—

meeting in The Hague from 22 to 25 November 2004,

—

having regard to Article 17(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, signed in Cotonou (Benin) on 23 June 2000 (2), which entered into force on 1 April 2003, and in particular Article 8 (political dialogue) of Title II (The political dimension),

—

having regard to the Guidelines for ACP-EU Political Dialogue (Article 8) as adopted by the joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers at its 28th session in Brussels in May 2003,

—

having regard to the Framework and General Principles for intra-ACP Political Dialogue, adopted by the ACP Council of Ministers at its 76th session in Brussels in December 2002,

—

having regard to the definition of non-state actors, as laid down in Article 6 of the Cotonou Agreement,

—

having regard to the selection criteria for non-state actors set out in Annex VI of the Handbook on the Involvement of Non-state Actors, clarifying the criteria referred to in Article 6 of the Cotonou Agreement,

—

having regard to the review of the Cotonou Agreement and efforts on both sides to improve and further clarify the modalities and mechanisms for political dialogue,

—

having regard to the objectives and principles set out in the Constitutive Act of the African Union, adopted on 11 July 2000,

—

having regard to the resolution of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on the use of the European Development Fund, adopted in Rome on 15 October 2003 (3),

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Political Affairs (ACP-EU/3689),

A.

acknowledging the progress achieved in the implementation of the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement, and in particular the provisions governing political dialogue,

B.

emphasising that improving the mechanisms and modalities for political dialogue must be a major focus of the review of the Cotonou Agreement,

C.

convinced that substantive, transparent and regular dialogue would help further enhance the ACP-EU partnership,

D.

emphasising the need to increase and expand the opportunities for and the scope of political dialogue amongst the parties at national, regional, ACP and global level,

E.

underlining the necessity of taking into account the specific historical perspectives and the special and particular circumstances of each of the ACP states in the establishment of agreed priorities and shared agendas between the parties within the framework of political dialogue,

F.

stressing the need to explore fully and implement the Guidelines for ACP-EU Political Dialogue (Article 8), adopted by the joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers,

G.

emphasising the need for the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, as an actor in political dialogue, to become more involved in ACP-EU political dialogue at all levels,

H.

having regard to the great importance of political dialogue in the promotion of good governance in ACP countries; emphasising, in this context, that there is no uniform solution and that good governance has to be analysed specifically for each country,

I.

acknowledging that the Cotonou Agreement provides the basic and broad guidelines for comprehensive, balanced and in-depth political dialogue leading to commitments on both sides,

J.

whereas the adoption and implementation of the Guidelines for ACP-EU Political Dialogue (Article 8) can be seen as a proactive, concrete and positive means of enhancing ACP-EU political dialogue, which needs to be further enhanced and institutionalised at all levels so this key tool for managing the partnership can be fully exploited,

K.

whereas dialogue can be organised on a wide range of issues and can take place formally or informally and at different levels (national, regional, ACP and global),

L.

emphasising the need for Members of national, supranational and regional parliaments and the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly to be involved in formal and informal discussions as part of political dialogue because, as elected representatives, they have an important role to play in implementing the outcome of that dialogue,

M.

confirming the need for the participation of non-state actors in ACP-EU political dialogue with a view to ensuring an all-inclusive approach,

N.

noting that mechanisms need to be devised to ensure a regular and comprehensive flow of information between all bodies involved in political dialogue in Europe and in the ACP countries, and that the European Commission delegations could act as centres for communication in both directions,

O.

stressing the need to utilise all possibilities that Article 8 offers for dialogue on the essential elements and fundamental principles of the Cotonou Agreement,

P.

whereas it is important that political dialogue should always cover a broad range of issues going beyond the essential elements and fundamental principles of the Cotonou Agreement,

Q.

stressing that, although political dialogue under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement and consultations under Articles 96 and 97 cover different topics, political dialogue can also include matters for which consultations may be required,

R.

pointing out the crucial importance of regional, subregional and non-state actors, which are more closely defined in the Guidelines for ACP-EU Political Dialogue (Article 8) adopted by the joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers at its 28th session in Brussels in May 2003,

S.

whereas good communication between ACP capitals and Brussels-based stakeholders is particularly important when dialogue under Article 8 covers essential elements and fundamental principles (4),

T.

emphasising the necessity of joint decisions and conclusions in the spirit of the partnership and the longstanding ACP-EU relationship,

U.

whereas dialogue should be a two-way process between equal and trusted partners,

V.

stressing the need to explore funding possibilities at different levels to be used to build and reinforce capacities for managing dialogue under Article 8 as an inclusive process – at national, regional, ACP and global levels (including international fora, when relevant elements are discussed that have a direct impact on ACP-EU cooperation),

W.

emphasising that an uninterrupted flow of information, which is the fundamental pre-condition for implementing the outcomes of dialogue, cannot take place unless the parliaments concerned are involved in the discussions, and the competent Members of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly therefore have to ensure that they keep their respective parliaments fully briefed,

X.

emphasising the need for the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly to be closely involved in evaluating political dialogue,

Y.

whereas the involvement of the various institutions and actors listed in the ACP-EU Council of Ministers Guidelines for ACP-EU Political Dialogue (Article 8) of May 2003 is crucial to a differentiated approach and a successful outcome of the dialogue,

Z.

stressing the need for coordination and cooperation at all levels between the parties, including sharing of information on country-based activities with the Brussels-based actors,

AA.

whereas political dialogue, pursuant to Article 8(4) of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, should focus, inter alia, on issues such as the arms trade (including the proliferation of small arms and small calibre weapons), excessive military expenditure, drugs and organised crime, and ethnic, religious or racial discrimination, and should also encompass a regular assessment of the developments concerning respect for human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance,

AB.

whereas the impact of corruption and illegal financial practices on the economies and societies of developing countries is enormous and constitutes an insurmountable obstacle to development and to breaking the poverty trap: according to estimates, about USD 50 billion in aid flows to developing and transitional economies from richer nations each year,

AC.

whereas, according to estimates, about USD 500 billion is illegally transferred from developing and emerging countries to other countries as 'dirty money' and is therefore not available to meet the most pressing human needs in poor countries, such as universal childhood vaccination, better education, access to clean water and basic health services for millions of people,

1.

