Activities of Fabio Massimo CASTALDO related to 2021/2206(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
The EU’s strategic relationship and partnership with the Horn of Africa (debate)
The EU’s strategic relationship and partnership with the Horn of Africa (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the EU’s strategic relationship and partnership with the Horn of Africa
Amendments (71)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
— having regard to the Council conclusions of 10 May 2021 entitled ‘The Horn of Africa: a geo-strategic priority for the EU’, and particularly to action 28 regarding access to and respect for sexual and reproductive health and rights,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
— having regard to Resolution 376s 275 (LV) 2014 on Protection against Violence and other Human Rights Violations against Persons on the basis of their real or imputed Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity and 376 (LX) 2017 on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, adopted in May 2017,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
— having regard to the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
— having regard to the UN resolution entitled ‘Transforming our World – the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015 in New York (the 2030 Agenda),
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 b (new)
Citation 23 b (new)
— having regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 12 February 2020 on an EU strategy to put an end to female genital mutilation around the world,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 c (new)
Citation 23 c (new)
— having regard to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 d (new)
Citation 23 d (new)
— having regard to the Report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC)/Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Joint Investigation into Alleged Violations of International Human Rights, Humanitarian and Refugee Law Committed by all Parties published on 3 November, 2021,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 e (new)
Citation 23 e (new)
— having regard to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Report on Violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in Afar and Amhara Regions of Ethiopia conducted between September and December 2021 and published on March 11, 2022,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 f (new)
Citation 23 f (new)
— having regard to the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution presented by the European Union and adopted on 17 December 2021 establishing an international commission of human rights experts on Ethiopia, to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of violations and abuses, committed since 3 November 2020 by all parties to the conflict,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 g (new)
Citation 23 g (new)
— having regard to the Revitalized Agreement On The Resolution Of The Conflict In South Sudan (R-ARCSS) of 12 September 2018,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas LGBTIQ people continue to face harassment, arrest, prosecution, gender-based violence and sometimes even killing for their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics; whereas, with the exception of Djibouti, consensual sexual acts between same-sex persons are criminalized in all the countries of the Horn of Africa;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas this criminalisation is used to legitimise discriminatory treatment towards LGBTIQ people, and repealing discriminatory provisions from the Criminal Code is a necessary first step towards protecting them from violence; whereas none of the countries contemplated have in place legal provisions to legally recognise trans persons or to protect intersex persons from intersex genital mutilation;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas the eleventh Ministerial of the Horn of Africa initiative took place during the EU-AU Summit with Team Europe Members for the first time also attending the Ministerial meeting; whereas the initiative has mobilised over $ 4.5 billion from its three development partners: the EU, the African Development Bank and World Bank Group;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
A d. whereas the region is experiencing one of its worst droughts in recent history that risks becoming one of the worst climate-induced emergencies seen in the Horn of Africa with more than 13 million people severely food insecure in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
A e. whereas the Covid-19 pandemic presented the region with health, socio- economic, and political challenges, by deepening poverty, rising inequalities and worsening structural and entrenched discrimination with a devastating impact on human rights and civil liberty, particularly for minority groups and vulnerable people; whereas in this context some governments used Covid legislation to repress human rights;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
A f. whereas gender discrimination and other forms of inequality remain entrenched in many countries in the region, including gender-based violence and high levels of conflict-related sexual violence, limited access to sexual and reproductive health, early and forced marriages, the exclusion of pregnant girls from schools, and the practice of Female Genital Mutilation which remain a long- held custom in the countries of the Horn of Africa;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A g (new)
Recital A g (new)
Amendment 51 #
A h. whereas Ethiopia’s human rights and security situation had deteriorated significantly, largely due to the extension of the conflict in Tigray to other parts of Ethiopia; whereas in December 2021, the UN Human Rights Council established the UN Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia to investigate possible war crimes and other violations;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A i (new)
Recital A i (new)
A i. whereas the HoA remains a region of origin, transit and destination of important migration flows to other countries in the wider region as well as to the EU; whereas poverty and insecurity feed off each other and are within the most important drivers of mass population displacements in the HoA, in particular among young people;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A j (new)
