Council Joint Action 2007/112/CFSP of 15 February 2007 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the African Great Lakes Region
Date: 2007-02-15
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: East Africa, appointment of staff, common foreign and security policy, diplomatic representation, the EU's international role

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Official Journal of the European Union

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COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2007/112/CFSP

of 15 February 2007

appointing the European Union Special Representative for the African Great Lakes Region

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in
particular Articles 14, 18(5) and 23(2) thereof,

Article 1

Appointment

Mr Roeland VAN DE GEER is hereby appointed European Union
Special Representative (EUSR)
the African Great Lakes
Region from 1 March 2007 to 29 February 2008.

for

Article 2

Policy objectives

The mandate of
the EUSR shall be based on the policy
objectives of the European Union regarding the further stabili-
sation and consolidation of the post-conflict situation in the
African Great Lakes Region, paying particular attention to the
in the countries
regional dimension of
concerned. Promoting, in particular, compliance with the basic
norms of democracy and good governance,
including respect
for human rights and the rule of law, these objectives include:

the developments

On 20 February 2006, the Council adopted Joint Action
2006/122/CFSP extending until 28 February 2007 the
mandate of the European Union Special Representative
for the African Great Lakes Region (1).

On 7 June 2006, the Council approved the policy of the
European Union on the security of personnel deployed
outside the European Union in an operational capacity
under Title V of the Treaty on European Union.

On the basis of a review of Joint Action 2006/122/CFSP,
the mandate of the European Union Special Represen-
tative (EUSR) should be amended and extended for a
12-month period.

(a) active and effective contribution to a consistent, sustainable
and responsible policy of the European Union in the African
Great Lakes Region, promoting a coherent overall European
Union approach in the region. The EUSR shall support the
work of the Secretary-General/High Representative (SG/HR)
in the region;

Mr Aldo Ajello has informed the Secretary General/High
Representative (SG/HR) of his intention to resign at the
end of February 2007. A new EUSR should therefore be
appointed as from 1 March 2007.

(b) ensuring the continued commitment of the European Union
to the stabilisation and reconstruction processes in the
region, through an active presence on the ground and in
relevant international fora, staying in touch with key players
and contributing to crisis management;

On 31 January 2007, the SG/HR has recommended that
Mr Roeland VAN DE GEER be appointed as the new EUSR
for the African Great Lakes Region.

(c) contributing to the post-transition phase in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), in particular as regards the
political process of consolidating the new institutions and
framework for political
defining a broader international
consultation and coordination with the new government;

The EUSR will implement his mandate in the context of
a situation which may deteriorate and could harm the
Common Foreign and Security Policy objectives set out
in Article 11 of the Treaty,

(1) OJ L 49, 21.2.2006, p. 17.

(d) contributing,

in close

cooperation with the United
Nations/MONUC,
to the international support efforts to
pursue a comprehensive Security Sector Reform in the
DRC,
in particular in view of the coordinating role the
European Union is ready to assume in this context;

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

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(e) contributing to appropriate follow-up measures to the Inter-
national Conference of the Great Lakes Region, in particular
by establishing close contacts with the Great Lakes Secre-
tariat and its Executive Secretary as well as with the Troika
of the follow-up mechanism and by promoting good neigh-
bourly relations in the region;

(f) addressing the still considerable problem of armed groups
operating across the borders with the risk of destabilising
the countries in the region and aggravating their internal
problems;

(g) contributing to the post-conflict stabilisation in Burundi,
Rwanda and Uganda,
in particular through accompanying
peace negotiations with armed groups like FNL and LRA.

Article 3

Mandate

In order to achieve the policy objectives, the mandate of the
EUSR shall be to:

(a) establish and maintain close contact with the countries of
the Great Lakes Region, the United Nations, the African
Union, key African countries and main partners of
the
DRC and the European Union, as well as regional and
sub-regional African organisations, other
third
countries and other key regional leaders;

relevant

(b) advise and report on the possibilities for European Union
supporting the stabilisation and consolidation process and
on how best to pursue European Union initiatives;

(c) ensure coherence between CFSP/ESDP actors and, to this
effect, provide advice and assistance for security sector
reform in the DRC, and,
in particular, give local political
guidance to the Heads of the EU Police Mission (EUPOL
the EU Mission advising and assisting
Kinshasa) and of
the Congolese authorities in the security sector reform
(EUSEC RD Congo), in order to fulfil their duties at local
level;

the Great Lakes Region,

(d) contribute to the follow-up to the International Conference
of
in particular by supporting
policies defined in the region pursuing the objectives of
non-violence and mutual defence in the resolution of
conflicts as well as, regarding the regional cooperation, by
promoting human rights
good
governance, combating impunity, judicial cooperation, and
the fight against the illegal exploitation of natural resources;

democratisation,

and

(e) contribute to a better understanding of

the European

Union's role among opinion leaders in the region;

(f) contribute, where requested, to the negotiation and imple-
mentation of peace and cease-fire agreements between the
parties and engage with them diplomatically in the event of
non-compliance with the terms of these agreements; in the
context of the ongoing LRA negotiations, such activities
should be pursued in close coordination with the EUSR
for Sudan;

(g) contribute to the implementation of the European Union
human rights policy and European Union Guidelines on
human rights, in particular the European Union Guidelines
on Children and Armed Conflict, and the European Union
policy regarding UN Security Council Resolution 1325
(2000) on Women, Peace and Security, including by moni-
toring and reporting on developments in this regard.

