31 Amendments of Ana GOMES related to 2012/2026(INI)
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the fight against Al-Shabaab and the lack of clear political and economic stabilityState governance in Somalia, the renewed tensions and risk of conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, the conflict-prone regions of Abiyei and Darfur, the political transition in Ethiopia after the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea and Somalia, the tensions between Eritrea and Djibouti, and the terrorist activities of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) all contribute to making the Horn of Africa one of the most conflict-prone and tense regions in the world;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas, the Horn of Africa is also one of the poorest and most lacking in governance regions of the world; whereas human insecurity and food insecurity in particular compound acute humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa; whereas the international community has failed to address in a preventive manner human security, drought and famine in the region;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the vicious cycle of insecurity, instability, poverty, bad governance can only be successfully and efficiently addressed through a comprehensive, holistic approach that commits to developing in a sustainable way the countries of the region; whereas the Horn of Africa demonstrates the development-security nexus, being a region where criminal activity, namely terrorism and piracy, flourishes as a consequence of extreme poverty and bad governance, or absence of State governance;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas prolonged instability in the Horn bears consequences for the security of the neighbouring countries, the continent and, due to terrorism networking in the region, may come to affect the security of other regions, such as Europe, the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas according to the UNHCR, there are over one million Somali refugees scattered throughout the Horn of Africa, mainly in Kenya and Ethiopia, and 1.3 million internally displaced people (IDPs) within Somalia; whereas internal conflict, Al-Shaabab terrorism and consecutive drought crises are at the core of the exodus and people displacement in Somalia, tangibly affecting the whole region;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the ongoing political instability and conflict in Somalia have virtually destroyed any prospects of economic, sustainable development; whereas the lack of stable democratic and economic prospects for the population, particularly the young, coupled with an absence of democracy, the rule of law, governance and human security provides fertile ground for encouraging criminal activities, including piracy and drug smuggling, and sustains terrorist groups such as Al- Shabaab; whereas, regrettably, for many Somalis piracy constinues to be seen by some Somalis as the only profitable and viabletutes the only source of income and means to a higher standard of living;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas during Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's ruling for over 21 years Ethiopia became Africa's biggest aid recipient despite political repression; whereas reported human rights abuses perpetrated by the Government and security forces range from arbitrary arrest and conviction of thousands of Ethiopians, including journalists and opposition activists under the restrictive Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, to forced control of Muslim religious organisation, landgrabbing and displacement of indigenous populations; whereas no independent domestic or international organisation has access to all of Ethiopia's detention facilities, making it impossible to determine the number of political prisoners and others arbitrarily detained or their condition; whereas the restrictive Charities and Societies Proclamation, adopted in 2009, continues to severely hamper basic rights monitoring and reporting activities carried out by Ethiopian civil society organisations;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the passing away of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi may have profound national and regional consequences, creating an opportunity for the new leadership to open up the political space, repeal repressive laws and engage in an all inclusive political dialogue towards a democratic transition; whereas an inclusive democratically-elected government in Ethiopia is the only way to prevent the spreading of instability, radicalism and unrest in the country, which threatens Ethiopia's role in counter-terrorism;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas, after 20 years of independence and under the government of President Isaias Afewerki, Eritrea is one of the most repressive and closed countries in the world with a tremendously poor human rights record which includes the imprisoning, torturing and killing of its citizens; whereas on5 July 2012 the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution strongly condemning the continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights committed by the Eritrean authorities, the severe restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, and the forced conscription of citizens for indefinite periods, appointing also a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, to break the country's isolation, investigate and report on abuses; whereas Swedish-Eritrean citizen Dawit Isaak remains incommunicado in jail without trial in Eritrea for 11 years;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. whereas the EU, US, AU, the UN and the international community have failed to pressure Ethiopia and Eritrea to solve the border demarcation dispute, namely by failing to make Ethiopia abide by the ruling of the Independent Boundary Commission; whereas that grudge has been used by the Isaias dictatorship in Eritrea to repress the people and to interfere in regional conflicts;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B e (new)