Recital A j (new)
A j. whereas recent and ongoing conflicts displaced millions from their homes; whereas the humanitarian and security situations in refugee and internally displaced people (IDP) camps remained precarious; whereas most of the region’s refugees are hosted by a handful of countries, including Cameroon, Chad, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Rwanda, and Sudan, while Uganda has the largest refugee population in Africa with over 1.5 million; whereas some host countries, such as DRC and Ethiopia, are also origin of large numbers of refugees;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A k (new)
Recital A k (new)
A k. whereas the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are turning into areas of increasing concern, where regional and international actors have considerable and often diverging economic and security interests, and which represent a global crossroad and chokepoint for commodities trading, with more than 12% of global seaborne cargo and 40% of Asia's trade with Europe transiting through the Red Sea; whereas stability, maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are crucial for ensuring global energy flows and European energy security as approximately 6.2 million barrels of crude oil and other petroleum products transit through the Bab Al- Manded straight every year (around 9% of the global seaborn shipments), 3.6million of which are directed to Europe; whereas the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in the Country will further increase the relevance of this trade route; Whereas, while pursuing the green and sustainable transition entailed in the European Green Deal, in the short term the necessity to reduce dependence from Russia and diversify suppliers will make freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden even more crucial in geo-strategic terms;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A l (new)
Recital A l (new)
A l. whereas the Horn of Africa region and the Sahel region are interconnected and development and stability of one has benefits on the other and vice versa;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) coordinate EU initiatives and support with African counterparts by favouring African ownership of the programmes whenever possible, thus helping to find African solutions to African problems; adopt, in this regard, a conditionality approach based on the more for more and less for less principle; emphasise, enable and facilitate the strengthening of a context-based and bottom-up approach, where local communities and CSOs can work to build their own capacity, prepare, coordinate and organise better to become more resilient, in line with the EU’s humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) coordinate efforts in the region with the African Union and its regional components, most notably the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), as well as with the UNnited Nations and other like- minded partners; international organisations and individual countries, such as the US, the UK, Norway, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand both in the framework of multilateral fora and at a bilateral level;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) contribute to regional security and stability both through conflict resolution and mediation activities and by addressing the root causes of conflictsrecognise that increased instability in the Horn of Africa represents a serious threat to the whole of Africa economic and social prospects, as well as to the Union’s security interests; contribute to the regional security and stability both through conflict resolution, mediation, and reconciliation activities, supporting African owned processes within the AU, the IGAD and the EAC, and addressing the root causes of conflicts such as, inter alia, extreme poverty and inequality, the consequences of climate change, longstanding border disputes, extremism and radicalization;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) support all diplomatic efforts devoted to ending the ongoing conflict within Ethiopia, both at national level and in the forums provided by the African Union, in order to agree on a permanent ceasefire and to facilitate the internal reconciliation; coordinate support between relevant national and international institutions and the Ethiopian Government in the resumption of health, education and other public facilities and services, including relief services to IDPs and conflict affected populations;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) coordinate with like-minded partners and international organisations to keep provideing the countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters with prompt and adequate humanitarian assistance, in coordination with like-minded partner; recognise the linkages between the climate crisis, peace and conflicts, and the need for peace building and climate adaptation and mitigation efforts to address them; pay special attention to the specific human security implications of climate change, especially for marginalised groups;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point g a (new)
(g a) work together with all the countries involved in the negotiations over the functioning of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), namely Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, in finding a diplomatically negotiated solution within the appropriate fora provided by the African Union; stresses that the shared resources of the Nile are an opportunity for the development of all three countries, and support the above mentioned countries with technical expertise in managing the Dam in a way that can meet the water needs of all the parties, overcoming the risks related to unilateral attitudes towards the use of shared environmental resources; provide financial and technical assistance as well as share innovative technologies, best practices and lessons learned with our African partners to partake the benefits stemming from the transition; recognise that the European Green Deal offers important cooperation opportunities in