Brussels, 11/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, Poul Nielson, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, welcomed the signature in Zanzibar (which is part of Tanzania) of the agreement between the CCM ruling party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) and the CUF (Civic United Front) opposition party.
Under the agreement, electoral procedures in Zanzibar will be reformed. An investigation will be organised into the violence that occurred last January, and measures will be taken to ensure that all remaining refugees return safely. Representatives of both the CCM and the CUF will form a new Supervisory Commission to ensure the agreement is implemented. The Commission feels that successful implementation of the agreement will enable it to strengthen its co-operation with Zanzibar and hence contribute to the reconciliation process on the islands. Against this background, and as a first step, the Commission stands ready to support work on democracy and good governance and will increase ongoing poverty-reducing assistance through NGOs. Mr Nielson said he had recently given the go-ahead to a new NGO project for just over EUR 1 million to combat HIV/AIDS in Zanzibar and added that the Commission now intends to make an assessment of its potential long-term support, taking into account priorities as they emerge in the course of the implementation of the agreement.