Activities of Ana GOMES related to 2009/2217(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
A new strategy for Afghanistan (debate)
Amendments (49)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Title
Title
a new strategy forapproach towards Afghanistan
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
- having regard to Resolution 1890 (2009) of the UN Security Council which extends the authorisation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, as defined in Resolution 1386 (2001) and 1510 (2003), for a period of twelve months beyond 13 October 2009, and which calls on the Member States participating in ISAF "to take all necessary measures to fulfill its mandate",
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7
Citation 7
– having regard to the (forthcoming) "Kabul Conference" scheduled forheld on 20 July 2010, which will assessed progress in implementing decisions taken at the London Conference, and will provide anopened the opportunity for the Afghan Government to chart the way forward, notably on anti- corruption, reinforced security, good governance, economic and social development, human rights, gender equality, economic growth, and improved electoral processes, show leadership and ownership of the process, with the cooperation of the international community, in strengthening security and reinforcing the capabilities of the Afghan security forces, improving good governance and the rule of law, promoting and protecting human rights for all Afghan citizens, with special attention to the needs of women and children; and in delivering economic and social development, combating drug production and trafficking, and fighting corruption,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8
Citation 8
– having regard to the presidential elections held in Afghanistan in August 2009, to the critical final report of the EU Election Observation Mission published in December 2009, and to the forthcoming parliamentary elections due in autumn 2010,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the international community has implicitly recognised tharepeatedly reaffirmed its support for the relevant Unine years of war and international involvement have not succeeded in eliminating the Taliban insurgency and bringing peace and stability to the countryted Nations Security Council Resolutions upholding the security, prosperity and human rights of all Afghan citizens and the ultimate goal of bringing peace and stability to the country; whereas, however, after nine years of war and international involvement, the Taliban insurgency continues to represent a major challenge,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas an impasse has been reached in Afghanistan: a coalition of occupying powerinternational forces in place but unable to defeat the Taliban, and an insurgency movement unable to prevail against these military forces; and whereas there is no obvious end in sight,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas security conditions have deteriorated, along with the popular consensus the coalition'’s presence enjoyed at one stage; whereas a new broader partnership with the people of Afghanistan is needed, involving unrepresented groups and civil society in peace and reconciliation efforts,
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas under the 2006 Afghanistan Compact, donors agreed to channel an increasing proportion of their assistance through the core government budget, either directly or through trust fund mechanisms, wherever possible, but whereas the action plan for assistance envisages 77 benchmarks for Afghanistan to only 20 per cent of development aid is channelled through the governmeent and none whatsoever for donorsbudget at present,
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas under the Taliban regime virtually no girls were attending school; whereas, according to UNICEF, in 2005 alone, more than 500 000 girls enrolled in school for the first time, and whereas UNICEF and its partners have trained 30 000 teachers and supplied educational materials for 4.87 million students; whereas a record 2.5 million girls are now enrolled in grades from the first to the 12th, up from 839 000 in 2002,
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the US has stated that it will start to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in the summer of 2011; but whereas other countries have eitherWashington has also underlined that sticking to this date, and the speed of withdrawal, would both depend on conditions on the ground; whereas some ISAF troop-contributing countries have already withdrawn, orthers are making plans to do so imminently, and others still have not indicated an intention to withdraw,
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the LondonKabul Conference stipulated that the Afghan police force should go from its current 94 000 strength to 134 000 by the end of 2011 and to 160 000 within five yearsNational Army should reach a strength of 171 600 personnel and the Afghan National Police of 134 000 by October 2011, with the necessary financial and technical support from the international community,
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas Afghanistan is the world's leading source of opium production, and the main supplier to the EU and the Russian Federation, but whereas opium production in Afghanistan has dropped 23% in the last two years and by a third since its peak in 2007; whereas the UNODC has established that there is a clear correlation between opium cultivation and the territories where the insurgency is in control and that in the parts of Afghanistan where the Government is more able to enforce the law, nearly two thirds of farmers have said they do not grow opium because it is banned; whereas in the southeast, where the authorities´ reach is weaker, just under 40% of farmers have cited the ban as a reason for not cultivating poppies,
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas some poppy eradication in Afghanistan has been carried out using chemical herbicides, and whereas this practice results in serious harm to people and to the environment in terms of soil and water pollution; whereas, however, there is now a consensus on the need to concentrate repressive measures on the drug trade and heroin-producing labs, and not farmers; whereas the main effort is now going into provinding alternative livelihoods to farmers,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
A new EU strategyapproach
