By Poul Nielsen and - -
BRUSELLS, Sep 1 2004 (IPS)

The European Commission has radically overhauled the way it works: aid has been designed to promote local ownership as the best guarantee for its sustainability, writes Poul Nielsen, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid. The EU-backed African Peace Facility is a case in point, the author writes in this analysis. The African Union is currently facing its sternest test in Darfur. The EU has mobilised 12 million euros from the Peace Facility to support the AU\’s current efforts. But as the situation in Darfur worsens pressure is mounting on the international community to intervene directly in the conflict. Certainly, the international community has an important role to play, and with continued pressure on the conflicting parties and 285 million euros in direct humanitarian aid, the EU has not turned a blind eye. However, now is not the time to undermine the ownership and initiative taken by the AU, which has been proactively seeking a solution to the crisis. Also, in a difficult situation like the Darfur crisis we must have the courage to choose the option that offers us long-term prospects of a solution. A lot is at stake, not only for the population of Darfur but for the continent as a whole.

The last five years have set a number of important milestones for international development co-operation. With the Millennium Development Goals and the World Summit in Johannesburg, 2002, the world has set itself an ambitious agenda for the coming decades. Equally important –with the European Union as a driving force– the international donor community has finally lived up to its responsibility and reversed the trend of falling aid volumes. The EU alone will be making an additional 19 billion euros available in Official Development Aid (ODA) from 2003-06.

The European Commission has not been sitting on its hands. We have been working hard over the last five years to restore the credibility of EU development assistance and have become a strong and constructive voice in the international aid debate. But more fundamentally we have made a radical overhaul of the way we work. Poverty reduction has been identified as the main objective. And our aid has been designed to promote local ownership as the best guarantee for its sustainability. Working through our partners rather than bypassing them has been the motto of this Commission. In keeping with this approach, we have responded to partner countries priorities by promoting key initiatives. The African Peace Facility is a case in point.

Africa has long been associated with desperate conflicts eliminating any prospects for development. But with the creation of the African Union (AU) we have witnessed a more assertive continent taking ownership of its own security agenda. The principle of “non-interference” has been abandoned and a new motto of “non-indifference” has set the tone for a security agenda which is fast becoming a reality, as shown by the recent creation of the African Peace and Security Council.

The EU has seized on this opportunity and provided a swift response. In April 2004 – responding to an AU request – 250 million euros from the European Development Fund were allocated for the creation of an African Peace Facility based on the principle of ownership. It will finance African-led peacekeeping operations in Africa. The Peace Facility also rests on solidarity. African countries have donated 1.5 percent of their allocations under the 9th European Development Fund to the Peace Facility and are thereby significantly contributing to guaranteeing the financial muscle of the new security structure. The Peace Facility provides Africa with an important tool to assume a role that could be shaping conflict management and prevention in the future — if it is allowed to.

There will be situations in which the donor community sees short-term interests in bypassing ownership. But if ownership is to deliver the long-term benefits we are hoping for, it cannot simply be a convenient choice. It will have to be a choice we stand by in difficult situations as well.

The AU is currently facing its sternest test in Darfur. The EU has mobilised 12 million euros from the Peace Facility to support the AU’s current efforts. But as the situation in Darfur worsens pressure is mounting on the international community to intervene directly in the conflict. Certainly, the international community has an important role to play, and with continued pressure on the conflicting parties and 285 million euros in direct humanitarian aid, the EU has not turned a blind eye. And our pressure and aid will continue. However, now is not and cannot be the time to undermine the ownership and initiative taken by the AU, which has been proactively seeking a solution to the crisis.

Also, in a difficult situation like the Darfur crisis we must have the courage to choose the option that offers us long-term prospects of a solution. A lot is at stake, not only for the population of Darfur but for the continent as a whole. (END/COPYRIGHT IPS)

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