Brussels, 24/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - The restrictive measures to cooperation between the EU and Guinea-Bissau, which were imposed by the EU in July 2011, have been totally lifted. This was decided without debate by the Council on Tuesday 24 March and this formal decision enables cooperation between the EU and Guinea-Bissau (West Africa) to be fully resumed. Guinea-Bissau is a member of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) group of countries linked to the EU by the Cotonou Agreement.
This step forward has been brought about by the return to constitutional order and by the progress made in implementing the reform commitments taken by the authorities of Guinea-Bissau. From this week, the EU will organise an international conference with Guinea-Bissau and the United Nations to mobilise financial support for implementing the country's reforms and development programme.
The EU encourages Guinea-Bissau to remain united and to continue its efforts to strengthen its democratic institutions, the rule of law and the reform of the security sector, and to fight against corruption, impunity and drugs trafficking.
“Guinea-Bissau has embarked on a new path of peace, reconciliation and development after the holding of elections and the restoration of the constitutional order in 2014. This decision allows us to support the efforts of the authorities to rebuild the country, entrench democratic institutions and lay the foundations for long-term stability”, states High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in a press release.
European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica has announced that the programming of the financial envelope available for Guinea-Bissau until 2020 as part of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) will be “finalised in the coming months”.
The holding of credible elections in 2014 had already led the EU to suspend restrictions on cooperation last July. These restrictions had been imposed under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement after the military uprising in April 2010 and the appointment of the main instigators of this to leading posts in the military hierarchy (see EUROPE 11121). (Aminata Niang)