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Council Decision 2013/383/CFSP of 15 July 2013 amending and extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative to the African Union

Council Decision 2013/383/CFSP of 15 July 2013 amending and extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative to the African Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 28, Article 31(2) and Article 33 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

  1. On 20 October 2011, the Council adopted Decision 2011/697/CFSP(1) appointing Mr Gary QUINCE as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) to the African Union (AU). The EUSR’s mandate is to expire on 30 June 2013.

  2. The mandate of the EUSR should be extended for a final period of 12 months.

  3. The EUSR will implement the mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 European Union Special Representative

The mandate of Mr Gary QUINCE as the EUSR to the AU is hereby extended until 30 June 2014. The mandate of the EUSR may be terminated earlier, if the Council so decides, on a proposal of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR).

Article 2 Policy objectives

The mandate of the EUSR shall be based on the EU’s comprehensive policy objectives in support of African efforts to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future as set out in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. Those objectives include:

  1. enhancing the EU’s political dialogue and broader relationship with the AU;

  2. strengthening the EU-AU partnership in all areas outlined in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, contributing to the development and implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy in partnership with the AU, respecting the principle of African ownership and working more closely with African representatives in multilateral forums in coordination with multilateral partners;

  3. working with, and providing support to, the AU by supporting institutional development and strengthening the relationship between EU and AU institutions, including through development assistance, to promote:

    • peace and security: predict, prevent, manage, mediate and resolve conflict, support efforts to promote peace and stability, support post-conflict reconstruction,

    • human rights and governance: promote and protect human rights; promote fundamental freedoms and respect for the rule of law; support, through political dialogue and financial and technical assistance, African efforts to monitor and improve governance; support growth of participatory democracy and accountability; support the fight against corruption and organised crime and further promote efforts to address the issue of children and armed conflict in all its aspects,

    • sustainable growth, regional integration and trade: support efforts towards interconnectivity and facilitate people’s access to water and sanitation, energy and information technology; promote a stable, efficient and harmonised legal business framework; assist to integrate Africa into the world trade system, assist African countries to comply with EU rules and standards; support Africa in countering the effects of climate change,

    • investment in people: support efforts in the fields of gender, health, food security and education, promote exchange programmes, networks of universities and centres of excellence, address the root causes of migration.

Furthermore, the EUSR shall play a key role in implementing the Joint Africa-EU Strategy intended to further develop and consolidate the strategic partnership between Africa and the EU.

Article 3 Mandate

In order to achieve the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)/Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) aspects of the objectives referred to in Article 2, the mandate of the EUSR shall be to:

  1. strengthen the overall EU influence in, and coordination of, the Addis Ababa-based dialogue with the AU and its Commission, on the whole range of CFSP/CSDP issues covered by the EU-AU relationship, in particular the Peace and Security Partnership and support to the operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture;

  2. ensure an appropriate level of political representation, reflecting the importance of the EU as a political, financial and institutional partner of the AU, and the step change in that partnership necessitated by the growing political profile of the AU on the world stage;

  3. represent, should the Council so decide, EU positions and policies, when the AU plays a major role in a crisis situation for which no EUSR has been appointed;

  4. help achieve better coherence, consistency and coordination of EU policies and actions towards the AU, and contribute to enhance coordination of the broader partner group and its relation with the AU;

  5. contribute to the implementation of the EU’s human rights policy relevant to the AU in cooperation with the EUSR for Human Rights, including the EU Guidelines on human rights, in particular the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict as well as the EU guidelines on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, and the EU policy on Women, Peace and Security and the EU Action Plan to follow-up on the Decision on the International Criminal Court;

  6. follow closely, and report on, all relevant developments at AU level;

  7. maintain close contact with the AU Commission, other AU organs, missions of African Sub-regional organisations to the AU and the missions of the AU Member States to the AU;

  8. facilitate the relations and cooperation between the AU and African Sub-regional organisations, especially in those areas where the EU is providing support;

  9. offer advice and provide support to the AU upon request in the areas outlined in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy;

  10. offer advice and provide support upon request to the building up of the AU’s crisis management capabilities;

  11. on the basis of a clear division of tasks, coordinate with, and support, the actions of EUSRs with mandates in AU Member States and regions; and

  12. maintain close contacts and promote coordination with key international partners of the AU present in Addis Ababa, especially the United Nations, but also with non-State actors on the whole range of the CFSP/CSDP issues covered by the EU-AU partnership.

Article 4 Implementation of the mandate

1.

The EUSR shall be responsible for the implementation of the mandate, acting under the authority of the HR.

2.

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) shall maintain a privileged link with the EUSR and shall be the EUSR’s primary point of contact with the Council. The PSC shall provide the EUSR with strategic guidance and political direction within the framework of the mandate, without prejudice to the powers of the HR.

3.

The EUSR shall work in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the relevant departments thereof.

Article 5 Financing

Article 6 Constitution and composition of the team

Article 7 Privileges and immunities of the EUSR and the staff of the EUSR

Article 8 Security of EU classified information

Article 9 Access to information and logistical support

Article 10 Security

Article 11 Reporting

Article 12 Coordination

Article 13 Assistance in relation to claims

Article 14 Review

Article 15 Entry into force