Joint Assembly of the Convention concluded between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) - Resolutions adopted on the situation in Somalia (ACP-EU/2143/97/fin.)

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Brussels from 17 to 20 March 1997,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Somalia,

A. whereas the political, social and economic situation in Somalia is entering a phase of rapid change, to which the international community should be particularly attentive with a view to supporting the positive aspects thereof,

B. welcoming the relentless efforts exerted by the IGAD member countries in their research for a durable solution for Somalia and in particular the Sodere agreement in Ethiopia of January 1997, which brought together 26 Somali political organizations culminating in the creation of a National Salvation Council, as well as the Consultative meeting of Nairobi of October 1996, which brought together three major Somali factions,

C. encouraged by the commitment expressed to move the peace process to a higher plane and the resolve to overcome present difficulties in the preparation for the forthcoming conference in Bossaso, Somalia,

D. whereas the political and security situation differs from one region to another and is still precarious in many urban centres, especially in Mogadishu,

E. whereas this situation of instability has until now hampered international aid and had dramatic consequences for the civilian population which, in vast areas of the country, is still without adequate food and essential services (water supplies, health services, education, etc.),

F. whereas on 12 December 1996 the United Nations sent out an urgent appeal for funds to assist Somalia and prevent a further humanitarian crisis,

G. whereas it is of the utmost importance that subsisting problems be resolved in Somalia, both for the sake of the Somali people and for the stability of the region of the Horn of Africa as a whole,

H. whereas the clan warfare has made it impossible to restore a proper institutional framework at national level and this has in effect prevented Somalia from ratifying the Fourth Lomé Convention and, hence, from benefitting from the ECU 111 million earmarked under the Seventh European Development Fund,

I. whereas the ACP-EU Joint Assembly has, on many occasions, asked the Council and the Commission to consider Somalia, despite everything, as a party to the Lomé Convention and to identify all political and legal instruments which will allow the Somali people to benefit from the whole range of aid and cooperation measures contained in the Convention,

J. whereas on 30 June 1996 the ACP-EU Council confirmed Somalia's political accession to the Lomé Convention, which enabled the Commission to adopt an initial rehabilitation programme (ECU 47 m) in July 1996 and paved the way for further aid programmes,

K. whereas, wherever political and security conditions have allowed, humanitarian aid and support for economic activities with a view to reorganizing essential services have produced significant results,

L. having regard to all the efforts made by the European Union over the last few years to help Somalia meet its most urgent needs in terms of reconstruction and economic regeneration,

M. whereas Somalia is considered an 'ACP country which traditionally exports bananas` to the European Union,

N. whereas the Commission intends to reduce the status of the European Union's office for Somalia, situated in Nairobi (Kenya),

O. having regard to the positive role which the SACB (Somalia Aid Coordination Body) has so far played, by helping to create the conditions for international aid and to coordinate the actions of the main donors, national agencies and NGOs working in Somalia,

1. Makes an urgent appeal to all the Somali factions to observe the ceasefire agreement and engage seriously in a national peace process, with a view to initiating the reconstruction of the country;

2. Urges all Somali political groups who were participating at the Sodere meeting to redouble their efforts in the realization of the Agreement and strongly appeals to other Somali political groups who did not take part in that meeting to do so in the search for a comprehensive settlement to the conflict and in the interest of peace, prosperity and development for Somalia and the region at large;

3. Calls upon the international community, in particular the UN, EU and Inter-governmental organizations, including the Arab League and the Organization for the Islamic Conference to closely coordinate their efforts with the OAU and IGAD in the search for a solution to the conflict in Somalia;

4. Expresses its support for the efforts of the OAU, the IGAD and UN envoys, the EU and the Italian Government, which have made the present ceasefire agreement possible;

5. Insists that the Council of the European Union should develop its own coherent policy on Somalia, making it possible to support political initiatives aimed at the achievement of peace in the country;

6. Appeals to the international community, particularly the EU to make available additional resources with a view to combating poverty, fostering functional cooperation agreements necessary to strengthen peace areas and to encourage the regeneration of other areas and communities; and in this endeavour to give due consideration to the role of women and the inclusion of community based organizations as operational partners in decision-making process for relief and rehabilitation;

7. Reiterates its request to the Commission, the EU Council, the ACP-EU Council and the Committee of Ambassadors immediately to identify instruments to enable Somalia and its people to enjoy the benefits of the Fourth Lomé Convention, as called for on several occasions by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and the ACP-EU Council;

8. Considers it vital that the special reconstruction programme for Somalia, to which ECU 47 million have been allocated, be rapidly implemented and properly used, especially for the most vulnerable sections of the population, the reconstruction of essential social infrastructure, support for economic regeneration and, in particular, agriculture, stockbreeding and fisheries;

9. Calls on the ACP-EU Council to propose a legal instrument to enable Somalia to gain access to the resources of the NIP of the Seventh and Eight EDF and the Regional Indicative Programmes, despite the absence of national authorities empowered to ratify the Fourth Lomé Convention;

10. Considers that the exceptional nature of the situation in Somalia calls for the adoption of legal, political, economic and administrative instruments of an unusual kind to enable the Commission to use the resources of the EDF not only for recovery programmes, but also for long-term development programmes;

11. Calls on the Commission, and in particular ECHO, to monitor the food supply situation in Somalia in order to prevent a famine situation from arising and to provide, if necessary, for an emergency aid programme, taking due account of the impact on the most vulnerable sections of the population;

12. Reiterates its request to the Commission to guarantee full implementation of the 'banana protocol` and Council Regulations 404/93 (banana COM) and 2320/96 (extension of system of aid to ACP banana producers) for Somalia and Somali banana producers, thereby finally enabling them to use and benefit from all the trade and financial instruments provided for in these provisions;

13. Calls on the Commission and the EU Council to devise appropriate practical measures to provide Somali exports (in particular bananas) with adequate administrative and customs protection, by guaranteeing, among other things, duty-free access for goods and quantities entering the European Union;

14. Considers that the Commission's decision to reduce the status of the office of the European Union Special Envoy to Somalia, located in Nairobi, is extremely serious and urges that this decision be revoked;

15. Considers it necessary to maintain a separate Somalia Unit, with a separate EU Special Envoy, as this is essential for maintaining a strong link between rehabilitation and restoration of peace;

16. Considers that the role of the Special Envoy has been and will continue to be essential for the Union to maintain adequate relations with its Somali counterparts and with NGOs working in Somalia and for continuing to guarantee the operation of the SACB, as a key means of coordination and interaction between UN agencies, donors and NGOs;

17. Expresses further grave concern over the piracy of fish in the territorial waters of Somalia, as well as the continued illegal dumping of nuclear and other hazardous industrial waste in that country, in contravention of international law, and appeals to the international community to take urgent steps to prevent these practices;

18. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the United Nations and the OAU.