JOINT ASSEMBLY OF THE CONVENTION CONCLUED BETWEEN THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC STATES AND THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY (ACP-EC)

RESOLUTION () on Somalia

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Luxembourg from 23 to 26 September 1996,

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

A. having regard to the continuing instability in the country, which has made it impossible to appoint state and government leaders capable of legitimately representing Somalia on the international scene,

B. deploring the persistent fighting that is continuing in various regions, mainly provoked by Mr Hussein Aideed, the son of the late General Farah Aideed, causing human and material destruction and hampering the work of political, social and economic reconstruction,

C. whereas the situation of clan warfare continues to break up the country into zones firmly held by heavily armed militias, making it impossible to restore central authority,

D. having regard to the major efforts made by numerous international and regional organizations in assisting Somali factions to engage in negotiations for peace and national reconciliation,

E. noting that the United Nations Security Council, on 13 August 1996, expressed serious concern over the fighting in Somalia and called for serious negotiations among the factions,

F. whereas the solution of remaining problems in Somalia is of vital importance both for the Somali people and for the stability of the entire region of the Horn of Africa,

G. whereas Somalia has been able neither to ratify the Fourth Lomé Convention nor to sign the agreement on its revision,

H. whereas the ACP-EU Joint Assembly has, on several occasions, called on the Council and the Commission to consider Somalia nevertheless as a part of the Lomé Convention, and to identify all the political and legal instruments that will enable the Somali people to benefit from the whole range of aid and cooperation measures under the Lomé Convention,

I. whereas, at the recent ACP-EU Council meetings in Mauritius and Western Samoa, a resolution was adopted in line with the wishes of the Assembly,

J. whereas, wherever political and security conditions have made it possible, humanitarian aid and support for economic activities and the reorganization of basic services have had a positive impact,

K. having regard to various efforts made by the European Union during these years to assist Somalia in its emergency rehabilitation and recovery needs,

L. whereas Somalia is considered as an ACP country that has traditionally exported bananas to the European Union,

M. having regard to the European Commission's intention to close down the office of the EU Special Envoy in Nairobi (Kenya),

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

1. Urges once again all sections of Somali society to work towards a national agreement for peace and reconstruction of the country;

2. Urgently calls on the Organization of African Unity, the League of Arab States, and the UN Security Council to intensify their pressure on all armed factions in Somalia to cease fighting and engage seriously in the national peace and reconciliation process to make it possible to establish democratic institutions that will initiate and sustain the recovery programmes;

3. Reiterates its conviction that the only way to a permanent settlement in Somalia is through a power-sharing agreement and calls on the international community to assist Somali warring factions to reach that agreement;

4. Calls on the Council and the EU Member States to draw up and submit to the next Development Council meeting a proposal for a European peace initiative for Somalia;

5. Welcomes the ACP-EU Council resolution on Somalia, adopted in Western Samoa;

6. Calls on the ACP-EU Council, the Committee of ACP-EU Ambassadors and the European Commission to establish an appropriate means of ensuring that Somalia enjoys full member status under the Lomé Convention and its instruments (including the protocols and STABEX), tackling the exceptional nature of the current situation with innovative legal and political instruments;

7. Reiterates the fact that the resources under the Seventh and Eighth EDFs are essential for the reconstruction of the country;

8. Considers that the special reconstruction programme for Somalia, for which ECU 47 million have been earmarked, should be rapidly implemented, with steps being taken to guarantee its proper use, especially for the benefit of the most vulnerable sections of society, reconstruction of basic social infrastructure, support for resumption of economic activities, in particular with regard to agriculture, stockfarming and fisheries;

9. Points out the importance of guaranteeing, partly through NGOs, the necessary technical assistance and access to small credits for small producers in Somalia;

10. Calls on the Commission not to close down the office of its Special Envoy to Somalia in Nairobi, whose presence and independent action have been essential in guaranteeing the work of the Union and its partners (NGOs, etc.) in Somalia and in the establishment and operation of the SACB (Somalia Aid and Coordination Body);

11. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the 'banana protocol` for Somalia operates effectively and to use all the instruments at its disposal to support Somali banana growers;

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