Brussels, 16/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 September, €650 million was promised by the European Commission to support priority development and security policies in Somalia over the next three years. This announcement was made at the high-level international conference for a “New Deal with Somalia”, co-chaired by the federal government of Somalia and the EU. At the end of Monday afternoon the conference was expected to produce an agreement on signing a mutual commitment by the international community and Somalia to a “Compact”. This is expected to include key priorities agreed by the whole of Somali society and support for the country's reconstruction (see EUROPE 10921 and 10900). “Historic2 was the word on everybody's lips at the opening of the conference, in reference to the progress accomplished by the country since its return to the Community of Nations. Political progress to extend to all the different regions, agreement with the Jubba government, as well as respect for human rights and national reconciliation as a guarantee for sustainable peace and security in the country in the whole of the Horn of Africa, was also emphasised.
At the end of their meeting, halfway through the conference, José Manuel Barroso, the president of the Commission, and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia, expressed their satisfaction and hope to the press regarding this new era now beginning for the Somali people and relations between Somalia and the international community, and in particular cooperation between the EU and Somalia. Barroso declared: “This is a major event for the country, which has made significant progress. This conference is recognition of this progress and a sign of the international community's confidence in Somalia. After a successful transition, the time has now come for reconstruction and development. We support your efforts and the compact will guide our support”. He also announced the €650 million that would go towards supporting this new phase. Somalia's formal accession to the Cotonou Agreement between the EU and ACP countries (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) will allow for funding from the European Development Fund (EDF). Terrorist attacks continue and human rights are still under threat but support under the ESDP will continue, as well as regional cooperation in trade, infrastructure and the area of refugees, which Barroso stated would benefit everyone.
Somalia is the 80th member of the Cotonou Agreement. Somalia's request to join the Cotonou Agreement was accepted on 7 June by the ACP-EU Council of Ministers. By submitting its ratification instrument on Monday 16 September, it has effectively become the 80th number of this organisation. According to the Somali president, “accession to the Cotonou Agreement provides new development opportunities, as well as access to World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank loans”. Assan Sheikh Mohammud thanked the EU, particularly the Commission for supporting the federal government in its preparation of the Compact, “which reflects the current situation and needs”. He also expressed his gratitude for operation Atalanta, because, “with EU support, piracy has fallen to an almost zero level”. He explained that it was now necessary to tackle the causes of this scourge.
At the opening of the conference, Herman van Rompuy, the permanent president of the European Council, welcomed the significant change that had happened over the last two years in Somalia. He said that “the despair that reigned after twenty years of war, as well as famine and destabilisation, has given way to hope, hope that a better future is within our grasp. The Compact will be the expression of this hope”. He congratulated all the different players who had helped to achieve this “great work, at great speed”. He added that “what we need now is a great effort to make sure it is implemented”. He also emphasised that what counted was the fact that the Compact had been achieved by the Somalis themselves: “The Somali people made a commitment to change and implemented the reforms, as well as the priorities and objectives in the Compact. It is essential that trust is established between the people and its representatives and that it is rebuilt between the clans and different regions. This takes time. But this time, all the different parties have demonstrated their commitment to make it work and take ownership of it. Without that we cannot be successful”. He praised the commitment made by neighbouring countries and the African Union, as well as countries that had contributed troops to AMISOM (Uganda, Djibouti, Burundi, Sierra Leone and Kenya) and paid special homage “to the Ethiopian government for their continuous efforts to encourage the process for creating peace”. He pointed out that the international community as a whole had provided political, financial and economic support to help establish a solution, together with the African Union and the United Nations. He praised the Gulf States and Turkey and their increasing commitment to help Somalia get back on its feet. The same goes for the EU, the biggest donor, providing €1.2 billion over a five-year period (including an additional €124 million for AMISOM, recently announced).
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, highlighted the need to “ensure security for the people, and that includes economic security, the growth of businesses, the opportunities for people, for education, all of the things that are so crucial for Somalia's recovery and for it to move forward”. She provided assurances of EU support and added that “it is going to be long-term investment that is going to make the biggest difference”. (AN/transl.fl)