Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-12-17-Speech-3-030"
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"en.20031217.2.3-030"2
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". – Mr President, the Commission shares Parliament's concerns on the political situation in Côte d'Ivoire. Even if some progress has been made in the implementation of the Marcoussis Agreement, the current deadlock has to be broken.
As far as the Union's capacity in conflict prevention, management and resolution is concerned, efforts are being undertaken to define a relevant common strategy. The main aspects of this entail strengthening regional integration through support to ECOWAS, reinforcing coordination with the UN and enhancing national and regional political dialogue. All this is something we are directly engaged in and we do what we can in all these relations.
The initiatives of the African Union on peace and security, as well as actions against the illicit exploitation of natural resources, will be taken into account as part of this process. I find it quite correct that Parliament is looking at these aspects in this kind of situation.
Concerning Mrs McKenna's amendments to suspend the fisheries agreement with Côte d’Ivoire because of inconsistencies in EC policies and because it is not possible to control national waters, I would like to make the following point.
The Commission has suggested extending the fisheries agreement for one year, taking into consideration that, with this agreement, Côte d’Ivoire will continue to benefit from targeted actions for scientific research, control and surveillance. The activities and the training of the Fisheries Ministry and investment in the Côte d’Ivoire economy, mainly through the three tuna factories, are guaranteed only if the agreement is extended.
Bankruptcy of the tuna canneries, currently generating 5 000 direct local jobs and more than 30 000 indirect jobs, would create a great deal of unemployment and could possibly lead to social unrest in Abidjan. It would also mean that the port of Abidjan would be definitely doomed as a fish-landing port for probably several years to come.
There is no doubt that a failure to extend the agreement would have far-reaching negative consequences and could only deepen the current crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, so I would not recommend pulling this element into a situation which is already problematic enough.
The new forces have been boycotting the Council of Ministers for two months and this boycott, as well as the mutual lack of trust, makes it impossible to launch the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration process which is a prerequisite for the reunification of the country.
There are still severe violations of human rights and the Commission is also very concerned about the humanitarian situation. Since the outbreak of the conflict in September 2002 the Commission has provided EUR 7.24 million for emergency relief operations in Côte d'Ivoire and it will continue to provide humanitarian assistance in 2004 in the framework of the global plan for coastal West Africa.
The European Union is actively involved in the implementation of the Marcoussis Agreement, both financially and politically. Since the beginning of the crisis on 19 September 2002, it has issued nine declarations and has repeatedly urged all Ivorians to work in harmony for the reunification of the country and the preparation of peaceful democratic elections in 2005.
In Abidjan the Commission, as well as the EU presidency, is a member of the monitoring committee of the Marcoussis Agreement. The 10 signatories of the agreement recommended the creation of its international committee in order to ensure its implementation.
The committee has been quite active. Since its first meeting at the end of February it has met more than 50 times, but still its action has been criticised by all 10 political forces apart from President Gbagbo's party, the FPI.
Discussions should quickly take place between all members of the committee on how to improve its efficiency. To restore its credibility the committee should undertake a thorough rethinking of its current role, not only to act as an arbitrator but also primarily to work in a more open manner in order to create more confidence as to how its work is viewed.
A kind of duty reporting to headquarters should be established, with minutes from the meetings to improve its transparency with regard to the institutions represented within this committee. It has been too inward-looking in the way it has functioned and changes there could be productive.
But what is most important is to ensure that the political players in Côte d'Ivoire really understand the need to create a spirit of coexistence and compromise. They must make an effort to get along within one nation. Without that attitude it will be very difficult to create real progress."@en1
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