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Communiqué for the EU-SADC Double
Troika Ministerial Meeting
Official Opening
1. An EU-SADC Ministerial Double Troika Meeting was
held in The Hague, the Netherlands on 20 October 2004.
This meeting, which marked ten years of EU-SADC Dialogue
under the Berlin Initiative, was preceded by a meeting
of Senior Officials on 18 October 2004. The meeting
was attended by Ministers and representatives of the
SADC Troika, the Troika for the SADC Organ on Politics,
Defence and Security Cooperation and the EU Troika.
The SADC Troika consists of Mauritius, Botswana and
Tanzania. The Troika of the SADC Organ on Politics,
Defence and Security Cooperation consists of South Africa,
Namibia and Lesotho. The SADC Secretariat also attended.
The European Union delegation consisted of the Netherlands,
Luxembourg, the European Commission and the Council
Secretariat.
2. The meeting was officially opened by Dr. Bernard
Bot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands,
the current President of the Council of Ministers of
the European Union and Dr. Jaya Krishna Cuttaree, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional
Cooperation of the Republic of Mauritius and Chairperson
of the SADC Council of Ministers.
Developments in the two regions
EU developments
3. The EU and SADC discussed the historic enlargement
of the EU with ten new members in May of this year.
Both sides noted that negotiations are ongoing with
Romania and Bulgaria and that the opening of negotiations
with Croatia is foreseen. A decision on opening negotiations
with Turkey will be taken by the European Council in
December 2004. SADC expressed the hope that the accession
of new Member States to the EU, who do not have the
same development cooperation links with the SADC Member
States, would not lead to a dilution of the strong cooperating
partnership that exists. On its part the EU informed
the meeting that the new Member States are strongly
committed to the EU's development policies. SADC requested
specific measures, including the organisation of business
forums, with a view to promoting trade and economic
relations with the new EU Members as well as meetings
at the ministerial level to enhance private sector development
in the SADC region.
4. The EU briefed SADC on the Inter Governmental Conference
which led to the constitutional Treaty. The meeting
welcomed this significant development.
SADC Developments
5. The meeting noted the results of the SADC Summit
held in Mauritius from 16 to 17 August 2004 and in particular
the unanimous adoption of the SADC Guidelines and Principles
governing democratic elections. The EU congratulated
SADC on this development and on the admission of Madagascar
as a candidate member.
6. The SADC Member States reiterated the importance
they attach to the SADC Principles and Guidelines governing
democratic elections. The EU welcomed this positive
development and offered to explore with SADC possibilities
for collaboration in this area.
7. SADC informed the meeting that successful elections
had taken place in South Africa and Malawi during this
year and that a number of elections will take place
within the next 12 months. SADC reiterated its commitment
to observe closely and ensure implementation of the
SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic
elections in the run up to and during all forthcoming
elections.
8. The meeting was informed that elections will be
held in Zimbabwe in March 2005 and that Zimbabwe has
undertaken to conduct those elections in accordance
with the SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic
elections. The EU expressed serious concerns on the
political process in Zimbabwe.
9. The EU and SADC also discussed the current developments
in Swaziland and noted that the situation is improving.
The EU noted that the pace of the reform process needs
to be expedited. In this regard deadlines, which are
seen as a cornerstone in the process of democratisation,
have been set for the finalisation of the draft Constitution
and measures have been taken for the restoration of
the independence of the judiciary.
Peace and Security
10. The EU and SADC recognised the African Peace Facility
as an important instrument to support African peace
keeping operations and related capacity building. The
EU and SADC discussed the possible use of the Peace
Facility to assist SADC in the implementation of its
peace and security policy in the context of the AU's
Peace and Security Agenda.
11. The EU and SADC recognised the role SADC plays
in peace and security on the African continent, with
both parties reaffirming their commitment to reinforce
cooperation in this important area. One initiative to
be pursued in this area will be a revitalisation of
the regional institution for training in peace keeping
operations. This could be supported through the Regional
Indicative Programme (RIP) and the European Programme
for Reconstruction and Development in South Africa (EPRD/SA).
The meeting agreed that the SADC Mutual Defence Pact
and Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO) form
a sound basis for SADC policy on Peace and Security
matters. SADC informed the meeting that in the implementation
of the SIPO there are specific areas for intervention
of the International Cooperating Partners (e.g. Peace
Support and Humanitarian Operations, Disaster Management,
Combating organised crime, Management of refugees, Post
Conflict Reconstructions and Re-integration Programmes,
De-mining, the Elimination of the illicit trade in drugs,
Small Arms and Light Weapons).
12. SADC informed the meeting about the positive developments
in the Great Lakes region including measures being undertaken
to conduct elections in Burundi and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo. The meeting welcomed the progress made
and commended the EU on its readiness to commit financial
resources for this purpose. SADC further informed the
EU that the first International Conference, jointly
convened by the AU and UN will take place from16 to
20 November 2004 in Dar es Salaam. Both SADC and the
EU undertook to work towards a successful outcome of
the Conference and expressed the hope that it will contribute
to peace, security and development in the region.
13. The meeting welcomed the recent resolution adopted
by the UN Security Council on the new mandate for MONUC
(United Nations Observation Mission in the DRC). Both
sides undertook to support this new mandate.
14. The meeting expressed its shared concern over the
increasing global dimension of terrorism. The parties
underlined the need for a more comprehensive strategy
to combat organised crime and terrorism, in accordance
with AU and UN Conventions and international law. Both
sides emphasised the need to address the underlying
causes of crime and terrorism.
Political, economic, social and development aspects
of regional integration
15. SADC informed the meeting that the Regional Indicative
Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) had been launched
and that it had been adopted as SADC's NEPAD programme.
The meeting noted that the SADC and NEPAD Secretariats
continue to work closely in ensuring the operationalisation
and implementation of NEPAD's agenda. The EU side welcomed
the participation of a number of SADC States in the
African Peer Review Mechanism.
16. The EU welcomed SADC's RISDP while noting that
its implementation will require substantial resources
both in human and financial terms. Whereas the EU, together
with the international donor community, can support
the RISDP, it will be for SADC and its Member States
to ensure the necessary allocation of dedicated human
resources both in the Secretariat and at the national
level. The EU looked forward to playing a positive role
at the Consultative Conference in Mauritius on 25 to
27 April 2005.
17. The meeting expressed deep concern about the high
level of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, which is a
threat to poverty eradication, sustainable development
and peace and security in the region and which negatively
affects the attainment of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). The meeting welcomed the publication of
the SADC Five-year Plan on HIV and AIDS in July 2003
and noted the complementarities of the SADC and the
EU policy on HIV and AIDS. The meeting reiterated the
commitment of the EU and SADC in fighting HIV and AIDS.
EU confirmed to favourably consider supporting the implementation
of the SADC Five Year Plan within the framework of ongoing
and planned commitments.
18. SADC briefed the meeting on the energy generating
situation in the region, whereby the power supply situation
will reach crisis levels by 2007 if no concrete steps
are taken to increase the Region's power generation
capacity. SADC is currently in the process of fast-tracking
the implementation of short-term priority power generation
projects. SADC and the EU agreed on the need to attract
public and private foreign investments in this field
and discussed the possibility of using the proposed
EU Energy Facility for leveraging the financing of energy
projects in the region, including for renewable energy
and hydro electrical power.
19. SADC stated that an Extraordinary Summit on Food
Security had been held in Dar es Salaam during May 2004.
The outcome of the Summit was a number of short-term
actions to address urgent problems of food insecurity
and a commitment to develop medium- and long-term plans
to prevent further humanitarian crises. The EU welcomed
this initiative and agreed with SADC on the need for
sustainable solutions to meet the interlinked challenges
of poverty, HIV and AIDS and food insecurity. In this
context both parties stressed the importance of the
development of regional and local markets in linking
surplus and deficit areas.
20. The EU reiterated its earlier position that food
shortages though largely due to unfavourable climatic
conditions may also be the result of structural problems
and policy issues. The EU expressed its particular concern
over the food situation in Zimbabwe and politicisation
in the distribution and access to food. SADC informed
the meeting that Zimbabwe had indicated that no food
problem exists in Zimbabwe.
21. SADC expressed the concern that Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary
Standards legislation may constitute non tariff barriers
to trade The EU and SADC agreed that harmonisation of
EU legislation on maximum residue levels (MRLs) for
pesticides in food products increases regulatory transparency
to food exporters from developing countries. Both sides
noted that an EDF financed programme to assist SADC
States to deal with these issues should be implemented
as soon as possible.
Technical Reports
22. The meeting discussed progress on EU-SADC Economic
Partnership Agreements (EPAs) negotiations. Both sides
welcomed the official launching, in Windhoek last July,
of the negotiations with seven of SADC's Members, with
South Africa as an observer, and the adoption of an
agreed Road Map setting out the next steps. Both sides
noted with satisfaction that technical discussions have
already started and that the first negotiating session
between Senior Officials was scheduled for early December
2004. The EU side encouraged strongly that the SADC
grouping and the other regional organisations, should
continue in the sharing of information and deal swiftly
with potential complications arising from overlapping
membership. The meeting also noted the AU and SADC Summit
decisions on the rationalisation of the Regional Economic
Communities.
23. The EU and SADC discussed the Regional Indicative
Programme (RIP) and both sides noted that, as a result
of the efforts undertaken in recent months by the Secretariat
and the Commission's Delegation in Botswana, a calendar
for the financing of programmes under the RIP had been
agreed. This should lead to a substantial number of
Financing Agreements being signed in 2005. Whilst recognising
the importance of aligning the RISDP and RIP, the need
to adhere to the agreed calendar by both SADC and EU
was emphasised so that SADC's envelope was not adversely
affected by the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of all RIPs, which
should be finalised by 31 March 2005.
24. The EU explained the current status of the proposal
on the budgetisation of the EDF. SADC expressed its
concerns including the possibility of a weakening of
the EU/ACP partnership and the perceived unpredictability
of resources for development cooperation and the possibility
of diversion of such resources to meet the short-term
priorities of the EU.
Format for continued EU-SADC Dialogue
25. The meeting welcomed Luxembourg's proposal to hold
the EU/SADC Joint Steering Committee meeting on 20 June
2005. Both sides recognised the importance of regular
meetings including those of JSC/SOM and the biennial
ministerial meetings.
Closing Remarks
26. The meeting was closed by Mrs. Agnes van Ardenne-van
der Hoeven, Minister for Development Cooperation of
the Netherlands and Dr. Jaya Krishna Cuttaree, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional
Cooperation of the Republic of Mauritius and Chairperson
of the SADC Council of Ministers. They reaffirmed the
fundamental principles and the objectives of the Berlin
Initiative and called for continuation of dialogue and
partnership between SADC and the EU.
……………………………………
SADC Co-Chairperson
Dr. Jaya Krishna Cuttaree
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
International Trade and
Regional Cooperation of the
Republic of Mauritius
……………………………………
The Hague, October 20, 2004
……………………………………
EU Co-Chairperson
Mrs. Agnes van Ardenne-van der Hoeven
Minister for Development Cooperation Regional Cooperation
of the Netherlands
…………………………………
The Hague, October 20, 2004
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