Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Partnership Agreement concluded between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part — Minutes of the sitting of Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Date: 2015-06-17
Institutions: ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Subjects: ACP countries, EU investment, climate change, cultural pluralism, democratisation, education, fisheries policy, human rights, natural disaster, vocational training








C_2015391EN.01001101.xml










24.11.2015   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 391/11





JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP OF STATES, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES, OF THE OTHER PART
MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF WEDNESDAY, 17 JUNE 2015
(2015/C 391/03)
Contents







1.

Regional integration in the Pacific
11










2.

Urgent topic No 2: The situation in the Central African Republic
12










3.

Improving internal revenue generation capabilities in ACP states
12










4.

Building economic confidence through a genuine participatory democracy
12










5.

Summary reports from the workshops
13










6.

Vote on the motions for resolution included in the reports submitted by the three standing committees
13










7.

Vote on urgent motions for resolutions
14










8.

Approval of the minutes of the afternoon sitting of Monday, 15 June 2015 and of the morning and afternoon sittings of Tuesday, 16 June 2015
14










9.

Any other business
14










10.

Date and place of the 30th Session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly
14










ANNEX I

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
16










ANNEX II

RECORD OF ATTENDANCE AT THE SESSION HELD IN SUVA (FIJI) FROM 15 to 17 JUNE 2015
20










ANNEX III

ACCREDITATION OF NON-PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATES
24










ANNEX IV

TEXTS ADOPTED
25










—

RESOLUTION on cultural diversity and human rights in ACP and EU countries
25










—

RESOLUTION on the financing of investment and trade, including infrastructure, in ACP countries by the EU blending mechanism
29










—

RESOLUTION on the challenges and opportunities of education and vocational training in ACP countries
34










—

RESOLUTION on the natural disaster in Vanuatu (and neighbouring states): the way forward, including regional cooperation
40










—

RESOLUTION on the situation in the Central African Republic
44




MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF WEDNESDAY, 17 JUNE 2015


(The sitting opened at 9.05 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Fitz A. JACKSON

Co-President

1.   Regional integration in the Pacific

Debate with Meg Taylor, Secretary-General, Pacific Island Forum, and Colin Tuikuitonga, Director-General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Meg Taylor, Secretary-General of the Pacific Island Forum, and Colin Tuikuitonga, Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, outlined plans for deeper integration of the Pacific/Oceania region, including sub-regional integration, and stressed the role of the EU as the region’s main development partner while highlighting differences over fisheries management policy with the EU.
Speakers: Maurice Ponga, Norbert Neuser, Eirangi Marsters (Cook Islands), Felix C.M. Mutati (Zambia), Javier Nart, Tialavea Tionisio Seigafolava Hunt (Samoa), Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Michèle Rivasi, Sanjit Patel (Fiji), Tu’iafitu Lolomana’ia (Tonga), Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Davor Ivo Stier, Ole Christensen and Gediminas Varanavičius (Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific).
Members underscored the importance of regional economic and political integration in a globalised world as particularly relevant for the Pacific region, given the small size of its countries, and the need to address challenges such as resources management, migration, and the threat of climate change. ACP members lamented the European Commission’s proposal to suspend the negotiations for the EU-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), while fisheries management policy would be reformed, and called on the EU to show the flexibility necessary to achieve an agreement. The European Commission underlined its continued commitment to conclude the Pacific EPA while allowing for the necessary time to modernise fisheries resource management in the Pacific region.
2.   Urgent topic No 2: The situation in the Central African Republic

Speakers: Kristin de Peyron (European External Action Service), Laurent Ngon-Baba (Central African Republic), Michael Gahler, Christophe Lutundula (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Kashetu Kyenge, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Co-President Louis Michel, Mohamed Ben Oumar (Niger), Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Amos Fish Mahlalela (South Africa), Bodil Ceballos, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Ignazio Corrao, Agustin Diaz De Mera, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio and Joachim Zeller.
Members noted encouraging developments in recent months, while stressing that the international community needed not to relent in its support for the transition in the Central African Republic, in particular in view of the goal to organise democratic elections by the end of 2015. The EU had made important financial contributions to the stabilisation of the country, but more commitment from others was needed, including military contributions with a medium-term perspective. The situation of refugees, the pending implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration and Repatriation agreement, the rights of children and the positive role of the interim President and that of leaders of religious communities in the Central African Republic were also highlighted.

(The session was suspended at 11.00 and resumed at 11:01)

3.   Improving internal revenue generation capabilities in ACP states

Debate with Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Attorney-General and Minister for Finance, Public Enterprises, Public Service and Communications (Fiji)
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Attorney-General and Minister for Finance, Public Enterprises, Public Service and Communications of Fiji, explained that his country is following a consumption-led strategy, reducing nominal tax rates for individuals and micro and small businesses, as well as encouraging small-scale investments and increasing tax compliance.
Speakers: Tesfaye Daba (Ethiopia), Davor Ivo Stier, Joyce Laboso (Kenya), Pedro Silva Perreira, James Munthali (Malawi), Petr Jezek, Felix Mutati (Zambia), Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Michael Gahler, Michèle Rivasi, Mikael Phillips (Jamaica), Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Kashetu Kyenge, Catherine Bearder, Carlos Zorrinho, Neena Gill, Michael George Peyrefitte (Belize) and Peter Craig McQuaide (European Commission).
Members stressed the importance of limiting illicit financial flows and ensuring that international companies and the richest individuals in developing countries paid their taxes.
4.   Building economic confidence through a genuine participatory democracy

Debate with Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Attorney-General and Minister for Finance, Public Enterprises, Public Service and Communications (Fiji)
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum outlined recent reforms, the merits of the Fijian constitution and the enshrined principles of non-discrimination and the strengthening of social rights, while defending Fiji’s labour laws.
Speakers: Agustin Diaz De Mera, Felix Mutati (Zambia), Neena Gill, Petr Jezek, Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Michèle Rivasi, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Joachim Zeller, Ole Christensen, Catherine Bearder, Davor Ivo Stier, Kashetu Kyenge and Kristin de Peyron (European External Action Service).
Members welcomed Fiji’s return to democracy following the September 2014 elections and congratulated the country on its recent economic and political governance reforms. Questions were raised on Fiji’s economic policies and its relation to the regional and global context, the current role of the Fijian army, media freedom and civil society participation, as well as the economic inclusion of vulnerable groups like women and rural communities. EU Members put questions to the Minister over the ILO enquiry into the labour rights situation in the country.
5.   Summary reports from the workshops

Kembi Gitura (Kenya) made an oral report on the workshop on Fiji and the Pacific’s Experience in Combating Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, pointing to the need to strengthen policies for sustainable fisheries in Fiji and neighbouring Pacific countries, while informing Members of steps already undertaken in this respect over the past few years.
Jo Leinen made an oral report on the workshop on addressing Climate Change in Fiji. It was urgent to address climate change, as the Pacific region was already experiencing its effects, for example in the rising sea level, and its very existence was being threatened. The rapporteur called upon the ACP-EU partners to join forces in view of the COP21 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December 2015.

(The sitting adjourned at 13.00 and resumed at 15.08)







Fitz A. JACKSON
Louis MICHEL


Patrick I. GOMES and
Luis Marco AGUIRIANO NALDA





Co-Presidents




Co-Secretaries-General





IN THE CHAIR: Louis MICHEL

Co-President

6.   Vote on the motions for resolution included in the reports submitted by the three standing committees

The Co-President reminded the Assembly of the voting procedures.






—


Cultural diversity and human rights in ACP and EU countries (ACP-EU/101.753/15/fin)
Committee on Political Affairs
Report by Abdoulaye Touré (Côte d’Ivoire) and Davor Ivo Stier
Amendment rejected: 1
Split votes with votes by separate houses on part 2 of the split were requested by the EPP Group on paragraphs 1, 12 and 31, resulting in the rejection of these paragraphs.
The resolution thus amended was adopted by all Members present, except 1 vote against.










—


The financing of investment and trade, including infrastructure, in ACP countries by the EU blending mechanism (ACP-EU/101.868/15/fin)
Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade
Report by Malement Liahosoa (Madagascar) and David Martin
Amendments adopted: 1, 2, 3, 5
Amendments rejected: 4, 6 (vote by separate houses requested by the EPP Group), paragraph 15 (vote by separate houses requested by the EPP Group)
A split vote with vote by separate houses on part 2 of the split was requested by the EPP Group on Recital R and all parts were adopted.
The resolution thus amended was adopted by all Members present, except 2 votes against.










—


Challenges and opportunities of education and vocational training in ACP countries (ACP-EU/101.756/15/fin)
Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment
Report by Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea) and Francesc Gambús
Split votes with votes by separate houses on both parts of the split were requested by the EPP Group on paragraphs 31 and 34 and all parts were adopted.
The resolution thus amended was adopted by all Members present, except 1 vote against.




7.   Vote on urgent motions for resolutions







—


The natural disaster in Vanuatu (and neighbouring states): the way forward, including regional cooperation (ACP-UE/101.877/15/fin)
A split vote with vote by separate houses on part 2 of the split was requested by the EPP Group on paragraph 11, resulting in the adoption of part 1 and the rejection of part 2 of the split.
The resolution thus amended was adopted unanimously.










—


The situation in the Central African Republic (ACP-EU/101.878/15/fin)
Amendment adopted: paragraph 7 (vote by separate houses, requested by the EFDD Group)
The resolution was adopted by all Members present, except 2 votes against.




8.   Approval of the minutes of the afternoon sitting of Monday, 15 June 2015 and of the morning and afternoon sittings of Tuesday, 16 June 2015

Lidia Senra Rodríguez requested a small change in item 8 of the minutes of the sitting of Monday 15 June. The minutes of that day were modified accordingly. The minutes of Tuesday, 16 June were approved without changes.
The minutes were approved.
9.   Any other business

The Co-President announced that declarations by the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on the situation in Burundi and on the suicide attacks on civilians in N’Djamena (Chad) had been distributed to the Members.
Co-President Fitz A. Jackson congratulated JPA Member Winston Garraway for his appointment as Minister for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs in Grenada.
Co-President Louis Michel congratulated former JPA Member Komi Sélom Klassou for his recent appointment as Prime Minister of Togo.
10.   Date and place of the 30th Session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

The 30th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly will, in principle, be held from 7—9 December 2015 in Mozambique, subject to confirmation in due time by the ACP side.
Jo Leinen pointed out that the date chosen for the 30th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly will coincide with the holding of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris, and therefore called for a rescheduling of the session. Co-President Louis Michel said he would look for a possible solution.
Co-President Louis Michel, on behalf of the whole Joint Parliamentary Assembly, congratulated the Government and Parliament of Fiji for the excellent organisation of the 29th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
(The sitting closed at 15.52 p.m.)