Reaffirms the factual involvement and participation of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly as an actor in the political dialogue under Article 8;

2.

Points out that political dialogue under Article 8 is a mutual commitment, which should deepen the partnership established by the Lomé and subsequently Cotonou Agreements;

3.

Advocates a differentiated, multi-actor approach to political dialogue, including non-state actors defined on the basis of agreed criteria in line with the Guidelines for ACP-EU Political Dialogue (Article 8), adopted by the ACP-EU Council of Ministers in May 2003;

4.

Urges all parties to refrain from any unilateral action that might be seen as detrimental to the partnership;

5.

Believes it is important that political dialogue should not be seen merely as a prelude to consultations under Articles 96 and 97 of the Cotonou Agreement, but should primarily be used to build up long-term, sustainable and deeper relations between all participants;

6.

Insists that respect for human rights, combating poverty, efforts to achieve sustainable development and gender equality must have a central place in political dialogue;

7.

Calls on all those involved to discuss a broad range of issues over and above Article 8, such as the spread of small arms; corruption; public debt; global, national, regional and sectoral development policies; the rights of children and child soldiers; and healthcare, particularly the fight against HIV/AIDS;

8.

Emphasises the preventive nature of political dialogue under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement, which will foster mutual trust before a crisis breaks out and consultations are required under Articles 96 and 97 of the Cotonou Agreement;

9.

Underlines the important role of regional organisations, in particular the African Union, in the dialogue between conflicting parties in crises in Africa, and looks to the governments of the African states for a commitment to contribute to conflict resolution;

10.

Underlines the importance of national parliaments in political dialogue between the actors involved and especially welcomes the successful seminars for Members of national parliaments on the application of the Cotonou Agreement;

11.

Appeals to all the actors involved to organise political dialogue as a continuous process and not to delay it until relations have reached a critical stage;

12.

Believes that strengthening political dialogue should confirm the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly's position as a main actor and highlights the importance of the informal dialogue conducted within the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which should develop into a genuine 'parliamentary diplomacy';

13.

Supports the ACP proposal in the review of the Cotonou Agreement to compile an Annex to the Agreement specifying the modalities and mechanisms for political dialogue; calls on the Commission to present proposals to this effect;

14.

Calls on those involved to establish as soon as possible an ACP early-warning mechanism as described in the Framework and General Principles for intra-ACP Political Dialogue, adopted by the ACP Council of Ministers, so as to support ACP countries in their efforts to take conflict prevention measures and avoid the need for consultations under Articles 96 and 97 of the Cotonou Agreement;

15.

Calls on the ACP side to inform the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly of significant results of the African early-warning mechanism, so as to identify at the earliest possible stage any new or re-emerging crises or conflicts and help find solutions through political dialogue;

16.

Calls on those involved to set up a Brussels-based Peer Group, in line with the ACP Council of Ministers' recommendation of December 2002, in a way that is consistent with and underpins similar mechanisms already established by the African Union, and to ensure that similar peer groups are established in problem regions; stresses that it is of great importance also to involve Members of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and non-state actors, as well as representatives of non-affected ACP regions, in order to provide effective support for political dialogue at all stages;

17.

Calls on the Members of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly to conduct political dialogue at all levels and in individual talks and to report back to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on Political Affairs;

18.

Calls on the joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers to report to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly after ministerial meetings and urges both institutions to foster political dialogue between them, both formally and informally;

19.

Calls on the ACP-EU co-secretariat to compile a list of all Members of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly with names, functions, addresses and photographs, as a means of identifying and contacting potential partners for political dialogue;

20.

Urges the European Commission to make available the necessary funding to allow for the development and institutionalisation of arrangements under which ACP countries may, whenever appropriate, invite representatives of neighbouring countries ('friends of the country', including national ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly representatives) to attend deliberations on certain aspects of their political dialogue;

21.

Charges the European Commission as the author of the EU's preliminary draft budget, and the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union in their capacity as the budgetary authority, to explore the possibility, if the European Development Fund (EDF) is incorporated into the Community budget, of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly being closely associated with the EU budgetary procedures, with a view to providing valuable input for the EU budgetary authority on budget matters relating to ACP countries, so as to strengthen political dialogue in all aspects of development aid;

22.

Calls on all involved to ensure full protection for all participants in political dialogue during and after their intervention;

23.

Calls for measures to ensure the participation of women on both the ACP and the EU side in all forms and at all stages of political dialogue and the consultation procedure;

24.

Promotes the setting-up of regular hearings in national parliaments on the ongoing substance of political dialogue by the National Authorising Officer (NAO) and the EU delegations, including civil society;

25.

Considers it essential that the positions expressed in joint decisions and conclusions reached in political dialogue should be vigorously supported in international fora, such as the United Nations and the WTO;

26.

Points out that political dialogue, as a reciprocal process between equal partners based on mutual trust, entitles the ACP countries to call in particular for the coherence of European Union policies and their impact on the ACP countries to be examined;

27.

Requests the systematic inclusion of updates on the political dialogue under Article 8 (content, procedures, organisation and results) as a regular item on the agenda of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly;

28.

Points out that the current trend towards regionalisation provides an opportunity to strengthen political dialogue at regional level and recommends holding regional meetings within the framework of the ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly;

29.

