EU Presidency Statement - NEPAD and Decade to Roll Back Malaria

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

Mr. President,

The EU welcomes the fact that for the second time, the agenda items "NEPAD" and "Causes of conflict and promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa" are addressed together. This highlights once again the fact that peace, security and stability as well as political and economic good governance and respect for human rights are closely interrelated with development.

It is precisely because of these linkages that the EU is of the opinion that the 2005 High Level Event should address all aspects of the Millennium Declaration, that is development and non-development issues as well as reform, in a comprehensive and balanced manner. The EU views our debate here today as a step in that direction.

1. NEPAD

From the start, the EU has been a strong supporter of NEPAD and will continue to be so. We fully underscore the vision on which NEPAD is based: partnership between developed countries and African nations, based on African ownership and leadership. The EU recognises the need for coherence and development focus in our overall policies. Acting together in the spirit of NEPAD, we can jointly contribute to the progress in meeting the MDGs in Africa.

Africa is at the heart of the EU's development policy. And rightly so. Africa has great potential - its people, culture, economic and political successes during the last decade. But Africa also has its continuing problems. Poverty is not a concept in Africa - it is a reality: half the population lives on less than one dollar a day. Proliferation of armed conflicts, corruption, failing states, lack of economic development, inadequate social infrastructures, poor standards of education, environmental degradation and the HIV/AIDS pandemic are depressing the standard of living in this part of the world.

The EU, the largest provider of ODA and the single biggest investor in developing countries, is fully aware that development policies will not be sustainable if developing economies are not part of the world economy. We therefore decided in 2001 to introduce the Everything but Arms amendment to the Generalised System on Preferences which provides LDCs' exporters with free market access for all their products. By 2008 Economic Partnership Agreements with four ACP regions in Africa will enter into force, promoting regional integration and a comprehensive approach to tackle barriers to trade and attract investors. Together with our financial assistance, we strongly believe that this will contribute to an enabling environment for economic growth.

The EU will continue to make constructive efforts to ensure the implementation of the Doha Development Agenda, which places the needs and interests of developing countries at the heart of the trade negotiations. The deadlock since the failure of the Cancun Conference in 2003 has been broken and the negotiations are back on track. We hope that the round can be successfully concluded now that a formal framework for reform has been established.

In July, agreement was also reached regarding the cotton sector, which is crucial for several African countries. Cotton will become part of the agriculture negotiations. The EU for its part has already abolished all export subsidies and tariffs and has undertaken a fundamental reform of its cotton subsidies eliminating the most trade distorting support.

International and national efforts to create an enabling environment for an equitable and sustainable development must go hand in hand. We also realise that economic growth, although a prerequisite for poverty reduction, is not enough in itself. The primary responsibility for poverty reduction lies with the developing countries themselves: at the national level good governance, policy reform, prioritising social needs and prevention of conflicts are essential. In the spirit of the Millennium Declaration and the MDGs, eradication of extreme poverty will be impossible, unless it is coupled with a stronger commitment to building and strengthening democratic institutions, respect and promotion of human rights and the rule-of-law, and effective and equitable delivery of public services.

In this regard, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is an extremely powerful and positive tool for improving governance in Africa. The European Union commends the 23 countries that have so far agreed to join APRM and those four countries in which the review process has already been launched. The EU encourages other African countries to join the APRM. We are committed to support the APRM in the spirit of partnership and with full respect of the African ownership of the process.

The EU welcomes the adoption of the operative guidelines of the APRM at the Forum of the African Peer Review Mechanism in Kigali in February 2004. The agreement that each participating Member State is expected to make a minimum contribution to the APRM illustrates the fact that ownership goes hand in hand with financial commitment.

The EU would like to advocate a stronger involvement of civil society in the APRM process. By making good governance an issue not only of concern to governments, but also to civil society, the APRM will gain weight and legitimacy. Civil society organisations can play an important role in articulating citizens' interests and defending their rights, mediating between citizen and state, and mobilising communities and grass-roots organisations. It is also important to increase the participation of women in political life.

