Ambassador Gary Quince, the European Union’s delegate to the African Union, will address the Forum and discuss cooperation between Africa and Europe in the fields of economic development and security.  Colonel Sandy Wade, Military Advisor, European Union Delegation to the African Union in Addis Ababa says, “Africa’s own recognition of security as the key element in the development of a stable and prosperous future for the Continent and its people has been picked up by Europe within the Joint Africa Europe Strategy.  [Security] forms the first, and arguably the most important, of the Africa-European Union Partnerships.

“As a partnership, both sides stand to gain from the Joint Africa Europe Strategy. Stability and security in Africa will enable the development of both production capacity and markets for both partners. The importance of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy to Europe is clearly evidenced by the important financial assistance that the EU commits to the people and continent of Africa.”