Advocates the proactive and transparent designation at various levels (national, regional, ACP and global), and taking account of local realities, of the people responsible for organising the dialogue and, most importantly, the actors involved;

30.

Considers that it should be clarified which organisations and individuals come under the category of non-state actors and emphasises the need for a clear definition with precisely specified criteria;

31.

Calls upon the parties to consider using independent/neutral facilitators if and when necessary, particularly for subjects that are even slightly sensitive, and also to involve the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly if appropriate;

32.

Requests the European Commission to set up mechanisms, including the possibility of funding, to ensure regular dialogue sessions at field level, and the subsequent feedback to Brussels-based institutions;

33.

Calls upon ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Members to participate actively in the relevant political dialogue processes at all levels;

34.

Urges Members of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers to attend and participate actively in joint ministerial sessions;

35.

Emphasises the need to promote the Article 8 political dialogue at the level of national parliaments and the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly;

36.

Is convinced that humanitarian aid and dialogue with civil society must also be pursued in cases of persistent breaches of human rights, even when these are committed by the State, so that the people do not have to go on bearing the brunt of such abuses of government authority;

37.

Urges ACP-EU political dialogue to urgently address the problem of corruption and illegal financial practices in developing countries, which often involve 'partners' in the EU and other donor countries, with a view to getting a firm grasp on the amount of dirty money flowing out of developing and transitional economies, its effect on these countries and its effect on development aid programmes;

38.

Calls on the ACP-EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission to show leadership in exposing one of the most damaging economic phenomena affecting the poor, and to tackle the dirty-money problem in close cooperation with the World Bank, the IMF and other multilateral donors and institutions;

39.

Firmly believes that by tackling together the problem of corruption and illegal financial practices in developing countries, the ACP and EU countries stand to make a major contribution to the fight against poverty, crime and terrorism, and at the same time to generate political stability and promote social and economic development;

40.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the European Commission and the ACP regional integration organisations.

—

meeting in The Hague (The Netherlands) from 22 to 25 November 2004,

—

having regard to Article 17(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1292/96 of 27 June 1996 on food-aid policy and food-aid management and special operations in support of food security (2),

—

having regard to the 1974 Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 3348 (XXIX),

—

having regard to the UN System Network for Rural Development and Food Security, as well as General Assembly Resolutions A/57/226 and A/56/155,

—

having regard to commitments made by ACP and EU member countries under the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000, and especially to the provisions which compel or urge them to alleviate problems related to food security and food aid (Articles 23(d), 72 and 73),

—

having regard to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted at the Millennium Summit of the United Nations from 6 to 8 September 2000,

—

having regard to the Monterrey Consensus of the UN Financing for Development Conference, 22 March 2002,

—

having regard to the Declaration adopted at the World Food Summit: Five Years Later –International Alliance Against Hunger, held in Rome, Italy, from 10 to 13 June 2002,

—

having regard to the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development on 4 September 2002,

—

having regard to the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the Barbados Plan of Action, held in Barbados from 25 April to 6 May 1994, particularly the provisions relating to the vulnerability, peculiarities and specificities of food security in Small Island Developing States,

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment (ACP-EU 3692/04),

A.

whereas the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger is the first of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals,

B.

whereas it is a right of everyone to have access to healthy, safe and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger,

C.

whereas more than 800 million people throughout the world, and particularly in developing countries, do not have enough food to meet their basic nutritional needs,

D.

whereas global food supplies have increased substantially; however, many constraints on access to food and continuing inadequacy of household and national incomes to purchase food, instability of supply and demand, as well as natural and man-made disasters, prevent the food needs of populations from being fulfilled,

E.

whereas food safety should also play an important role, alongside food security, in guaranteeing a better supply of safe and healthier food to people in ACP countries,

F.

whereas the Declaration of the 'World Food Summit: Five Years Later' reiterates the political will and commitment to achieving food security for all and to an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view to reducing the number of undernourished people by half no later than 2015,

G.

whereas it is also underscored that the right to adequate food is a basic human right, and that therefore food should not be used as an instrument for political and economic pressure and whereas the importance of international cooperation and solidarity in the effort to eradicate hunger should be stressed,

H.

whereas it is vital that national policy frameworks in ACP countries should be put in place or strengthened to ensure improved food supply, strengthened safety nets which enable poor people to acquire the food that already exists, and anti-poverty programmes, while taking into consideration the economic and social dynamics of the respective countries,

I.

whereas in many ACP developing countries most of the poor and vulnerable groups live in rural areas, and, as a consequence, rural development policies are essential in order to tackle poverty and hunger effectively,

J.

whereas national frameworks for adhering to rules on food safety should be put in place in ACP countries to allow the population access to safe food and to open up the possibility of exporting safe food to EU markets, thereby also playing an important part in fighting poverty,

K.

whereas food security is understood to be when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for a healthy and active life,

L.

whereas the World Food Summit of 1996 (Rome) articulated three essential elements to food security: (i) availability and stability of food supply, (ii) accessibility and affordability of food, and (iii) quality and safety of food,

M.

whereas the ‘World Food Summit: Five Years Later’ noted that food insecurity prevents the poor from taking advantage of development opportunities and emphasised the need for attention to nutritional issues as an integral part of addressing food security,

N.

whereas many more people are suffering from micronutrient deficiencies than from hunger in the narrower sense,

O.

whereas food security for most countries, particularly developing countries, is achieved through increasing agricultural production, improving rural incomes, and ensuring access to fair trade, often depending on poor farmers who do not benefit from any of the government subsidies and credits or trade networks available to large-scale farmers and transnational agribusiness,

P.

whereas national and global food security policies are important for fostering food security, and are often influenced by other non-food policies such as marketing, trade regimes and transport,

Q.

whereas food policies devoid of real concerns with food security have provided poor answers to urgent and critical food needs,

