Brussels, 23/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 May, the EU's foreign affairs ministers updated the strategy on Syria, Iraq and the fight against Da'esh, which they adopted on 16 March 2015 (see EUROPE 11276), saying that if this strategy was to remain valid, it had to be adapted to developments on the ground.
In the 11 pages of conclusions they adopted, the ministers stated that the EU will “mobilise all the political, security and development resources required” for Syria, Iraq and, more broadly, the region to find peace, stability and security again.
As regards Iraq, the ministers announce that the EU and its member states will provide more technical support to the federal government to improve security and rule of law, fight against widespread corruption, enhance service delivery to Iraqi citizens and create accountability for the perpetrators of abuses and crimes. The EU and its 28 member states will also “explore further support to the stabilisation process”. The ministers thus look forward to the options that the European External Action Service (EEAS) will soon present for increased commitment in support to stabilise the country over the long term, “in particular in the areas of rule of law and the security sector, taking into consideration all available instruments”. “This support will be essential to consolidating the military gains achieved against Da'esh”, the ministers add. The EU will also explore additional means for helping the federal government and regional government of Kurdistan re-establish their economic and financial health.
With regard to Syria, the ministers hail the result of the meeting of the international Syria support group (ISSG) on 17 May (see EUROPE 11552). The EU will reinforce its joint work to increase its support to the UN special envoy to facilitate the intra-Syrian negotiations, strengthen its support to the Syrian opposition, support the ISSG's efforts on the cessation of hostilities, and strengthen its contribution to the ISSG's humanitarian work and, more generally, its help to the people of Syria, to push the main regional actors to work towards full application of the UN roadmap and step up the preparations for early commitment to the efforts to restabilise and rehabilitate Syria, the ministers announce.
The foreign ministers also underline the readiness of the EU and its member states to strengthen their contribution to the efforts of the global coalition to counter Da'esh. The EU is “committed to prevent Da'esh and its affiliates from extending their reach in third countries”, and is determined to deprive ISIL of its sanctuary and sources of financing and supply “by reinforcing its own tools to fight international terrorism”, the ministers add. The EU is therefore determined to implement the UN sanctions and autonomous sanctions of the EU targeting Da'esh and its affiliates, and to accelerate the implementation of its action plan on the fight against financing terrorism - particularly the freezing of terrorists' assets, the fight against money-laundering and the illicit trade in oil and cultural goods. The EU will also deepen its cooperation on security and the fights against terrorism with the countries of the MENA region, Turkey, the Western Balkans and the regional and international organisations, the ministers state. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)