The European Union (EU) proposed on Wednesday to build a strategic partnership for security and development between the 25-nation bloc and Africa for the coming decade.

The proposal was put forward by EU executive European Commission, who adopted a proposal for a new EU Strategy for Africa before an extraordinary joint meeting with the Commission of the African Union (AU).

The Strategy suggests a framework for action for all EU Member States and the Commission to support Africa's efforts to attain the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

The strategy focuses on key requirements for sustainable development such as peace and security, good and effective governance, trade, interconnectivity, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.

In addition, it reaffirms the commitment to increase EU aid to Africa and to improve aid effectiveness. The EU has pledged earlier this year to increase its aid to Africa by 10 billion US dollars to 30 billion dollars in the next five years.

Speaking after the Brussels talks, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said it was not just a question of generosity, but of tackling the structural roots of under- development in Africa.

Meanwhile, African Union head Alpha Oumar Konare called on the EU to keep its promises to open its markets, cut subsidies and drop tariffs.

But the promise of increased aid depends on whether the EU can agree on its next budget, to run from 2007 to 2013.

The budget talks collapsed earlier this year, raising the prospect that Africa will lose out because of Europe's internal wrangling.

Source: Xinhua