Brussels wants to get closer to Africa

The signing of this EPA, that is to say economic partnership, took place on Monday 19 June in Nairobi, Kenya, between the European Commissioner for Trade and Kenyan President William Ruto. This agreement will give the country duty-free access to the European Union, its largest market, where it sends about a fifth of its exports.

Boosting trade

These are mainly agricultural products such as tea, coffee and almost 70% of its flowers, more than 247,000 tonnes expected this year. Kenya is delighted with this signature because it will allow African farmers to secure an essential market for the survival of their farms.

The Europeans also say they are satisfied with this agreement, assures the President of the Commission Ursula Von der Leyen. She believes this will boost trade and open up new opportunities for European workers and businesses. It must be said that Kenya is considered by Westerners as a reliable and stable democracy, where one can invest a billion euros in 10 years. In exchange, Kenya will gradually open its market, with tax reductions over 25 years, in particular for products from the chemical industry or machine tools. This agreement is also the culmination of a long process, on which Europe has been working since 2014.

Do not leave the field open to Beijing

But for the Europeans, it is not just an economic agreement. There is indeed a political aspect behind this signature because in the viewfinder of Europe, there is China. With its new Silk Roads, Beijing is spending lavishly on the African continent, financing major infrastructure projects. There are countless stations, data centers, roads, dams built by China. Europe therefore does not want to leave the field open to Beijing, and intends to retaliate with this kind of agreement. This European strategy bears the name of “Global gateway”, which consists in countering China by being present as much as possible on the African continent, with for the occasion several hundred million dollars.