By Sana Elouazi
Rabat – The European Union (EU) intends to allocate about EUR 40 billion of investment in Africa in its next budget, announced European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Monday.
Speaking at a joint press conference following his speech at the Tunisian parliament in Bardo Palace, Tajani said that the investment has the possibility to change Africa’s destiny.
“We need EUR 40 billion to generate EUR 400 billion of leverage,” Tajani said, noting that the EUR 3.7 billion allocated in the current budget has been insufficient.
The European leader said that “Europe must choose a real Marshall Plan for Africa” by developing opportunities and investment in the continent, which he believes would be essential in the fight against undocumented migration to Europe.
“You have to understand why there are thousands or even millions of people in the future who could leave their country and come to your home [in Tunisia] and beyond it,” added Tajani.
The president stressed the imperative of fighting youth unemployment and the temptations of illegal migration or radicalization, which won’t be possible without building infrastructure, helping small and medium-sized businesses, and promoting young Africans entrepreneurs.
Tajani also called for action to provide migrants with opportunities for a decent life, hence the need for investment, noting that “no one wants to leave their hometown, but if that city suffers from poverty and unemployment, migration thus becomes the only way out.”
“Words won’t convince migrants to stay at home. We must give them a chance to have a decent life,” he said.
