Europe & Africa Restoration Partnership

'EARP' until 2009 stood for 'Europe-Africa Reconciliation Process' (in French this is PREA: Processus Réconciliation Européen-Africain). It describes a process that grew out of a conference held in Emmeten, Switzerland in September 1999. This conference involved Christian leaders from Europe and North America with a concern for reconciliation, particularly between nations and ethnic groups within Europe. However, this conference felt a clear lead of the Holy Spirit not to focus on internal issues within Europe but to look at Europe's shared colonial legacy in Africa. Once this focus was accepted, there was a lead to look at the Berlin West Africa Conference (which enshrined the 'scramble for Africa' and determined most of the current national borders of Africa) which was held in the German capital over 1884-1885. It was decided that a solemn re-enactment of this historic event should take place in Berlin, this time involving Africans very centrally in its planning and execution. The agenda was not to be the political and economic arrangements between Europe and Africa - all those involved were Christian ministers with no particular political or economic influence - but a desire to speak honestly about the past in a spirit of penitence, remorse and with a desire that restitution be explored.

To avoid the outcome being tokenistic, a steering committee was drawn together immediately, chaired by Chris Seaton of Peaceworks. The membership of this committee was formed by volunteers who had sympathy with the objective and who represented the troika of involved parties that is, European nations with a significant history in Africa, Africans from the continent, Africans currently forming a Diaspora in Europe. This process took over six years from Emmeten to the culminating event in Berlin in November 2005. To get there, preparatory conferences were held to educate and inspire churches in Belgium, England, France, Germany and Portugal and a booklet was published in four languages. The Berlin conference in 2005 was attended by 700 people and involved 20 African delegates being brought from the continent at the expense of the Europeans, accommodated and provided with gifts. The whole conference was filmed and the resulting DVD and booklet are available to order from Peaceworks.

Contact us to order a copy of the EARP booklet (free) and DVD (£5 per DVD, free postage to anywhere in the UK)

One of the key outcomes that the organising committee was looking for from Berlin was a steer from the Africans as to what should happen next. The clearest message from them could be paraphrased: 'we would like you to bring this message of repentance, apology and desire for a new relationship to the continent of Africa itself.' In seeking to follow this up, the EARP worked with indigenous African Christian leadership to hold events between 2006 and 2009 in Zimbabwe, Gabon, DR Congo and in Rwanda. At a conservative estimate over 15,000 people attended these events including past and present state presidents, traditional chiefs, denominational leaders and other national leaders. Each visit has involved television, radio and press coverage, partly because of the controversial nature of the messages involved.

At a gathering of the steering committee in Ashburnham, England in September 2009 a decision was taken to attempt to move the focus more intentionally towards political and economic restitution. The movement decided to retain the brand of 'EARP/PREA' but move its full title to Europe Africa Restoration Partnership/Partnership Restauration Européen-Africain. The committee agreed;

1.     "That we will aim to grow this partnership in the context of a developing understanding of the nature of the Kingdom of God which recognises that the Kingdom of God is identified by giving money, power and dignity to the poor in body and spirit as distinct from the Worldly kingdom which is identified by taking money, power and dignity for itself.

2.     That we agree to partner with and encourage those who have a heart of giving and not an attitude of taking and that some of these givers are not yet believers and some of these takers claim to be followers of the Lord."

The aspiration is that this movement will begin to campaign and network to help Europe move faster forward in its relationships with Africa on the issues of fair and equitable trade. There is a place for non-profit activity but the focus will be development not aid, which can become paternalistic. EARP is not against charitable work but wishes to restore human dignity. Now is the time to make the right relationships with business people and others in spheres of political, education, and other developmental work. 

Peaceworks can receive donations to support the EARP. If you wish to contribute to the work, please mark clearly that your gift is for this purpose.