We believe that this is a step in the right direction in both highlighting and confronting the challenges that the continent faces. As you know, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development released a document titled The Marshall plan for Africa two weeks ago, which proposes a partnership between Europe and Africa to find solutions to the challenges the continent confronts.
The Marshall plan for Africa acknowledges that ‘in the long term and as neighbours, we can either prosper together or suffer together’. I will not say too much about The Marshall plan for Africa at this stage given that it still requires consultation. Indeed, it has been met with great optimism in some quarters but also with scepticism in others.