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is aware of the set of factors hampering progress in Afghanistan but, given space constraints, has chosen to focus in this report on four main elements where, it believes, efforts expended will result in very significant improvements that could turn the course of events: international aid; implications of the peace process; impact of police training; elimination of opium cultivation through alternative development;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes, therefore, that a new EU strategy forapproach towards Afghanistan will have to take as its starting point two premises: an acknowledgement of the continuing deterioration in security and socio- economic indicators in Afghanistan despite almost a decade of international involvement and investment; and the need to encourage a profound shift in the mindset of the international community, which has all too often in the past shaped plans and decisions with scant regard for Afghan involvement;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes and supports the Council conclusions "Strengthening EU Action in Afghanistan and Pakistan" of October 2009, that outline a more coherent and coordinated EU approach towards the region and highlight the importance of regional cooperation and of a more civilian focus in the policy towards Afghanistan;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that any long-term solution to the Afghan crisis will involve the elimination of poverty, an end to opium production, a robust state-building exercise, with the assistance of the international community, including in the judiciary and security fields, and the integration of Afghanistan into the international community;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates that the EU and its Member States should support Afghanistan in the construction of its own state, with stronger democratic institutions capable of ensuring national sovereignty, state unity, security based on a democratically accountable army and police, a competent and independent judiciary, territorial integrity, sustainable economic development and the prosperity of the people of Afghanistan, media freedom and respecting for the historical, religious, spiritual and cultural traditions of all ethnic and religious communities in Afghan territory;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. IDespite improvements in women's lives since the end of the Taliban rule in 2001, is concerned about the deterioration inof women's fundamental political and civil rights in Afghanistan, as well as by in the last few years, and expresses its concern about negative developments such as the fact that the majority of prisoners in Afghan jails are women escaping oppressive relatives, and about the recent changes to the electoral code which weaken the quotas for seats in parliament for women;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Strongly believes that women's rights are part of the security solution – it is impossible to achieve stability in Afghanistan without women enjoying their full rights in political, social and economic life; calls therefore on the Afghan authorities and the representatives of the international community to include women in every stage of the peace talks and reconciliation/reintegration efforts, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1325;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU and the international community to increase the level of funding and support for Afghan women and women's organisationpolitical and technical support for policies to improve Afghan women's situation and for women's organisations, including women's rights defenders;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Notes with concern that the parliamentary elections which took place in Afghanistan on 18 September 2010, with a turn-out of around 40% despite the security conditions in the country, have once again been marred by fraud and violence, in which, according to NATO, 25 people lost their lives; regrets that many Afghans have been prevented from exercising their fundamental right to vote;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Recognises, however, that any effort to effectively combat poverty, illiteracy and under-development in Afghanistan must happen within a framework of sustainable human security, and that a possible prevalence of the insurgency would not provide that framework;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Points out that, contrary toAcknowledges the widespread perception that Afghan Government corruption is responsible for the lack of provision of essential services to its citizens, but also notes that the majority of resources for socio-economic development have been channelled through international organisations, regional development banks, NGOs, international contractors etc,, and not through the central government, consultants, NGOs, etc.;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that according to the Afghan Minister of Finance, as corroborated by other independent sources, only USD 6 billion (or 15%) of the USD 40 billion in aid in fact reached the Afghan government between 2002 and 2009; and that, of the remaining USD 34 billion, which has been channelled through international organisations, between 70% and 80% has never reached the intended beneficiaries, the people of Afghanistan;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the EU to set up a centralised database on/analysis of the costs and impact of all EU aid to Afghanistan, for without comprehensive, up-to-date and transparent data about Afghanistan as it is today, any intervention strategy can only be doomed to failureto ensure the monitoring of aid efficiency;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recognises the potential for local corruption but believes that this will be outweighed by theat combating corruption is a priority and can only strengthen thed legitimacy of the Afghan State will gain by being responsible for implementing aid and by ensuring that aid effectiveness indicators and effective monitoring mechanisms, agreed upon by both donors and the Afghan Government, are in placeinstitutions and government;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Believes that much of the blame for the present impasse in Afghanistan rests with early miscalculations by coalition forcesthe Bush Administration, who foresaw a speedy military victory over the Taliban and an easy transition to a stable country run by a legitimate government with strong Western backing, therefore choosing a "light- footprint approach", instead of pushing for a sizeable multinational peacekeeping operation, as was the case in the Balkans;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. BelievRecognises, too, that this, plus the poor performance of international aid and of the Afghan government in delivering isecurity, justice and economic and social development, and the increased use of lethal force by coalition troops, has further alienated ordinary Afghans; believes that peace and stability in Afghanistan can only result from a holistic and comprehensive human security approach, which includes giving priority to the protection of civilians;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recognises that the only possible solution is a political one, and that negotiations with the Taliban – which should take place against the backdrop of a ceasefire – lie at the heart of this