Summary: Horn of Africa: EU Commission proposes EU strategy for peace, security and development (20 October 2006: Brussels)
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The European Commission has adopted today an "EU partnership for peace, security and development in the Horn of Africa (defined in the Communication as the IGAD countries :Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda)." This strategy sets out a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention in the Horn of Africa, tackling the root causes of instability, and provides a political framework for concrete regional initiatives and for structured dialogue between partners. The Horn of
Africa is one of the poorest and most conflict prone regions in the world. The protracted border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the Somalia crisis and the Sudanese and Northern Uganda conflicts have a negative impact on the region as a whole and broader international ramifications. Cross-border dynamics, such as illegal migration and trafficking of arms, drugs and refugee flows, are factors contributing to regional instability. An uncontrolled, politically neglected, economically
marginalised and environmentally damaged Horn has the potential to undermine the region and the EU broad stability and security.
Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, reiterated that "peace and security are preconditions for development and regional approaches should complement national solutions. This is particularly crucial in the Horn of Africa and this partnership provides a unique occasion to review the level of our ambitions through a common regional political framework. The success of the partnership will depend on the ownership by countries of the Horn and the commitment
of the regional partners. In other words, it all depends on the political will of the countries concerned."
Regional organizations such as the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) play a key role in finding sustainable solutions to the challenges the Horn of Africa faces.
Commissioner Michel stressed that "there are growing concerns in Europe on the fall-outs of a chronic cycle of poverty and instability in the region. These are important political and security concerns to all of us. But the impetus for change must always come from within. We Europeans learned that sixty years ago. And I believe that our experience and our commitment to political dialogue and partnership with Africa can be useful in order to promote and support peace and prosperity in this
region."
This Partnership is a political framework. It provides for concrete regional initiatives that will now be discussed with the countries and with the IGAD. It also introduces a regional programme for action focusing around three pillars: (i) Encouraging effective regional political cooperation and integration particularly through regional organisations such as the African Union and IGAD; (ii) Addressing country-level strategic political issues which have regional ramifications; (iii) Addressing
regional cross-cutting and cross-border challenges in the Horn of Africa focusing on Governance and security, the development of border regions and natural resources. It should guide EU external action in the region and the formulation of Country and Regional Strategy Papers.
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