EU Presidency Statement - Prevention of armed conflicts

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia); the associated countries of Cyprus, Malta and Turkey; and Iceland, an EFTA country belonging to the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

Mr. President,

First of all I should like to thank the Deputy Secretary-General for her presentation of the Secretary-General's important report on the prevention of armed conflict. The European Union welcomes this debate and the opportunity, which it provides for all the Member States to outline their views on the questions raised in the report.

I would start by pledging the European Union's support for the general approach proposed. Today's debate is just the beginning. We hope that after the discussions that are to take place in the various organs of the United Nations system and other fora, the General Assembly will have the opportunity to examine the report and its recommendations in full, thereby ensuring consistency throughout the entire process of examining this issue.

Mr. President,

We are all deeply concerned at the persistence of violent conflicts in the world, particularly when they occur in the developing countries. Human suffering on a grand scale is the main consequence of such conflicts. Their effects on economic and social structures and the environment in the countries concerned are also devastating. Particular efforts should therefore be focused on conflict prevention, for that is much less costly in human and financial terms than managing and settling conflicts once they have occurred. Here we would reiterate the commitments made in the Millennium Declaration, which recognized the need to promote a culture of prevention. For the European Union, conflict prevention is part of a long-term, global approach to resolving conflicts, consolidating peace and preventing the recurrence of hostilities.

We fully agree with the Secretary-General when he says that the primary responsibility for conflict prevention rests with national governments and other local actors. We believe that there can be no viable solutions to potential conflicts without greater involvement of governments themselves. And here the European Union would underline the important back-up role which civil society can play. This is due, in part, to the fact that civil society organizations are often present on the ground, precisely where state structures are non-existent. They are often well placed to identify the root causes of conflicts very early on.

The international community must help to develop local and regional conflict-prevention capacity, as the Secretary-General emphasizes in his report. For example, the European Union is already cooperating with the Organization of African Unity and sub regional African organizations.

The European Union agrees with the Secretary-General on the close link between conflict prevention on the one hand and sustainable development and action to combat poverty on the other. Where there is conflict, development efforts are in vain. Underdevelopment and poverty are two of the factors in the emergence of conflict. The Secretary-General is right to stress the need to tackle the root causes. We believe that the international community should define an integrated, long-term approach to the question of sustainable development. An integrated approach needs to encompass sustainable economic development; democratization; the observance of human rights, the rule of law and the principles of good governance; action against drugs and international crime; and support for better healthcare throughout the world.

We congratulate the funds and programmes, and in particular the UNDP, for the extra efforts made in the cause of good governance and compliance with the rule of law. Similar sensitivity to these issues on the part of the international financial institutions would be welcome.

Promoting and protecting human rights and investigating all human rights violations must be an integral part of strategies to prevent armed conflict. This includes the right of women to full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. We agree with the Secretary-General that women should be encouraged to participate in conflict prevention. In addition, early warning activities should include an analysis of the problems specific to each gender.

The European Union attaches special importance to promoting and protecting the rights of the child. As the Secretary-General rightly emphasizes, young people with no hope for the future may be easy prey for armies short of recruits. Any conflict-prevention strategy must also take account of the traumatic effect of acts of violence inflicted on or witnessed by children.

At this very moment, Mr. President, the Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons is taking place at the General Assembly. The European Union would take this opportunity to affirm the importance, which it attaches to that issue in the context of conflict prevention.

The entire United Nations system should be brought to bear. As regards the main UN organs, we see a need for greater cooperation between the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Security Council. We have already had occasion to address the question of the role of the Security Council in conflict prevention. Here we would add our support for the recommendation that the General Assembly make full use of its powers in the prevention of conflicts. The same applies in the case of ECOSOC, particularly when it is examining the causes of conflicts in the areas that lie at the core of its mandate.

The Secretary-General already plays an important role in conflict prevention. The European Union wants that role to be enhanced. The Secretary-General should make full use of the prerogatives directly conferred on him by the UN Charter and of his own moral authority. The Union also recognizes the importance of the role of the Department of Political Affairs in coordinating conflict-prevention efforts.

The European Union intends to contribute actively to the efforts of the international community to prevent conflicts. In its Security and Defense Policy, the Union attaches great importance to improving the efficiency and consistency of its external action in the matter of conflict prevention. The aim is to improve the preventive capabilities of the entire international community. A programme of action was adopted at the recent European Summit in Göteborg which marked the end of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union. The European Union remains convinced that all conflict-prevention measures must abide totally by the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter. The European Union is seeking to develop, with all the international and regional organizations and the representatives of civil society, enhanced cooperation ranging from early warning and analysis to action and evaluation. Among the concrete proposals envisaged with the United Nations, we would mention more intensive exchanges of information, practical cooperation and joint training programmes for staff, both at headquarters and in the field.

Mr. President,

On the financial front, the European Union and its Member States are major contributors to Official Development Assistance and will continue to honor their commitments. The European Union is ready to discuss the financial implications of the Secretary-General's report with him.

The Secretary-General can count on the active support and the cooperation of the European Union in matters of conflict prevention. We are ready to give him the assistance he requests in developing a road map to implement specific recommendations. We hope that significant results will emerge, allowing us to press resolutely on towards our aim of a world free of the scourge of war.

Thank you Mr. President.

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• EU Presidency Statement - Prevention of armed conflicts (20/7/2000)