EN Official Journal of the European Union L 175/35

DECISION No 2/2007 OF THE ACP-EC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

of 25 May 2007

allowing additional bilateral contributions, to be managed by the Commission, in support of the objectives of the African Peace Facility

(2007/461/EC)

THE ACP-EC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS,

Having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (1), as revised by the Agreement (2) amending the said ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, signed in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005, and in particular paragraph 8 of Annex I thereto,

Whereas:

(1) Decision No 3/2003 of the ACP-EC Council of Ministers of 11 December 2003 on the use of resources from the long-term development envelope of the Ninth European Development Fund (EDF) for the creation of a Peace Facility for Africa (3) provided the necessary financial support for the establishment of the African Peace Facility.

(2) The General Affairs and External Relations Council of 5 March 2007 acknowledged the need urgently to address the funding needs of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur/Sudan (AMIS).

(3) The estimated resources provided for in the intra-ACP envelope for replenishment of the African Peace Facility until the 10th EDF enters into force are not enough to run AMIS until that date. EU Member States have therefore expressed their willingness to make additional bilateral contributions. Such additional contributions should be pooled in the African Peace Facility and managed by the Commission to improve coordination and monitoring of the use of the funds until the 10th EDF enters into force.

(4) Decision 2005/446/EC of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council of 30 May 2005 setting the deadline for the commitment of the funds of the Ninth EDF (4) sets 31 December 2007 as the date beyond which the funds from the Ninth EDF may no longer be committed.

(5) Provision therefore needs to be made for additional contributions by EU Member States, to be managed by the Commission, in support of the objectives of the African Peace Facility,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Voluntary contributions

Until 30 September 2007 any EU Member State may provide the Commission with voluntary additional contributions to support the objectives of the African Peace Facility under the Financial Protocol.

The Commission shall be entrusted with the responsibility for managing such contributions within the framework of the African Peace Facility in accordance with the procedures of the Ninth EDF, except for the decommitments which will be refunded to the EU Member States pro rata of their voluntary additional contributions.

Article 2

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 25 May 2007. For the ACP-EC Council of Ministers The President Mohlabi K. TSEKOA

(1) OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 209, 11.8.2005, p. 27. Agreement provisionally applied pursuant to Decision No 5/2005 (OJ L 287, 28.10.2005, p. 1).

(3) OJ L 345, 31.12.2003, p. 108.

(4) OJ L 156, 18.6.2005, p. 19.