The European Commission Wednesday announced the launch of the first phase of a new programme that will foster Africa's integration. The so-called Pan-African Programme valued at 415 million euro for the period 2014-2017 will fund activities in a broad range of areas and offer new possibilities for the EU and Africa to work together.
The President of the European Commission, Josأ© Manuel Barroso, said in press statements that "the challenges with which we are faced can no longer be tackled within national borders. This is as true in Europe as it is in Africa or elsewhere." "This is why I have proposed to create a Pan-African programme to find solutions at regional and continental scale and support the process of African integration," he added.
The first phase of the programme that was launched today will include projects ranging from sustainable agriculture, environment, and higher education to governance, infrastructure, migration, information and communication technology, as well as research and innovation.