Brendan Howlin
Question:22 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's contribution to the European Union programme for the prevention of violent conflicts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29263/01]
Written Answers. - Conflict Prevention.
Conflict prevention is one of the main objectives of the EU's external relations policy. Under the EU Programme for the Prevention of Violent Conflicts, which was approved by the Gothenburg European Council in June of this year, the EU gives the highest political priority to improving the effectiveness and coherence of its external activities in the field of conflict prevention. Ireland played a very active role in the discussions leading to the adoption of the EU programme at Gothenburg.
Under the programme, conflict prevention will be integrated into all relevant aspects of the EU's external relations, including European security and defence policy, development co-operation and trade. The programme emphasizes the need for early warning and monitoring of potential conflict situations. It also addresses the need to make more effective use of EU instruments for long-and short-term prevention, and to develop partnerships with other organisations working in the field of conflict prevention. In elaborating policy in this area, the EU has consulted with the UN and the OSCE, as well as with non-EU countries. The EU programme affirms the primacy of the role of the United Nations for conflict prevention.
The EU programme provides for the Council to undertake a broad consideration of potential conflict prevention issues at the outset of each Presidency. This review, which complements the yearly orientation debate on the external activities of the EU, allows the Council to give consideration to on-going and emerging crises around the world and enables it to review and discuss instruments for early warning and conflict prevention available to the EU.
In keeping with this commitment, the General Affairs Council held a debate on conflict prevention in July, at the beginning of the current Belgian Presidency. This debate allowed the Council to give broad consideration to on-going and emerging crises around the world and to discuss priorities for future work. The Council emphasised the need to continue to increase co-operation with relevant international organisations and non-governmental organisations. The Council called on all EU institutions to mainstream conflict prevention within their areas of competence. I contributed to the debate at the Council of Ministers in July, which signalled the EU's commitment to set clear political priorities for its conflict prevention activities. I look forward to revisiting this matter in January when the incoming Spanish Presidency will hold a further debate to complement the annual orientation debate on the EU's external activities.