R.

whereas the reform of the EU common agricultural policy and the WTO Doha Round should not affect but should instead support the production of agricultural crops, including food crops, both for domestic consumption and export, necessary to generate adequate export earnings to finance the import by net food-importing developing ACP States of their foodstuff requirements, including through the provisions of Article 54 of the Cotonou Agreement in order to ensure their food security,

S.

whereas in order to translate food self-sufficiency into food security, it is vital to have a proper agricultural infrastructure, credit and extension schemes, effective safety net systems for rural as well as urban areas, and early-warning and emergency response institutions in place,

T.

whereas food security crises mostly arise from accelerated population growth and successive disasters, such as conflict, drought and floods, that progressively erode the asset base of already poor households, leading to the deprivation of entire communities, which exacerbates political and social instability,

U.

whereas the maintenance of peace and security and the strengthening of international cooperation in food and agriculture are important for improved economic conditions and enhanced food security,

V.

whereas it is acknowledged that food security is further weakened by the spread of HIV/AIDS in the ACP countries concerned,

W.

whereas the governance of food involves many stakeholders encompassing both government and civil society,

X.

whereas it is recognised at local, national and international levels that good governance practices are critical to the success of food security initiatives,

Y.

whereas achieving food security will largely depend upon the full engagement between the government and civil society and empowerment of all the relevant stakeholders, particularly of poor and hungry people,

Z.

whereas it is vital that international support be sustained for the efforts of ACP countries towards the medium- and long-term development of their food and agricultural sectors,

AA.

whereas there is a critical need for the international community to enhance its development efforts aimed at the elimination of, inter alia, poverty, hunger and malnutrition, and infant mortality,

AB.

whereas food aid operations should be carefully targeted actions aimed at solving emergency crises and should by no means undermine the long-term objective of ensuring acceptable levels of food security in the countries concerned,

AC.

whereas food aid is basically aimed at the provision of food for human consumption, in the form of targeted aid to reach specific people and support their direct access to appropriate food during crises, or in the form of untargeted aid to governments to support food availability, including grants for the purchase of food,

AD.

whereas sustained efforts should be made to enhance the capacity of the international community to respond to food emergency situations and to improve world food security through the assurance of food aid irrespective of world food prices and supply fluctuations,

AE.

whereas there is a need to ensure that food aid is aimed particularly at the alleviation of hunger and malnutrition of the most vulnerable groups and is consistent with the agricultural development strategies in the ACP countries concerned,

AF.

whereas appropriate funding should be made available to ensure timely responses to food needs, without detracting from crucial resources needed for longer-term development addressing the causes of food insecurity,

AG.

whereas food aid is seen as a bridging tool to normalise food security following disasters or emergencies, hence the need to ensure the maximising of the impact, effectiveness and quality of food aid, as well as the need to minimise its potentially detrimental effects such as dependency and distortion of local markets,

AH.

whereas the enrichment and supplementing of food with trace elements are important techniques for compensating for deficiencies, but should be considered separately from the issue of food aid, because food aid is delivered in the form of cereals, while enrichment with dietary supplements requires industrial processing,

AI.

whereas food aid – when it is granted over longer periods of time, is badly managed or is granted regardless of whether or not acute food shortage really presents an urgent problem in the area in question – can have a negative impact on local markets, reduce the incentives for local production and investment and have the unwelcome effect of directing preferences away from local staple products and towards those imported from the USA or Europe,

AJ.

whereas it is important to distinguish between interventions by governments or NGOs that involve (a) providing food directly to poor people, as is also done through multilateral agencies, (b) subsidising food purchases, and (c) monetising food aid in order to implement projects with non-food aid transfers,

AK.

whereas emergency food aid has alleviated human catastrophes in ACP countries that depend on it, or those having undergone natural disasters,

AL.

whereas it is acknowledged that Lesotho is currently faced with a serious situation of famine which has been caused by absence of adequate rains for three consecutive years since 2001 and further compounded by an increasing HIV/AIDS pandemic with a 31 % prevalence,

AM.

whereas it is vital to strengthen the coordination and efficiency of international emergency assistance to ensure a rapid, coordinated and appropriate response, particularly by improving communications amongst the international community,

AN.

whereas there is a need to improve and/or develop efficient and effective emergency response mechanisms at international, regional, national and local levels,

1.

Stresses the need to enhance efforts aimed at ensuring that all populations in ACP countries have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for a healthy and active life;

2.

Urges the international community to pledge itself once again to the objectives of the 2002 World Food Summit, and to intensify concerted efforts for the fulfilment of its commitment to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, particularly in developing countries;

3.

Emphasises the importance of international cooperation and solidarity to ensure that food is not used as an instrument for political and economic pressure;

4.

Stresses that measures should be taken at national and regional level to establish appropriate policy frameworks that promote food and agricultural production;

5.

Calls on developing countries and the European institutions to work towards the creation of (legislative and technical) frameworks in ACP countries for adhering to rules on food safety in order to allow access to safe food and to provide ACP countries with the possibility of exporting safe products to the EU as an important means of fighting poverty;

6.

Calls for more policy attention to the role of women in relation to food systems, and stresses the need to involve women in the formulation, implementation and follow-up of national food strategies, plans and projects;

7.

Emphasises the implementation of policies aimed at eradicating poverty and inequality and improving physical and economic access by all, at all times, to sufficient, nutritionally adequate and safe food and its effective utilisation;

8.

Calls on developing countries to promote the allocation and use of public and private investments to foster human resources, sustainable food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry systems, and rural development;

9.

Emphasises that developing countries should pursue food security and self-sufficiency as their most important objective rather than relying on food aid, and that the causes of food insecurity should be analysed and addressed;

10.

