Summary: May 3, 2004: EU Presidency Speaking Points. Informal Meeting of ECOSOC to assess the work of the ECOSOC ad hoc advisory groups on African countries emerging from conflict (New York)
Madame President,
I am grateful to you for convening this meeting. I would also like to thank the Bureau and Secretariat for the aide memoire. The EU attaches high importance to the assessment of lessons learnt based on the initial experience of ad hoc advisory groups and the assessment of progress made in the implementation of recommendations made by the groups. We are confident that today's meeting will serve as a positive contribution to the report of the Secretary General as requested in ECOSOC Resolution
2003/50 (24 July 2003) and allow us better focus our evaluation in July.
I would like to thank and congratulate the chairman of both Groups, H.E. Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, Permanent Representative of South Africa, for the sterling work he has undertaken.
My remarks are of a general nature and EU colleagues may intervene on particular aspects of individual ad hoc groups.
Both groups have made pertinent and detailed analyses of the country situations and on the basis of their analyses, recommendations. While progress has been made in the implementation of their recommendations, full evaluation will need some time. The holistic approach adopted by the groups has been very fruitful and should be taken as an example for future efforts regarding states in post conflict situations. An integrated approach has to be maintained over time and that longer term approach is
facilitated by the convergence of efforts proposed by the groups.
However, a number of general points can be made and lessons learned:
As the recent World Bank Global Monitoring Report 2004 noted, sub Saharan Africa is seriously off track in terms of reaching the first MDG of halving poverty between 1990 and 2015. African countries emerging from conflict situations should be among the highest priorities of the United Nations system and the work of the ad hoc advisory groups is an important step in the context of the interactive relationship between security and development and the importance of both in the efforts to
achieve sustainable development in the countries concerned. Events have demonstrated that states at risk of instability require sustained engagement by the international community to assist in post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction. There is a clear need for a coordinated approach in which the UN institutions - the Security Council, the General Assembly and ECOSOC - as well as the Funds and Programmes, Specialized Agencies, the Bretton Woods Institutions and Member States would work
closely across the whole cycle of conflict to ensure a smooth transition from conflict management and peacekeeping to long-term reconstruction until the danger of instability, or a return to conflict, has passed. The United Nations is in a unique position to deliver an integrated approach, bridging political, peacekeeping, humanitarian, human rights, judicial and development actors.
Both groups deal with post-conflict situations and illustrate the fact that countries in transition from conflict to a stable peace present numerous and formidable challenges for the international community. The work of the two groups also demonstrates that such challenges are not insurmountable.
The EU believes that only by the adoption of a comprehensive and concerted approach to all peace building challenges can the process toward longer term political stability and societal well being be confidently begun. Post conflict peace-building and recovery are complex processes. High levels of international engagement need to be sustained for the medium term at least. This is a clear common theme of the work of both groups.
Our task is to draw key lessons and strategies that should inform best practice in addressing other transition situations. We should marry lessons learned in a practical way, which takes local circumstances into account. In this context, we look forward to the ECOSOC event which will take place on 12 July during the substantive session to consider the issue of transition. This event will offer us a further useful opportunity to consider how the international community should address transition
from relief to development, drawing on the wealth of experience and work in this area, including that of the ad hoc groups.
In the context of the groups, collaboration with the Security Council, UN Secretariat and the funds and programmes and the Bretton Woods institutions went further than is usual and allowed a comprehensive approach to be adopted. We urge the various entities of the United Nations to continue efforts of enhanced collaboration. For the donor community, a particular challenge is the provision of adequate financial resources during the transition phase.
The European Union welcomes the increasing interaction between the Security Council and ECOSOC in addressing the challenges of peace building in countries emerging from conflict, and considers the Ad Hoc Group on Guinea Bissau to be a good example of that interaction. This joint approach allows for a comprehensive and coherent evaluation of the multiple needs that country. The country specific nature of the work of the ad hoc advisory groups adds value to the ECOSOC agenda. The
challenges we face are at country level and the groups create the mechanism to give guidance to the United Nations system, in cooperation with the BWI's, in individual country situations. The UN system should use the ad hoc groups to deepen their approach to transition issues not least by the promotion of effective inter-agency coherence.
The Ad Hoc Advisory Group for Guinea Bissau has played an important role in assisting Guinea Bissau and in encouraging the international community to remain engaged. We note the high quality of the work produced and commend the close cooperation with the Security Council, the UN Secretariat, including DPA, DESA, UNDP and other funds and programmes.
Guinea Bissau needs stability in order to reduce poverty, spread stability in the region and to integrate itself more closely into the regional and world economy. The creation by UNDP of a multi donor Emergency Economic Management Fund is an important step, aiming as it does to address the most urgent needs of the population, to fund essential recurrent budgetary expenditure in key sectors, and to help promote transparency and accountability in the provision of emergency assistance.
As we begin to move out of transition to a development phase, longer term development needs must also be addressed. The international partnership approach advocated by the group should guide for the long term engagement of the international community in the sustainable development of Guinea-Bissau
The latest Report of the group on Guinea Bissau (E/2004/10) makes a number of recommendations that I need not examine here in detail except to say that the EU agrees that the group has made important contributions by the design and proposal of the partnership approach between the national authorities and the international community including the close working relationship with the BWIs, and the increased interaction between ECOSOC and the Security Council.
Today there is real hope that peace is within reach in Burundi. The EU welcomes the PALIPEHUTU FNL congress that took place in Kigoma, Tanzania, on 18 21 April 2004, as a hopeful signal on the way to all inclusive peace in Burundi, in particular the announcement of the FNL to 'immediately cease hostilities against government forces' and of its determination to negotiate a cease fire with the transitional government. The EU deplores the resumption of fighting in Burima.. The EU urges both
government troops and FNL to end all attacks, to clearly commit themselves to a cease fire and to elaborate, without delay, modalities thereof with a view to its immediate implementation. There is no alternative for negotiations. The EU hopes that the parties will commit themselves to bringing an end to the suffering of the Burundian population. It reaffirms its commitment to help pave the way to a peaceful solution of the Burundian conflict.
Despite the overall progress towards peace, the situation in Burundi remains fragile and the challenges are great. The humanitarian situation is serious and thousands of internally displaced and returning refugees need to be re-settled. The climate of impunity that has existed for so many years must be addressed. The revival of the economy in Burundi, including through economic diversification, is a prerequisite for a sustainable peace. The EU believes that it is critical that the advances in
the peace process are consolidated with an improvement of the social and economic situation, in particular with regard to health and education. The situation of women and children is of particular concern, including gender-based violence. Improved respect for human rights is crucial.
The European Union has been an active partner of Burundi and actively participated in the Forum of Development Partners which met in Brussels on 13/14 January which brought together multilateral and bilateral actors with the objective of assisting Burundi to put an end to socio economic devastation and engage in poverty eradication and sustainable development. The EU fully recognises that the way ahead is full of challenges and that the Transitional Government can only succeed with the
sustained engagement of the international community.
The observations and recommendations contained in the Report of the group (E/2004/11) makes a number of substantive recommendations to the Government of Burundi which, we feel, are deserving of the fullest support. It also sets out in considerable detail the actions that are recommended under the heading of reinforcing the international partnership. These deserve the fullest consideration.
Thank you, Madame President.
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