the field of green and sustainable energy generation;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) acknowledge the positive impacts of Operation AtlantaEUNAVFOR ATALANTA in guaranteeing maritime security, and take note ofregret the non-extension of its mandate within the UNSC; commend the positive results already achieved by EUCAP Somalia in the civilian law-enforcement domain, and ensure that the mission has sufficient means and personnel for being effective; call on the Member States to show adequate commitment to the EU Training Mission inEUTM Somalia both in terms of personnel and means, in order to empower the Somali Armed Forces to guarantee security in the country;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) take note of the growing activity of terrorist groups in the whole region, most notably Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda, and Daesh, and provide tailored and effective assistance to the affected countries in countering both the immediate effects of this expansion and the root causes that lead tof extremism and radicalisation; recognise that the relevance and capability to operate of terrorist organisations in the region are further strengthened by the permeability of national borders, and support national and regional efforts to increase border security; work in cooperation with individual countries and regional organisations (most notably ECA, IGAD and the Eastern African Standby Force - EASF) in order to adopt a regional approach in fighting terrorism and addressing its root causes;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
(i a) approach security cooperation in the region in a gender-sensitive and youth-sensitive way, paying special attention to mainstreaming support to gender equality and youth inclusion; formulate concrete short and medium- term commitments for the implementation of the UN Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda in the region and identify how this will be measured and reported objectively; stress that youth, women and civil society are key drivers of change that must be constantly included in peace and state-building efforts;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) ensure that assistance channelled through the European Peace Facility abides by European fundamental values and helps in building a transparent, accountable and reliable security sectorprovide tailored and request-driven support to the AU, its regional components and individual countries in their efforts to build up conditions for security and stability, most notably through the operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture, the African Standby Force and its regional components, and the Continental Early Warning Mechanism; ensure that assistance channelled through the European Peace Facility abides by European fundamental values and helps in building a transparent, accountable and reliable security sector; fully exploit the potential of the EPF in this regard and ensure continuity with the former APF in terms of quality and quantity of funding of African-led initiatives; ensure that all EPF financing commitments made with the HoA before the Russian criminal invasion of Ukraine are fulfilled;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k
Paragraph 1 – point k
(k) fully support democratic transitions, the rule of law and state- building processes and promote an open political space; deploymobilise, whenever possible, pre-election observation missionoral and electoral EU missions to accompany electoral processes; support strategies for fostering inclusive reconciliation processes with the aim to establish credible and representative institutions that foresee the participation of the various ethnic and religious communities; engage particularly with Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan to scale-up efforts to include under-represented communities in high- level politics and governing bodies and assist partner countries in addressing disaffection and distrust towards national authorities through confidence building measures;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
(k a) recognise the potential of parliamentary diplomacy as a tool to foster dialogue and build confidence both between elected representatives and with the civil society, as well as for sharing lessons learned, best practices and experience, thus providing concrete added value for a holistic partnership between the EU, the AU, and individual countries;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
(l a) recognise the link between corruption and widespread violations of human rights and reinforce EU support to combat corruption in the region;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l b (new)
(l b) scale up the delivery of lifesaving and life-sustaining assistance to help people and communities impacted by the drought while working to enable communities to pursue self-reliance and build resilience against future shocks; call on governments across the region to ensure that humanitarian workers can access people in need of assistance;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l c (new)
(l c) call on national authorities to abide by the Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ rights during its 60th ordinary session and to respect media freedom, including by ensuring that media outlets can operate independently;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l d (new)
(l d) call on governments to immediately take action to protect women’s and girls’ rights to equality, health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, education, and to allow them to live free from gender-based violence and discrimination; urge to streamline actions against Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) in all external actions of the EU, as reiterated in the European Parliament Resolution of 12 February 2020, with particular attention to the Horn of Africa Region, which has the highest prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in the world, including in its most severe forms; emphasize that any strategy geared toward combatting FGM in the Horn of Africa should avoid policies that may be perceived by the people in that region as aggressive and insensitive toward their traditions and cultural protocols; call on national authorities in the HoA to implement laws to ban FGM and ensure their respect;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m