Participation of the private sector is also crucial to make NEPAD a success. A flourishing private sector is crucial to bring about economic, social and environmental prosperity for Africa. The EU therefore believes that proper institutions and regulations, a different trade regime, improved infrastructure and better banking system could boost the investment climate in African countries.

Prosperity and development often is the result of an increase in agricultural production and productivity. Small-scale agriculture is what many of Africa's women and men depend upon for gaining their livelihood. Therefore, rural development is a key to better food security, poverty reduction and economic growth.

The EU stands ready to assist with its commitment to ODA and debt relief. The resolution of Africa's external debt problem is critical for the sustainable development of the African countries. In the framework of the extended "Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative" (HIPC) the EU remains committed to ensure that eligible countries can reach and maintain a sustainable level of debt which helps them to reinforce their efforts to reduce poverty and promote growth. We welcome the extension of the sunset clause of the HIPC initiative through the end of 2006, basing eligibility on end-2004 data. Both creditor as well as debtor countries have to make efforts to prevent that countries are faced with unsustainable levels of debts. In order to break the vicious circle of lending, unsustainable debts and debt relief, the EU supports the Debt Sustainability Framework that at present is being developed by WB and IMF.

As far as ODA is concerned, the European Council reiterated in Brussels in June 2004 that the EU would intensify its efforts to fulfil the commitments undertaken in Monterrey, including through the exploration of innovative sources of financing. The EU is very much on track in increasing its ODA to 0.39% of GNI in 2006 as part of longer term efforts to raise ODA contributions to 0.7% of GNI. The EU and its Member States are already providing almost half of all current development assistance to Africa.

The EU has also significantly increased funds to fight malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis over the past few years. These diseases take a heavy toll on Africa and cause a tremendous loss in economic production and growth, have a strong negative influence on foreign investors and cause problems among regional peace keeping forces. We remain concerned about the disastrous consequences of malaria in developing countries, where prevention and better access to treatments for vulnerable populations could bring significant results and follow with interest the progress recently made in clinical trials of a malaria vaccine. The international community needs to increase efforts to tackle infectious diseases. One way to fight these pandemics might be to work to strengthen national health systems overall. We would also like to welcome the efforts made by the WHO in the fight against these diseases. The EU accounts for 55 % of all resources pledged to the Global Fund, and 65% of the world's assistance to health and population in developing countries. The EU is also the biggest donor to UNAIDS' voluntary contributions.

The EU notes the support of the UN system to NEPAD and would like to stress the importance of linking the operational activities of UN agencies with NEPAD priorities. We welcome the steps that have already been taken for a better collaboration within the UN system in order to support NEPAD and its goals. Co-operation between the UN organisations, the Bretton Woods Institutions and the African Regional Banks is also of crucial importance to make national poverty reduction plans and strategies a success. UN development agencies should develop a joint focus on how specific agencies can best support the implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and assist developing countries in attaining the MDGs.

2. Peace and security

Mr. President,

This debate is also devoted to the promotion of lasting peace in Africa. The major progress which Africa has made in addressing conflicts on the continent and developing an institutional capacity to deal with conflict prevention and resolution has been impressive. The African Union has set itself an ambitious agenda in the area of peace and security. With the African Union in the driver's seat, Africa has demonstrated a strong resolve and its security agenda is fast becoming a reality.

The European Union welcomes the progress made by the African Union in establishing its continental architecture for peace and security, in particular the launch of the Peace and Security Council. The EU stands ready to work with Africa in supporting the Peace and Security Council and to help build African capabilities for addressing and resolving conflicts, including through deployment of African peacekeeping missions. In this respect, we also welcome the progress made with regard to the establishment of the African Standby Force.

The EU Peace Facility for Africa is the main financial instrument for developing and strengthening the already strong practical co-operation between the European Union and Africa in the crucial task of preventing and responding to conflict on the continent. 250 millions € have been earmarked to promote African peace keeping in Africa and to support the African institutional capacity building process. The Peace Facility is based on the principle of African ownership and solidarity. Peacekeeping operations to be considered for financing under the Peace Facility will have to be initiated and implemented through the African Union and/or sub-regional African organisations. The Facility is now being used for the first time to support the AU led monitoring mission in Darfur.

