Source: Regular News Update From Eurostep
No. 258 1 February 2002

EU REVIEWS RESUMPTION OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION WITH SUDAN AND HAITI

EU Development Commissioner Poul Nielson announced this week that the EU intends resuming development cooperation with Sudan, which has been suspended since 1990. This follows assurance from the Sudanese Government to the EU Troika (previous, present and next EU Presidency) that the Sudanese Government would re-establish the full respect of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Sudan.
Though the EU and Sudanese authorities will begin drawing up a National Indicative Programme for aid under the Cotonou Agreement, political dialogue will continue between the EU and Sudan throughout 2002. Placing funds allocated in the Programme at Sudanese Government’s disposal will depend on the results of the political dialogue that will be assessed at the end of 2002.
The EU has also put out a Declaration, through it Spanish Presidency, on suspension of development cooperation with Haiti, following the EU decision to extend suspension of cooperation with the aforementioned country. The Declaration states that sanctions will be maintained throughout 2002 in the absence of an agreement between the two parties. If and when an agreement is reached cooperation will be gradually resumed in four phases according to achievement of certain indicators:
1) The establishment of the Constitution of the Provisional Electoral Council will result in the release of the first tranche of the 8th European Development Fund;
2) The implementation of the Electoral Guarantee Committee will result in the release of the second tranche of the 8th Development Fund;
3) The acceptance of official international observation missions to oversee the general elections will result in the notification from the EU on the allocation for Haiti under the 9th European Development Fund and signature of the Haiti’s National Indicative Programme;
4) The successful carrying out of the mission by the official international observation mission of local and district elections should trigger the freeing up of 60% of funds under Haiti’s National Indicative Programme.