Calls on the Commission and the ACP countries to comply with the Cartagena Protocol on Biosecurity and reaffirms the need to respect the principle of food sovereignty, whereby each country is entitled freely to choose the method of food supplies it wants, in line with national or regional collective interests, without disrupting other countries' markets;

11.

Reiterates its position that patents for seeds and genetic resources intended for foodstuffs and agriculture pose a threat to sustainable farming practices and increase corporate monopolies over technology, seeds, genes, and medicines; supports the proposal put forward by the developing countries, at the instigation of Africa, seeking to amend the TRIPS Agreement;

12.

Calls on international donors and national governments to focus development efforts on rural and poor areas, incorporating rural poverty reduction and sustainable natural resources management within the existing framework of nationally owned policies, strategies and programmes, and the wide range of public, private and civil society organisations operating in the rural space;

13.

Calls on international donors, particularly the EU, and ACP national governments to incorporate the following elements into rural development strategies for ACP countries: access to the means of production (land, equipment and agricultural inputs), access to finance and information, improvement of skills and participation in decision-making of local communities;

14.

Calls on developing countries to ensure an enabling political, social and economic environment designed to create the best conditions for the eradication of poverty and for durable peace, based on full and equal participation of women and men, which is most conducive to achieving sustainable food security for all;

15.

Stresses the importance of ensuring that food, agricultural trade and overall trade policies are conducive to fostering food security for all through a fair and market-oriented world trade system;

16.

Acknowledges that the situation of food security in Small Island Developing States is highly vulnerable and calls upon the international community, especially the Bretton Woods institutions, to implement the various commitments in the Barbados Plan of Action with particular regard to those aspects affecting food security;

17.

Calls on the European Commission to pursue policies to reform the common agricultural policy so that agricultural protectionism does not constitute a block on the importation of produce from developing countries and to support developing countries in meeting European food standards so that developing countries can compete;

18.

Calls on the EU and the European Commission to ensure that the proposals for the reform of the EC sugar regime continue to guarantee the ACP States concerned an adequate level of earnings from the export of sugar to the EU necessary, inter alia, to finance the import of their basic foodstuffs requirement, which is vital for their food security;

19.

Emphasises that a lack of infrastructure is an important barrier to food security and stresses the need for basic roads, transport vehicles, adequate and secure storage and oversight of distribution; calls on the European Commission and other international donors to include support for infrastructure in their food security strategies;

20.

Recognises the efforts of the FAO Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS), which aims to help those living in developing countries, in particular the low-income food deficit countries (LIFDCs), to improve their food security through rapid increases in food production;

21.

Recognises that the foundations for food security lie in long-term investments in agricultural productivity and rural development initiatives, while addressing the vulnerability of food-insecure rural households, hence the importance for countries to have a proper agricultural infrastructure, credit and extension schemes, effective safety net systems with specific budget support for rural as well as urban areas, and early-warning and emergency response institutions in place;

22.

Calls on the European Commission, within the spirit of the Cotonou Agreement, to support measures in ACP countries aimed at steering agricultural production from unsustainable to sustainable natural-resource management practices in order to avoid resource degradation;

23.

Notes with concern that, despite negative trends, only four ACP countries have made agricultural development a priority of their Country Strategy Papers under the ninth EDF;

24.

Calls on the European Commission and ACP governments to revise the Country Strategy Papers, where necessary, in order to enhance support to agricultural production strategies, national and regional food security policies and sustainable development of water resources and fisheries, in application of Article 23 of the Cotonou Agreement; and to work to maximise the opportunities of the 10th EDF as well as the results of the Doha Round;

25.

Calls on developing countries, in collaboration with international assistance, to strengthen national food and agricultural research including biotechnologies, to provide improved varieties and to enhance productivity and nutrition;

26.

Recognises that many more people are suffering from micronutrient deficiencies than from hunger in the narrower sense and stresses that compensation for deficiencies by enriching and supplementing food with trace elements and dietary supplements should be considered separately from the issue of food aid, because food aid is generally delivered in the form of cereals, while enrichment with dietary supplements requires industrial processing;

27.

Recognises that, as food security knows no national boundaries, enhanced regional cooperation to avert hunger should be promoted;

28.

Calls on the European Commission and other donors to fund a major expansion of public biotechnology research into tropical and sub-tropical staple foods, suitable for the needs of small-scale farmers, together with education about the use of biotechnologies;

29.

Calls on developing countries to develop within available resources well-targeted social welfare and nutrition safety nets to meet the needs of the food insecure, particularly needy people, children, expectant and nursing mothers and people living with disability or frailty;

30.

Recognises the potential of the fisheries sector to contribute towards the global and the ACP-EU-wide effort to ensure food security and calls on the Commission to revise the existing fisheries agreements, in the mutual interests of the Union and the developing countries, so as to ensure that stocks are preserved and sustainably exploited and that the share of production intended for local consumption increases;

31.

Calls on developing countries with fisheries industries, in collaboration with international assistance, to strengthen food and fisheries research and extension systems, and advances in technology for fish or other marine-species farming, to enhance productivity and food utilisation;

32.

Recognises that the improvement of both water hygiene and supply is critical in obtaining food security, as clean and plentiful water is essential for human health and irrigation for agriculture;

33.

Stresses that governments are responsible for creating an enabling environment for private and group initiatives to devote their skills, efforts and resources, and in particular investment, towards the common goal of food for all;

34.

Recognises that poverty, hunger and malnutrition are some of the principal causes of accelerated migration from rural to urban areas in developing countries; stresses the need to target the populations which, under these circumstances, suffer most from hunger and malnutrition and to identify causes and take remedial action to improve the situation;

35.

Emphasises the need to establish legal and other mechanisms, as appropriate, that advance land reform, recognise and protect property, water, and user rights, in order to enhance access for the poor and women to resources;

36.

