Joint Assembly of the Convention concluded between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) - Resolutions adopted on conflict prevention in Africa (ACP-EU/2096/97/fin.)

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Brussels from 17 to 20 March 1997,

- having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular those adopted in Dakar, Libreville and Brussels,

A. having regard to the number, intensity and duration of conflicts in Africa; recalling, in particular, the tension prevailing in Burundi, Angola, Rwanda and many other regions,

B. whereas most of these conflicts are civil wars or inter-ethnic conflicts taking place within States and are generally the result of disastrous economic situations and/or the governments' disregard for human rights,

C. having regard to the vast flow of refugees between African States and of displaced persons around the world (8,5 million in 1996),

D. whereas too often the appeals made by populations, NGOs and governments to the major political decision-making bodies at international level remain unanswered, as shown once again by the tragic problem of refugees in Zaire,

E. concerned at the fact that the increasing volume and cost of humanitarian actions is causing international organizations more and more financial problems and that every possible step should therefore be taken upstream to halt the escalation of potential conflicts and crises,

F. convinced that the international community has the human, communication and financial resources to implement strategies aimed at foreseeing and preventing conflicts; convinced also that, although the necessary legal resources are still lacking, their availability is entirely dependent on political will,

G. whereas the 1963 OAU Charter seeks to promote unity and solidarity between African States, and the coordination and intensification of their cooperation in order to improve the lives of their peoples,

H. recalling that, in line with this policy, the OAU set up a mechanism in June 1993 for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, and stressing that special importance was to be given to the field of prevention,

I. recalling the OAU resolutions which were adopted in Tunis and Addis Ababa, giving official recognition to the need for African forces responsible for conflict prevention, and the Agenda for Action adopted in Cairo in March 1995, in which the OAU stated its intention to set up a conflict prevention body, and whereas the Heads of State and of Government meeting on that occasion recognized that, without democracy and peace, no development was possible,

1. Reiterates its repeated calls for the setting up of international political cooperation structures endowed with sufficient and effective resources to enable them to prevent conflicts, initially by introducing mediation procedures;

2. Supports the OAU's recommendations to its member states, in particular to set up or designate contingents in their armies to follow specialized training in the field of conflict prevention and peacekeeping operations, and calls for a report on actions initiated or completed;

3. Recalls its requests and those of many public and private international forums for humanitarian law to be incorporated or codified in international texts and for the setting-up not only of an early warning system but also of improved information on humanitarian actions;

4. Calls for conflict prevention measures to be an integral part of development aid and calls on the Commission to put forward proposals to this effect;

5. Recalls its wish to see the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference lay the foundations and establish the means of action for a genuine EU Common Foreign and Security Policy;

6. Urges the Council and the Commission, in cooperation with the OAU and the other major international organizations, to maintain and support the holding of conferences or meetings of working groups and research bodies with a view to examining global problems, in particular in the region of the Great Lakes and other regions of Africa in which conflicts are likely to arise;

7. Calls on the Council to consider the possibility of setting up a European corps, comprising civilian and military units in cooperation with the WEU, to carry out peacekeeping and peace restoration operations wherever necessary;

8. Calls also for the establishment of a European civil corps to strengthen humanitarian action, promote the peaceful settlement of crises, prevent crises by encouraging the parties, populations or opposing groups to engage in confidence-building and reciprocity measures;

9. Reaffirms its attachment to the establishment of a European Analysis Centre for the Prevention of Crises and stresses the need for the Centre to collaborate with and provide assistance for the OAU's mechanism for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and the importance of setting up a Permanent International Criminal Court;

10. Calls on all international forums to give special consideration to refugees and displaced persons;

11. Considers it essential to guarantee strict and sustained monitoring of situations in countries, such as Angola, inter alia, in which a peace agreement has been reached;

12. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the UN Security Council, the OAU and the WEU.