Fitz A. JACKSON
Louis MICHEL

Co-Presidents



Patrick I. GOMES and
Luis Marco AGUIRIANO NALDA

Co-Secretaries-General





ANNEX I

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY








ACP representatives




EP representatives





JACKSON (JAMAICA), Co-President


MICHEL, Co-President




 


 




ANGOLA
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
BAHAMAS
BARBADOS (VP)
BELIZE
BENIN
BOTSWANA
BURKINA FASO
BURUNDI
CAMEROON
CAPE VERDE
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
CHAD (VP)
COMOROS
CONGO (Democratic Republic of the) (VP)
CONGO (Republic of the)
COOK ISLANDS
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
DJIBOUTI
DOMINICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
EQUATORIAL GUINEA (1)

ERITREA
ETHIOPIA (VP)
FIJI
GABON
GAMBIA
GHANA
GRENADA
GUINEA
GUINEA-BISSAU
GUYANA
HAITI
JAMAICA
KIRIBATI
LESOTHO
LIBERIA
MADAGASCAR
MALAWI (VP)
MALI
MARSHALL ISLANDS (Republic of the)
MAURITANIA
MAURITIUS
MICRONESIA (Federated States of)
MOZAMBIQUE (VP)
NAMIBIA
NAURU
NIGER
NIGERIA (VP)
NIUE (VP)
PALAU
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
RWANDA
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
SAINT LUCIA
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
SAMOA
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE
SENEGAL (VP)
SEYCHELLES
SIERRA LEONE
SOLOMON ISLANDS
SOMALIA
SOUTH AFRICA
SUDAN (VP) (1)

SURINAME (VP)
SWAZILAND
TANZANIA
TIMOR-LESTE
TOGO
TONGA (VP)
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
TUVALU
UGANDA
VANUATU
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE


ADINOLFI
AGEA
ALIOT
ARENA
BAY
BEARDER
BUONANNO
CAMPBELL BANNERMAN
CASA
CEBALLOS
CHRISTENSEN
CORRAO
DANCE
DELAHAYE
DE SARNEZ
DUNCAN
ENGSTRÖM
ESTARÀS FERRAGUT
FERRARA
FERREIRA (VP)
FLAŠÍKOVÁ BEŇOVÁ
FLORENZ
GABRIEL
GÁL
GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL
GEBHARDT
GERICKE
GERINGER DE OEDENBERG
GIRAUTA VIDAL
GIUFFRIDA
GOERENS
GRIESBECK
GUERRERO SALOM
HANNAN (VP)
HERRANZ GARCÍA
HETMAN
HEUBUCH
ITURGAIZ
KARSKI
KYENGE (VP)
LÓPEZ AGUILAR (VP)
LÖSING
MCAVAN
MANSCOUR (VP)
MARUSIK
MIZZI
MUSELIER (VP)
MUSSOLINI
NART (VP)
NEGRESCU
NEUSER
NOICHL
OMARJEE
PAPADIMOULIS
PEDICINI (VP)
PHILIPPOT
POGLIESE
RIVASI (VP)
ROLIN
ROSATI
RUAS (VP)
SALVINI
SARGENTINI
SCHREIJER-PIERIK
SENRA RODRÍGUEZ
STOLOJAN
THOMAS
VAIDERE
WENTA
WERNER
WIELAND
WIŚNIEWSKA (VP)
ZÁBORSKÁ
ZELLER
ZORRINHO
ZWIEFKA








COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL AFFAIRS








ACP Members




EP Members





HLONGWANE (ZIMBABWE), Co-Chair
SANOU (BURKINA FASO), VC
GOUMANEH (DJIBOUTI), VC


GAHLER, Co-Chair
ZELLER, VC
GUERRERO SALOM, VC




ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
YEHOUETOME (BENIN)
GBERI (CAMEROON)
N’GON-BABA (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC)
COMOROS
CONGO, REPUBLIC OF
COTE D’IVOIRE
PATEL (FIJI)
GUYANA
PRIVERT (HAITI)
PHILLIPS (JAMAICA)
GITURA (KENYA)
LIBERIA
MUNTHALI (MALAWI)
SOUKOUNA (MALI)
MARSHALL ISLANDS
VAQUINA (MOZAMBIQUE)
NAURU
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
KAWAMALA (TANZANIA)
SANTOS (TIMOR LESTE)
TOGO
TAUSI (TUVALU)


ADINOLFI
CASA
CEBALLOS
CORRAO
DANCE
DUDA
ENGSTRÖM
GABRIEL
GAL
GEBHARDT
KARSKI
KYENGE
LEWER
LÖSING
LÓPEZ AGUILAR
MICHEL
PHILIPPOT
POGLIESE
RUAS
WERNER
WIELAND
ZORRINHO
ZWIEFKA








COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE AND TRADE








ACP Members




EP Members





TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, Co-Chair
TANNA (UGANDA), VC
LOLOMANA’IA (TONGA), VC


FERRARA, Co-Chair
ESTARÀS FERRAGUT, VC
MANSCOUR, VC




WORRELL (BARBADOS)
MANGOLE (BOTSWANA)
BURUNDI
ANDRADE RAMOS (CAPE VERDE)
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
EQUATORIAL GUINEA (2)

ETHIOPIA
KABA (GUINEA)
MANE (GUINEA BISSAU)
KIRIBATI
RAZAFINDRAVELO (MADAGASCAR)
MUCHILA (NAMIBIA)
NIGERIA
NIUE
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
SENEGAL
TAUSINGA (SOLOMON ISLANDS)
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
LONG (ST. LUCIA)
SUDAN (2)

SURINAME
DLAMINI (SWAZILAND)
MUTATI (ZAMBIA)


ARENA
BAY
CAMPBELL BANNERMAN
DE SARNEZ
DELAHAYE
FLAŠÍKOVÁ BEŇOVÁ
FLORENZ
GIRAUTA VIDAL
GRIESBECK
HANNAN
MIZZI
MUSELIER
NEGRESCU
OMARJEE
PAPADIMOULIS
PEDICINI
ROSATI
SALVINI
SARGENTINI
SCHREIJER-PIERIK
STOLOJAN
THOMAS
WENTA








COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND THE ENVIRONMENT








ACP Members




EP Members





MANGOUALA (GABON), Co-Chair
BALDEH (GAMBIA), VC
JIMENEZ (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC), VC


RIVASI, Co-Chair
AGEA, VC
MUSSOLINI, VC




XIRIMBIMBI (ANGOLA)
BAHAMAS
PEYREFITTE (BELIZE)
ADJEDOUE (CHAD)
MARSTERS (COOK ISLANDS)
DOMINICA
NAIB (ERITREA)
ASAMOAH (GHANA)
GRENADA
MOQOLO (LESOTHO)
ZAMEL (MAURITANIA)
MAURITIUS
MICRONESIA (FEDERATED STATES OF)
OUMAR (NIGER)
PALAU
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
RUGEMA (RWANDA)
HUNT (SAMOA)
POOLE (SEYCHELLES)
BUNDU (SIERRA LEONE)
ABDIRIZAK (SOMALIA)
MAHLALELA (SOUTH AFRICA)
LENGKON (VANUATU)


ALIOT
BEARDER
BUONANNO
CHRISTENSEN
FERREIRA
GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL
GERICKE
GERINGER DE OEDENBERG
GIUFFRIDA
HERRANZ GARCIA
HETMAN
HEUBUCH
MARUSIK
MCAVAN
NART
NEUSER
NOICHL
ROLIN
SENRA RODRIGUEZ
VAIDERE
WIŚNIEWSKA
ZABORSKA






(1)  With observer status.

(2)  With observer status.



ANNEX II

RECORD OF ATTENDANCE AT THE SESSION HELD IN SUVA (FIJI) FROM 15 to 17 JUNE 2015







JACKSON (Jamaica), Co-President


MICHEL, Co-President




PEREIRA (Angola)
WORRELL (Barbados) (VP)
PEYREFITTE (Belize)
GBIAN (Benin)
MANGOLE (Botswana)
SANOU (Burkina Faso)
KOMBO (Cameroon)
ANDRADE RAMOS (Cape Verde)
NGON-BABA (Central African Republic)
LUTUNDULA APALA Pen’APALA (Congo, Democratic Republic of) (VP)
MARSTERS (Cook Islands) (1)

WEIDOU (Chad) (VP)
GOUMANEH (Djibouti)
NAIB (Eritrea)
DABA WAKJIRA (Ethiopia) (VP)
TORAO OYO (Equatorial Guinea) (2)

PATEL (Fiji)
MANGOUALA (Gabon)
BALDEH (Gambia)
AMOATEY (Ghana)
GARRAWAY (Grenada)
KABA (Guinea)
MANE (Guinea-Bissau)
PRIVERT (Haïti)
PHILLIPS (Jamaïca)
LABOSO (Kenya)
TONG (Kiribati)
RAMALEFANE (Lesotho)
RAZAFINDRAVELO (Madagascar)
MUNTHALI (Malawi) (VP)
SOUKOUNA (Mali)
ZAMEL (Mauritania)
VAQUINA (Mozambique) (VP)
MUCHILA (Namibia)
OUMAR (Niger)
TAUFITU (Niue)
KANAI (Palau)
KOMUN (Papua New Guinea)
REGEMA (Rwanda)
LONG (Saint Lucia)
HUNT (Samoa)
POOL (Seychelles)
BUNDU (Sierra Leone)
TAUSINGA (Solomon Islands)
HASSAN (Somalia)
MAHLALELA (South Africa)
DLAMINI (Swaziland)
NDUGAI (Tanzania)
LOLOMANA’IA (Tonga) (VP)


BEARDER
CEBALLOS
CHAUPRADE (3)
 (4)

CHRISTENSEN
CORRAO
DE SARNEZ (3)
 (4)

DIAZ DE MERA GARCIA CONSUEGRA
GAHLER
GAL
GAMBUS
GERICKE (3)
 (4)

GILL
GIRAUTA VIDAL (3)
 (4)

GRIESBECK (3)
 (4)

HETMAN
HOLVENYI
JACKIEWICZ
JEZEK
JIMENEZ BECERRIL
KYENGE (VP)
LOPEZ AGUILAR
LEGUTKO
LEINEN
MARTIN
MIZZI
NART (VP)
NEUSER
PIECHA
PIOTROWSKI (4)
 (5)

PONGA
POREBA (3)

RIVASI (VP)
SENRA RODRIGUEZ
SILVA PEREIRA
STIER
THEOCHAROUS
VAIDERE
VAUGHAN
WENTA
ZELLER
ZORRINHO
ZWIEFKA




TAUSI (Tuvalu)
OULANYAH (Uganda)
LENGKON (Vanuatu)
MUTATI (Zambia)
HLONGWANE (Zimbabwe)


 





Also present:


ANGOLA

SIMBRÃO DE CARVALHO
XIRIMBIMBI
TEIXEIRA

BENIN

YEHOUETOME

BOTSWANA

NGAKA
MOSOME

BURKINA FASO

BONKOUGOU
DRABO
M. OUEDRAOGO
G. OUEDRAOGO

CAMEROON

AWUDU MBAYA
OWONA KONO
DAOUDA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REP.