Article 4

Implementation of the mandate

The EUSR shall be responsible for the implementation of
1.
the mandate acting under
the authority and operational
direction of the SG/HR. The EUSR shall be accountable to the
Commission for all expenditure.

2.
The Political and Security Committee (PSC) shall maintain
a privileged link with the EUSR and shall be the primary point
of contact with the Council. The PSC shall provide strategic
guidance
to the EUSR within the
framework of the mandate.

and political

input

Article 5

Financing

intended to cover the
1.
The financial reference amount
expenditure related to the mandate of
the EUSR in the
period from 1 March 2007 to 29 February 2008 shall be
EUR 1 025 000.

2.
The expenditure financed by the amount stipulated in
paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the
procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the
European Union, with the exception that any pre-financing shall
not remain the property of the Community.

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The management of the expenditure shall be subject to a
3.
contract between the EUSR and the Commission. The expen-
diture shall be eligible as from 1 March 2007.

The Presidency,

4.
the Member
States, as appropriate, shall provide logistical support in the
region.

the Commission, and/or

Article 6

Constitution of the team

1. Within the limits of his mandate and the corresponding
financial means made available, the EUSR shall be responsible
for constituting his team in consultation with the Presidency,
assisted by the SG/HR, and in full association with the
Commission. The EUSR shall
inform the Presidency and the
Commission of the final composition of his team.

in accordance with the policy of the
The EUSR shall,
2.
European Union on the
security of personnel deployed
outside the European Union in an operational capacity under
Title V of the Treaty, take all reasonably practicable measures, in
conformity with his mandate and the security situation in his
geographical area of
the security of all
personnel under his direct authority, notably by:

responsibility,

for

(a) establishing a mission-specific

security plan based on
the Council,
guidance from the General Secretariat of
including mission-specific physical, organisational
and
procedural security measures, governing management of
the secure movement of personnel
the
mission area, the management of security incidents and a
mission contingency and evacuation plan;

to, and within,

(b) ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the European
Union are covered by high risk insurance as required by the
conditions in the mission area;

2. Member States and institutions of the European Union
may propose the secondment of staff to work with the EUSR.
The remuneration of personnel who are seconded by a Member
State or an institution of the European Union to the EUSR shall
be covered by the Member State or the institution of
the
European Union concerned respectively.

(c) ensuring that all members of his team to be deployed
including locally contracted
outside the European Union,
personnel, have
security training
received appropriate
before or upon arriving in the mission area, based on the
risk ratings assigned to the mission area by the General
Secretariat of the Council;

All A-type posts which are not covered by secondment
3.
shall be advertised, as appropriate, by the General Secretariat of
the Council and also notified to Member States and institutions
of the European Union in order to recruit the best-qualified
applicants.

The

privileges,

immunities

4.
guarantees
necessary for the completion and smooth functioning of the
mission of the EUSR and the members of his staff shall be
defined with the parties. Member States and the Commission
shall grant all necessary support to such effect.

further

and

Article 7

Security

1.
The EUSR and the members of his team shall respect
security principles and minimum standards established by
Council Decision 2001/264/EC of 19 March 2001 adopting
in particular when
the Council's
managing EU classified information.

regulations (1),

security

(1) OJ L 101, 11.4.2001, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision

2005/952/EC (OJ L 346, 29.12.2005, p. 18).

(d) ensuring that all agreed recommendations made following
regular security assessments are implemented and providing
the SG/HR, the Council and the Commission with written
reports on their implementation and on other security
issues within the framework of the mid-term and mandate
implementation reports;

(e) ensuring, as necessary and within his responsibilities as part
of the chain of command, that a coherent approach is taken
with regard to the security of personnel across all European
Union elements present in a crisis management operation or
operations in his geographical area of responsibility.

Article 8

Reporting

As a rule, the EUSR shall report in person to the SG/HR and to
the PSC and may report also to the relevant working group.
Regular written reports shall be circulated to the SG/HR, the
Council and the Commission. On the recommendation of the
SG/HR and the PSC, the EUSR may report to the General Affairs
and External Relations Council.

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Article 9

Coordination

make recommendations to the PSC concerning the Council's
decision on renewal,
the
amendment or
mandate.

termination of

the external action of

To ensure the consistency of
the
European Union, the activities of the EUSR shall be coordinated
with those of the SG/HR, the Presidency and the Commission.
The EUSR shall provide Member
and
In the field,
Commission delegations with regular briefings.
the
close liaison shall be maintained with the Presidency,
Commission and Heads of Mission who shall make best
efforts
the
mandate. The EUSR shall also liaise with other international
and regional actors in the field.

the EUSR in the implementation of

States' missions

to assist

Article 10

Review

The implementation of this Joint Action and its consistency
with other contributions from the European Union to the
region shall be kept under regular review. The EUSR shall
present the SG/HR, the Council and the Commission with a
progress report before the end of June 2007 and a compre-
hensive mandate implementation report by mid-November
2007. These reports shall form a basis for evaluation of this
Joint Action in the relevant working groups and by the PSC. In
the context of overall priorities for deployment, the SG/HR shall

Article 11

Entry into force

This Joint Action shall enter into force on the day of
adoption.

its

Article 12

Publication

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Done at Brussels, 15 February 2007.

For the Council
The President

W. SCHÄUBLE