In addition, the EU is currently further developing other instruments at its disposal, predominantly in the field of the European Security and Defence Policy, in order to further expand EU support for African initiatives to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts on the continent.

The EU welcomes the commitment by the Group of Eight to support efforts to enhance the African capacity to engage more effectively in conflict management and resolution. It also acknowledges the valuable assistance of the UN in this realm. The effectiveness of the various activities should be strengthened by further co-ordination efforts. We encourage the African Union to take up this task.

Mr. President,

The number of African countries in conflict is falling, also due to the efforts the African Union and African sub-regional organisations such as ECOWAS, IGAD and SADC have made to restore peace on the continent. But instability continues in many countries and regions. There has been marked progress in the peace processes in the DRC, Burundi, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Sudan. Further progress still needs to be made in Cote d'Ivoire. However, these processes occasionally suffer setbacks and require our continued attention and support to stay the course. At the same time, in Darfur, we are witnessing the worst man-made humanitarian crisis in the world today. The continued instability in Africa is in part responsible for the surge in UN peacekeeping. It is therefore all the more encouraging that UN activities are increasingly preceded by or co-ordinated with peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts by African organisations, most notably in Burundi, Darfur and Somalia. The EU warmly welcomes and fully respects this clear demonstration of African leadership and ownership, and would like to use this opportunity to reiterate its readiness to support the AU in its efforts to stabilise the security situation in Darfur and to act as a mediator in the Abuja talks.

The EU is also further developing its co-operation with the UN in the field of crisis management. Building on the experience of Operation Artemis in Bunia in June 2003, the EU is currently developing its rapid reaction capabilities in the form of so-called Battlegroups, which will enhance the EU's ability to respond to UN requests in short term crisis management situations. In addition, the EU is working on enhancing EU-UN co-operation in civilian crisis management operations.

In crisis regions in Africa, "after the conflict" unfortunately often means "before the conflict", as conflicts all too often recur. Sustained post conflict peace-building efforts are required. We must show long term engagement and accept the resource implications thereof. Too often, financing for crucial activities such as reintegration of ex-combatants is underfunded. The international community must find ways of ensuring funding for peacebuilding activities reaches post-conflict situations earlier and more predictably. In this regard, the balance of assessed and voluntary contributions should be examined.

African countries emerging from conflict should be the highest priority of the UN system and the international community as a whole. The European Union welcomes the establishment of the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Groups for Guinea-Bissau and Burundi as a valuable first step to a more holistic and co-ordinated approach towards longer term stability and societal well-being in these countries. These experiences should be fed into ongoing discussions within the UN intergovernmental machinery on promoting an international coherent response to countries in crisis.

Mr. President,

Conflicts in Africa cause immense human suffering and have huge economic costs. Much more should therefore be done in order to move from a culture of "fire fighting" and conflict management to a culture of conflict prevention. The causes of conflict are manifold, and the Secretary-General's report mentions quite a few of them, like the spread of small arms and light weapons, illegal exploitation of natural resources, high youth unemployment and incomplete DDR-processes. To shift from crisis management to conflict prevention requires an integrated approach. Such an approach should be build on the principle that the primary responsibility for the prevention of conflict rests with Member States. However, a true international partnership is needed to assist affected Member States in turning the tide.

3. Conclusion

Mr. President,

Africa's problems are also the problems of the international community. Ensuring Africa's inclusion in world advancement is our key priority. Without any doubt, the battle against poverty has to be fought on this continent. Only if we win this battle can we lay the foundation for lasting peace and stability on the continent. We believe that, with all the necessary efforts and commitment and with political leadership and will, we can win this battle. To quote the famous rock star Bono in this regard: "It is not about charity, it's about justice."

Thank you.

*Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process

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• Commission to accelerate fight against HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in developing countries (15/7/2004)
• Accelerating the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (30/10/2003)
• Speech by Commissioner Lamy on NEPAD (9/10/2002)
• European Commission Statement on NEPAD (16/9/2002)