NOUGANGA

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

BASIALA MAKA
KILISHO BULAMBO
MOLEKO MOLIWA
OKUNDJI NDJOVU
AIMA TSHANDIA
MAYINDOMBE
INIER LATEBO EKWA
NGINDU KABUNDI BIDUAYA
LUKUKA NKULIMBA

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

F. TOURE
S. TOURE

ERITREA

TEKLE
HAGOS

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

BAKALE AYETEBE
MASA ADA

ETHIOPIA

TOGA CHANAKA
IRENA

GABON

MILEBOU AUBUSSON
ONGOUORI NGOUBILI
OWONO NGUEMA
NZEH ELLANG
RISSONGA
NYONDA

GAMBIA

SILLAH
NJIE
KEBBEH

GHANA

ASAMOAH
BROWN
ANSAH-ADJEI
Akua SARKU

GUINEA

SYLLA
DIALLO

GUINEE-BISSAU

MANE
DIAS

KENYA

KEMBI GITURA
ADEN
MASINDE
CHEBET
KINYUA

LIBERIA

BARCLAY
DARKEL

MADAGASCAR

LIAHOSOA

MALAWI

PATEL
KAPHAMTENGO YONA
LIPANDE
CHITEYEYE
MAKANDE

MALI

HAMATOU
DIALLO

MAURITANIE

EL MOKHTAR
SAMBA
WANATY MARRAKCHY
WANE

MOZAMBIQUE

SITHOLE
NAMBURETE
DAVA
MATE

NIGER

CHEGOU
OUSMANE TIEMOKO
FOUKORI
TONDY
MAINA
CAZALICA

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

MARO
MEALIN

RWANDA

RUGEMA

SEYCHELLES

JUMAYE

SIERRA LEONE

LEWALLY
KUYEMBEH
KOROMA

SOLOMON ISLANDS

MOSE
HALLU
WAOKEA

SOMALIA

IBROW
FAQI

SOUTH AFRICA

MAMPURU
KALYAN
ROTHKEGEL
KHUZWAYO
MADLALA

TANZANIA

ZUNGU
MWANJELWA
YAKUBU
MASUKE

TCHAD

ADJI
GUELPINA

TOGO

ABIGUIME
TIGNOKPA
LAWSON

UGANDA

TANNA
KAGANZI

VANUATU

RICHARD
TAMBE

ZAMBIA

MUBANGA

ZIMBABWE

CHIKWINYA
MAHLANGU
CHIPARE

ACP COUNCIL

 

EU COUNCIL

EDGARS RINKĒVIČS, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Latvia), President-in-Office of the EU Council

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

NEVEN MIMICA, Member of the Commission with responsibility for international cooperation and development

EUROPEAN EXTERNAL ACTION SERVICE

DE PEYRON, Head of Division, Pan-African Affairs

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

VERBOVEN

ACP SECRETARIAT

GOMES, Co-Secretary-General

EU SECRETARIAT

AGUIRIANO NALDA, Co-Secretary-General


(1)  Country represented by a person who is not a parliamentarian.

(2)  With observer status.

(3)  Present on 15 June 2015

(4)  Present on 16 June 2015

(5)  Present on 17 June 2015



ANNEX III

ACCREDITATION OF NON-PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATES

Cook Islands
Eirangi Marsters
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cook Islands



ANNEX IV

TEXTS ADOPTED


RESOLUTION (1)

on cultural diversity and human rights in ACP and EU countries

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,







—


meeting in Suva (Fiji) from 15 to 17 June 2015,










—


having regard to Article 18(1) of its Rules of Procedure,










—


having regard to the Cotonou Agreement signed on 23 June 2000 in Cotonou and revised in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005 and in Ouagadougou on 22 June 2010,










—


having regard to the Resolution on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 3 April 2003 in Brazzaville,










—


having regard to the Resolution on challenges to the democratic accommodation of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity in ACP and EU countries, adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 9 April 2009 in Prague,










—


having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 10 December 2013 on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights,










—


having regard to the African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, adopted by the OAU Assembly on 27 June 1981,










—


having regard to the Charter of the United Nations, signed on 26 June 1945,










—


having regard to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 21 December 1965,










—


having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 16 December 1966,










—


having regard to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989, and to its Optional Protocols,










—


having regard to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 16 December 1966,










—


having regard to the Unesco Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, adopted in The Hague in 1954, and to its first protocol of 1954 and its second protocol of 1999,










—


having regard to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006,










—


having regard to the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 14 November 1970,










—


having regard to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 2008,










—


having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948,










—


having regard to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December 1979,










—


having regard to the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December 1992,










—


having regard to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 8 September 2000,










—


having regard to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 September 2007,










—


having regard to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the UN World Conference on Human Rights on 23 June 1993,










—


having regard to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the UN World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance on 22 September 2011,










—


having regard to the Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Cooperation, adopted by the General Conference of Unesco on 4 November 1966,










—


having regard to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted by the General Conference of Unesco on 20 October 2005,










—


having regard to the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, adopted by the General Conference of Unesco on 2 December 2001,










—


having regard to the American Convention on Human Rights, adopted at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Human Rights on 22 November 1969,










A.


whereas the world’s nearly 200 countries have some 5  000 ethnic groups, and whereas two-thirds have at least one substantial ethnic or religious minority;










B.


whereas all countries need to observe and design policies that explicitly include the promotion and protection of human rights and cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic differences, while fostering development;










C.


whereas a legal framework recognising the equal rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic groups is essential for promoting democratic governance, designing multicultural policies and fostering development;










D.


whereas cultural diversity has been an established feature of most ACP and EU countries, but whereas in recent decades the forces of globalisation have seriously jeopardised peaceful coexistence in multicultural contexts;










E.


whereas the accommodation of diverse cultures, religions and languages poses a new challenge to many societies, including in Europe and the ACP countries; whereas migratory flows also have a cultural and social dimension, which host countries should take into account;










F.


whereas the mechanisms through which universal human rights are guaranteed must take into account grass-roots cultural practices, provided that human rights are not compromised in the process;










G.


whereas in a globalised world, respect for diversity becomes even more vital, both for states and the international community, in order to prevent cultural impoverishment and the disappearance of certain cultures as well as social, inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts;










H.


whereas infringements persist and current and potential wars mostly stem from those very infringements of cultural rights, and whereas numerous development strategies have proven to be inadequate due to the failure to respect those rights;





Political and legal aspects









1.


Stresses, against the general background of the right to freedom of expression, including artistic expression, to freedom of opinion and information and to respect for cultural diversity, that each individual, either alone or with others, has the right to free, pluralistic information contributing to the full development of his or her cultural identity;












2.


Stresses that actual respect for human rights, with which respect for cultural diversity is correlated, can be regarded as a basic component in the credibility of the actions of the institutions; recalls that citizens’ trust in the institutions at all levels is directly linked to the specific goals achieved in this area;












3.


Recalls that, under the Cotonou Agreement, the EU Member States and ACP countries have a duty to strengthen their commitment to ensuring fair and joint implementation of programmes and strategies guided by the principles of democracy, rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms and by respect for human dignity and the principles of equality and solidarity, in full compliance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and international law;












4.


Believes strongly that inclusive and community-centred political solutions aimed at ending wars and armed conflict play a crucial role in ensuring lasting respect for human rights and cultural diversity;












5.


Is convinced that any strategy or programme delivered in the context of EU-ACP development cooperation policy must guarantee effective eradication of all forms of human exploitation and corruption, poverty and social inequality, provide access to education for all and facilitate mutual understanding, given that human rights violations and major problems in preserving the multicultural, multi-ethnic and multiconfessional character of the societies concerned arise from the persistence of inhuman and degrading conditions;












6.


Stresses that human rights are inherent to all human beings, whatever their nationality, religion, belief, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour or language and that human beings are all equally entitled to the same human rights without discrimination;












7.


Emphasises that human rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible and interdependent and that the promotion, defence and application of human rights cannot be interpreted differently depending on cultural, ethnic and religious traditions or economic and/or geostrategic interests;












8.


Stresses, therefore, that cultural diversity cannot be used as a justification for the violation of any human rights enshrined in international law;












9.


Stresses that supporting and promoting cultural diversity, and religious diversity in particular, can help to stem the recent rapid growth, particularly among young people, in violently radical mind-sets and thereby help reduce the potential for recruiting future terrorists;












10.


Emphasises that, under international conventions, the recognition and protection of human dignity are central and fundamental values;












11.


Believes that, where diversity has resulted in violent conflict or threatens to do so, standing mediation mechanisms should be established which can tackle conflicts before they escalate;












12.


Calls on EU and ACP governments to involve civil society organisations in the political, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue;












13.


Underlines the fact that democratic representation of minority groups and their ability to participate in political, social and cultural debate are vital to ensuring that democratic and good governance principles are implemented;












14.


Emphasises that a vibrant, dynamic and inclusive public sphere with an active and vocal civil society and public deliberation on cultural, social and political issues is an important element of good governance and the implementation of human rights;












15.


Calls on international organisations, in accordance with their specific powers and responsibilities, to ensure, in all of their activities, that systematic consideration is given to cultural rights and to cultural diversity in other human rights and to contribute to the development of transparent and effective common assessment and monitoring mechanisms;












16.


Calls on the international community to make education a tool for combating the cultural and traditional custom of female genital mutilation, which is carried out in certain communities as part of the initiation into adulthood and defines whether a girl belongs to the community or not;












17.


Recognises the instrumental role of education in empowering marginalised and under-represented people in society, and particularly in empowering women and girls; recognises that not only is access to education a human right in itself, but that it can also make possible the exercise of other civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights;





Cultural diversity, development and human rights









18.


Recognises that cultural diversity is inseparable from respect for universal human rights and beneficial for the development of nations;












19.