Recital B e (new)
Be. whereas, on 26 September 2012, the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan signed a long awaited cooperation agreement, allowing for the resumption of oil flows from the south through the north, the demilitarization of the buffer zone along the border, the reopening of cross-border trade and the freedom of movement of citizens from both sides; whereas both countries have yet to agree on the status of Abyei and other disputed areas;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B f (new)
Recital B f (new)
Bf. whereas South Sudan faces serious political, economic and security challenges, namely concerning inter- communal violence and lack of solid governance structures; whereas the ongoing civilian disarmament, called "Operation Restore Peace," started in March 2012 in response to inter- communal violence in Jonglei state, has led to reported abuses committed by the army forces against civilians;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B g (new)
Recital B g (new)
Bg. whereas peace remains elusive in Sudan's western region of Darfur and in the southern states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile; whereas human rights organisations continue to report indiscriminate bombings in civilian areas by governments forces, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, mass looting and destruction of property; whereas the ongoing violence has triggered a lasting and worrying humanitarian crisis
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda have provided valuable military and political support for the efforts to achieve stability in the region, thereby provnamely through AMISOM, the African Union mission in Somalia, thereby endeavouring that a viable solution for security and stability in the region can be African-owned and African- led, with the active support of the international community; whereas the African Union (AU) is a valuable partner for peace and stability in the region;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the EU strategy for the Horn of Africa and urges for its implementation, respecting, and in particular its comprehensive approach based on tackling development, human security and stability concerns, whilst addressing the underlying causes thereof; supports the five-pronged strategy based on: (i) building democratic, robust and accountable political structures in all countries of the Horn of Africa; (ii) working with the countries of the region, regional and international actors and organisations to resolve conflicts; (iii, by addressing their root causes; (iii) promoting sustainable economic growth and reducing poverty by responding to the basic need for development of the countries in the Horn; (iv) ensuring that existing insecurity in the region does not threaten the security of other states; (iv) supporting efforts to promote economic growth and reduce povertyneighbouring states nor other regions or countries; and (v) supporting regional political and economic cooperation;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the important contribution made by EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA to maritime security off the coast of Somalia by protecting World Food Programme chartered vessels delivering aid to Somalia and other vulnerable vessels, as well as supplies to AMISOM; welcomestakes note of the Council decision of 23 March 2012 prolonging EUNAVFOR Atalanta to December 2014 and extending its mandate to target the operational bases of pirates onshore; urges the Member States to ensure that EUNAVFOR Atalanta is properly supported with adequate surveillance and patrol ships, as well as with the means for pursuing pirates on land;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses, as it did in the past, the fact that even though EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA is a valuable mission in the context of the implementation and development of the CSDP, it will fall short of successfully curtailing piracy and its consequences if a comprehensive strategy is not put in place in the Horn of Africa, and particularly in Somalia, to address the reasons that draw Somalis into piracy and criminal activity for income;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the decision by the Foreign Affairs Council of 12 December 2011 to establish a regional maritime capacity- building initiative, called EUCAP Nestor, in order to strengthen the maritime and judicial capabilities and training of coastal police forces and judges in five countries in the Horn of Africa and the western Indian Ocean; calls for close coordination with other initiatives, including the EU's MARSIC project, under the Critical Maritime Routes Programme sponsored by the Instrument for Stability; believes that only by enhancing the coastal security capabilities of the riparian countries will the EU and its partners be able to withdraw their naval patrols fromachieve the wider goal of stability and security for the areagion;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the decision of July 2011 to extend and refocus the mandate of the EU Training Mission (EUTM) based in Uganda; nevertheless calls for the close monitoring of all recruits trained by EUTM, in order to ensure that they are integrated into the Somali armed forces and that any defections are immediately notified and investigated; also calls for the close monitoring of the