SANF 04 no 92
Six government ministers from southern Africa met ministers from the European Union in the Netherlands on 20 October to review developments in both regions.
While the two sides continued to differ over their perceptions of the situation in Zimbabwe, the discussions were amicable and agreement was reached on most issues, although a number of concerns were raised.
Both parties recognised the role that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) plays in peace and security on the African continent and reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in the context of the African Union’s peace and security agenda.
In this regard, they agreed to pursue an initiative to revitalise the regional institution for training in peacekeeping operations.
They agreed to collaborate in the context of the SADC Mutual Defence Pact and the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO), approved by the SADC Summit in Mauritius in August this year.
This collaboration could cover areas such as peace support and humanitarian operations, disaster management, combating organised crime, management of refugees, post-conflict reconstruction and reintegration, de-mining, and the elimination of the illicit trade in drugs, small arms and light weapons.
SADC was represented by the two troikas: the SADC troika currently chaired by Mauritius with Botswana and Tanzania, and the troika for the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, chaired by South Africa with Namibia and Lesotho.
The ministers briefed each other on developments in their respective regions, and raised various issues of concern.
Of concern to SADC is the potential dilution of the strong cooperating partnership due to the expansion of the European Union to include 10 new members in May this year.
SADC also requested specific measures, such as the organisation of business forums, to promote trade and economic relations with the new EU members as well as meeting at ministerial level to strengthen private sector development in the SADC region.
Also of serious concern is the region’s energy generating capacity, and SADC briefed the meeting that the power supply in the region will reach crisis levels by 2007 if no concrete steps are taken to increase capacity.
SADC is in the process of fast-tracking the implementation of short-term priority power-generation projects, and both sides agreed on the need to attract public and private foreign investments.
The SADC ministers also stressed the importance of the SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic elections, including a commitment to observe closely and ensure implementation in the run up to and during all forthcoming elections.
The EU delegation expressed its usual concerns about the political process in Zimbabwe but in less confrontational language than previously, according to diplomatic sources. They also differed on the food situation in Zimbabwe as “SADC informed the meeting that Zimbabwe had indicated that no food problem exists.”
They discussed the current developments in Swaziland and noted that the situation is improving, and they also welcomed the recent adoption by the UN Security Council of a new mandate for the UN Observation Mission in the DRC (MONUC).
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. They welcomed the SADC five-year Plan on HIV and AIDS, and also the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
SADC said the plan has been adopted in the context of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad). The EU noted that its implementation will require substantial human and financial resources, and indicated their support. However, “it will be for SADC and its member states to ensure the necessary allocation of dedicated human resources both in the Secretariat and at national level.”
The meeting in The Hague marked 10 years of dialogue between SADC and the EU under the Berlin Initiative, an agreement facilitating regular exchange of views at ministerial level. The EU said it looks forward to playing a positive role at the SADC Consultative Conference in Mauritius at the end of April next year.
The delegations were led by the current Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, Dr Jaya Krishna Cuttaree, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional Cooperation of the Republic of Mauritius, and his European counterpart, the President of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, Dr Bernard Bot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. (SARDC)
