Support for open letter from ONE EU-Africa Taskforce
27. Januar 2022
„Dear African and European Leaders,
Each new strain of COVID-19 is a reminder of the importance of global solidarity and how we are only as strong as our neighbours. As we face shared challenges of ending the pandemic everywhere, climate change and global inequalities, we need leadership that prioritises cooperation.
We ask that you keep this reality in mind as you shape the future of Africa and Europe’s relationship, and that you agree to a plan that tackles these challenges and ensures the voices of young people are not only heard, but acted on
Over the last year we have seen the impact of an unequal distribution of vaccines, with vaccination rates in Africa far behind those of Europe. We urge you to shift your approach, so vaccines, along with the rights and knowledge to make more, are distributed according to necessity, not by the unequal distribution of wealth in the global economy.
Inflation, food insecurity and unemployment are on the rise, and we cannot let the gap between rich and poor grow any wider. Please prioritise investments that will be vital to Africa’s recovery from the pandemic and take urgent action to create jobs (starting with those in the green sector), invest in education and tackle inequalities, so that we all have the same chance to live up to our full potential.
For us, the stakes are too great for you to get this wrong. It is our lives and our futures that will be the most affected, which is why we want a seat at the table to ensure that the decisions that you take about us actually tackle the problems we face.
Strong civic engagement is the backbone of smart policies, and now, more than ever, solutions need to be influenced by the creativity and knowledge of young minds around the globe.
You have the power to make the partnership between Africa and Europe one that is able to fight the huge challenges that our generation, and those after us, will face.
We need you to act.
ONE African and European young activists“