Calls on governments in developing countries, in partnership with all actors of civil society, to monitor the availability and nutritional adequacy of food supplies and reserve stocks, giving particular attention to areas at high risk of food insecurity, to nutritionally vulnerable groups, and to areas where seasonal variations have important nutritional implications;

37.

Calls on governments in developing countries to ensure humanitarian access to people in crisis and in conflict-affected areas so that their food and other basic needs are met;

38.

Emphasises the need to improve world food security through, amongst other instruments, the assurance of timely supplies of food aid to those in need irrespective of world food prices and supply fluctuations;

39.

Calls on international donors, particularly the EU, and beneficiary countries to carefully design food aid operations, including an accurate needs assessment, an implementation plan and an exit strategy, in order to avoid detrimental effects, such as dependency on food aid or distortion of local markets;

40.

Recognises that food aid is an important means of preventing or relieving hunger in serious crisis situations, but concedes that food aid – when it is granted over longer periods of time, is badly managed or is granted regardless of whether or not acute food shortage really presents an urgent problem in the area in question – can have a negative impact on local markets, reduce the incentives for local production and investment and have the unwelcome effect of directing preferences away from local staple products and towards those imported from the USA or Europe;

41.

Notes that relief food aid plays a clear and crucial role in saving lives and limiting nutritional stress in acute crises caused by conflict or natural disaster; emphasises the need to assess such food aid in the context of the recovery of local economies affected by conflicts and natural disasters;

42.

Recognises that development food aid can be an instrument for combating poverty, promoting universal primary education, and improving the nutritional and health status of vulnerable people in developing countries, but stresses that it has to be coupled with a clear strategy for a medium-term transition to other forms of aid, aimed at strengthening food security and decreasing dependency on food aid;

43.

Recognises the role that food can play in the fight against HIV/AIDS and in particular the contribution of the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, FAO and other organisations to food security and the fight against HIV/AIDS through food aid programmes in the ACP countries concerned;

44.

Calls on national governments and international donors, in particular the EU, to consider the role that food supplies can play in enhancing the effectiveness of educational and health programmes, and therefore to consider the possibility of including food supplies in their educational and health programmes, making them independent from unstable foreign food aid supplies;

45.

Recognises that financial aid tends to be a more efficient way for providing balance-of-payments or budgetary support for development or food security;

46.

Recognises that purchases made in local or regional markets tend to be more efficient; stresses that food aid operations should be implemented avoiding distortion of local markets;

47.

Calls on international donors, in particular the EU, to provide untied food aid, as the only way to ensure maximum efficiency of purchases and deliveries, in order to increase the benefit to the recipients;

48.

Stresses that food aid needs to be planned and managed in the wider context of food assistance in order to mitigate hunger through a comprehensive package of food assistance measures, devised and implemented nationally and with international support;

49.

Insists that food aid distribution be carried out with care, striking a balance between the need for immediate relief and the risk of creating dependency and market destabilisation and of undermining local and national producers, local market traders and local economies;

50.

Calls for provision of food aid to conform with operationally effective disciplines to prevent commercial displacement and limit surplus disposal of agricultural produce of donor countries, in accordance with the objectives agreed in the 'July package' of the WTO General Council's decision on the Doha Agenda work programme;

51.

Calls for the European Commission and other donors to purchase food aid from developing countries, preferably from as close to the region affected as possible, not least to support developing countries' economies and reduce transport and environmental costs, but also to monitor local prices;

52.

Calls upon recipient countries to remove and prevent political and physical barriers to ensuring that food aid is distributed to all parts of the country in need;

53.

Calls on the European Commission to assist and support ACP governments in their efforts to prevent and be prepared for natural disasters and man-made emergencies;

54.

Calls on the European Commission and other international donors to provide additional emergency assistance to Lesotho and other drought and HIV/AIDS ravaged countries of Southern Africa such as Swaziland, in order to mitigate the worsening situation faced by the vulnerable populations of these countries;

55.

Requests ACP countries and the European Commission to examine the potential benefit of strategically placed permanent crisis response teams;

56.

Calls on governments, in partnership with civil society actors, to seek, in an appropriate way, to ensure adequate supervision of emergency operations and involve communities, local authorities and institutions, and grass-roots relief initiatives and structures in implementing emergency operations;

57.

Emphasises the need to protect the lives of civil populations, including humanitarian aid workers, in times of conflict, and to ensure that access to food, with particular attention to women-headed households, is protected during emergency situations; calls for special attention to be given to the difficult food situation of refugees and internally displaced persons during and immediately following times of conflict;

58.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, and the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the African Union.

—

meeting in The Hague (Netherlands) from 22 to 25 November 2004,

—

having regard to the Joint Communiqué of 3 July 2004 issued by the Government of Sudan and the UN,

—

having regard to the Darfur Plan of Action agreed between the UN and the Government of the Sudan on 5 August 2004,

—

having regard to the African Union Peace and Security Council decision regarding the enlargement of the AU Mission in Sudan of 21 October 2004,

—

having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of November 2004 and UN resolutions 1564 of 18 September 2004 and 1574 of 19 November 2004,

—

having regard to the resumption of peace talks under the IGAD Peace Process on 7 October 2004, and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A in Nairobi, Kenya on 19 November 2004 committing the two parties to conclude the final peace agreement before the end of 2004,

—

having regard to the agreement signed by the Government of Sudan and the International Organisation for Migration on the voluntary return of the internally displaced persons in Khartoum on 21 August 2004,

A.

whereas the region of Darfur and other regions of Sudan, have suffered underdevelopment and economic and political marginalisation,

B.

whereas in February 2003 a rebellion, led by the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), began in Darfur,

C.

expressing its serious concern at the growing insecurity and violence in Darfur, the dire humanitarian situation, continued violations of human rights and repeated breaches of the cease-fire, and reiterating, in this regard, the obligations of all parties to implement the commitments contained in previous Security Council resolutions,

