Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-06-19-Speech-4-172"
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"en.20080619.21.4-172"2
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"Mr President, unfortunately my colleague Louis Michel is not here today, so on his behalf I wish to share with you some remarks about this issue in Somalia.
Commissioner Michel, who met Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia and President Isaias of Eritrea last weekend, urged them to support the Djibouti process, which, although far from being perfect, offered a real if not the only opportunity to bring together the different Somali actors.
Despite the difficult circumstances, the Commission will continue its programme of aid to Somalia, which has been designed with Member States, in order to alleviate the suffering of the Somali population and to establish the ground for a peaceful society.
Some questions were raised about piracy and I would add that, although it is not competent for the deployment of naval forces as foreseen by UNSC Resolution 1816, the Commission has set up, together with the Council, a working group composed of the relevant directorates-general – namely the Energy and Transport DG, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries DG, the Development DG and EuropeAid – to study the best way to implement the UN resolution.
Firstly, I would like to share your concern about the continuing conflict and political instability in Somalia. Somalia remains a context where fundamental rights and respect for basic human dignity continue to be shunned by armed entities perpetrating systematic and widespread attacks against civilians. Seventeen years of statelessness have seen loss of civilian life, mass displacements and destruction of physical infrastructures. One third of the population, corresponding to 2.6 million people, depends on humanitarian aid today. The European Union, together with other key international actors, is committed to helping at this critical juncture.
At the political level, the EU will continue to provide its full support to the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General in his efforts to coordinate the action of the international community and to facilitate inter-Somali political dialogue. We are now examining – together with other donors – the appropriate ways and means to better assist Somalis to effectively implement the Djibouti Agreement reached on 9 June. This agreement offers fresh hope for long-term peace and stability to the people of Somalia.
At humanitarian level, the EU is mainly focusing on supporting basic sectors such as health, nutrition, food assistance, shelter and non-food relief items, water and sanitation, as part of a range of activities particularly targeting central and southern areas of the country that have been badly affected by civilian strife and extreme natural hazards.
In 2007 our Humanitarian Aid Department managed to provide EUR 18 million in humanitarian assistance. In response to the worsening humanitarian situation and to the increase in food prices, the level of assistance should reach a total of EUR 27 million for this year.
At the development level, the EU is already the main aid donor for Somalia, providing medium- to long-term support for establishing a peaceful and self-sustainable society.
The EU Country Strategy for Somalia allocates more than EUR 212 million for the period 2008-2013, under the 10th European Development Fund. One third of this programme will be spent on education, which is relevant to respect for human rights. The critical goal is to encourage reconciliation, democracy and the development of governance structures at all levels. However, without peace and security it is not possible to engage effectively in longer-term development. Priority is therefore given to promoting a peaceful and secure environment in which human rights are respected and democratic processes and institutions can develop.
Commissioner Michel met with the Somali President, just a few days ago, on the margin of the IGAD Summit in Addis Ababa. On that occasion, President Yusuf made a strong appeal for international assistance to support a better, secure environment for people living in Somalia. We gave a commitment to provide strong support for the Somali Government to this end. The European Commission is already financing the training of Somali police forces through the UN, and funds are also being contributed to the costs of the AMISOM operation.
Ultimately the political process of reconciliation and stabilisation will also depend on the engagement and support of key regional players, namely Ethiopia and Eritrea, which have used the Somali theatre for a ‘proxy war’. In this respect the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia is a key element for any political breakthrough."@en1
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