Paragraph 1 – point m
(m) mainstream transitional justice into its conflict management approach in the region and support the fight against impunity; prioritise, in our support to transitional justice efforts, locally and nationally driven processes as well as local and regional experts; step up our engagement with partner countries and with international and regional organisations to support fight against impunity and promote truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non- recurrence;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
(m a) call on national authorities to provide a conductive working environment for civil society, as per Res. 376 (LX) 2017 adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ rights, as well as specific legislative measures to recognise and protect the status of HRDs, prevent their harassment and arbitrary detention, including those working on LGBTIQ rights; urge national authorities to drop all charges against HRDs facing prosecution and immediately and unconditionally release those who are arbitrarily detained or imprisoned;
Amendment 170 #
(m b) express concern about the persistent violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, expression and sex characteristics; call on the national authorities to repeal discriminatory provisions, including through review of their criminal codes; ensure protection and freedom from discrimination and to strengthen engagement with civil society, namely through promoting civic space, providing financial resources and the framework required to enable the participation of civil society representatives at all levels, including local and grassroots actors;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m c (new)
(m c) commend the progress experienced in access to health in Kenya and Uganda, namely when ensuring access to life- saving HIV treatment and access to other sexual and reproductive health services, which are indispensable to achieve the SDGs and achieve gender equality; recall that access to and respect for SRHR are a crucial component of the EU-Africa partnership and urge national authorities to ensure universal access to health based on the principles of non-discrimination and equal treatment;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
(n) take note of the region’s demographic development and recognise the role of young people in achieving economic sustainable development; strengthen EU support forin the field of access to education and vocational training, and the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce, according to the needs of the labour market; insist that empowering and giving real prospect to the young generations could bear multiple benefits for the whole region;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) scale up common actions in the fight against climate change, in particular inrecognise that climate change seriously affects the Horn of Africa, with far-reaching consequences for the stability of the region; scale up common actions in the area of mitigation, adaptation, resilience and disaster risk management; share the benefits of the European Ggreen Ddeal with our partners and support them in adopting their own climate transition agendas by sharing best green and sustainable practices and aligning, when possible, EU initiatives in this field with existing African initiatives; pay special attention to the human security implications of climate change;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point o a (new)
(o a) acknowledge that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine severely impacts the food security of the Horn of Africa both in the short and medium terms, as around 90% of the wheat is imported from the Russian Federation and Ukraine; step-up EU support for avoiding the risk of famine or difficulties in accessing food that could lead to undernourishment in the region; underline the potential of the region in agricultural terms linked to the fertility of the soil, and work together with African counterparts in adopting new and innovative ways to fully unleash this potential, also through the exchange of best practices and the adoption of new technologies for sustainable agriculture that would empower local entrepreneurship, with the final aim to reduce dependencies from import of food and agricultural products and stimulate inclusive and sustainable economic growth;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) recognise that the EU is most relevant when it adopts models of support, assistance, and cooperation that put communities at the centre; devote particular attention to widespread, locally- owned projects that are, especially in the most remote areas, that are less invasive from an environmental point of view but more effective in improving people’'s lives, i.e. off-grid solar power systems, in particular in the most remote arearrigation systems, water purification and sanitation systems;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) adopt a holistic, conflict-sensitive approach to cooperation on migration, in line with the Khartoum Process, taking into account the different drivers of migration in the region and the persistent vulnerability of migrants, respecting the rights of migrants and refugees, and recognising the benefits of circular migration and regional mobility; work with our partners to resume the Khartoum Process activities and to reconfigure it in a way that reflects the current realities and the several limitations linked to travel possibilities;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) provide immediate assistance and long-term support to the countries hosting and assisting refugees in order to secure their protection; facilitate the relocation of displaced persons and internally displaced personsIDPs fleeing conflict, famine and other major drivers of forced displacement; coordinate diplomatic efforts to call on the governments of countries in the region involved in ongoing conflicts to halt indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructures, and to protect the civilian population, including taking all steps to ensure that refugees and IDPs are protected and given full access to humanitarian aid, including food, water and shelter;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
