On Monday 10 May, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on the Horn of Africa as a strategic priority, which record the EU’s commitment to reinvigorate its relationship with the Horn of Africa, taking into account the unprecedented challenges faced by Somalia and Ethiopia.
These conclusions, adopted without debate by EU foreign ministers, provide the EU with a new integrated strategy for the whole region (see EUROPE 12715/12).
With this new strategy, the EU aims to strengthen and deepen its strategic relationship and partnership with the Horn of Africa and the countries which are members of the region (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda), particularly with a view to reducing instability, and promoting democracy and sustainable growth.
“The aim is to support peace and security, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, gender equality, sustainable development, economic growth, climate action and regional cooperation”, the EU Council says.
The strategy will aim to strengthen a common approach to regional democracy, peace and security, “revitalise multilateralism and the rules-based international order”, strengthen the commitment to social and human development, stimulate post-Covid-19 socio-economic recovery and trade and regional integration.
The principle of mutual accountability of partners will be at the heart of this strategy, as it is in the new strategy recently adopted for the Sahel (see EUROPE 12701/6).
This mutual responsibility implies a common understanding of the responsibilities, priorities and concrete objectives of each partner and a ‘Team Europe’ approach mobilising the EU, its Member States, their diplomatic networks and the EU’s financial institutions, which the EU wants to promote as a force for collective action in the region.
The strategy also aims to strengthen the partnership with the wider geographical region, including the Red Sea, Western Indian Ocean and the Nile.
See the conclusions: https://bit.ly/3f4qIUR (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)