Activities of Željana ZOVKO related to 2020/2002(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on EU-African security cooperation in the Sahel region, West Africa and the Horn of Africa
Amendments (36)
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas security is a precondition for development; whereas without development, education for all, deradicalization and poverty eradication, there will be no sustainable peace; whereas in order to ensure its security and development, each country must have or acquire adequate capacities in all essential sectors, including security and defence and whereas this will not only stabilise that country, but will also enable it to contribute constructively to peace, stability and crisis prevention in its region;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean in the east, Africa is struggling to contend with challenges, such as historical underdevelopment compounded by the destruction of the traditional agro- pastoral economy as a result of climate change, population growth and deforestation; whereas another major challenge is the emergence of new forms of mafia economy, including human and drug trafficking and the uncontrolled export of gold deposits, which, combined with the abandonment, inefficiencyincluding human and drug trafficking, grey economy combined with an inefficient, unskilled and corruption of the administration, is producing a hybridisation between terrorist groups, traffickers and traditional community and regional conflicts, with the phenomenon of jihadist religious extremism appearing as a false response for the societies concerned and lack of institutional educational facilities and strong institutions leaving traditional communities abandoned and open for mercy of traffickers, terrorist, criminals, armed militias and jihadist religious extremists who often replace society's need for structured and organized functioning institutions and sense of justice;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas poverty and insecurity feed off each other and push young people to migrate to Europe, lack of education and institutional preparedness to face the security issues that created unstable and failed states is creating future migrants and adding to lucrative business of human traffickers that offers a choice to the local population to leave their homes in search of a better life, impoverishing stattheir own countries by depriving them of their best human resources;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the states in Sahel, West Africa and Horn of Africa, due to their geographical and institutional fragility, have a long and turbulent history that made them dependent on the support to protect their own borders; and whereas the region is exposed to illegal activities, migrations and human trafficking;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the security and stability of Sahel, West Africa and Horn of Africa must be a strategic goal of EU's cooperation with the governments in the Southern Neighbourhood thus maintaining security and stability on the European external borders;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas after years of training, the mandate and purpose of the above- mentioned EU missions have been hampered in their sustainability and effectiveness due to restrictions on their mandate, training programmes, and a lack of basic equipment, including weapons, ammunition and vehicleneeds to be reviewed in order to draw up a “lessons learned” analysis which shall be used to adapt current and future missions;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas neither the Somali army, nor the Malian army nor the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) have been able to contribute effectively tofound effective response in their fight against jihadists or hold and secure the ground cleared with the aid of friendly international forces, the result being that the local populations feel abandoned and fear being accused of collaborating with the government by the jihadists or the armed groups in the CAR once they return and reoccupy the space from which they were expelled;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas after years of involvement revised and comprehensive strategy therefore needs to be implemented considering that despite above- mentioned civil and military missions, the general situation has become worse and worse and a new and comprehensive strategy therefore needs to be implementednot improved substantially and a number of old and new challenges persist;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the European Development Fund and the African Peace Facility (APF) provide support to the African Union, financing, among other things, the operational cost of military peacekeeping operations in Africa; whereas the EPF will replace the AFP and the Athena mechanism for the financing of common costs of CSDP military operations;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
L a. whereas the mandates of the CSDP mission are comprehensive and aim among others to foster security sector reform, advance justice reform, strengthen military and police training as well as to advance oversight;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)
Recital L b (new)
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L c (new)
Recital L c (new)
L c. whereas the African Union at its annual summit in February announced plans to send 3,000 soldiers to the Sahel to support the G5 Sahel in the combat against armed groups;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L d (new)
Recital L d (new)
L d. whereas since 2017 the EU has followed a process of regionalisation of its CSDP missions, which next to advancing cooperation with the G5 Sahel is aimed at better identifying and filling gaps in cross-border cooperation in the regions;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L e (new)
Recital L e (new)
L e. whereas since 2017 the EU has followed a process of regionalisation of its CSDP missions, which next to advancing cooperation with the G5 Sahel is aimed at better identifying and filling gaps in cross-border cooperation in the regions;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L f (new)
Recital L f (new)
L f. Recommends that the EU strengthens its cooperation with the national parliaments, including security and defense committees, to improve critical oversight functions over national and external security interventions;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Strongly believes that the EU and its Member States must review their security and defence engagements in the regions of the Sahel, West Africa and the Horn of Africa, including how to strengthen the capacity of partners, including through the provision of military equipment;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recalls that despite significant engagements in the past, the number of challenges and crises in the region of the Sahel, West Africa and Horn of Africa, has increased, and that hence the EU has to be ready to not only maintain, but to review and eventually upgrade its commitments, including means to strengthen the capacity of partners, including through the provision of military equipment; emphasises in this context that there are no military-only solutions and that hence political solutions, involving the civil society, are a prerequisite for long-term stability and peace;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Points to the fact that instability in the regions of the Sahel, West Africa and Horn of Africa ultimately has a negative spill-over effect to in particular the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood and hence poses a direct challenge to our European external border management;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2 c. Welcomes the progress made in the negotiations for both the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) as well as the European Peace Facility (EPF) and believes that they both give the EU the ability to respond more quickly and effectively to security challenges, in particular since they enhance the EU’s ability to strengthen the capacity of partners, including through the provision of military equipment while respecting the proper safeguards;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2 d. Underlines that security, stability and hence ultimately also prosperity and sustainable development will only be achieved in the concerned regions, if an all-encompassing strategy is pursued, recalls in this light that security sector reform, justice reform, good governance, democratic accountability, and the protection of civilians are a prerequisite for winning the trust of populations in their governments and security forces; further underlines the civil-military nexus and the need to better streamline both components of the CSDP missions;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 e (new)