(r a) ensure that the financial resources mobilised through the EU Trust Funds are invested primarily in the countries of origin of migration flows, focussing on projects that can address the root-causes of migration in the long term;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) adopt a tTeam Europe approach in the region, working with a wide spectrum of partners and actors, including from the private sector, in supporting African- owned initiatives; keep monitoring and supporting the Horn of Africa Initiative, to which the EU is a strategic partner, and its objective of crowding in capital to support connectivity and unlock opportunities in the region, creating jobs, mitigating emerging risks, strengthening resilience and paving the way to improved neighbourly relations;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t
Paragraph 1 – point t
(t) acknowledge that efficient infrastructures are key to consistent, sustainable and fair development in the region; fully exploit the potential of new EU-sponsored initiatives aiming at enhancing regional integration and connectivity, most notably the Global Gateway initiative; increase consultation and coordination with African counterparts in the definition of specific projects to be developed in the gGlobal gGateway framework, building on the positive outcomes of the 6th EU-AU Summit;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point t a (new)
(t a) recognise that the prospect for stabilisation and sustainable development of the Horn of Africa are deeply interlinked with those of neighbouring regions; consider the opportunity to develop a EU Strategy for the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point t b (new)
(t b) support African continental integration, building on the successful outcome of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) negotiations, also by sharing European Union best practices and lessons learnt;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u
Paragraph 1 – point u
(u) take note of the growing, multifaceted influence of third parties in the region, which is often reinforced through propaganda and disinformation campaigns aiming at magnifying the role played by these actors in the region, while also undermining the actions set in place by their competitors, including the EU, thus fuelling an anti-Western narrative; recognise that the increasing presence of actors that do not share the Union`s values, interests and objectives could undermine the EU’s role as a privileged partner;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v
Paragraph 1 – point v
(v) reinforce strategic communication through effective and fact-based campaigns in order to be more present also at the local level and inform about EU actions and EU sponsored initiatives in the region, underlining their added value for local communities, sustainable development, and inclusive growth, while also countering disinformation and false narratives from third parties;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v a (new)
(v a) take note of third parties’ military build-up in the region, most notably Russia through the recent agreement with Sudanese authorities to construct a naval base in the Red Sea; pay particular attention to the activities of private security companies, such as the Russian- sponsored Wagner group, that are allegedly operating in the region hampering the democratic transition, in order to avoid similar drifts as already seen in Mali and in the DRC; work closely with the AU and the individual countries of the region in creating and operationalising efficient, accountable and reliable national security apparatuses;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v b (new)
(v b) take stock of the consistent, multi- domain Chinese investments in the region, and monitor that these investments will not create debt traps for individual countries; adopt a selective engagement approach in what concern investments, working with partners and other parties in relevant projects; reinforce coordination with African counterparts in defining the priorities to which investments should be devoted, and pledge sufficient resources to their realisation;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v c (new)
(v c) properly illustrate the Global Gateway as a greener, fairer and more sustainable long-term plan that entails a concrete added value in terms of environmental and economic sustainability, inclusive economic growth and human development, especially in comparison with the alternatives proposed by other actors;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v d (new)
(v d) recognise the role played by Turkey in the region, especially in Somalia; call on Turkish authorities to coordinate efforts with EU initiatives, most notably EUTM Somalia, in order to be more effective and reach better outcomes in terms of security and stability, thus empowering a real and swift democratic transition;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v e (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v e (new)
(v e) recognise the geostrategic importance of Djibouti, well exemplified by the high concentration of foreign military bases on the ground; engage with the country, which is at the crossroads of one of the most transited migration routes in the world, in assisting their efforts to hosts refugees from the region and in the implementation of its global and regional commitments; share EU know-how and best practices in water management, as Djibouti is one of the world's most arid countries experiencing extreme draught and little-no rain in the last three years pushing the population to inadequate food consumption;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v f (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v f (new)
