Brussels, 17/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - The humanitarian, security and political aspects of the crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) will mobilise the EU28 foreign affairs ministers, the European Commission and the United Nations in Brussels on Monday 20 January. The United Nations is currently warning of a risk of genocide, despite the French military operation (Sangaris) which is supporting the African-led force (MISCA).
On Monday morning, the high-level UN-EU humanitarian conference - co-chaired by European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva and UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator (OCHA) Valerie Amos (see EUROPE 10990) - will enable an update with the donor countries and NGOs on the humanitarian challenges, and will enable priorities to be identified for effective humanitarian commitment, by boosting aid to meet the growing needs, and by coordinating the donors. Pascal Canfin, the minister delegate attached to France's foreign affairs minister, with responsibility for development, will represent France.
“The conference on humanitarian aid is due to set out the bases of an endeavour to reconstruct the county through its inhabitants with the support of the international community, and to set out the basis of an approach enabling the country to become stabilised quickly”, said high-level officials on Friday.
The conference will be the prelude to the meeting of foreign affairs ministers which, in the afternoon, is due to take the political decision in principle on the engagement of a European force in the region of Bangui, and particularly the airport, in support of the international action, in order to participate in the protection of the people and to improve the security conditions if the humanitarian actors call for it (see other article). “Security and humanitarian aid” are the top two priorities, said senior EU officials on Friday. The conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council - which will be chaired by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton - are due to register this decision in principle if the concept of crisis management is approved, in line with what the European Council on 20 December required. The conclusions are also due to express the EU's support for the political process that is due to be relaunched in Bangui by the transition council on 20 January under the aegis of the UN and the African Union. The conclusions are expected to mention the donors' conference that will take place in Addis Ababa at the beginning of February to increase support for MISCA, and they are expected to express support for the future electoral process. European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs is expected to announce, on Monday, the amount that the EU is ready to mobilise for this support. (AN/transl.fl)