Brussels, 26/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - Using the written procedure on 25 August in an emergency situation, the Council of the EU decided to review the criteria for releasing funding earmarked for Liberia under the agreement between the EU and ACP states (EUR 50 million from the European Development Fund) in order to support the peace process launched on 18 August with the signing of an agreement in Accra. The Council hailed the signing of the agreement (under the aegis of ECOWAS) after “fourteen years of violence and bad management” (see EUROPE of 23 August, p.3), noting that it opened the door to support for the ECOWAS peace-keeping operation in Liberia and other measures, such as demobilising and re-integrating militia and establishing democratic structures and institutions.
The Council points out that in agreement with Liberia under Articles 96 and 97 of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, it took measures on 25 March 2002 with regard to the EU's relations with the country by, for example, stipulating that the indicative national programme for Liberia (8th EDF) was conditional on progress in several areas, including improving the political situation.