Council Common Position of 11 March 2002 concerning European Union support for the implementation of the Lusaka ceasefire agreement and the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo and repealing Common Position 2001/83/CFSP
Date: 2002-03-11
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Democratic Republic of the Congo, cease-fire, cooperation policy, peacekeeping, the EU's international role

12.3.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 68/1

(Acts adopted pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on European Union)

COUNCIL COMMON POSITION

of 11 March 2002

concerning European Union support for the implementation of the Lusaka ceasefire agreement and
the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo and repealing Common Position
2001/83/CFSP

(2002/203/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(6)

Common Position 2001/83/CFSP should be repealed,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union and in partic-
ular Article 15 thereof,

HAS ADOPTED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Having regard to Council Common Position 2001/83/CFSP of
29 January 2001 concerning European Union support for the
implementation of
the Lusaka ceasefire agreement and the
peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (1), and in
particular Article 10 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

On 14 and 15 December 2001, the European Council in
Laeken reaffirmed its full support for the Lusaka cease-
fire agreement.

At its meetings on 26 February, 14 May, 16 July, 8
October, 29 October, 19 November and 10 December
2001, the Council adopted conclusions concerning the
situation in the Great Lakes region.

The Council has adopted Common Position 2001/374/
CFSP of 14 May 2001 concerning conflict prevention,
management and resolution in Africa (2) and Common
Position 98/350/CFSP of 25 May 1998 concerning
human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and
good governance in Africa (3).

The Lusaka ceasefire agreement was signed on 31
August 1999 by the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe,
the
la libération du Congo’ and the
‘Mouvement pour
‘Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie’.

The United Nations Security Council has adopted Reso-
lutions 1234 (1999), 1258 (1999), 1291 (2000), 1304
(2000), 1332 (2000), 1341 (2001), 1355 (2001) and
1376 (2001).

(1) OJ L 29, 31.1.2001, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 132, 15.5.2001, p. 3.
(3) OJ L 158, 2.6.1998, p. 1.

Article 1

The objective of this Common Position is to support, through
action by the European Union and its Member States, the
implementation of
the Lusaka ceasefire agreement and the
relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions within
the framework of the peace process in the Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC).

The European Union affirms that lasting peace in the DRC can
be achieved through a negotiated peace settlement which is fair
to all parties, respect for the territorial integrity and national
sovereignty of the DRC and respect for democratic principles
and human rights in all States of the region, as well as for the
principles of good-neighbourliness and non-interference in
domestic affairs, while taking account of the security interests
of the DRC and its neighbouring countries.

Article 2

The European Union will support action taken by the United
Nations and the Organisation for African Unity in support of
the implementation of the Lusaka ceasefire agreement and the
relevant Security Council Resolutions within the framework of
the peace process, and will cooperate closely with these organ-
international
isations
community in the implementation of this Common Position.

and other

actors of

relevant

the

Article 3

The European Union will continue to work for the strict obser-
vance of the ceasefire between the signatories to the Lusaka
agreement and, to this end, will continue to lend its support to
the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic
the Congo (MONUC) and the Joint Military
Republic of
Commission (JMC).

It will pursue its action for a full withdrawal without delay of
foreign troops from the DRC in accordance with the
all
Security Council Resolutions.

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EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.3.2002

Article 4

The European Union will strive for the rapid implementation
of the process of disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation,
reintegration and resettlement of combatants of armed groups
as provided for under the Lusaka agreement and which is an
essential element for restoring peace to the region.

It will recall that this process must be carried out voluntarily,
with the cooperation of all the signatories to the Lusaka agree-
ment, and must lend itself to support by coordinated action by
the international community.

To this end, it will support action by MONUC and the JMC and
will work in particular for the rapid application of the process
to ex-combatants currently stationed in Kamina.

The Council notes that the Commission intends to support the
disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, reintegration and
(DDRRR) process by appropriate Community
resettlement
measures.

Article 5

The European Union will continue to encourage the inter-
Congolese dialogue process and lend its support to facilitation.

It will express its desire for that dialogue to produce concrete
results at the earliest opportunity and under the conditions of
independence, freedom, transparency, security and representa-
tiveness required for a peaceful, consensual, fair and lasting
solution to the Congolese crisis.

The European Union hopes that the parties to the dialogue will
reach an agreement which enables the unity and integrity of
the country to be maintained and the rule of law to be re-estab-
lished through a peaceful transition capable of restoring good
governance, respect for human rights and fundamental free-
doms and paving the way for a return to democracy.

The Agreement on transition and its institutions should in
particular address the key issues of Congolese nationality and
the new organisation of the army and of the State with a view
to the full restoration of representative democracy as an essen-
tial guarantee for the country's lasting and equitable develop-
ment.

Article 6

regions of the DRC and that it contributes dynamically and
proactively to the peace process by promoting the restoration
of the Congolese State, good governance, an improvement in
the economic situation and respect for human rights.

The Council notes the Commission's intention to continue its
efforts in pursuit of the above objectives.

In this context,
the Council welcomes the signing by the
Commission on 21 January 2002 of the National Indicative
Programme (NIP) under the 8th European Development Fund
(EDF) for the DRC, which represents a firm commitment by the
Union with respect to the country and its population, and it
notes the Commission's intention to implement that commit-
ment in the light of progress made towards national reconcilia-
tion and the prospects of stability and security within the
framework of the peace process.

Article 7

The European Union's cooperation with the countries in the
region involved in the Congolese crisis will take account of the
efforts made by the latter to implement the Lusaka agreement
and the relevant Security Council Resolutions.

Article 8

The European Union will continue to support the Burundi
peace process based on the Arusha Agreement, the success of
which is linked to the solution of the Congolese crisis and
which could serve as an example for all the countries in this
region of Africa affected by violence of an ethnic origin in
particular.

In this context, it will support the holding of an international
conference on peace, security, democracy and development in
the Great Lakes region once progress in the Lusaka and Arusha
peace processes so allows and the interested countries so
decide.

Article 9

The European Union and its Member States reserve the right to
modify or cancel any activities in support of the implementa-
tion of the Lusaka ceasefire agreement if the parties do not
abide by the terms of the agreement.

The European Union will maintain an appropriate level of
humanitarian aid to the DRC and will lend its support to the
reconstruction and development of the country, ensuring that
such support benefits all the Congolese people and all the

Article 10

Common Position 2001/83/CFSP is hereby repealed.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

L 68/3

Article 11

Article 13

The implementation of this Common Position will be moni-
tored regularly. The Common Position will be reviewed before
28 February 2003.

However, it may be reviewed before that date and in particular
once conclusive results emerge from the implementation of the
Lusaka agreement,

including the inter-Congolese dialogue.

Article 12

This Common Position shall take effect on the day of
adoption.

its

This Common Position shall be published in the Official
Journal.

Done at Brussels, 11 March 2002.

For the Council

The President

J. PIQUÉ I CAMPS