The global repercussions of the war in Ukraine, Egypt and the Horn of Africa are the three main topics to be discussed by the EU foreign affairs ministers at their EU Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday 20 June. Global food security and the risk of famine in Africa will be the common thread running through these discussions.
Global impact of the War in Ukraine. The ministers will discuss the situation on the ground and the EU’s assistance to Ukraine, but the discussion will focus on food and energy security, a senior European official said on Friday.
With more than 20 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain still blocked in the port of Odessa, they will consider how to increase EU support to vulnerable countries dependent on grain imports from Ukraine and Russia, beyond the aid already mobilised.
The EU and its Member States have already pledged €1 billion for the African regions of the Sahel and Lake Chad and more than €600 million for the Horn of Africa, in addition to the €225 million from the food and resilience facility established for the EU’s southern neighbourhood (Middle East and North Africa).
“Yesterday, four European leaders were in Kyiv” - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis; “this shows the quality of the dialogue of the EU and other partners, especially on food security”, according to a European diplomat speaking on Friday 17 June.
One of the issues explored during the visit was the option of creating a possible route through Romania for grain blocked in the Black Sea.
“The EU Council will adopt conclusions on food safety. They will stress that Russia is solely responsible for the food crisis, that this is not the fault of the European sanctions”, a diplomatic source said on Friday.
They will insist on strengthening the EU’s solidarity efforts towards the most vulnerable countries, in line with the G7 and the three pillars of the FARM initiative implemented in a multilateral framework. The draft European Council conclusions take up these elements (see EUROPE 12973/23).
The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that the number of food-insecure people has risen from 135 million before the pandemic to 276 million by the beginning of 2022, and has now reached 323 million as a result of the war in Ukraine: the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, reminded the United Nations Security Council on Thursday 16 June.
He also urged everyone “to help end the war, restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and ensure that the global fallout is contained, especially the growing food crisis”.
In addition to the issue of food security, the ministers will discuss the support that can be given to Ukraine, be it military, humanitarian or economic and financial. According to draft European Council conclusions (see EUROPE 12973/22), leaders will discuss the issue again later this week.
As the European Commission presented its opinion on granting EU candidate status to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on Friday 17 June (see other news), the issue is not expected to be discussed, according to several diplomats. However, according to one of them, there is nothing to prevent ministers from giving their country’s opinion on the granting of status.
Similarly, when asked about the adoption of additional sanctions against Russia, a senior European official clarified that, “while there are ongoing discussions between Member States” on sanctions, they are not in the process of formally preparing a new sanctions package, but that discussions were continuing.
Egypt. After the visit of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to Cairo on Wednesday, and an EU/Egypt Association Council on Sunday evening, the ministers will discuss Egypt, first among themselves and then with their Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Choukri, at an informal lunch.
The ministers will discuss assistance to Egypt, a country particularly affected by the food crisis, with which the EU intends to cooperate to support the strengthening of its agricultural production through new technologies, with a view to increasing its resilience and also contributing to that of other countries, particularly in Africa. Ms von der Leyen underlined this during her recent meeting in Cairo with the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi (see EUROPE 12973/23).
Discussions will also focus on the preparation of the COP27 climate conference - which Egypt will chair and which will be held in Sharm el Sheikh -, the stability of the region and bilateral relations, including human rights.
Horn of Africa. The ministers will exchange views on the challenges of food security in a region of Africa that is particularly vulnerable to famine and acute malnutrition.
They will also take stock of the situation in the different countries one year after the adoption of the EU’s Enhanced Integrated Strategy for the Horn of Africa (see EUROPE 12717/3).
The improvement of the situation in Somalia since the country got a new government and the progress in Ethiopia regarding the ceasefire and humanitarian access in Tigray is expected to be discussed.
Gulf. Ministers are also expected to adopt conclusions on relations with the Gulf, in connection with the presentation of a joint communication on the region on 18 May (see EUROPE 12956/25).
According to a draft set of conclusions dated 15 June and obtained by EUROPE, the EU Council will reportedly welcome the Communication, “which constitutes a timely and operational roadmap for a strategic partnership with the Gulf partners”, and call for its swift and effective implementation. It should affirm that building a strategic partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council and its member states is a “key priority” for the EU, as well as highlighting the “mutual interdependence and need for close cooperation” between the EU and the Gulf. Cooperation on economic and trade issues, energy, climate change, human rights, maritime security or foreign policy in the region and in Africa will be highlighted.
The conclusions are also expected to address the situation in Iran, stressing in particular that “the restoration and full implementation of the nuclear deal can make a positive contribution to regional prosperity and security”.
Conclusions. The EU Council will also adopt conclusions on the external dimension of the fight against terrorism, traditionally adopted each year in June, which will take stock of the EU’s work in this area. The seventh report on EU/NATO cooperation will also be adopted (see EUROPE 12971/16).
Kazakhstan. The EU Council will be followed by an EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council, which will take stock of the state of play and next steps of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and Kazakhstan. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang and Camille-Cerise Gessant)