Foreign Ministers from 80 countries gather Wednesday 5/12/2007 in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to set the stage for the EU-Africa summit due to kick off in the Portuguese capital Lisbon next week.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit highlighted the importance of Wednesday's 5/12/2007 meeting in supporting a strategic partnership agreement between the two sides.

Abul-Gheit said about 45 African foreign ministers will meet with 15 European counterparts to prepare for the Afro-European summit, slated for Lisbon on December 8.

The top Egyptian diplomat said the ministerial meeting aims to address all the issues tabled on Lisbon summit agenda, topped by the EU-Africa strategic partnership work and cooperation strategy.

Abul-Gheit also underscored Egypt's commitment to working for developing and promoting EU-African relations.

African-EU partnership document underlines cooperation at different fields

A document on the African-European partnership strategy will underline the importance of peace and security as preconditions for political, economic and social development.

African and European foreign ministers will discuss the document during their meeting on Wednesday as part of preparations for the Afro-European summit.

The strategy will also highlight the importance of enhancing dialogue between the two blocs to discuss issues of security and stability in Africa as well as the challenges facing Europe.

The document will tackle core issues including the need to boost human rights, the rule of law as well as the role of national human rights institutions and NGOs.

The strategy will also focus on improving the economic environment in the African continent to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and sustainable development.

The strategy will also address issues of social security.

EU and Africa will work on boosting children's rights, youths' empowerment and the role of women in the decision-making process, according to the document.

The strategy will also refer to the climate change, which undermines sustainable development and poses a threat to achieving the MDGs.

The climate change will particularly hit Africa in terms of food security, water management and extreme weather phenomena such as droughts and floods.

The EU and Africa should also jointly combat illegal migration and fight human trafficking, according to the document.

Both sides will work on strengthening cooperation and solidarity in the sustainable management of energy and water resources.

5/12/2007