D.

whereas, despite the cease-fire agreement signed on 8 April 2004, there has been continued reporting of the killing of civilians by militias and rebels and the use of sexual abuse and violence against women and children,

E.

calling on all parties to fulfil their obligations to end all acts of violence, condemning violations of human rights and breaches of international humanitarian law, and emphasising the need for perpetrators of all such crimes to be brought to justice without delay,

F.

reiterating the need for all parties, including the Government of Sudan, to fulfil the entirety of their commitments under United Nations Security Council resolutions 1556 (2004) and 1564 (2004) and taking into account the need to foster and restore the confidence of vulnerable populations and to improve radically the overall security environment in Darfur,

G.

recalling in this regard that all parties must respect human rights and international humanitarian law, and also recalling the primary responsibility of the Sudanese Government to protect its population within its territory and to maintain law and order, while respecting human rights,

H.

emphasising that the ultimate resolution of the crisis in Darfur must include the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their original homes, and noting in that regard the 21 August 2004 Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sudan and the International Organisation for Migration,

I.

whereas the African Union has continued its positive involvement in the search for final settlement of the Darfur problem and has deployed peace monitors in the region of Darfur,

J.

whereas the World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that many thousands of people, predominantly women and children, are dying each month through malnutrition,

K.

welcoming that the Government of Sudan has taken a number of steps to lift administrative obstructions to the delivery of humanitarian relief, which has resulted in access for an increased number of humanitarian personnel in Darfur as well as international human rights non-governmental institutions; pointing out, however, that more needs to be done by all parties to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for the entire population of Darfur, including those outside the camps,

L.

urging the Government of Sudan and the rebel groups to facilitate humanitarian relief by allowing unfettered access for humanitarian supplies and workers, including across Sudan's borders with Chad and Libya by land and by air, as may be required,

M.

whereas there are human rights violations in Darfur including the bombing of civilians and the ongoing demolition of IDP camps,

N.

recalling that the UN Security Council has expressed concerns that the situation in Sudan has implications for international peace and security, as well as stability in the region,

1.

Welcomes the memorandum of understanding promising to reach a comprehensive peace agreement before the end of the year signed in Nairobi on 19 November 2004 between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army as an important step towards bringing peace to Southern Sudan and as a development that can also contribute to bringing peace to Darfur;

2.

Supports the demand of the UN Security Council that Government and rebel forces and all other armed groups immediately cease all violence and attacks, including abduction, refrain from forcible relocation of civilians, cooperate with international humanitarian relief and monitoring efforts, ensure that their members comply with international humanitarian law, facilitate the safety and security of humanitarian staff, and reinforce throughout their ranks their agreements to allow unhindered access and passage by humanitarian agencies and those in their employ, in accordance with its resolution 1502 (2003) of 26 August 2003 on the access of humanitarian workers to populations in need and with the Abuja Protocols of 9 November 2004;

3.

Calls on all Sudanese parties to take the necessary steps to ensure that violations reported by the Cease-Fire Commission are addressed immediately and that those responsible for such violations are held accountable;

4.

Supports the UN Security Council's call on the Government of Sudan to end the climate of impunity in Darfur by identifying and bringing to justice all those responsible, including members of popular defence forces and Janjaweed militias, for the widespread human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, and insists that the Government of Sudan take all appropriate steps to stop all violence and atrocities;

5.

Supports the UN Security Council's demand that the Government of Sudan submit documentation to the African Union Mission for verification, particularly the names of disarmed Janjaweed militiamen and the names of those arrested for human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, with regard to its performance relative to resolution 1556 and the 8 April 2004 N'djamena cease-fire agreement;

6.

Welcomes the establishment of the international commission of inquiry by the UN Secretary-General to investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Darfur by all parties and ‘to determine also whether or not acts of genocide have occurred, and to identify the perpetrators of such violations with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable’; calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the commission, and further requests the UN Secretary-General, in conjunction with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to take appropriate steps to increase the number of human rights monitors deployed to Darfur;

7.

Urges the Government of Sudan to make every effort to ensure the safe and voluntary return of all refugees and IDPs, as agreed between the Government of Sudan and the International Organisation for Migration;

8.

Underlines the importance of progress in peace talks in Abuja between the Government of Sudan and the SLA and the JEM towards resolving the crisis in Darfur, insists that all parties to the Abuja peace talks negotiate in good faith to reach agreement speedily, welcomes the signature of the Humanitarian and Security Protocols on 9 November 2004, urges the parties to implement these rapidly, and looks forward to the early signature of a Declaration of Principles with a view to a political settlement;

9.

Calls on all countries in the region to do their utmost to support actively the full and timely implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement;

10.

Emphasises that a comprehensive peace agreement will contribute towards sustainable peace and stability throughout Sudan and to the efforts to address the crisis in Darfur, and underlines the need for a national and inclusive approach, including the role of women, towards reconciliation and peace-building;

11.

Strongly supports the decisions of the African Union to increase its mission in Darfur to 3320 personnel and to enhance its mandate to include the tasks listed in paragraph 6 of the African Union Peace and Security Council's communiqué of 20 October 2004, urges EU and ACP States to provide the required equipment, logistical, financial, material, and other necessary resources, and urges the Government of Sudan and all rebel groups in Darfur to cooperate fully with the African Union;

12.

Asks the UN and the African Union to improve coordination of their plans in order to avoid breaches of the cease-fire agreement including the movement of troops;

13.

Declares its commitment, upon conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement, to assist the people of Sudan in their efforts to establish a peaceful, united and prosperous nation, on the understanding that the parties are fulfilling all their commitments, including those agreed in Abuja, Nigeria and N'djamena, Chad;

14.

