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1. EU PREPARED TO DIALOGUE WITH NEW SOMALIA AUTHORITIES
The French Presidency of the EU on behalf of the Union has expressed its hope that the election of Mr Abdulkassim Salat Hassan as President of Somalia by the National Transitional Assembly will contribute to the restoration of the state, the preservation of national unity and the territorial integrity of the country. The EU also states its willingness to enter dialogue with the new Somali authorities. Once they have established their authority, the EU is willing to support their efforts to rebuild the country. To this end the EU calls on the authorities of Somaliland and Puntland to establish constructive relations with the institutions, which have emerged from the process of dialogue (Arta process). The EU also invites the heads of the armed movements, which remain on the margins of the peace process to associate themselves with that process.
2. THIRD ROUND OF COMMISSION – CIVIL SOCIETY CONSULTATIONS ON WTO ISSUES 26 SEPTEMBER – 2 OCTOBER
The third round of monthly consultations between the European Commission and civil society and other stakeholder representatives on WTO issues takes place, between 26 September and 2 October in Brussels. The issues to be discussed are: services, the environment and sustainable development, health, and agriculture.
The agenda for the meeting on health issues includes: Debriefing on the Durban Conference; the G8 Okinawa Summit; Intellectual property rights; and differential pricing for medicines.
The agendas proposed by the Commission for the other issues is as follows:
Ø Agriculture: food security; and developing country issues;
Ø Environment and sustainable development: developing countries and sustainability;
Ø Services: GATS, environment and sustainability aspects, including gender issues; environment services and E-Commerce.
For more information and how to register see http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/2000_round/3meetig.htm
3. 22nd MEETING OF ACP-EU ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INTEREST GROUPS 13-15 SEPTEMBER 2000
The European Economic and Social Committee (ESC) hosted the 22nd meeting of the ACP-EU Economic and Social Interest Groups meeting in Brussels on 13-15 September 2000. The meeting regularly brings together ACP and EU representatives from employers’ organisations, trade unions and representatives from various interests including farmers’ organisations, to discuss ACP-EU issues pertaining to civil society with the European Commission. Representatives from NGOs, whom have not in the past been invited to this gathering, were invited for the first time this year. Guggi Laryea represented the Eurostep Secretariat at the meeting.
The main subject of this year’s meeting was the new ACP-EU Agreement (Cotonou Agreement) and its provisions for civil society participation.
The interest groups drew up a general declaration at the end of the meeting and adopted a resolution on Fiji. The declaration, inter alia states that:
Ø Economic and social interest groups have remained largely excluded from the design and implementation of policies on ACP-EU co-operation;
Ø Economic and Social Interest Groups must be able to establish direct contacts with EU representatives and receive comprehensive information on ways of accessing financial resources;
Ø A regulatory framework must be established in all ACP countries to enable socio-economic organisations to thrive, with the emphasis on access to financing and to local resources in order to ensure their long term survival;
Ø Dialogue must be fostered between ACP economic and social organisations to help to create networks, in particular as regards the regional integration processes;
Ø Economic and Social Interest Groups should be involved from the very start of the process of implementing the Cotonou Agreement;
Ø The European Economic and Social Committee should be given the responsibility for following up the degree to which economic and social interest groups are involved in the new Agreement;
In the resolution on Fiji, the interest groups expressed their deep concern over the situation in Fiji and demanded that democracy be speedily restored within the framework of the 1997 Fiji Constitution.
NGO representatives at the meeting were of the view that greater dialogue should take place between ACP and EU NGOs and networks such as the ACP Civil Society Forum on the one hand and the economic and social interest groups on the other. This would promote greater understanding between the different civil society actors and quell suspicions on their motives for participation in ACP-EU co-operation.
4. DAC AND ETC ORGANISE EXPERT CONSULTATION CONFERENCE ON NEW NOTIONS OF POVERTY – NEW DAC GUIDELINES ON POVERTY
The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD and the consultancy ETC International, organised an Expert Consultation Conference on the Guidelines that the DAC is developing on poverty reduction, on 12-14 September in the Netherlands. Participants included academics, representatives from multilateral institutions, Northern and Southern NGOs and government agencies. The main objectives of the Conference were to:
Ø Consult on the first chapter of the guidelines that deals with the different dimensions of poverty and who the poor are;
Ø Discuss the applicability of the guidelines in policy development;
Ø To put the discussion in the perspective of current developments and define key issues for future attention.
Information and discussion papers from the meeting are accessible at http://www.etcint.org/povertyconference.htm Participants are invited to react to the papers on the site.
5. IN BRIEF
EU Development Commissioner, Poul Nielson stated this week that Commission will approve a rehabilitation programme for Sierra Leone of € 30 million. EU humanitarian aid to Sierra Leone since 1996 has amounted to € 226 million. The European Development Fund has also provided € 8.2 million for demobilisation of former fighters. Mr Nielson also stated that the UN Security Council Resolution from last July on the illegal trade in diamonds had now been transformed into European Community law.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution denouncing the deplorable situation of 98 000 Nepalese speaking refugees in Bhutan and invited the governments of Bhutan and Nepal to reach an agreement that allows the refugees to return home.
The EU is urgently demanding Indonesian authorities to apprehend and try the persons responsible for the tragic deaths of the UNHCR staff in East Timor. The Commission has also approved a grant of € 2 million to displaced populations from Sumatra, the Moluccas and Timor. This brings Commission humanitarian aid to Indonesia since 1999 to € 24.5 million.
The Commission has decided to grant
€ 1.5 million to populations in Honduras hit by Hurricane
Mitch. This brings Commission spending on humanitarian aid in
Honduras in 1998 to € 15 million.
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