CONFLICT

1. Policy Background
2. Useful Documents
3. Links

Without progress in conflict prevention and peace building we shall not win the battle in fighting hunger, says EU Development Commissioner, Poul Nielson. Over the last months, conflict prevention has been high on the political agenda of the EU. The links between poverty and conflict are now well-established in the minds of policymakers and concrete actions have been proposed to develop further the Union's capacity in this field.

There are good reasons for developing such a capacity. Violence around the world, in the Balkans, the Middle East or Africa, continues, and the EU has the means, both financial and political, to play its part in supporting conflict prevention efforts. The EU wants to support, rather than supplant, efforts of those directly involved in a potential conflict leaving the initiative, and ultimate responsibility, with the national actors of the countries concerned (the so-called 'ownership' concept).

The list of means that the EU has at its disposal to prevent conflict is a long one and includes development co-operation and external assistance, trade policy instruments, humanitarian aid, social and environmental policies, diplomatic instruments and political dialogue, co-operation with international partners and NGOs, as well as the new instruments in the field of crisis management. Through these means, the EU is already heavily engaged in conflict prevention - in Africa, the Middle East, in South-east Europe and elsewhere.

But each situation of potential conflict is different and if the EU is to do more in the field of conflict prevention - or if it is to do what it is doing with greater effectiveness - then it must be able to respond to each in a flexible and tailor-made fashion. Above all it must be capable of taking decisions quickly, and at the appropriate time, and then implementing its decisions rapidly.

In this context, the Commission adopted in April this year a strategic Communication on conflict prevention, reviewing its main instruments in this field and putting forward recommendations for specific action. This strategy is based around 4 main objectives:

· making more systematic and co-ordinated use of EU instruments to get at the root causes of conflict;

· improving the efficiency of actions targeting specific causes of conflict (the 'cross-cutting issues' such as trafficking in drugs or human beings, illicit trade of diamonds and small arms, competition over scarce water resources etc);

· improving EU capacity to react quickly to nascent conflicts;

· promoting international co-operation with all EU's partners (partner countries, NGOs, international organisations such as UN, G8, OSCE, ICRC as well as other regional organisations).

This Communication and the strategy set out therein formed the basis for the EU Programme on Conflict Prevention that was endorsed by the European Council at Göteborg in June 2001.

The Göteborg programme puts forward a number of guidelines for action in the CSFP/ESDP field. In particular, it calls for the setting up of clearer political priorities for preventive actions, notably through the identification of priority areas and regions at the outset of each Presidency and the adoption by the General Affairs Council of so-called 'preventive strategies.'

There is little doubt that the EU's role in the conflict prevention arena has expanded substantially. Equally few would argue that the continued prevalence of conflict and its acknowledged role in hindering development obliges the EU to do significantly more in this field.

2. Background Papers

A. EU Code Of Conduct On Arms Exports

Adopted on 8 June 1998 More…..

B. Conference on the role of Human Rights and Democratisation in Conflict Prevention and Resolution: Speech by Poul Nielson Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Brussels, May 28, 2001

This Conference is staged at a very significant time for the Commission. We are intent on making all of our programmes coherent and consistent in the pursuit of peace, democracy and human rights, and we are making real progress towards improving our policy formulation and implementation. This meeting is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas about implementing this fundamental goal. Nice to work together with IDEA - having been one of the fathers of the institution it is nice to see it at work here.
Development co-operation has a central role to play in ensuring peace and security in developing countries. At the same time, the absence of peace and security are highly detrimental to the development process. The EU is therefore particularly aware of the need for a comprehensive, integrated policy of peace building and conflict prevention, as conflict can destroy years of development progress. More…

C. Building Credibility : The Role of European Development Policy in Preventing Conflicts: Speech by Mr Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid: Foreign Policy Centre, London, 8 February 2001

On 20 November 2000, the Council of Foreign Affairs ministers decided to follow through the decisions taken at the European Council in Helsinki. It was agreed that the European Union would eventually be able to mobilise 60,000 armed military personnel under the European Security and Defence Policy. Clearly, the EU is advancing by leaps and bounds in this area. Participating in the debate, my colleague Commissioner Chris Patten added, and I strongly agree, that the best and cheapest solution would be if we never had to use them. It is that objective of preventing conflicts that I would like to discuss with you this morning. I want to share with you what the Commission is already doing and discuss views on what we are doing, can do, could do, cannot do and what we cannot do without a truly Common CFSP. I'll take it in that order. More…

D. Coherence and Co-operation: The EU as Promoter of Peace and Development: Speech by The Rt Hon Chris Patten, CH
Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Stockholm, 4 December 2001

Before September 11, it is probably fair to say that most people in Europe knew very little about present-day Afghanistan. They might have heard of some of the more 'distasteful' activities of the Taliban, such as blowing up the 'Buddhas', might have known that this was a country receiving considerable humanitarian assistance. But visual images and the full extent of the human tragedy unfolding there were virtually unknown.

Of course there are a number of reasons for this worrying lack of economic and social development, including a particularly harsh natural environment. But undoubtedly the underlying reason is the conflict which this country has suffered for the past 2 decades. Because we cannot have development without peace. We live in a world where of the 40 poorest countries, 24 are either in the midst of armed conflict or have only recently emerged from it. And where a fifth of the population of Africa live in conflict zones. In the absence of peace their prospects, and their childrens' prospects, are grim. More…


E. Conflict Prevention: Speech by Joâo de Deus Pinheiro, former EU Development Commissioner, March 1999

Violent conflicts in developing countries are continuing to cause great human suffering and loss of life, and are seriously undermining the efforts of the European Union to foster sustainable development. Over the past five years, a broad international discussion has been evolving on how to address this problem, with particular focus on the African continent. The issue is on the agenda of practically all major international organisations, be it the UN and its various agencies, the OECD/DAC, the G8, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and various African sub-regional organisations, the IMF, the World Bank and many others. The NGO community is also very active, and there are many governmental and non-governmental initiatives, and numerous conferences, seminars and academic publications that are all feeding these discussions. More…

2. Links

Swedish Institute of International Affairs www.ui.se
Royal Institute of International Affairs www.riia.org
EuropaWorld Conflict Pages
Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress www.euconflict.org
United Nations Peace www.un.org/works/peace/peace1.html
EU Commission DG External Relations http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/external_relations/index_en.htm
EU Commission DG Development and Humanitarian Affairs
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/development/index_en.htm