Calls on the ACP and EU countries, in accordance with their specific powers and responsibilities, to incorporate into their national laws and practices the human rights recognised in the Universal Declaration of 1948 and to ensure that any person who alleges that their cultural rights have been infringed has access to effective remedy, including judicial remedy;












20.


Acknowledges, in this context, that while every human being has the right to cultural expression, including the right to enjoy and develop cultural life and identity, cultural rights may only be exercised up to the point at which they begin to infringe on other human rights; stresses that, in accordance with international law, no right may be used at the expense or in violation of another right or of specific national laws in force;












21.


Stresses that cultural diversity should be protected and promoted through freedom of expression, information and communication and through freedom from discrimination;












22.


Is concerned at the systematic increase in the number of religious and cultural conflicts, which often lead to bloody wars in which human rights are violated and many people are killed;












23.


Recognises that human rights such as freedom of belief, religion, thought, conscience and expression, and press freedom in particular, along with freedom of assembly and freedom of association, play a direct role in the promotion and protection of cultural diversity and that enjoyment of human rights is promoted by a pluralistic society;












24.


Stresses that each individual has the freedom to choose whether or not to identify with one or more cultural communities, regardless of borders, and to change that decision; emphasises, in addition, that no one may be forced to identify with or be assimilated with a cultural community against their will;












25.


Acknowledges that there are different policies and constitutional solutions for accommodating cultural diversity;












26.


Stresses, in particular, that equality of rights between women and men must be strictly ensured and that harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation, early and forced marriages, gendercide, including girl infanticide, forced abortions or female foeticide, honour crimes, denying women a proper education, the commercial sexual exploitation of women and domestic violence can never be justified on any political, social, religious or cultural grounds or on the basis of any popular tradition, and should therefore be banned, and violations of such prohibitions severely punished in accordance with the law and due process; notes, in this regard, the undeniable benefits, in terms of development, to be gained from the emancipation of women and greater gender equality; emphasises, also, the importance and indispensability of children’s rights and the need for all ACP countries and EU Member States to comply strictly with the Declaration on the Rights of the Child;












27.


Calls on the EU and the ACP countries to implement a better-coordinated approach to combating the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage, illegal trafficking and smuggling of cultural goods, working in close cooperation with Unesco and the other international organisations concerned;












28.


Emphasises, in particular, that children’s rights in general, and specifically those relating to issues such as children in conflict or child labour, must be strictly upheld;





International and regional cooperation and development policy









29.


Stresses the crucial role of parliamentarians in promoting and protecting human rights; adds that interparliamentary meetings, such as the ACP-EU JPA, help to foster tolerance and promote cultural diversity;












30.


Considers that the establishment of new structures on inter-religious dialogue between the EU and the ACP countries for exchanging views and best practices would represent an effective mechanism for promoting mutual respect and contributing to conflict management in regions affected by religious intolerance and extremism;












31.


Calls on the ACP and EU countries to increase the allocation of resources to international cooperation and, in particular, to step up their interaction in the relevant international organisations;












32.


Recalls its attachment to multilateral solutions in a context of global uncertainty, extreme poverty and social and economic injustice in the ACP and EU countries, which work against peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding between peoples and cultures;












33.


Acknowledges the role of cross-cultural dialogue and exchange, such as through the sharing of folklore, art and heritage, in nurturing co-existence and peace-building within and among states;












34.


Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the institutions of the African Union and of the European Union, the ACP Council, the ACP Group’s regional integration organisations and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.






RESOLUTION (2)

on the financing of investment and trade, including infrastructure, in ACP countries by the EU blending mechanism

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,







—


meeting in Suva (Fiji) from 15 to 17 June 2015,










—


having regard to Article 18(1) of its Rules of Procedure,










—


having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (the Cotonou Agreement) (3), in particular Article 21 thereof, and revisions of the Cotonou Agreement in 2005 and 2010 (4),










—


having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 23 October 2012 on ‘An Agenda for Change: the future of EU development policy’ (5),










—


having regard to the Commission communication of 13 October 2011 entitled ‘Increasing the impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’ (COM(2011)0637 — SEC(2011)1172 — SEC(2011)1173) (6),










—


having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘A Stronger Role of the Private Sector in Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Developing Countries’ (COM(2014)0263),










—


having regard to the report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the activities of the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation since its establishment until end July 2014 (COM(2014)0733),










—


having regard to Special Report No 16/2014 of the European Court of Auditors on the effectiveness of blending regional investment facility grants with financial institution loans to support EU external policies,










—


having regard to the European Development Fund investment facility and the support offered by the European Investment Bank to the ACP countries,










—


having regard to the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund and the investment facilities for the Caribbean and Pacific countries,










—


having regard to the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation, led by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs and Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development,










—


having regard to the conclusions of 12 December 2013 of the Council of the European Union and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on financing poverty eradication and sustainable development beyond 2015,










—


having regard to the report of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on sustainable development financing,










—


having regard to the ACP-EU Joint Declaration of 12 June 2014 on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (ACP/84/025/14 Rev.5),










—


having regard to the synthesis report of the UN Secretary-General on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda entitled ‘The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet’ (7),










—


having regard to the non-paper from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs of 21 January 2015 on the ‘Preparatory Process for the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development’ (8),










—


having regard to the Open Working Group established on 22 January 2013 by decision 67/555 (A/67/L.48/rev.1) of the UN General Assembly,










—


having regard to the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, adopted at the fourth OECD High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 29 November to 1 December 2011,










A.


whereas the private sector is not only a key factor for economic growth, job creation, the supply of goods and services, and trade and innovation, but is also an important source of external financing and helps mobilise the internal resources required to meet the financial needs of developing countries;










B.


whereas Foreign Direct Investment has the potential to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, as reflected in the Unctad proposal for an Action Plan for SDG investment, provided that FDI is properly regulated and linked to concrete improvements in the domestic economy, including in terms of transfer of technology and the creation of training opportunities for the local labour force, including women and young people;










C.


whereas blending, as carried out through EU facilities, entails a combination of market (or concessional) loans with grant (or grant equivalent) components depending on need, such as direct investment grants, technical assistance, interest rate subsidies and other financial instruments, including guarantee mechanisms in the framework of ACP-EU development cooperation;










D.


whereas the European Commission envisaged in its 2011 ‘Agenda for Change’ that a higher share of EU aid would be channelled through innovative financial instruments, including facilities for blending grants and loans, and that the EU would further develop blending mechanisms to boost financial resources for development, building on successful experiences such as the European investment facilities (for the European Neighbourhood, the Western Balkans, Latin America and Central Asia) and the EU-Africa Trust Fund for infrastructure;










E.


whereas so far the regional investment facility has been generally effective, but further improvements are needed in its set-up and operation, for instance by preparing guidelines and participating in the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation;










F.


whereas the EU Platform for Cooperation and Development, incorporating the European Commission, the Member States, the European Parliament and European financial institutions, acts as a major forum by providing recommendations on the use of blending with a view to further increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the blending mechanism;










G.


whereas the EU in particular has placed greater emphasis on the opportunities offered by blending, i.e. the possibility of combining grant aid with non-grant resources, such as loans, risk capital or equity;










H.


whereas the blending mechanism is an important vehicle for leveraging additional resources for development and increasing the impact of EU aid;










I.


whereas Special Report No 16/2014 of the European Court of Auditors on the use of blending concluded that for nearly half of the projects examined there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the grants were justified, while in a number of cases there were indications that the investments would have been made without the EU contribution;










J.


whereas the blending mechanism should contribute to encouraging the participation of local people in ACP countries in full compliance with the principle of ownership;










K.


whereas the Commission is exploring options for expanding the scope of blending into new areas, such as sustainable agriculture, the social sectors and renewable energies, as well as for facilitating the implementation of an increased number of projects that have a strong impact on local private-sector development, such as those improving SME access to finance through the creation of dedicated private-sector windows in regional blending facilities;










L.


whereas the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation recommends that innovative financial mechanisms be developed to mobilise more private finance in support of development goals;










M.


whereas the ACP countries have limited public resources and enormous investment funding needs;










N.


whereas the ACP countries have difficulty in financing their own development and in accessing domestic and international private capital;










O.


whereas the current economic crisis has severely affected emerging and developing countries by directly impacting on their budgetary policies and on their access to both the institutional and private funds needed to carry out capital-intensive projects and to provide basic services;










P.


whereas today development policy funding is predominantly private in nature; whereas private financing can complement, but not replace, public funding;










Q.


whereas the involvement of both the private and public sectors can help to improve the costs, effectiveness, efficiency and quality of public services and avoid unfair privatisation processes;










R.


whereas development financing must be adapted to fit the changing global environment, and whereas, therefore, appropriate new innovative financing instruments, such as financial transaction taxes and carbon taxes on international aviation and maritime transport, should be devised and implemented;










S.


whereas private financing offers enormous potential and is the main source of external funding in developing countries, and whereas such countries should take all appropriate steps to exploit their comparative advantages; whereas, however, the fiscal space of developed and developing countries is de facto constrained by the requirements of global investors and financial markets;










T.


whereas private investment should not be a substitute for official development assistance, and whereas public-private partnerships (PPPs) financed through the blending mechanism should in all circumstances be aligned with the host country’s national development plan, while mobilising funding through risk mitigation and risk sharing;










U.


whereas, in geopolitical and development strategy terms, the ACP countries have different risk profiles and no common approach, and whereas loan-grant blending ensures that projects that could be viable but are insufficiently profitable or generate high risk can attract private investment;










1.


Recognises that private investment and finance in developing countries, if properly regulated, can help to support local companies and local economies and provide decent jobs; to that effect, deems that the use of the blending mechanism should respond to a clear set of guidelines so as to channel public support only to those private-sector investments that deliver positive development outcomes and comply with the principles of responsible financing;










2.


In particular, urges the European Commission, which has indicated its wish to extend considerably the use of blending in future years in the context of ACP-EU cooperation, to implement the recommendations made in the European Court of Auditors’ Special Report on the use of blending and to evaluate the mechanism of blending loans and grants, particularly in terms of development and financial additionality, transparency and accountability;










3.


Welcomes the ongoing work aimed at improving the governance of EU blending facilities, which will make it possible to maximise the leverage and the additionality of funded projects; stresses that the European Commission should further improve the monitoring of how EU grants are implemented;










4.


Takes the view that blending is progressive and logical in terms of the volumes of money and the loan-grant ratio and points out that this arrangement ensures that countries can obtain funding without becoming over-indebted;










5.


Points out that past experience shows that poorly negotiated PPP contracts could add to state indebtedness, since financial risks are often disproportionally borne by the public sector, while profits mostly accrue to the private sector; calls for increased technical assistance to the governments of partner countries in setting up a sound regulatory framework on responsible financing, including on cost recovery and benefit distribution;










6.


Notes that grant-loan blending is used mainly in the energy, transport, water and ICT sectors, and should be further extended to such areas as infrastructure, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), agriculture and the social sector;










7.


Points out that the use of the blending mechanism should focus on projects that can have the greatest impact in terms of inclusive and sustainable growth;










8.


Observes that the blending mechanism, in its current form, involves the mixing of public grants with loans from financial institutions and other risk-sharing mechanisms, allowing projects to be financed in spite of budget constraints at a time of financial crisis; stresses that PPPs should not be diverted into subsidising North-based transnational companies, which can access alternative sources of financing;










9.


Takes the view that any decision to promote the use of PPPs through blending in developing countries should be based on a thorough assessment of the mechanisms involved, and on the lessons learned from past experience; stresses, in this context, that existing research shows that a large majority of PPPs are not based on a robust impact analysis, and that there is weak evidence concerning their development outcomes;










10.


Stresses that development agencies must ensure that public development finance is used to support local economic networks in developing countries; in particular, stresses that PPPs should aim to build the capacity of domestic MSMEs;










11.


Stresses that in order to optimise the potential of loan-grant blending, transparent procedures for using the blending mechanism need to be established to ensure effective governance and ownership by the beneficiary countries and other stakeholders; takes the view that transparent practices should provide a basis for tight accountability;










12.


Emphasises that loan-grant blending does not resolve all funding problems and does not automatically guarantee a lasting impact that is in line with the beneficiary country’s objectives, in particular as regards the needs of the social sectors; in this respect, warns against using concessional loans for investments in social sectors such as health and education, as this can hamper the provision of services of general interest, especially for vulnerable populations; emphasises that scarce public aid resources should support public investment, which is not necessarily expected to yield short or medium-term financial returns, in recipient countries;










13.


Stresses that loan-grant blending mechanisms, while providing financial and non-financial benefits, may also entail substantial risks associated with ownership, indebtedness and opportunity costs, and may also raise questions regarding their effectiveness and impact, the additionality of resources and market distortion;










14.


Notes that access to finance and risk-sharing instruments in developing countries is an important prerequisite for the functioning of loan-grant blending; calls, therefore, for the setting up of a risk-sharing mechanism in collaboration with the European development financing institutions, as well as with national and regional agencies, in order to increase public-private investment, in particular in areas such as renewable energies, construction, transport and utilities, which are characterised by high up-front investment, high risk exposure and often unfair international competition;










15.


Stresses the importance of developing PPPs as part of the loan-grant blending process and of creating a forum for political dialogue and project coordination between the European Union and the ACP countries as a step towards achieving the objectives of development and aid effectiveness, while guaranteeing a clear, stable and secure environment, good governance and effective dispute settlement;










16.


Encourages ACP countries to strengthen the legislative framework required to enhance PPPs within the blending mechanism;










17.


Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Council, the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, the regional and national parliaments, the regional organisations relating to ACP countries, and the European Investment Bank.






RESOLUTION (9)

on the challenges and opportunities of education and vocational training in ACP countries

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,







—


meeting in Suva (Fiji) from 15 to 17 June 2015,










—


having regard to Article 18(1) of its Rules of Procedure,










—


having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (10) (the ‘Cotonou Agreement’), as first amended in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005 (11) and as amended for the second time in Ouagadougou on 22 June 2010 (12), in particular Article 25(1)(a) thereof on improving education and training at all levels,










—


having regard to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular Goal 2A, to achieve universal primary education, and 3A, to eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015,










—


having regard to the Unesco Convention against Discrimination in Education,










—


having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2012 on the EU 2011 Report on Policy Coherence for Development (13),










—


having regard to the establishment of the Education for All (EFA) movement in Jomtien, Thailand, and the signing of the Declaration on Education for All on 9 March 1990,










—


having regard to the EFA goals adopted at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal on 28 April 2000,










—


having regard to the conclusions of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) on 22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro entitled ‘The future we want’,










—


having regard to the five-year Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in September 2012,










—


having regard to the report on the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda published in September 2013 by Unesco and Unicef,










—


having regard to the Muscat Agreement adopted at the Global Education for All Meeting in Muscat, Oman, on 14 May 2014,










—


having regard to the report of 24 September 2014 of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Kishore Singh,










—


having regard to the African Union document of 31 May 2007 on a Strategy to revitalise technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Africa,










—


having regard to the report of the Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment (ACP-EU/101.717/14/fin.),










A.


whereas the Cotonou Agreement calls for special attention to be paid to ensuring adequate levels of spending in the social sectors, including improving education and training at all levels, working towards recognition of tertiary education qualifications, establishment of quality assurance systems for education, including education and training delivered online or through other non-conventional means, and building technical capacity and skills;










B.


whereas the worldwide EFA movement, initiated in Jomtien in 1990 and reaffirmed in Dakar in 2000, has been the most important commitment to education in recent decades and has helped to drive significant progress in education;










C.


whereas GEFI aims to accelerate progress towards the EFA goals and the education-related MDGs, in particular to rally together a broad spectrum of actors for the final push to 2015, to put quality, relevant and transformative education at the heart of the social, political and development agendas and to advocate for the necessary funding for education through sustained global advocacy efforts;










D.


whereas the EFA agenda and the education-related MDGs are unlikely to be achieved by 2015, and whereas the continued relevance of the EFA agenda is to be acknowledged, in particular concerning six goals covering all aspects of basic education from early learning and adult literacy to education quality;










E.


whereas there is a link between the level of economic, social, cultural and political development and the progress a country can achieve in the attainment of MDGs and EFA Goals; whereas improving access to education and levels of educational provision for all young people, and especially for girls and disabled young people, can in itself help to achieve these and other development goals;










F.


whereas more than 57 million children and 69 million adolescents still do not have access to effective basic education; whereas in 2011 an estimated 774 million adults, of whom almost two-thirds were women, were illiterate and at least 250 million children are not able to read, write or do basic arithmetic even after having spent at least four years in school;










G.


whereas non-completion of formal schooling, insufficient levels of basic skills acquisition and the poor quality and relevance of education are serious problems and whereas there are persistent inequalities in access, participation and learning outcomes at all levels of education, particularly for the most vulnerable groups and minorities;










H.


whereas the 2014 report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education stated that where there has been increasing privatisation of education this can aggravate marginalisation and exclusion, and that it drives inequality in access to education for already vulnerable groups such as girls, disabled children and ethnic minorities, thus perpetuating wider inequalities in society;










I.


whereas the lack of appropriate access facilities in education and training institutions impedes the inclusion of people with disabilities in exercising their basic right to education;










J.


whereas gender inequality in education is of particular concern, as only 60 % of countries had achieved gender parity at the primary level and 38 % at the secondary level by 2011;










K.


whereas there is a severe lack of financial resources for education and vocational training in many ACP countries, both at national and international level for the sector, which has seriously undermined progress towards providing access to quality education for all;










L.


whereas inclusive and accessible high-quality formal and informal education for all is key to reducing social inequalities and empowering marginalised communities and underrepresented persons, particularly women and girls, thus contributing to active citizenship, an open and dynamic public sphere and improved democratic governance;










M.


whereas the empowerment of women and girls through education is key to combating gender inequality in societies, and should be a central element in educational policy in ACP countries; whereas, on the other hand, lack of access to education for women and girls contributes to their under-representation in the public, social and political spheres;










N.


whereas there is increasing violence and attacks against children and personnel working in educational institutions in certain ACP countries, in particular in Nigeria, Kenya and neighbouring countries;










O.


whereas there have been significant socioeconomic and demographic transformations that have occurred since the adoption of the EFA goals and the MDGs, and there are changing requirements in the type and level of knowledge, skills and competences for knowledge-based economies;










P.


whereas young people are central to the next generation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those aimed at achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all;










Q.


whereas the brain drain in ACP countries constitutes a major challenge for their economies, which they cannot resolve with their limited resources;










R.


whereas education can play a pivotal role not only in environmental sustainability, health and economic growth, and in the achievement of the MDGs in general, but also in peace-building; whereas education, perhaps more than any other sector, can provide the highly visible early peace dividends on which the survival of peace agreements may depend; whereas if education systems are inclusive they can create sustainable and equitable economic development and if they are geared towards fostering attitudes conducive to mutual understanding, tolerance and respect they can make societies less susceptible to violent conflict;










S.


whereas there must be a flexible education system (schools, teachers, universities and administrators) which has the confidence and methods to meet both ordinary and extraordinary challenges, and is linked to a stable family environment; whereas the role of the family is fundamental to lifelong development, and in particular development during childhood, for values and personal skills;










T.


whereas it is necessary to ensure that education systems respect the culture and traditions of ACP countries, so as to achieve an effective combination of innovation and tradition and ensure that training in ACP countries provides recipients with the necessary skills in teaching and in conserving the typical characteristics of the countries concerned;










U.


whereas fragmentation and low capacity of governance structures, lack of connections with the labour market, poorly qualified teachers and poor infrastructures prevent vocational training from empowering people to develop their full capabilities and to seize social and employment opportunities;










V.


whereas under the 10th EDF the EDULINK and ACP-EU Science and Technology programmes for higher education and research, financed by the EU and implemented by the ACP Secretariat, are an excellent foundation for cooperation in the field of education and technical training;










W.


whereas teachers and professors with the necessary qualifications are needed to achieve the goals of better education; whereas all countries should be encouraged to promote the structures needed to provide life training for educators as a key factor in improving levels of education;










X.


whereas sustainable organisation, financing and management of education can help countries achieve their economic and social objectives;










Y.


whereas the private sector can make a valuable contribution to education, not only by funding higher education institutions, but also by fostering innovation and promoting entrepreneurship in ACP countries;










Z.


whereas education is necessarily linked to social inclusion and active citizenship;










AA.


whereas the merging of private-sector demands with training for young people can help to achieve two important objectives: job opportunities for young people and the economic growth of ACP countries;










1.


Recognises that there is a strong need for a new and forward-looking education and training agenda for ACP countries that goes beyond the current goals in terms of depth and scope, as well as providing people with the understanding, competences and values they require to address the many challenges that our societies and economies are facing;










2.


Emphasises the multiple benefits of investing in high-quality apprenticeships, such as enhanced professional skills, the development of a professional identity and more job opportunities;










3.


Recognises that education is a shared responsibility of both families and schools, and calls for the adoption of the measures needed to support families in their role as educators;










4.


Calls for ACP countries to eradicate child labour and improve education by expanding school access, increasing school quality and reducing school costs;










5.


Urges ACP states to provide second-chance education programmes to equip those in need with literacy and numeracy skills, as well essential life skills;










6.


Recalls that education plays a crucial role in balancing life chances for children with different family and socioeconomic backgrounds; calls for the full implementation of the six EFA goals, with emphasis on primary education for expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, and ensuring that all children, particularly girls, those in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality;










7.


Calls for the learning needs of all young people and adults to be met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes with the aim of achieving a 50 % improvement in levels of adult literacy, especially for women, people with special education needs, nomadic groups, displaced persons, refugees and other vulnerable groups, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults;










8.


Calls for the elimination of gender disparities in education at all levels, with a focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and completion of good quality education; calls on ACP states to address issues such as inadequate standards of sanitation and provision of sanitary protection, which can have an impact on, in particular, the drop-out rates of young girls reaching puberty;










9.


Calls for improvements in all aspects of the quality of education and for excellence to be ensured so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills, which are crucial to achieving the strategic objectives of the ILO Decent Work for All agenda; calls for the introduction of social indicators to measure the results obtained;










10.


Calls for ACP countries to strive for the attainment of sustainable, equitable and self-reliant economic development to meet the demand for equitable access and quality education, adult literacy, lifelong learning and the acquisition of skills for all citizens; stresses equally the need to bring the content of secondary education more into line with labour market demands; calls, in particular, for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to target the particular needs of, and take into account the constraints on, the informal sector in Sub-Saharan Africa so as to serve the whole economy rather than being limited largely to training for the modern industrial sector;










11.


Stresses that investing in education and training is essential for a better future, key competences and new skills, which provide people with new opportunities and also establish the foundations of economic development and social development in the long term; stresses that the creation of a new strategy for language learning to improve general knowledge in specific skill areas will facilitate the mobility of students;










12.


Calls for education to be a stand-alone goal in the broader post-2015 development agenda and for equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030 to be the overarching goal; notes, in this regard, that Vocational and Educational Training (VET) will play an important role in ensuring that young people and adults have the necessary skills for decent work and life;










13.


Calls on ACP states to implement the ‘Incheon Declaration for Education 2030: towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning’ and the forthcoming Framework for Action that will be adopted as SDG 4 at the UN Special Summit to be held in New York City in September 2015;










14.


Calls on ACP states to devise innovative strategies to improve teacher education programmes in general and teachers’ living conditions in particular and to guarantee the retention of teachers in schools;










15.


Calls on ACP states to give the appropriate emphasis to, and make the necessary improvements in, the curricula of subjects such as information technology, citizenship education, fine arts and physical education in support of VET;










16.


Calls on ACP states to encourage the private sector to play its role in the development of education and VET;










17.


Calls on ACP states to address fair access to the completion of education and VET of good quality for the rural, the disadvantaged, the hard to reach and the marginalised sectors of society through various incentive schemes and other relevant strategies;










18.


Calls on ACP states to respect cultural, moral and religious values and other values such as self-reliance and independent thinking in their primary and secondary education curricula and to tackle all forms of radicalisation either on the part of teaching staff or through external influences;










19.


Calls for educational programmes in ACP states to address common educational challenges through regional integration and cooperation, in particular in the areas of higher education and technical and vocational training;










20.


Calls for a farsighted social and environmental approach to education and training programmes in ACP states, addressing the need for education on sustainable development, as well as in the fields of ICT and new technologies; calls on ACP states to develop strategies and invest in entrepreneurship education, particularly social entrepreneurship and extra-curricular and informal education;










21.


Encourages all countries to promote the structures needed to ensure life training for educators as a key factor in improving educational levels;










22.


Recognises the need for educational programmes to take into account such adverse situations as pandemics, natural disasters and conflict or post-conflict environments, and to prepare citizens in general, and children and young people specifically, for recovery or peace-building and reconciliation;










23.


Calls on governments to promote public policies to recalibrate educational programmes with economic and industrial demands in their local economies, including educational programmes on arts and humanities;










24.


Stresses that adapting educational programmes to economies and the needs of the labour market would allow for more job opportunities and personal development, as well as economic growth; highlights, in this regard, the key role of VET in national development and in preparing individuals for the world of work by teaching them skills and competences needed for economic competitiveness;










25.


Calls for the role of educators and the value of their job to be protected and recognised;










26.


Calls for the establishment of sustainable infrastructure for technical and vocational training in order to meet the goal of highly skilled citizens achieving a good transition from school to the labour market, and calls for the incorporation of teacher training programmes into national skills strategies, as well as emerging technologies, involving industry, to ensure that entrepreneurship is integrated into these programmes; considers that the development of an international, competitive labour market must respect human dignity; recognises the growing importance of public-private partnerships with a view to achieving universal education goals;










27.


Calls for measures to facilitate the transition from education to the world of work that encourage entrepreneurship, taking into account the specific economic structures of the ACP countries, placing emphasis on small undertakings and family businesses and finding innovative ways of enabling them to keep alive local traditions and typical characteristics;










28.


Calls on EU and ACP governments to consider schemes that increase cooperation across borders, regionally and together with EU Member States, facilitate teacher exchange programmes for learning best practices and help retain skills in-country, thus addressing the issue of brain drain;










29.


Points out that education and vocational training have the potential to give marginalised people the opportunity to return to education; stresses that the use of non-school training, focused on the world of work, with close links to the local labour market and integrating formal and non-formal education, can represent a credible alternative for learners who are less oriented towards the academic world;










30.


Calls for national education and training strategies to incorporate measures to prevent brain drain, including proper incentives, in terms of salary, housing and other entitlements, to encourage trained teaching staff and trainees benefitting from vocational training programmes to remain in or return to their country of origin, thereby contributing to their own society and economy rather than being lured abroad to work in developed countries, and calls for the ACP-EU partnership to be instrumental in meeting this challenge in ACP countries;










31.


Recognises the need to mobilise additional financing to develop public education in ACP countries, in particular in Sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a need to expand secondary education, to provide second-chance programmes for those who have missed out on primary education, to tackle continued rapid population growth and to address the quality and relevance of education; acknowledges that expanding government revenue through taxation is challenging in largely rural-based economies which generate a very narrow tax base; accordingly, calls on the EU to scale up its cooperation with ACP countries on tax matters to enable them to enhance mobilisation of public resources; to this end, calls equally upon the EU to, inter alia: take the lead in clamping down on tax evasion and tax avoidance practices; ensure a fair distribution of taxing rights while negotiating tax and investment treaties; and allow ACP countries to tax exports of raw materials, etc. so as to enable them to expand their fiscal space, with the aim of increasing the share of education in total public budgets;










32.


Calls on ACP states to ring-fence a proportion of their national budgets for the primary and secondary education sectors;










33.


Condemns any action undertaken to prevent children from attending schools, in particular the terrorism of Boko Haram, which literally translates as ‘Western education is forbidden’, since its main aim is to destroy the education of children, in particular of girls, in northern Nigeria and in neighbouring countries in the region, where it is expanding its activities; deplores the loss of life in the terrorist attack at Garissa University in Kenya and calls for concerted international action to fight this scourge and all forms of terrorism in order to defend the right to education;










34.


Notes, in a context where a shortage of schools, poorly trained teachers and outdated curricula and equipment have already led to deterioration in the quality and relevance of secondary education in Sub-Saharan Africa, that demand-side constraints, such as the inability to pay school fees, have made upper secondary education in particular inaccessible to large segments of the population; acknowledges that, in a context where public education financing is limited, education and training provided by privately financed institutions can alleviate the costs involved; notes, however, the risks of exacerbating inequalities with poorly funded public schools focusing on rural areas and families with modest means, and private schools serving financially more able families in urban areas; warns ACP countries, therefore, against developing a two-speed education system that risks exacerbating inequalities through private finance, and calls on them to prioritise public financing; calls equally on the EU to increase its support for public secondary education in terms of academic as well as technical and vocational skills training;










35.


Praises the work of the EU and ACP authorities in implementing the EDULINK and ACP Science and Technology programmes and calls for the experience obtained from these initiatives to be rolled out in other areas of education and vocational and technical training in the 11th EDF;










36.


Encourages ACP governments to prioritise education as a focal sector in the programming process for the 11th EDF documents for national, regional and intra-ACP allocations, and calls for basic education to be mainstreamed into all areas of development cooperation;










37.


Calls on higher education institutions from ACP countries to participate actively in the EU Erasmus+ programmes, particularly with regard to capacity-building projects aiming to develop and reform higher education institutions and systems by enhancing their quality and relevance as well as by promoting regional cooperation and increasing convergence;










38.


Welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to reform its VET programmes for developing countries and other VET-related projects in order to introduce a new strategy based on labour market intelligence, public-private partnership and better governance, ensuring sustainable development and helping small enterprises in particular to conserve the specific characteristics and values of the ACP countries, while respecting the environment and ensuring quality jobs that encourage rather than undermine employment market opportunities for both genders;










39.


Calls for projects for job creation through constant interaction between the worlds of education and work;










40.


Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, Unesco and the UN Children’s Fund.






RESOLUTION (14)

on the natural disaster in Vanuatu (and neighbouring states): the way forward, in cluding regional cooperation

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,







—


meeting in Suva (Fiji) from 15 to 17 June 2015,










—


having regard to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 and revised on 25 June 2005 and on 22 June 2010 (hereinafter ‘the Cotonou Agreement’), and in particular Article 32 thereof,










—


having regard to Articles 208 and 214 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),










—


having regard to Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism,










—


having regard to the European Consensus on Development of 20 December 2005,










—


having regard to the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid of 18 December 2007,










—


having regard to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol thereto,










—


having regard to the UN Millennium Declaration of 8 September 2000, which sets out the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as criteria jointly established by the international community for the elimination of poverty,










—


having regard to the ‘Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters’ adopted by the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in January 2005 in Kobo, Hyogo (Japan),










—


having regard to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted by the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held on 14—18 March 2015 in Sendai (Japan),










—


having regard to the Niue Declaration on Climate Change adopted by the Pacific Islands Forum Summit held on 19 August 2008 in Alofi, Niue; to the Declaration by the Pacific Islands Forum States and the European Union on Climate Change of 7 November 2008, and to the Framework for Pacific Regionalism adopted by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in Palau in May 2014,










—


having regard to the UN General Assembly resolutions on the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and to its resolution on the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway of 14 November 2014,










—


having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 29 May 2006 — EU relations with the Pacific Islands — A strategy for a strengthened partnership (COM(2006)248) — and the Joint Communication of the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy entitled ‘Towards a renewed EU-Pacific development Partnership’ (JOIN(2012)006),










—


having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament of 18 September 2007 — Building a global climate change alliance between the European Union and poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change (COM(2007)540),










—


having regard to the work of the ACP-EU Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme,










—


having regard to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, conducted under the direction of the Government of Vanuatu in April 2015, and to the Emergency Response Plan for Vanuatu prepared by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in collaboration with humanitarian partners,










—


having regard to the statement of the Vice-President of the European Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 14 March 2015 on the situation in Vanuatu,










—


having regard to the European Parliament’s resolutions of 21 October 2008 on building a Global Climate Change Alliance between the European Union and poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change (15), of 4 February 2009 on ‘2050: The future begins today — Recommendations for the EU’s future integrated policy on climate change’ (16), of 15 March 2012 on a roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050 (17), of 11 December 2013 on the EU approach to resilience and disaster risk reduction in developing countries: learning from food security crises (18), of 5 February 2014 on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies (19) and of 26 November 2014 on the 2014 UN Climate Change Conference (20),










—


having regard to its resolution on climate change and small island developing states in the context of the ACP-EU cooperation framework, of 1 April 1999, to its resolution on causes and consequences of natural disasters of 19 November 2005, to its resolution on natural disasters in ACP States: EU funding for preparedness (EDF funds) and relief (ECHO funds), of 22 November 2007, and to its resolution on the social and environmental consequences of climate change in the ACP countries of 9 April 2009,










—


having regard to Article 18(2) of its Rules of Procedure,










A.


whereas on 13 and 14 March 2015 Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu, becoming the most severe tropical cyclone ever to strike this country;










B.


whereas the cyclone caused numerous fatalities and affected almost three quarters of the population of this country because of destruction or damage to property and infrastructure, including electricity and communication networks, and disruption of basic social services such as health and education;










C.


whereas the cyclone has also caused severe damage to crops, livestock and fisheries infrastructure which, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, is threatening the status of food security in Vanuatu; whereas thousands of people have been left with no access to safe drinking water in a country that suffers from acute water shortages;










D.


whereas Cyclone Pam also devastated socioeconomic infrastructures in the island states of Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati, with its corresponding negative impact on the health and livelihood of the populations of these countries;










E.


whereas the geography of Vanuatu, which includes more than 80 small islands, makes relief operations and assessment of the damage challenging;










F.


whereas in natural disasters, vulnerable groups such as women, children and persons with disabilities are most likely to be affected;










G.


whereas the international community has a moral obligation to provide humanitarian and financial assistance to cyclone Pam-affected countries, including logistical and operational support;










H.


whereas as of 30 April 2015 the financial tracking service of the UNOCHA had recorded USD 33,4 million in financial contributions, meeting its targets, including funds from the EU and its Member States, other development partners and international financial institutions as well as from private donations;










I.


whereas for the period 2014-2020 the EU has allocated approximately EUR 31 million to Vanuatu under the 11th European Development Fund, with a focus on rural development in the National Indicative Programme;










J.


whereas natural disasters such as Cyclone Pam demonstrate the fragility and extreme vulnerability of the economies of small island developing states (SIDS) and highlight the fact that greater attention must be paid to their needs in terms of resilience-building;










K.


whereas developing countries, in particular SIDS, have contributed least to climate change but are facing its most severe social and environmental consequences;










L.


whereas millions of people worldwide are forced by natural disasters, including climate disasters, to migrate, leading to escalating humanitarian crises, rapid urbanisation and associated slum growth, and stalled development within the ACP countries; whereas there is no official asylum status for those migrants;










M.


whereas rising sea levels and temperatures and increasingly extreme weather events due to climate change will have a heavy impact on the Pacific region’s coastal and marine ecosystems, biodiversity, water and soil resources, food supplies and the livelihood of people, thereby negatively affecting GDP growth in the Pacific countries;










N.


whereas issues of mitigation and adaptation to climate change were included in the 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP20); whereas the COP20 conclusions are expected to serve as the framework for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in December 2015 in Paris;










O.


whereas climate change and environmental degradation constitute impediments to fulfilling the Rio+ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);










1.


Expresses its deepest condolences to the countries hit by Cyclone Pam and to the families of those who lost their lives, and its solidarity with those who were injured or made homeless as a result of the devastation caused; expresses its sincere appreciation to all humanitarian workers for their response efforts in the aftermath of the cyclone;










2.


Congratulates the Government and people of Vanuatu for their tremendous efforts in overcoming the devastating impact of the cyclone; welcomes the conclusion of the post-disaster needs assessment, which makes it possible to continue the coordinated and timely recovery programme; salutes the assistance provided so far by international donors, including the emergency contributions of the European Union, the ACP Group of States, the United Nations and other international organisations, as well as other developed countries and international financial institutions;










3.


Urges the international community to continue, and to enhance, the mobilisation of resources needed for the reconstruction of infrastructures damaged by Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, and to do so in a coordinated and effective fashion;










4.


Recalls that emergency aid for the reconstruction of Vanuatu should focus on urgent, critical areas such as access to drinking water, sanitation infrastructure, food security, schooling, housing, and communication systems and infrastructure;










5.


Stresses that it is now crucial for the international donors to effectively coordinate humanitarian efforts as focus shifts to long-term rehabilitation and development, economic growth, agricultural development, especially in rural areas, and assisting in restoring the tourism sector;










6.


Stresses that linking relief, rehabilitation and development should be a main element of the EU National Indicative Programme in the country, with a particular focus on resilience, so as to help overcome the operational and funding gaps between the relief and development phases; calls on the Commission to ensure that its assistance is aligned with Pacific regional and national priorities and supports existing regional and national delivery mechanisms;










7.


Calls at the same time on the Government of Vanuatu, and on the Small Island States’ governments, to review their national development plans, poverty reduction strategies and sectoral policies and strategies in order to incorporate measures in areas such as climate adaptation and building planning, which can contribute to preventing and minimising the consequences of natural disasters;










8.


Stresses the need to develop coordinated regional approaches and exchange of good practices, while embracing local and traditional knowledge, as an essential tool for managing disaster risks, ensuring rapid and effective disaster response and combatting climate change, inter alia, in the context of the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change;










9.


Calls on the international community to identify and address the legal shortfalls that exist in the protection of environmental migrants; suggests that asylum regulations or agreements on a regional or international level be considered in view of the extremely vulnerable situation of the island States that risk becoming submerged; points out also that instruments designed to protect the identity, culture and traditions of environmental migrants should be developed and put in place; takes note of the Nansen Initiative, which aims to build consensus on a protection agenda for displaced people in the context of natural disasters and climate change, and invites the EU to participate in this process;










10.


Supports the conclusions of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 as a crucial step in addressing the increasing impact of disasters and their complexity; stresses the need for implementing the objectives adopted at the Sendai Conference, in particular the need for public financing and investment in infrastructure for preventing natural risks, but also in the areas of transport, health, access to drinking water and education, in order to prevent a new humanitarian catastrophe in the region;










11.


Calls for local growers to have access to farming equipment, non-GM seeds and plant varieties suited to the climate and food production conditions in Vanuatu so that the country can resume agricultural production as quickly as possible and ensure its food security;










12.


Recalls that climate change is not a standalone environmental issue, but a development agenda to which both the EU and the Pacific States should give high priority; stresses that while developing countries, in particular SIDS, have contributed least to climate change, they are facing its most severe social and environmental consequences; highlights the fact that climate change represents a serious threat to poverty alleviation in the Pacific, with adverse effects for agriculture, fisheries and coral reefs, tourism and health;










13.


Calls in this context on the ACP countries and the EU Member States to ensure that the post-2015 development agenda addresses the needs of ACP SIDS, in particular as regards the impact of climate change and the building of resilience to natural disasters;










14.


Stresses the need for urgent action by the world’s major greenhouse-gas-emitting countries to set targets and make commitments to significantly reducing their emissions, and to support the most vulnerable countries in adapting to and addressing the impacts of climate change;










15.


Stresses that COP 21 represents a unique opportunity to tackle climate change and to link up with the UN’s work on the post-2015 development agenda; calls therefore on the ACP Group of States, the EU Member States and the Commission to focus strongly on climate change and disaster preparedness/reduction at COP21 in Paris;










16.


Encourages development partners and the private sector to increase technical and financial support (including by means of innovative financing mechanisms) for Pacific Island countries’ efforts to move towards alternative and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, sustainable transport, eco-system preservation, and development and transfer of technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation, especially in agriculture and water management;










17.


Urges the ACP countries, and in particular the ACP SIDS, to set up mechanisms to engage the public and private sectors as well as NGOs in disaster preparedness and mitigation, emergency relief and response intervention, and post-disaster reconstruction;










18.


Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the UN Secretary-General, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the European Commission, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the national governments and national parliaments of the EU Member States and the ACP States, the President of Vanuatu and the Speaker of the Parliament of Vanuatu, the Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.






RESOLUTION (21)

on the situation in the Central African Republic

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,







—


meeting in Suva (Fiji) from 15 to 17 June 2015,










—


having regard to Article 18(2) of its Rules of Procedure,










—


having regard to the revised Cotonou Agreement,










—


having regard to the Libreville Agreement of 11 January 2013 on the resolution of the political and military crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR), signed under the aegis of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which lays down the steps needed to end the crisis in the CAR,










—


having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 2088 (2013) of 24 January 2013, 2121 (2013) of 10 October 2013, 2127 (2013) of 5 December 2013, 2134 (2014) of 28 January 2014, 2149 (2014) of 10 April 2014, 2181 (2014) of 21 October 2014, 2196 (2015) of 22 January 2015, 2212 (2015) of 26 March 2015 and 2217 (2015) of 28 April 2015,










—


having regard to statement S/PRST/2014/28 by the President of the UN Security Council on 18 December 2014,










—


having regard to the letter of 29 January 2015 from the UN Secretary-General to the President of the UN Security Council,










—


having regard to the 7329th meeting of the UN Security Council, held on 9 December 2014,










—


having regard to the final report of the International Commission of Inquiry on the Central African Republic of 19 December 2014,










—


having regard to the setting-up, in May 2013, of an International Contact Group on the Central African Republic with the task of coordinating the measures taken at regional, continental and international level to find a lasting solution to the recurrent problems facing the country,










—


having regard to the conclusions of the seventh meeting of the International Contact Group, held in Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) on 16 March 2015,










—


having regard to the European Commission press release of 16 February 2015 entitled ‘EU boosts humanitarian aid to EUR 156 million in 2015 to meet the increasing needs in the Sahel region’,










—


having regard to the press release issued by the United Nations Development Programme on 8 June 2015 entitled ‘USD 21 million needed as a matter of urgency for the elections in the Central African Republic’,










—


having regard to the international conference on the Central African Republic, entitled ‘From humanitarian aid to resilience’, held in Brussels on 26 May 2015 and to the European Commission press release issued in connection with the conference, entitled ‘The EU boosts its support to recovery and development in the Central African Republic’,










—


having regard to the extraordinary summits of the Heads of State and Government of ECCAS held in N’Djamena (Chad) on 21 December 2012 and 3 and 18 April 2013 and to the decision taken at those summits to set up a Transitional National Council to exercise legislative and constitutional powers and to adopt a roadmap for transition in the CAR,










—


having regard to the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, ratified by the CAR in 2001,










—


having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women of 1979, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights of 1981 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, which bans the involvement of children in armed conflicts, all of which have been ratified by the CAR,










—


having regard to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/1 of 24 October 2005 on the 2005 World Summit Outcome, and in particular to paragraphs 138 to 140 thereof on the responsibility to protect,










—


having regard to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child concerning the involvement of children in armed conflicts, which has been signed by the CAR,










—


having regard to the adoption by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, on 10 October 2013, of a revised Concept of Operations,










—


having regard to the conclusions of the Council of the European Union of 9 February 2015 on the CAR,










—


having regard to the European Parliament’s resolutions of 17 January, 12 September and 12 December 2013 on the situation in the CAR,










—


having regard to its previous resolutions of 19 June 2013 and 19 March 2014 on the CAR,










A.


whereas the Central African Republic, a country rich in natural resources, has been in the grip of political instability for several decades, and whereas 70 % of its population lives below the poverty line;










B.


whereas the two years of civil war which have followed Séléka’s takeover of power have triggered a devastating political and humanitarian crisis;










C.


whereas a new provisional Head of State, Catherine Samba-Panza, was elected by the National Transitional Council on 20 January 2014;










D.


whereas the persons responsible for human rights violations and war crimes are not being brought to justice because the CAR has an inadequate national judicial system, creating a climate of impunity;










E.


whereas, despite an improvement in the security situation, violence, acts of banditry, robberies and inter-community tensions affecting herders are continuing;










F.


whereas the UN peacekeepers have improved the protection of civilians in the capital, but they are having problems in carrying out their mandate in other parts of the country, which they cannot enter because of the presence of armed groups; whereas the UN peacekeepers and humanitarian aid workers have been the targets of many attacks;










G.


whereas, as a result of the instability in the CAR, 70 % of children are not attending school and more than 6  000 children have been recruited by the armed forces and armed groups; whereas on 5 May 2015 armed groups in the CAR concluded an agreement to release child soldiers;










H.


whereas a United Nations report, drawn up in 2014 but published by The Guardian only on 29 April 2015, revealed that a number of French soldiers deployed to keep the peace in the CAR are suspected of sexually abusing minors;










I.


whereas the UN Security Council has authorised an increase in personnel for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and has decided to extend its mandate until 30 April 2016 and to set its authorised strength at 10  750 soldiers, including 480 military observers and staff officers, and 2  080 police personnel, including 400 police officers and 40 corrections officers;










J.


whereas financial aid is essential if security and the authority of the State are to be restored; whereas this aid cannot be made contingent on the establishment of a zero level of risk or of complete security;










K.


whereas a minimum degree of administrative reorganisation of the State is essential if elections are to be held and the post-electoral transition is to be organised; whereas an additional amount of USD 21,2 million is needed as a matter of the utmost urgency to fund the preparations for the elections which are due to be held in the CAR before the end of 2015;










L.


whereas the European Union is the CAR’s most important humanitarian aid and development partner; whereas on 15 July 2014 the EU launched its first trust fund for the CAR; whereas in 2013 and 2014 the EU provided EUR 377 million in humanitarian aid and has already mobilised a further EUR 47 million in 2015; whereas at the international conference held in Brussels on 26 May 2015 the Commission increased its total aid to the CAR by EUR 72 million;










M.


whereas on 27 May 2015 only 21 % of the funding required for the humanitarian response plan (HRP) for the CAR had been made available;










N.


whereas measures to uphold human rights are a key component of the Cotonou Agreement; whereas a law setting up a special criminal court responsible for investigating the most serious crimes and prosecuting the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the CAR has been adopted by the Transitional National Council and promulgated by the Head of State, in close cooperation with the International Criminal Court;










O.


whereas the final report of the International Commission of Inquiry on the CAR, which was published on 20 January 2015, concluded that government forces under former President Bozizé and the Séléka and anti-Balaka groups all committed serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights;










P.


whereas the national forum held in Bangui recommended that elections be held before the end of 2015, and whereas that recommendation has been confirmed by the ECCAS;










Q.


whereas the geographical position of the CAR is strategic in efforts to combat the expansion of terrorism in Central Africa;










1.


Welcomes the progress made in the Central African Republic under the most recent agreements, but remains concerned about the security, humanitarian and economic situation;










2.


Reiterates its support for the independence, unity and territorial integrity of the CAR; recalls the importance of the principles of non-interference and regional cooperation;










3.


Reaffirms its support for the efforts by the Transitional President, Catherine Samba-Panza, and the International Contact Group on the CAR to complete the transition process in order to ensure stability, security and reconciliation among the various parties to the conflict;










4.


Renews its support for the Libreville Agreement of 11 January 2013 and the N’Djamena Roadmap of 18 April 2013 as instruments essential to the restoration of the constitutional order;










5.


Welcomes the holding of the Bangui Reconciliation Forum and the signature of the Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration and Repatriation Agreement (DDRR) of 10 May 2015, and calls for its speedy and effective implementation by all parties and for the international community to make the requisite funding available for this purpose;










6.


Supports the reform of the armed forces and the security forces, and the continuation of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic;










7.


Welcomes the effective work of MISCA, EUFOR CAR and the Sangaris (French force) mission; welcomes the deployment of the European Union Military Advisory Mission in the CAR, but deplores the lack of contribution by many Member States; calls on the international community to increase its military capacities in the country and to provide all requisite support for the reinforcement of the international security forces, which are mainly African;










8.


Encourages the Transitional Authorities in their efforts to restore confidence among all the people of the CAR and to respond to the multiple challenges which exist, such as repatriation of refugees, the return of displaced persons within the country, the rehabilitation of the local authorities, the establishment of a judicial system and of an effective administrative infrastructure, the battle against corruption and the re-establishment of basic services, particularly in the fields of health and education;










9.


Draws attention to the importance of holding before the end of 2015 free, fair and transparent elections open to all, including to people returning to the country and those displaced within it;










10.


Calls on the international community to bring to bear all resources necessary to enable these elections to be held, particularly by means of the electoral assistance programme;










11.


Expresses its concern about the humanitarian situation and the risk of serious food shortages in the CAR; calls on the international community to mobilise all necessary resources and to improve coordination among the various donors;










12.


Welcomes the increased support of the European Union in response to the humanitarian crisis; expresses its concern about the restrictions on access for humanitarian aid, and condemns the instances of aggression against humanitarian workers; welcomes the decision by the European Union to send funds to Chad and Cameroon to finance their humanitarian efforts to assist the people of the CAR;










13.


Calls on the international community to help the authorities of countries in the neighbourhood of the CAR which are feeling the impact of this conflict, particularly in terms of hosting refugees;










14.


Urges the authorities of the CAR to take practical measures, with support from MINUSCA, to protect the civilian population and guarantee the security and unity of its territory, while fully respecting their obligations under international humanitarian law and law on refugees;










15.


Strongly condemns the persistent violence to which so many people have fallen victim and which has compelled more than 8 50  000 people to flee, as well as the violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, including extrajudicial and summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and sexual violence, and calls for stronger action to assist the victims, particularly by means of the provision of sexual and reproductive healthcare services;










16.


Calls on the Government of the CAR to support the investigation by the International Criminal Court into war crimes and crimes against humanity, and calls on the authorities of the CAR to identify, prosecute and punish those responsible for them;










17.


Calls for the immediate implementation of the agreement of 5 May 2015 to free child soldiers;










18.


Calls on the United Nations to cooperate in a transparent manner with the French authorities investigating accusations that French soldiers have raped children;










19.


Welcomes the decision by the UN Security Council to institute an arms embargo against the CAR;










20.


Calls on the authorities of the CAR to draw up a national strategy to combat illegal exploitation of natural resources and networks for smuggling thereof, and recommends the adoption of a roadmap with clear indicators and an external monitoring system which will make it possible for the CAR to rejoin the Kimberley Process and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative;










21.


Calls for the swift introduction of binding European legislation to prevent operators, including those outside Europe, from selling on European markets minerals which finance conflicts;










22.


Suggests that the United Nations should establish under the auspices of MINUSCA a unit to combat the smuggling of diamonds, gold and ivory and militarised poaching;










23.


Welcomes the establishment of the Bêkou Trust Fund by the European Union and the contributions by France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland, and calls on other EU Member States and other donors to contribute to it;










24.


Recalls that the participation and representation of women and civil society in the transition process are vital to its success;










25.


Supports the efforts by religious leaders to prevent a sectarian conflict and preserve the traditional peaceful coexistence;










26.


Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, the High Representative of the Union/Vice-President of the Commission, the Transitional Authorities of the CAR, the institutions of the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.







(1)  Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 17 June 2015 in Suva (Fiji).

(2)  Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 17 June 2015 in Suva (Fiji).

(3)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.

(4)  OJ L 287, 4.11.2010, p. 3.

(5)  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0386.

(6)  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A52011DC0637&qid=1412922281378&from=EN

(7)  http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/69/700&Lang=E

(8)  http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/FfD_Elements-paper_drafting-session.pdf

(9)  Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 17 June 2015 in Suva (Fiji).

(10)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.

(11)  OJ L 287, 28.10.2005, p. 4.

(12)  OJ L 287, 4.11.2010, p. 3.

(13)  OJ C 72 E, 11.3.2014, p. 21.

(14)  Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 17 June 2015 in Suva (Fiji).

(15)  OJ C 15 E, 21.1.2010, p. 1.

(16)  OJ C 67 E, 18.3.2010, p. 44.

(17)  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0086.

(18)  P7_TA -PROV(2013)0578.

(19)  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2014)0094.

(20)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2014)0063.

(21)  Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 17 June 2015 in Suva (Fiji).