process, with the aim of forming a government of national unity which can put an end to the civil war that has raged in the country for almost three decades and ensure the rule of the law and respect for human rights; notes the absence of any statements on the part of the Taliban leadership indicating willingness to embark on an exercise of national reconciliation;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Firmly believes that the EU's three main prerequisites for the peace process must be an Afghan commitment to banishing Al Qaeda or any other terrorist group from the country, the elimination of poppy cultivation, and the willthe undertaking to establish respect for fundamental human rights, and some form of democratic governance, through free, fair, transparent and periodical elections;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Is aware of different views among key players on what form negotiations should take and how inclusive they should be, and expects further elaboration ofn this, at the forthcomings a follow up to the Kabul Conference;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Is aware, too, of the closCondemns in the strongest terms the involvement of the Pakistan Intelligence Service (ISI) with the insurgency, which is intent on making sure Pakistan also gets a satisfactory outcome from any peace dividend;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Stresses, however, that for peace to be allowed to take root in Afghanistan will require all its neighbours to agree to a common position of non-interference; calls for a normalisation of the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan, namely through a final settlement on the issue of the international border between both countries; and calls for a wider regional dimension in international coordination, also involving Afghanistan neighbours such as Iran, India, China and Russia;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Calls on the EU to continue to support the peace process unreservedly, allow, supporting the KarzaiAfghan Government full autonomy in its choice of dialogue's dialogue with its partners, but insisting that the Afghan Constitution and respect for fundamental human rights form the overall legal and political framework for the peace process;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Cannot stress strongly enough the need for a much more active EU role in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, as no lasting peace is possible without significant poverty reduction and sustainable development; recognises that there is no development without security, as there is no security without development;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Urges the EU to encourage the US to move away from its policy of circumventing domestic institutions in the delivery of international aid and the privatisation of security, as well as its parallel and seemingly contradictory (to the peace process) attempt to "decapitate" the insurgency leadership using drones and US Special forces, which is of questionable legal status and results in frequent civilian casualties;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 a (new)
Paragraph 42 a (new)
42 a. Calls for a double-track approach in dealing with the insurgency: on the one hand, maintaining military pressure and protecting the Afghan civilian population; on the other, using every possible opportunity to engage in a credible peace process with those insurgents that are open to reconciliation;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 b (new)
Paragraph 42 b (new)
42 b. Condemns the use of drones by US military forces within ISAF to combat the insurgency in Afghanistan, as attacks carried out by Unmanned Aerial Systems do not distinguish between military and civilian targets, thus causing casualties and endangering the civilian population, with a totally counter-productive effect, besides constituting a serious violation of international law, with dangerous implications for global security;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Points out that the EU Member State military presence in Afghanistan has the objective of combatfulfilling the threaasks set ofut international terrorism and tackling the fight against drug cultivation and trafficking UN Security Council Resolution 1510 (2003) and reiterated several times since (including in Resolution 1890 (2009)), namely: helping the Afghan government extend its authority to all of the territory of Afghanistan, so that it “as well as the personnel of the United Nations and other international civilian personnel engaged, in particular, in reconstruction and humanitarian efforts, can operate in a secure environment, and to provide security assistance for the performance of other tasks” conducive to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Stresses that this presence is totally unrelated tocan help create the security conditions that would allow for recent plans by the Afghan Government to exploit its potentially vast mining and minerals industryto be put into practice, thus providing it with sorely needed own resources for the national budget;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Notes from ISAF sources that of the 94 000 men in the Afghan National Police almost 90% are illiterate, 20% are drug users, and over 30% go missing after a year, not to mention the 1 000 or so killed in service every year;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Proposes that a large-scale training programme be launched and placed, in the first instance, under NATO command, and that EUPOL and national police mission staff be integrated into this new training mission, thereby eliminating duplication, waste and fCalls for improved international cooperation and coordination to ensure effectiveness of the police training progragmmentations;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56 a (new)
Paragraph 56 a (new)
56 a. Notes that police training will not be sufficient to ensure the rule of the law without an independent and competent judiciary system - which is still, shockingly, non-existent in Afghanistan; stresses the urgency of having an international mission properly staffed, resourced and mandated for the long-term task of helping design a comprehensive strategy to ensure the build-up of judicial institutions and capacities in Afghanistan and to assist the Afghan State in setting up a credible system for the administration of justice; suggests that international judges, magistrates and other judicial staff be deployed in the country, temporarily, while such a system is not yet fully operational, in support of national judges and prosecutors, whose salaries should be reviewed in order not to be an incentive to corruption, as they are today; stresses, too, the need for due attention to be given to the particular needs and rights of women and children, in a country with a history of violence and abuse such as Afghanistan in the past decades of war;