chain of payments for training forces, to ensure that they reach their intended beneficiaries and generate motivation, allegiance and commitment, thereby ensuring that the ability to take ownership remains with the future security forces of Somalia;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the need for close strategic coordination amongst all security-related actors, in particular EU-NAVFOR ATALANTA, EUTM Somalia and EUCAP Nestor, as well as NATO (Operation Atlantic Shield), the UN and AMISOM; believes that the decision by the Council of 23 March 2012 to activate, on an ad hoc basis, the EU Operations Centre should facilitate greater EU coordination in the framework of the Strategy for the Horn of Africa, which will prove vital for addressing the multiple challenges in the region as no single-handed approach will achieve the end of conflict and human insecurity in the region;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls, as a matter of urgency, for assistance to the justice and penitentiary systems of the countries that have concluded transfer agreements with the EU (Kenya, the Seychelles and Mauritius), as well as support for the Somali authorities to ensure that they have the judicial capacity and legal due processes, in accordance with iInternational Law, namely International hHuman rRights standardsLaw, to handle captured pirates and Al-Shabaab militants;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view that more resources could be invested in IGAD in order to promote a system of good governance, as well as effective political dialogue and consensus-building mechanisms in and amongst all its member states; recalls that it will be of the utmost importance to promote a regional institutional framework for dialogue and coordination amongst the countries of the region, with particular reference to Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, which, as the key players in the region, need to continue to coordinate efforts and pursue shared objectives; further recalls that IGAD could provide an adequate framework for dialogue and coordination relating to the exploitation of vital natural resources such as water;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. TakHopes the view that Ethiopia in particular has a strong democratic potential and a long-standing tradition of civil society engagement; and that renewed efforts should be made to promote dialogue with the Ethiopian authorities on further democratic reforms; stresses the importance of continuous assistance to South Sudan with a view to creating and sustaining an effective civil society; strongly believes that the new instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights should include ad hoc financing lines for the Horn of Africa; at under the leadership of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, appointed on September 21st 2012, Ethiopia engages in a process of genuine democratic transition; stresses that the current approach of the EU and the international community towards the Ethiopian government's oppressive stance risks fuelling legitimate grievances within the Ethiopian society, giving rise to radicalisation and violence targeting the west, with regional repercussions; urges the EU and the international community, to tie political, military and development assistance to concrete democratic reforms, which must include the release of all prisoners of conscience, such as journalists and opposition members, the admission of UN special rapporteurs on human rights with unhindered access to all the regions and detention facilities, the repeal or amendment of the Charities and Societies Proclamation and the Anti- Terrorism Proclamation and the return of the opposition in exile; calls on the EU to find innovative and secure ways to assist financially and politically the struggling civil society in Ethiopia and engage in close dialogue with the opposition, both in Ethiopia and in exile;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Takes note of the outcome of the 20 August 2012 presidential elections in Somalia; urges all political actors in Somalia to commit to democracy, the rule of law and human rights, as the only means out of the vicious cycle of poverty, underdevelopment and insecurity; Stresses that the end of the TFG's mandate is a key test of the potential of Somalia as a functioning state; believes that it will be importantcrucial to facilitate an inclusive political dialogue in Somalia and promote consensus-building processes to support the new government of Somalia; stresses that viable and inclusive economic structures and a system of revenue-sharing for future oil and gas exploitation in Puntland, for the benefit of the whole country, will be essential for the long-term sustainability of Somalia as a federal state;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Urges the EU and all regional and international partners to take the most of the opportunity created by a new government in Somalia which, coupled with the apparent decline of the Al- Shaabab surge in the country, provides for potential to open a new political era in Somalia; stresses, therefore, the need for the international community, namely the EU, to stand ready to provide support to legitimate and democratic authorities in the field of institutional capacity building, SSR, DDR, and to support civil society; urges the HR/VP to make sure that EU action in Somalia fosters a free, open society that respects and upholds human rights, namely women's rights and minorities' rights, enables the empowering of women and ensures gender balance in all sectors of society;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines the very positive example of Somaliland, which has demonstrated its capacity to develop and consolidate its democratic, economic and administrative structures over more than twenty years; notes that Somaliland has so far been very successful in consolidating security and stability on its territory and in cooperating in the fight against piracy and terrorism; expresses concern, however, that should Al-Shabaab regroup in its mountainous border regions, Somaliland may become vulnerable; stresses, therefore, that it is essential to support Somaliland in the fight against terrorism, including promoting economic diversification and building capacity for youth employment to curtail recruitment amongst the young; stresses that in the quest for a solution for the long- term stability and security of Somalia it is important to evaluate the positive example of Somaliland's stability; notes that Somaliland currently seeks re-recognition as a separate state in its own right;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Government of Ethiopia to formally endorse the Boundary Commission's virtual demarcation between Eritrea and Ethiopia as final and binding; calls on the Eritrean Government to agree to engage in dialogue with Ethiopia in order to address the process of disengagement of troops from the border and physical demarcation in accordance with the Border Commission's decision, as well as the normalisation of relations with Ethiopia, including the reopening of the border; calls on the international community to devise a roadmap to assist Eritrea in restoring its political and economic structures and create the capacity for long-term sustainability and effective functioning; emphasises that all assistance which does not pursue humanitarian objectives should be made strictly conditional on a commitment by the Eritrean authorities to facilitate a democratic transition and the improvement of the human rights situation in the country;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the international community to devise a strategy to engage with Eritrea and defend the interest and needs of the Eritrean people, while pressing the regime and military forces to allow access of international organisations, prepare long- promised elections and open up political space in the country; emphasises that all EU assistance which does not pursue humanitarian objectives should be made strictly conditional on a commitment by the Eritrean authorities to facilitate a democratic transition and the improvement of the human rights situation in the country , with transparent and tangible benchmarks;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. StressWelcomes the urgent need for an agreement on the sharing of oil revenues between Sudan and South Sudan and that a renewed conflict between the two could have dire consequences for the sustainability of South Sudan as a newly independent state and imperil regional stabilityagreements reached by Sudan and South Sudan on resuming oil exports and border demilitarisation and calls on both countries to respect them; calls on both states to cease the harbouring of, or support to, rebel groups against the other State; recommends that both leaders continue talks in order to reach agreement on the status of Abyei and order disputed areas in accordance with the AU Roadmap and UN Security Council Resolution 2046 as soon as possible; supports the efforts of the AU panel headed by the former South African president Thabo Mbeki to resolve all outstanding issues, and calls on the EUSR for Sudan and South Sudan to make all possible efforts to ensure that the Mbeki panel retains a central role in promoting a solution between Sudan and South Sudan; calls on the EUSR for Sudan and South Sudan to coordinate with the Head of Delegations in Sudan and South Sudan to ensure that EU engagement, political efforts and assistance maintain a very high degree of visibility;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Stresses the importance of the EU's continuous assistance to South Sudan with a view to providing capacity building for the South Sudanese public administration and law enforcement authorities, creating and sustaining an effective civil society and promoting good governance; urges the EU to press for the ratification and of key international human rights treaties by South Sudan and assist the South Sudanese authorities in their implementation; condemns the reported abuses against civilians by the military forces in the demilitarisation process and calls on the South Sudanese Government to conduct an independent investigation into the events in order to hold soldiers accountable and repair the victims;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Strongly condemns all acts of violence committed against civilians in violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Sudan; urges the EU and the international community to agree on an unified approach to addressing the protection of civilians and ending human rights violations, particularly in Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile; Calls on the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/ North to enter immediately into direct talks to agree on a complete cessation of hostilities and to reach a political settlement on the basis of the 28 June 2011 Framework Agreement as stipulated in UN Security Council Resolution 2046; stresses the importance of keeping international actors in the conflict zones and urges Sudanese authorities to ensure their safety, along with that of civilians; Recalls the EU's and Member States' responsibilities of enhanced support and cooperation with the International Criminal Court in implementing arrest warrants of Ahmad Muhammad Harun, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein and President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir;