EVOLVING ROADMAP OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY PARTNERSHIP. 14 October 2009

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1 EVOLVING ROADMAP OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY PARTNERSHIP 14 October Since the last meeting of the Joint Ministerial Troika, significant progress has been made in the three priority areas. Political dialogue has further intensified. The PSC Secretariat of the AUC and the EU Delegation to the African Union have agreed on a first set of modalities how to improve the structured information exchange at their level. These modalities are yet to be implemented and will have to be evaluated before the next Troika to look for scope for further improvement. 2. Initial steps were also undertaken in New York aimed at enhancing the mechanisms of cooperation between African and European Union Member States to the United Nations. Both sides have started an interesting exchange of views based on a non paper on the implementation of the Africa European Union Strategic Partnership at the UN. 3. Discussions have also initiated on the set up of a triangular UN AU EU dialogue building upon the bilateral EU UN and AU UN dialogues in view of reinforcing synergy, coherence and rationalisation. The African clearing house (G8++) is also an excellent platform to exchange views between the EU, UN and the AU. 4. Work on the African Standby Force is ongoing, in particular in the framework of the AMANI AFRICA/EURORECAMP cycle. 5. The two sides have been already working closely together both within the G8 as well as within the UN on mechanisms ensuring the predictability, flexibility and sustainability of funding of Africa led Peace Support Operations. The signature of an agreement for a new Africa Peace Facility for the period with an initial envelope of 300 million will ensure predictable and sustainable funding for AU and REC led Peace Support Operations. The new Facility has been activated in support of AMISOM peace keeping tasks in Somalia, for an amount of up to 60 M. 6. Discussions with RECs have continued, notably through a series of Regional Seminars conducted by the European Commission and the European Council in co operation with the Secretaries General of the RECs, in order to integrate the JAES Peace and Security Partnership's main goals into the Regional Strategies and activities. The AUC participated in these events. Regional Seminars have been held with ESA IO and ECCAS. The Seminar with ECOWAS will take place immediately after the Ministerial Troika and will be followed by the seminar with SADC. 7. As envisaged previously, in order to fully reinforce the coherence between pan African and regional programmes a comprehensive AU RECs EU APSA Strategy Roadmap is being elaborated for submission to all involved stakeholders. 8. In 2009, the role of the European and Pan African Parliaments and Civil Society in the Peace and security partnership was discussed. Civil Society participated at the EU implementation Team and Joint Expert Group. The ECOSOCC format has been retained by the AU.

2 9. In order to further strengthen this partnership, the third meeting of the Joint Experts Group, held in Addis Ababa on 5 October 2009, agreed on the following evolving roadmap with clear deliverables and timelines, according to the priority actions set in the joint action plan as adopted in Lisbon, Portugal. a. Enhance dialogue on challenges to Peace and Security: i. Building on existing arrangements, the dialogue should be continued on all levels, including through the EU Delegation to the AU. Before the next Troika meeting, an assessment of progress achieved should be undertaken jointly by the AUC and the EC/GSC and proposals submitted to AU and EU Member States. ii. iii. iv. Hold a third joint AU PSC and EU PSC meeting in October 2010 under Belgium and the Chair of the PSC Presidencies respectively and continue thereafter on an annual basis. With the aim of carrying out systematically joint evaluation missions of peace support operations and building on the experience gained from the visit to Central African Republic (CAR) (23 30 April 2009), a joint mission to Comoros took place in June The missions to Burundi and Somalia are now scheduled to take place in the first quarter of A technical mission aimed at elaborating possible further APF support to MICOPAX is also being planned in November In addition, collaboration needs to be developed between the AU, the relevant RECs and the EU regarding post conflict reconstruction in Liberia, South Sudan and DRC, including support to ongoing projects. The joint African EU missions to post conflict areas to be organised by the EU before end of 2009 so as to learn from the European experience and how this could be of use to the ongoing efforts to consolidate peace in Africa, will take place in the 1 st quarter of v. The African side will finalize the project proposal presented by Egypt on the possibility of establishing a centre in charge of the operationalization of the PCRD Policy Framework in Africa (2009). vi. The JEG recognizes the importance of enhancing cooperation between both organizations in the field of mediation by developing common understandings and broad guidelines. To this aim, and while welcoming the forthcoming AU Mediation Seminar to which the EU is invited, both parties agree on the following measures: - to conduct regular joint AU EU UN lessons learned exercises; - to organized joint AU EU UN training workshops in mediation. The first to be convened in early to mid 2010; and - to propose to further cooperate through the exchange of Staff. vii. Building on ongoing consultations, the AUC and the EC/GSC to submit concrete proposals to operationalize the mechanisms for consultation at African EU 2

3 ambassadorial level, in particular in Addis Ababa, Brussels and New York. Required steps to be taken to sensitize the concerned actors in Brussels and New York. viii. Enhance capacity building, networking, cooperation and exchange of information on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) and Anti Personnel Landmines (APM), as well as fight against illicit trafficking. In this respect: - In view of the development of an African Small Arms and Light Weapons Strategy by December 2009, the EC supported the Africa Union to fund an AU identified expert tasked to prepare the basic elements of a draft Strategy. - The EC funded project in support of the prevention of trafficking of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons through enhanced capacity and co ordination of law enforcement organisations at pan African level ( 3,3 M) is due to start in November AUC and EC organised a joint seminar in Rome on SALW and conventional disarmament issues addressing all aspects of disarmament including through Peace Support Operations. - AUC and EC to facilitate a joint workshop to be held in Egypt, on the eradication of ERW before the next Troika meeting (2010). ix. A joint EC CSG visit to CAERT and participation in the 3 rd meeting of the CAERT Focal Points helped resolve a number of questions linked to past and new EC support. A new project for co operation and support is being discussed between CAERT and the European Commission. In addition, the JEG noted that Africa proposed to the EU to work together to address the issue of the payment of ransom to hostage takers, in light of the decision adopted on the issue by the AU Assembly in Sirte, in July x. Cooperation and exchange of information to be strengthened in the prevention and combating of piracy. Concrete proposals should be prepared for the next JEG meeting. xi. After the first joint EU AU Round table held at the UN held on 27 February 2009 on Women, Peace and Security in pursuit of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on the role of women in conflict and post conflict situations, a second opportunity for discussion was offered by a Ministerial EC AU UN joint breakfast held on 23 rd September xii. The JEG welcomes the AU Border program implemented by the African side. The EU is supporting this program, including through exchange of experiences, participation in seminars and communication of relevant data. The European Commission is organising with UEMOA a conference in Ouagadougou in November 2009 on Regional Governance, including cross border co operation. 3

4 xiii. Promote exchange of experiences between the AU and the EU on Security Sector Reform (SSR) regarding the elaboration of an AU strategy on SSR and implementation of pillar projects and provision of financial assistance by the EU. b. Operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA): i. The JEG was briefed on the conclusions of the CEWS mapping carried out by Germany on behalf of the AU Partners Group as pilot project for the planned overall mapping exercise of APSA capacity building needs and gaps and welcomed the initiatives taken in this respect. ii. iii. Co operation between the EC Joint Research Centre, the EU SITCEN and the AUC Situation Room has allowed major progress in data collection and processing and equipment. A first meeting between European and African experts, which took place at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra on the 15 th of May 2009, and under the MIVAC initiative, further projects for action have been discussed. Visit by the AUC to UK and France relevant services took place from 29 th September to 2 nd October In the process of working towards the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF), based on Roadmap 2 as adopted by the African Ministers of Defence and Security in March 2008 and endorsed by the Executive Council in June 2008: - The Amani Africa/EuroRecamp cycle continued with the Pledging Conference, the Initiating Planning Conference and the Senior Decision Makers Seminar, the main planning conference (MPC) and the MAPEX. The next step will be the political strategic seminar in November 2009, which will be followed by a Command Post Exercise (CPX) in Support provided to the Planning Elements of the African Standby Force, notably through the African Peace facility 20M program) has allowed for strengthening of the staffing and overall capability of the Planelms at the continental and the regional level. - The JEG was briefed on the initiatives taken with respect to the strengthening of the African training centres. The meeting took note of the report of the AU/EU experts team on training centres and agreed on the convening of an AU/EU/RECs workshop in January 2010 in order to keep the current momentum. In the meantime, steps will be taken to further pursue the study and integrate additional visits of training centres, identification of further needs and offers both at continental, regional and training centre level, review of the current status of APSTA, and further development of the concept of a Continental Peace and Security Academy. iv. Coordination between the AU and RECs/RMs through support to the establishment and enhancement of RECs/RMs Liaison Offices to the AU cooperation between the continental and regional levels in the area of Peace and Security has been further strengthened. 4

5 v. After a first reinforcement of the staffing of SPMU, through EUMS experts seconded on a temporary basis, EU experts were recruited for a period of eight months under Instrument for Stability, and a EU MS Police Training Advisor has been seconded for a year. There is still need for reinforcement of the Peace and Security Department and other relevant structures of the AU and RECs. The invitation of AU experts to attend EU exercises (as it was the case during CME 08) and to visit EU HQ and operations was realised. vi. Building on the ongoing AU RECs EC/EU cooperation and support to APSA, a Trilateral AU RECs/RMs EU Roadmap for full operationalization of APSA is currently being prepared. The next steps include a joint AU RECs/RMs EU meeting in early November in Ghana expected to adopt the Trilateral Roadmap. c. Funding of AU led peace support operations: i. With the new, 2 nd generation African Peace Facility becoming operational, further support of 60M to the AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is underway, in line with the EU pledge at the April Donor's Conference on Somalia. In parallel APF support is being provided to the MICOPAX Mission in the Central African Republic, led by ECCAS. Steps have been taken in view of further backing to MICOPAX. ii. Continue working together to achieve, within the framework of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, a satisfactory solution to the needs of the AU with regard to sustainable, flexible and predictable financial support for peace keeping operations undertaken by the AU, or under its authority (and with the consent of the UN Security Council) This should include consultative meeting between the AU and the EU groups in Addis Ababa, Brussels and New York to exchange views on such efforts and follow up on the recommendations of the AU/UN Report chaired by Mr. Romano Prodi. 10. General recommendations and way forward: a. Start to work on the second Action Plan of the Peace and Security Partnership, associating African Regional Organisations and others African partners if necessary. b. Continue to develop the EU, RECs and Africa partnership and complete the joint Strategy/Roadmap for sustainable and coherent cooperation, both at strategic and operational levels, within the framework of APSA. c. Establish a systematic pattern of consultations between the EU, AU and UN, in Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping in Africa in view of the post d. Review the concept of the JEG: improve the participation of RECs/RMs and the Member States (AU, EU) to thematic sessions (EWS, ASF, ) and organise the overall JEG in a more comprehensive and systematic way in Africa with a joint secretariat in order to review the progress and orientations for the Partnership on Peace and Security. 5

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