Joint Africa-EU Strategy Support Mechanism (JAES SM)

Launched in 2007, the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) aims to enhance the longstanding cooperation between Africa and Europe at the continental level and shift the development-focused relationship to a partnership of equals, mutual interests and shared responsibility.

Implementation of the JAES was originally defined according to eight themes: peace and security; democratic governance and human rights; trade, regional integration and infrastructure; the Millennium Development Goals; energy; climate change and environment; migration, mobility and employment; and science, information society and space. The JAES is operationalised through triennial action plans, which encompass projects in each of the thematic areas.

In managing the JAES SM, Landell Mills provided support to the implementation of the JAES Action Plan 2011-2013 and Roadmap 2014-2017, which subsequently focused on five priority areas:

• Sustainable and inclusive development and growth and continental integration
• Global and emerging issues
• Human development
• Democracy, good governance and human rights
• Peace and security

Landell Mill’s responsibilities on this project included responding to JAES stakeholders requests; facilitating thematic expert workshops; conducting research studies and communication activities; and providing expertise for strategic dialogue on a variety of economic and social policies. Crosscutting issues such as good economic governance and gender impact also featured in the JAES technical dialogue and project activities.

Over the course of the contract, 22 studies were carried out for the European Commission and the European External Action Service. 20 of these studies contributed directly to creation of JAES-related projects funded under the Pan African Instrument. A selection of the research, and monitoring and evaluation-based activities conducted during the project are outlined below:

• Study on the development of a Pan-African Investment Code, in order to establish an appropriate business climate for stimulating investment, and developing a roadmap for adoption
• Strengthened the African statistical system to provide harmonised quality statistical information to meet national, regional, and international needs; developed an evidence base and the system’s capacity to influence design and implementation of successful economic interventions
• Developed a shared system to map support flows to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme
• Identified support and formulated projects under the pan-African programmes for the period 2014-2017
• Identified and promoted synergies in activities supported by the JAES support mechanism. e.g. infrastructure, energy, information and communications technology, trans-boundary water, global monitoring for environment and security (earth observations), climate change, environment and water
• Developed appropriate tools for monitoring and evaluating JAES activities
• Reported on programme activities, including preparation of six-monthly progress reports
• Provided administrative, logistical and technical support to JAES stakeholders
• Established jointly agreed standards for planning and implementing the JAES thematic partnership roadmaps
• Carried out needs assessments of JAES implementing priorities and crosscutting issues

The JAES support mechanism supported 39 events during the operational phase. The majority of events took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Brussels, Belgium but other locations included Egypt, Morocco, Burkino Faso, South Africa, Zambia, Mauritius and Kenya.

Events support included:

• Organisation of regional workshops on governance of common markets for Eastern and Southern Africa, identifying a set of issues and recommending actions in key areas of cooperation between European and African bodies
• Delivery of a workshop and background paper on management of natural resources: Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES)
• Organisation of working groups for the IV Africa-EU Summit, such as the Migration, Mobility, Employment Core Working Group and the Africa-EU Political Dialogue on Climate Change
• Supporting the preparation of the IV Africa-EU Summit and side-events
• Facilitation of an expert working group (EU-Africa high level policy dialogue) on science technology, innovation for food and nutrition security, and sustainable agriculture
• Demand-driven technical support (expert advice, studies, key note speakers, panellists, rapporteurs, facilitators and moderators) for numerous events in line with the 2011-2013 JAES action plan
• Production of communications and visibility materials including banners, flash drives, folders, promotional aids, table tags, and badges, provided for numerous events

Implementation of communication and visibility activities to promote policy dialogue was a key component of the project’s aims and objectives. Throughout the project, Landell Mills delivered communication packages to support Africa-EU Summit side events and other high-level JAES events, including lunch seminars, media coverage, and research and news briefs. Additional communications support included:

• Development of a visibility plan for the JAES support mechanism
• Development of a case study to promote the knowledge and understanding of services trade, to provide a basis for service sector development and enhanced regional integration in Africa
• Facilitation of Africa-EU political dialogue on climate change in the framework of the IV Africa EU Summit

The JAES support mechanism project highlights Landell Mill’s ability to deliver large-scale, highly complex regional economic growth projects, and our experience guiding economic and social policy to attract investment and promote sustainable growth.