Paragraph 2 e (new)
2 e. Recalls that the governments of the regions concerned have a primary responsibility towards their citizens to work towards good governance, public accountability and democratic involvement; underlines thus that the EU efforts are guided by the ultimate goal that one day the countries concerned can provide for their own security;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 f (new)
Paragraph 2 f (new)
2 f. Commends the staff of the EU missions who, despite very challenging conditions, have performed exceptionally and have demonstrated dedication and professionalism;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2 g. Underlines the urgent need to strengthen CDSP missions as well as the EU’s overall strategic planning and communication policy, in order to increase the visibility of the EU’s actions; deems that this is crucial in order to both help engage third countries such as China, Russia and Turkey, to seek pursue similar goals, and if necessary to contain and counter third countries with opposing and damaging long-term interests for the regions;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 h (new)
Paragraph 2 h (new)
2 h. Strongly welcomes plans by the African Union to assume a larger role in African peace and security operations and hence is encouraged by the plans by the African Union to send 3,000 soldiers in support of the G5 Sahel;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the revision of Article 3a(4)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 in the light of the grave and profound degradation ina broad discussion among EU Member States and institutions about the security conditionhallenges in the region and in order to fill any gaps in EU missions and projects with a view to supportings of the Sahel, West Africa, and the Horn of Africa on how the EU can more effectively strengthen the capacity-building of partners in the security sector, including through funding for military spending and the provision of weapons, ammunition or lethal equipment, transport and traini, including through the provision of military equipment in order to more adequately respond to the profound challeng essential for improving the combat capability of African armed forces fighting against jihadism and the serious security conditions in the region; supports the Joint Communication of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 28 April 2015 entitled ‘Capacity building in support of security and development – Enabling partners to prevent and manage crises’4 ; _________________ 4; JOIN(2015)0017.
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
5. Considers that the sustainability and, effectiveness, and visibility, of EU civilian and military missions in Africa, despite the high dedication and professionalism of its staff, have been hampered by the lack of basic equipment in the countries affected and that it is therefore necessary: to ensure a large enough EU Budget, including a high enough EPF ceiling, in order to ensure the ability to strengthen the capacity of partners including through the provision of military equipment;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point a
Paragraph 5 – point a
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point b
Paragraph 5 – point b
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. AgreesEncourages a discussion whether it is advisable to apply to existing training programmes the same facilities for the procurement of military equipment, including weapons, as those currently provided for the deployment and training of the G5 Sahel force, including financial support if needed;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point a
Paragraph 10 – point a
a) harmonising training methods and rules of procedure and engagement and ensuring they are unique, while corresponding to the specific regional and geographical conditions;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point b
Paragraph 10 – point b
b) ensuring that instructors are able, in coordination with the local military authorities, to select soldiers from among those proposed by the local governments, to train them to be capable fighterimprove their skills, and to supervise and accompany them on the ground once they have finished their training in order to assess them and prevent units from disbanding and soldiers from dispersing;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point c
Paragraph 10 – point c
c) supplying training centres with both shared and individual equipment, including weaponsmilitary equipment (if the country concerned does not provide them), to make sure appropriate training can be given;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that the EU must conduct a comprehensive evaluationupcoming Strategic Reviews of the EUCAP Sahel Mali, EUCAP Sahel Niger, EUCAP Somalia and EUAM CAR civilian missions, adapting be used as a comprehensive evaluation and steering tool; that the missions be better adapted to local needs and intensify cooperation with local partners, where applicable, and that best practices be taken into consideration in order to better adapt them to real needs in order to make them fully operational and effective;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for the EU to help the joint forces of the G5 Sahel to become operational through the direct provision of financial assistance foras well as the acquprovisition of adequate weapons and military equipmentmilitary equipment and training, while including adequate safeguards and mitigating measures; highlights the need for a strong and credible police component in this regard; calls on the partners who made pledges at the Brussels Donors’ Conference on 22 February 2018 to implement them expeditiously;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the efforts of Mauritania to take a social and development approach to its military and security response; expresses its solidarity with Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, countries that are deeply affected by terrorism; compliments the efforts and sacrifices of the international community, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the Multinational Joint Task Force, the G5 and the French Armed Forces (Operation Barkhane), EUTM Mali and the Chadian Army, which is the essential force in the central and east sectors of the G5 requiring special support for its battalions; calls upon the countries of the G5 Sahel to pursue domestic reforms and fully implement human rights, good governance and democratic accountability;
Amendment 368 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls foron the EU to pay particular attention to the spread of jihadism in areas such as the Indian Ocean and West Africa and to lendarmed terrorist groups and jihadism in the regions of Sahel, West Africa and Horn of Africa in light of the strategic impact of these regions on the stability and security of Southern Neighbourhood countries, which also put a certain pressure on European external borders and Member States and to therefore upgrade security cooperation, and establish aid programmes when requirith the countries concerned;