or a EU commitment to consolidate Peace and Democratisation in Central Africa

Brussels, 3rd July 2007 - The EU Portuguese Presidency starts and the European NGOs members of EurAc publish their memorandum. They call the EU institutions and member states for consolidating their commitment towards Central Africa.

The semester of the EU Portuguese Presidency is one of the busiest ever concerning Africa . By the 31st December 2007, the Joint EU-Africa Strategy should be signed; the Summit EU-Africa should take place, as well as the Economic Partnership Agreements should enter in a decisive phase.

According to Kris Berwouts, EurAc director: “this is a crucial moment for the relations between the EU and the African Great Lakes region.” Indeed “the EU and the European states have been deeply involved in this part of Africa over the last 10 years and the credibility of the European Foreign and Security Policy will be judged on the successes or failures of peace and democratisation processes in Central Africa.”

EurAc distinguishes five fields needing a EU commitment: consolidating peace, good governance support, the setting up of benchmark for development aid, decentralization and non-state actors strengthening.

Kris Berwouts evaluates the situation in the region: “more than six months after the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, a window of opportunity remains but the process is fragile.” Regarding the Great lakes countries, he adds: “in the DR Congo, the new legitimate institutions are slow to act and the insecurity is still worrying. Burundi seeks for a new start after the 2006 drifts, trials and errors. In Rwanda , there have been improvements in the human rights situation; nonetheless there are still major concerns.”

Central Africa needs a specific European regional policy. However, this policy could only be efficient, taking more into account the local civil societies and their strengthening. They were often the only organisations providing services to the population during the years of war and were the first committing themselves to on the path of peace.

A commitment to consolidate peace and democratization in Central Africa can and must come from the EU in the next six months. To do so, EurAc recommends the followings:

EURAC’S RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Consolidating peace

• a. To the Council of the EU: a discussion on the follow up of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the implementation of the Pact must be put on the agenda of the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). The EU must make a political commitment to encourage the 11 states which have signed the stability pact to ratify it in order that the secretariat, the Special Fund and the other commitments can be put into effect rapidly. The Council must make a declaration to this effect as quickly as possible to take advantage of the current positive dynamic.
• b. To members of the European and national parliaments: a partnership should be created to strengthen national parliaments and provincial councils in the three countries, as well as the joint parliamentarian initiatives aimed at Rwandan, Burundian and Congolese MPs.
• c. The struggle to stop sexual violence and the involvement of women’s associations in the consolidation of peace must be priorities and be considered as fundamental components of the peace process. 
• d. To the Council of the EU: strengthening the Reform of the Security Sector (RSS) missions in the DRC. To the Council of the EU and the Commission: increase cooperation and set out a medium and long term strategy for the RSS and for the rehabilitation of the justice system in the DRC. To the Council of the EU: put on to the agenda of GAERC a common European position on the redefinition of MONUC’s mandate to allow for better protection of civilians. To the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Italy, Slovakia and Belgium: support a resolution in the Security Council to redefine MONUC’s mandate.
• e. To the Council of the EU: make a declaration encouraging the legitimate government of Burundi and the FNL to put into immediate effect the peace agreement signed on 7 September 2006.
  

2. Support for good governance

• a. Creating a genuine consultation between local non-state actors and a serious political dialogue with local authorities in order to take into account the priorities of these countries in the preparation of each country’s governance profile for the European Commission’s governance initiative fund of €2.7 billion.
• b. Strong support by European institutions, most importantly the Commission and the Parliament, in the struggle for better governance in connection with the control of natural resources, exploitation of mines and forests and industries based on these sectors. The revision of mining and forest contracts signed during the transition period is a necessary first step towards enabling the Congolese people to benefit from their country’s wealth for the first time in their history.
  

3. Sustainable development based on benchmarks

• a. Using bench marks to draw up a joint European regional sustainable development strategy for EU institutions and the states concerned. It is necessary to have a clear and concrete indication of what constitutes these bench marks in the specific context of the Great Lakes region.
• b. Put into effect the spirit of the Paris Declaration on the coordination of aid. Donor states and the Commission need to improve their own coordination within the three countries as well as with other donors.
• c. Release of funds allocated in the 8th and 9th EDF for Burundi , the “orphan” of the region as far as international aid is concerned.
  

4. Decentralisation

• a. Ensure that the European aid granted for budgetary support also goes to decentralised authorities.
• b. A commitment by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission to support the holding of local elections in the DRC, initially planned for 2007, the last stage in the Congolese electoral transition process. Specific financial support needs to be targeted at these elections by the Commission as well as political and diplomatic encouragement by the Council and Parliament.
  

5. Strengthening of non-state actors

• a. Delegations to the Commission must facilitate and focus their direct aid to local non-state actors on capacity building, and they should set up training and regular means of providing information about European aid to non-state actors in the region, taking account of the fact that not all of the latter have good Internet access nor are they all in the records of the Commission delegations.
• b. Putting in place a clear mechanism which will enable non-state actors to participate in the work of the CEPGL and will facilitate critical analysis of the latter.

EurAc is the European Network of Active NGOs in Central Africa. EurAc is made up of 46 member-organisations   from 12 European countries AEDH, ATOL, Broederlijk Delen, Brot für die Welt, CAFOD, Caritas France / Secours Catholique, DI-Bwamanda, CCFD Christian Aid, CIMADE, CNCD, Commission Justice et Paix/francophone, CORDAID, COSI, RéFAC, Danchurchaid, Diakonia, Entraide et Fraternité, Fastenopfer / Action de Carême, Federacion de Comités de Solidaridad con el Africa Negra, Foncaba/KBA, Fondation Damien, Frères des Hommes/France, GRET, GRIP, ICCO, Institut Panos Paris, Kerk in Actie, Kansalaisjärjestöjen ihmisoikeussäätiö, Louvain Développement, MEMISA, MISEREOR, NiZA, Norwegian Church Aid, Solidarité Mondiale/Wereldsolidariteit, Solidarité Protestante, Solidarité Socialiste, SOS – Faim, Vredeseilanden, 11.11.11., Pax Christi International. Associate Members: BBO, IRC Belgium, Réseau Oecuménique de l’Afrique Centrale, Rete Pace per il Congo.