Brussels, 01/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 25 September, the European Commission presented to the EU Council of Ministers a proposal on the position to be adopted by the European Community (EC) within the ACP-EC Committee of Ambassadors regarding a decision on the allocation of resources to Somalia from the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).
Somalia was a member of the ACP states (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) until the end of 1991, when the government was overthrown. Since then, Somalia has been unable to establish a recognised government and consequently to ratify the ACP-EC partnership agreement signed on 23 June 2000 in Cotonou between the EU, the member states and the ACP, and revised on 25 June 2005. Nonetheless, the ACP-EC partnership agreement provides that “the Council of Ministers may decide to accord special support to ACP states party to previous ACP-EC conventions which, in the absence of normally established government institutions, have not been able to sign or ratify this agreement”. Based on this provision, the Commission suggests that the sum of €215.8 million be made available for Somalia from the 10th EDF for national and regional cooperation. From this amount, €212 million shall be used for institution building and economic and social development, taking particular account of the needs of the most vulnerable sections of the population. The remaining €3.8 million shall be used to cover unforeseen needs such as emergency assistance where such support cannot be financed from the EU budget. The Somalia Special Support Programme 2008-2013, outlining the programmes to be implemented with this funding, and the EU+ Norway 2008-2013 Somalia Strategy Paper, were approved on 10 June by member states in the Committee of the European Development Fund. The Commission therefore proposes that the Council adopt the attached decision. Once the decision is endorsed by all EU27, it will constitute the EU position within the ACP-EC Committee of Ambassadors. (O.L./transl.jl)