilities and are illustrative in nature. They are neither mutually exclusive, nor exhaustive. Scenario 1: Carrying On - The EU27 focuses on delivering its positive reform agenda in the spirit of the Commission's New Start for Europe from 2014 and of the Bratislava Declaration agreed by all 27 Member States in 2016. Scenario 2: Nothing but the Single Market The EU27 is gradually re-centred on the single market as the 27 Member States are not able to find common ground on an increasing number of policy areas.
Scenario 3: Those Who Want More Do More The EU27 proceeds as today but allows willing Member States to do more together in specific areas such as defence, internal security or social matters. One or several "coalitions of the willing" emerge. Scenario 4: Doing Less More Efficiently The EU27 focuses on delivering more and faster in selected policy areas, while doing less where it is perceived not to have an added value. Attention and limited resources are focused on selected policy areas. Scenario 5: Doing Much More Together Member States decide to share more power, resources and decision-making across the board. Decisions are agreed faster at European level and rapidly enforced ******************** Why all this reflection about the future? Every day the world around us is changing. The changes and transformations are rapid. Globalisation, terrorism, migration and the impact of new technologies on society and jobs are profoundly changing our daily lives. We in Europe have to avoid that our future of Europe is held hostage by electoral cycles, party politics or short-term wins. Brexit however regrettable and painful it may be will not stop the European Union from addressing today s challenges and "mobilizing for the future." In the coming months the European Commission will bring out reflection papers and more precise proposals on some of the major opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of us. The Commission will present ideas on strengthening the social dimension of Europe. We want to see inclusive growth, not just growth that benefits a few. ************ What does this internal reflection mean for Europe's relations with the rest of the world?
Europe's prosperity will continue to depend on its openness and strong links with its partners. We favour multilateralism and make no apology about this approach. In our view the world needs a multilateral approach today more than ever. President Juncker, in an address to the European Parliament last week said: There are values that continue to bind us together: peace, democracy and solidarity, the rule of law, as a foundation helping us to build a fairer society, the equal dignity of all human beings, a free and independent press. He added "We cannot allow the people who defend these values which I wish were universal to be drowned out by loud nationalistic slogans which use patriotism as a weapon against others. Patriotism is not patriotism when it is used against others. Europe must continue being the positive global force we are today. Our society, our European societies are built on openness. Other parts of the world prefer to close ranks and look inwards. Isolationism is making alarming progress across the globe. But such an attitude, such isolationism, is not in our nature or interest. ******************** So this month Europe, like Ghana, is reflecting on the past and looking forward. Ghanaians went to Black Star Square on Monday 6 March both to celebrate and reflect. 27 leaders of Europe will be in Rome later this month to do likewise. I think this should also be a time of reflection about our EU Ghana Joint Partnership. Already the European Commission has launched thinking about the future relations between the EU the Africa Caribbean and Pacific group the ACP. The Cotonou Convention comes to an end in 2020. What should replace it?
We also have to adapt our cooperation to the new Sustainable Development goals. EU cooperation in Ghana the Delegation and our Member States, have already started reflecting on Ghana after Aid. And later this year at the end of November in Abidjan the next EU Africa summit will take place; the theme will be jobs and youth. Over the coming months we will be engaging in discussion on all these questions with civil society, and with the Government and with young people. I d be happy now to take questions on any of the areas of our cooperation with Ghana: Democracy, Governance, Agriculture, Climate Change, Trade and Investment 1. Democracy and stability ******************. As you know we supported the last elections through our assistance to the institutions, EC, NCCE and NMC and through our Electoral Observation mission. We congratulated Ghana on transparent, peaceful and credible elections, and our observers have recently made some recommendations for the future. In his Speech to the Nation the President talked about making Ghana s election system "more robust". So the question is: How can we work together to ensure that? 2.Governance and Public Financial Management We welcome the new Government's commitments to improving public financial management and tackling corruption. We will support these efforts through our current and future programmes. 50 million has been earmarked for future programmes in this area. But the question I am being asked is, can we continue to provide budget assistance, when it seems that practically all the targets of the IMF programme were not met? What is the best way to work with Ghana to support better Governance and PFM.
3. Jobs Creating jobs is a top priority for the European Union and for the new Government of Ghana. We will support job creation in Ghana through our current employment programmes, including technical and vocational training. We are also preparing for next year a new Youth Employment programme for 43 million. Ghana has also recently become eligible for support from the EU Trust Fund, set up to deal with migration and tackling the root causes of the phenomenon. The Trust Fund can also finance job creation. So the question is: can we put together a sustainable job creation programme that would be eligible for this new source of funding? 4. Agriculture, Forestry and Climate Change The European Union started off in the 1950s by focussing on agriculture in Europe. We welcome the renewed focus in Ghana on agriculture. We continue to devote 50% of our current development cooperation budget or 160 million to new programmes in the agriculture sector. We will launch one of these activities Market Oriented Agricultural Programme for 35 million next month. How can we work together to add value in the agricultural sector, and ensure that new employment is created there? At the same time how can we ensure a sustainable type of agriculture, that protects the land from the effects of climate change? And how can we work together to protect Ghana s forests? Ghana was the first country to sign the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade FLEGT- voluntary partnership agreement. But it has now fallen behind Indonesia which was the first country to issue licenses. Can we work together to ensure sustainable production and consumption in the forest sector, and so protect Ghana s forests for future generations. 5. Trade and Investment Ghana aspires to a future beyond aid. This means that its future relations with other countries will be about trade and investment. Europe continues to be Ghana's biggest trading partner and investor. The new interim Economic Partnership Agreement has now entered into force.
Under this agreement all goods from Ghana agricultural or manufactured enter our EU market free of duty. This agreement already applies to all 28 EU countries, which in recent years have accounted for 40% of Ghana's exports. And although Ghana will slowly and progressively liberalise its own market, many sensitive sectors have been excluded from liberalisation. This includes chicken, goat, tomatoes, sugar, palm oil, cocoa powder, soap, cotton, flour, frozen fish and beer! None of these products will be liberalised. So Ghana today has an excellent trade deal with the EU, a deal that takes full account of Ghana's interests. How can we turn this opportunity into new investment, creating jobs and prosperity for the people of Ghana? This is in our common interest. It is perhaps the greatest challenge facing us in our future cooperation between the EU and Ghana.