On Monday 19 April, the European foreign affairs ministers will hold a videoconference to discuss Ethiopia and Ukraine.
Ukraine. While ministers traditionally discuss the situation in Ukraine in the spring, Monday’s discussion will be far different from a simple annual update due to Russian troop movements on Ukraine’s borders (see EUROPE 12699/4).
The EU Council will first discuss the security situation in the country, including the state of implementation of the Minsk agreements, but also the latest developments on the Ukrainian borders. According to a senior EU official, Ukraine has done nothing to justify the Russian troop movements and believes it is a “manoeuvre by Putin’s regime”.
The Russian Ministry of Defence also announced the restriction of navigation of foreign military and official ships in three maritime areas of Crimea from 24 April until 31 October. “This is another move by the Russian government in the wrong direction. We have to see it as a very worrying development, we condemn it and we have to see how the situation evolves in order to take a decision”, a senior EU official explained.
The Ministers will also discuss bilateral EU-Ukraine relations and the state of reforms in Ukraine. They could reflect on how the EU can strengthen its sectoral cooperation with Ukraine and what more the EU and its Member States could do to better support key reforms.
The ministers will then hold an hour-long exchange with their Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba.
Ethiopia. Ministers will again discuss the extremely worrying situation in Ethiopia arising from the conflict in Tigray and will also address the tensions in the Horn of Africa that threaten to destabilise the entire region. The aim is to decide on the next steps in the European response and to reflect on a future EU strategy towards Ethiopia that goes beyond the Tigray crisis, particularly in view of the upcoming elections.
“The situation is bad and deteriorating, despite some minimal progress such as the joint investigation by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the UNHCR. We are waiting for action. It is important to keep up the pressure”, a diplomatic source said on Friday 16 April. In March, the EU threatened sanctions against those responsible for serious human rights violations (see EUROPE 12683/4).
“After the framework already set by the EU Council conclusions, the ministers will discuss how to go further to encourage the Ethiopian authorities to make more progress in strengthening humanitarian access, improving investigations into allegations of serious human rights violations and obtaining the withdrawal of Eritrean troops”, according to another European source.
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto - who visited the region for the second time in early April on a mandate from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell - will report on his contact mission to Ethiopia and to the Horn of Africa (see EUROPE 12692/3).
The risk of war with Sudan - following the failure in early April of the latest round of talks (in the DRC) between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam - will also be discussed. Time is running out. “It’s a security issue, for the EU too”, said a senior EU official. The official added: “it is not up to us to propose a solution. The problem has to be solved by the different parties involved. We still favour dialogue”.
Myanmar. As the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, the EU Council will adopt sanctions against ten individuals and two Myanmar entities “that are key to the military junta”, according to a senior EU official. On 22 March, the EU had already adopted measures against eleven Myanmar military officials (see EUROPE 12683/3). In parallel, the European Commission announced, on Friday 16 April, an additional €9 million in emergency humanitarian aid to support Myanmar’s most vulnerable. This sum is in addition to the €11.5 million in funding already announced at the end of February (see EUROPE 12664/25).
Current affairs. The ministers will also quickly discuss the Georgian political crisis. “The crisis is not resolved and mediation is continuing”, a senior official said, adding that the Member States were giving themselves a moment to reflect on what to do next (see EUROPE 12699/4).
The EU Council could quickly discuss the summit with India scheduled for 8 May in Porto, the ongoing talks in Vienna on the Iranian nuclear deal and the latest developments in Iran (see EUROPE 12698/23), the situation in Belarus, Libya as well as in Lebanon, where the EU is working on different policy options to help the country.
The ministers will discuss the crisis in Mozambique following the jihadist attack in Palma, with a view to contributing to a solution to the conflict in Cabo Delgado province. The Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council, which is very involved there, will provide an update following its recent visit (see EUROPE 12624/15).
A new strategy for the Sahel. The EU Council will adopt by written procedure conclusions on a new holistic EU strategy for the region that will revise the one adopted in 2011. It will cover development, humanitarian aid and security in the light of the EU’s 2021-2027 budget, the NDICI financial instrument, the latest developments in the Sahel and the EU’s actions, in particular in the framework of the Sahel Coalition launched last year.
Indo-Pacific region. Conclusions will also be adopted on the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. One of the objectives of this comprehensive strategy, with a long-term perspective, is to contribute to the stability and security of the wider region. It should focus on different lines of action, such as cooperation, promotion of the global agenda, value chains, security, development, connectivity, digital as well as research.
Southern Neighbourhood. Finally, the EU Council will adopt conclusions on the Southern Neighbourhood Strategy.
In an 11-page draft conclusion on the strategy, obtained by EUROPE, the EU Council “reaffirms its determination to renew and further strengthen the EU’s strategic partnership with its partners in the Southern Neighbourhood to address common challenges, take advantage of shared opportunities and unlock the potential of our common region”, calling for the swift and effective implementation of the new agenda proposed by the Commission and the High Representative of the Union. In particular, the EU Council considers it necessary to “significantly strengthen political dialogue” across the Mediterranean, proposing that foreign ministers from the EU and their southern partners meet annually to review progress in implementing the new Mediterranean agenda.
The conclusions highlight cooperation in several areas, whether in terms of the economy, including the blue economy, good governance and human rights, climate and energy, mobility and migration and the fight against terrorism and organised crime. It also calls for greater efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts.
The EU Council will be briefed by the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, on the conclusion of the post-Cotonou partnership between the EU and the 79 member countries of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), which was initialled the previous day (see EUROPE 12699/2). This agreement will reportedly be signed by the end of the year on the basis of a Commission proposal expected in the coming weeks. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Aminata Niang)