Berlin (dpa) – Germany offers African countries a reliable long-term economic partner. Collaborating on areas such as producing environmentally friendly energy like green hydrogen was in the interests of both sides, said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. “Africa is our partner of choice when it comes to intensifying our economic relationships and moving together towards a climate-neutral future,” Scholz said in a statement at the Compact with Africa summit. He also pledged that the German Government would provide up to €4 billion in the period up to 2030 to support the EU Africa Initiative for green energy.
With regard to the strong presence China already has in Africa, the Chair of the African Union, Azali Assoumani, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, emphasised that Africa was open for other partnerships. Both leaders stressed that the debt and interest burden on African states was too high, which was a brake on these countries making their own investments. “The debt burden represents a yoke,” Faki said, stressing the need to reduce it. Assoumani called on “our reliable partner Germany” to “support us for greater progress and prosperity in Africa and the whole world.”
Steinmeier pointed out that a show of unity between African and European countries gave them greater heft on the global stage. “We are stronger when we act together,” he said at a meeting of the leaders. The Compact with Africa started as a German initiative during its G20 presidency year in 2017. 13 African countries currently belong to the group: Egypt, Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia. Other states are interested in joining. The summit in Berlin will also be attended by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
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