(v f) call on Eritrean authorities to cease their military involvement in the Ethiopian civil conflict, while also facilitating a peace agreement between Ethiopian Federal authorities and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front that would include the termination of TPLF’s missile attacks on Eritrean soil; call on Eritrean authorities to take concrete steps towards internal reconciliation, giving access to fair trials to political prisoners, while ensuring detention conditions are in line with international standards; constantly monitor the internal situation, and consider a gradual and commensurate reduction of the EU sanctions in case some tangible and objective improvements are recorded;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v g (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v g (new)
(v g) keep monitoring the situation in Ethiopia, a key partner for the European Union and a key state for peace and security in the Horn of Africa, which is of great concern because of the ongoing civil war which not only severely affects the civilian population of Ethiopia but also increases the fragility and insecurity of the whole region; take note of some positive developments in the country such as the humanitarian truce of 24 March 2022 and the release of some political prisoners; use all the instruments available in the EU toolbox to facilitate long-lasting peace; support all mediations efforts and in particular the action of the AU and its Envoy Olusegun Obasanjo; insist that the national dialogue recently launched by Prime Minister Abiy, in order to fulfil the goal to be a true catalyst for reconciliation, must be as inclusive, broad and transparent as possible, also including representatives from civil society;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v h (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v h (new)
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v i (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v i (new)
(v i) support transitional justice and the fight against impunity for crimes committed in the context of the conflict in Ethiopia, in particular by supporting the role of all institutions involved, such as the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v j (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v j (new)
(v j) recognise that Kenya stands out as a key actor in the Horn of Africa in political and economic terms, therefore representing a pivotal partner in the stabilisation efforts in the region; deepen EU-Kenya relations by exploiting the full potential of the EU-Kenya Strategic Dialogue agreed by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and Kenyian President, Uhuru Kenyatta, in June 2021; welcomes the planned deployment of a EU Election Experts Mission (EEM) for primaries and voters registration, and a EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the Presidential elections of August 2022; support the fulfilment of the Universal Health Coverage project launched by Kenya in 2020 through financial and technical assistance;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v k (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v k (new)
(v k) be more proactive in supporting the political transition in Sudan, by condemning the military coup of October 2021 and the violence committed in the following crackdown; coordinate with other actors in the region to put pressure on the military for setting a clear timetable for the reinstatement of the civilian rule, leading to fair, open and transparent general elections as soon as possible; call on the civilian political authorities to increase coordination and cooperation among themselves in order to present clear plans for ensuring a peaceful transition; support civil society and activists on the grounds and call for the liberation of detained peaceful activists and political prisoners; support initiatives by the UN in the country and the consultations and political process launched by UNITAMS mission with a view to restore the constitutional order and the country's path towards civil and democratic transformation;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v l (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v l (new)
(v l) urge Somali authorities to held open, transparent and fair elections; express concern over the further delay of the Parliamentary elections and the difficulties in filling the seats that remain vacant; explore the possibility to provide technical electoral support; work together with African Union and Somali institutions for the revision of AMISOM mandate, focussing it on institution building, and providing sufficient financial support also through the EPF; coordinate efforts with the African Union and IGAD to stimulate a process of nation building within Somalia that puts civil society at its core; monitor that the revision of AMISOM goes in parallel with the progressive reinforcement of Somali Armed Forces and civilian security apparatus, which should become the final guarantors of security in the country; consult with Somali authorities for identifying new forms of bilateral cooperation within Somalia territorial waters in what concerns maritime security;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v m (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v m (new)
(v m) coordinate with and support other international and regional actors in South Sudan, such as the African Union, the IGAD, the UN and the TROIKA, to continue with a robust engagement in pressuring the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (R- TGoNU) to keep implementing the Revitalised Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), in particular its pre- transitional tasks including women's representation as detailed in the agreement;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v n (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v n (new)
(v n) recognise the important role played by Uganda in the mediation process that brought to the peace agreement in South Sudan; welcome the contribution of the Ugandan Armed Forces to AMISOM, and coordinate with the country in what concerns the future of the mission; support the national “New Parish Plan” and other endeavours to fight poverty through a grassroots approach; regrets the conditions in which the Presidential elections of January 2021 were conducted, and call on Ugandan national authorities to promote an open political space that can lead to fair and transparent elections, while also refraining from limiting the access to media and social media;