Urges the Joint Assessment Mission of the United Nations, the World Bank and the parties, in association with other bilateral and multilateral donors, to continue their efforts to prepare for the rapid delivery of an assistance package for the reconstruction and economic development of Sudan, including official development assistance, possible debt relief and trade access, to be implemented once a comprehensive peace agreement has been signed and its implementation begins;

15.

Stresses the need for the rapid disbursement of the EU funding for the humanitarian assistance operation and for the African Union;

16.

Calls on EU Member States to provide urgent and generous contributions to the humanitarian efforts under way in Sudan and Chad;

17.

Notes the UN Security Council's decision to consider taking additional measures as contemplated in Article 41 of the UN Charter, ‘The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures. These may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations’, provided that these measures do not add to the suffering of the population of Sudan;

18.

Calls on all parties and the international community to take immediate steps to stop the proliferation of arms into the conflict zone of Darfur;

19.

Decides to send a fact-finding mission to assess the situation in Sudan and present a report to the Bureau;

20.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, the Government of Sudan, the African Union, IGAD, the governments of the United States of America, Libya, Egypt and China, and the UN Secretary-General.

—

meeting in the Hague (Netherlands) from 22 to 25 November 2004,

—

having regard to the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States in Barbados between 25 April and 6 May 1994 and the Barbados Plan of Action,

—

having regard to its resolution on the damage caused by cyclones in the Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean and the need for a rapid response to natural disasters adopted in Addis Ababa on 19 February 2004 (2),

—

having regard to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change,

—

having regard to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou, Benin on 23 June 2000,

A.

saddened by the tremendous loss of human life and the catastrophic effects on the socio-economic infrastructures caused by the series of hurricanes which swept through the Caribbean countries with exceptional force, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago,

B.

noting with particular concern the plight of Grenada, where 90 % of the infrastructure was destroyed and the agriculture sector obliterated, and Haiti, where close to 3000 lives have been lost as a result of extensive damage,

C.

whereas these disasters tragically demonstrated the validity of the resolution adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Addis Ababa stressing the increasingly destructive consequences of natural disasters,

D.

whereas the ACP vulnerable islands and neighbouring countries are suffering the consequences of climatic change owing to global warming, while violent storms and rising sea levels are threatening the safety of the populations and their property and the very existence of some small islands,

E.

mindful that the small island states have to face the negative consequences of climate change: for example, violent storms and rising sea levels, which could threaten the very existence of some small islands,

F.

whereas rising sea levels are having an adverse impact on fresh water availability and quality, agriculture and human settlement,

G.

whereas the damage caused by hurricane Ivan and tropical storm Jeanne clearly show that, while the origin of disasters is natural, the extent of the damage is not, in so far as building techniques are outdated and early-warning and evacuation procedures are inadequate,

H.

firmly believing that devoting greater attention to the prevention of natural risks in the drawing up and implementation of development strategies would make a major contribution to achieving the priority objective of sustainable development,

I.

whereas several billion euros are necessary for reconstruction purposes,

J.

whereas the United Nations has launched an emergency international appeal for USD 30 million,

K.

having regard to the appeal for reconstruction assistance by the Caricom Heads of State and Government,

L.

emphasising, once again, the extreme vulnerability of the economies of island developing states, which can be destroyed at any moment by natural disasters, which are occurring with increasing frequency,

1.

Expresses its condolences and deepest sympathy to the peoples and governments of these countries, as well as to the families of the victims;

2.

Draws the attention of the European Union and the international community to the special situation of Grenada, whose economy and activities as a country have been brought to a complete halt and where financial, material and human support is needed as a matter of great urgency for the long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction of the country;

3.

Commends the Caribbean and Pacific regions, the European Union and other development partners and organisations for the efforts already undertaken in these countries;

4.

Calls on the European Union to ensure that the necessary financial resources are quickly mobilised for reconstruction in countries which have been devastated, in particular Grenada, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic;

5.

Calls on the European Union and the international community to set up, as a matter of urgency, effective rapid-response systems so that, in addition to humanitarian emergency aid, appropriate measures may be put in place to anticipate and mitigate the effects of natural disasters and, in particular, to expedite the reconstruction of socio-economic infrastructures;

6.

Supports the creation of an ACP-EU Natural Disaster Facility and calls on the European Union, in the context of the ongoing review of the Cotonou Agreement, to extend the provisions of Article 2(7)(a) of its Annex II relating to the Investment Facility to the land-locked and island ACP States to finance vital investment both for post-natural disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation of the productive sectors of their economy and also their sustainable development, having regard to their inherent development constraints and specific trade and development needs;

7.

Calls upon the international community, especially the Bretton Woods Institutions and the European Union, to recognise that the classic method of assessing Small Island Developing States based solely on GDP per capita, needs to be reviewed in order to take into account their high vulnerability in the provision of development assistance, debt relief and trade preferences, in particular the consideration of special and differential treatment in the World Trade Organisation;

8.

Calls on the European Commission, the Council of Ministers of the European Union, the EU Member States, and the ACP States to undertake, in collaboration with their other development partners, all the necessary actions to ensure that development plans and programmes adequately respond to the vulnerability of island developing states;

9.

Urges the international community, especially the donor institutions and donor countries, to take note of the forthcoming United Nations International Meeting on ‘Barbados Plus Ten’ to be held in Mauritius from 10 to 14 January 2005;

10.

Calls on all countries to honour their commitment by ratifying and bringing into force the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, and urges the European Union and the international community as a whole to support capacity-building programmes aimed at addressing the adverse effects of climate change on ACP countries and regions;

11.

Considers that rising sea levels are a potential threat to the survival of small island countries because they lead to increased tropical storms, disruption of limited fresh water supplies and decreasing biodiversity in marine resources;

12.

Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission, the Secretary General of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation.