the Courier ACP-EU

88 Pages·2008·25.35 MB·English

the Courier
ISSN 1606-2000
the magazine of ACP-EU development cooperation
N°196 January-February 2003
Contents
Postal Address
The ACP-EU Courier
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Belgium
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ACP General Secretariat
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¡[email protected]
http://www.acpsec.org
Publisher
Koos Richelle
Director of Publications
Leonidas Antonakopoulos Meeting point
2 Sustainable industrial development: alleviating poverty by
Editor
Dorothy Morrissey fostering productivity growth. An interview with UNIDO's
[email protected] Director General Carlos Magariños
tel: [phone]
Journalist
News
François Lefèbvre
franç[email protected] 6 EU-Cuban relations: taking further steps towards Cotonou
tel: +32,2.295.50.33
membership
Contributor 8 Female genital mutilation: women step up the campaign at
Maurizio Carbone international level
[email protected]
tel:[phone]
Production ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Mounia Lakhdar-Hamina
[email protected] 10 The 5th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly
tei: +32.2.299.48.58
11 Seeking a way forward: comment by Rob Davies, Member
of the South African Parliament
Documentation
Constance Lusinde Zainati
14 Looking through the prism of history: comment by Karin Junker,
[email protected] .
Vice President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly and Member
tel: [phone]
of the European Parliament
Subscriptions
fax: [phone]
Pacific
Cover:
Asmara, Eritrea. 16 Niue, the smallest ACP state: Premier Young Vivian pays a first
Female worker in the Berbere herb
visit to Brussels
mill in Medeber market.
©Stefan Boness/Panos Pictures
Published in English and French Focus
every two months.
18 Towards more effective development cooperation:
Signed articles represent the opinions the EU's coordination and harmonisation initiative
of their authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of 21 Lorenzo Natali Prize for journalism: recognising truth,
the EU or the ACP Group. perseverance and courage.
The boundaries on maps used in
Launch of the 2003 prize
the magazine do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by 23 Sakharov Prize 2002: human rights activist honoured
the EU or the AÇP Group. Articles
and non-copyrighted photographs 24 Forgotten children of war
may be reprinted, provided the
following credit is used "Reprinted
from the ACP-EU Courier".
Issue n°196 - January-February 2003
Industrialisation _Dossier
Manufacturing development and de-industrialisation:
re-thinking the infant industry concept
Should developing country industrialisation policies encourage
processing of primary commodities?
Can Africa industrialise through enterprise clusters?
Transnational corporations and developing countries:
big business, poor peoples
From industry to productive capacity: promoting local value
chains
Promoting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in ACP
countries in the context of industrial development
Moving from small-scale trade to production:
the missing link in Angola
African cashew nuts in a harsh world
Burkina Faso: a missed opportunity for shea butter producers
Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE): an institution
on the front line. Interview with Fernando Matos Rosa
Industrialisation, the financial sector, diasporas
and the European Investment Bank (EIB)
European Aid to ACP States: does it increase investment?
Culture
56 Cinema: Nha Fala
_5S Senegal _Country report
60 Political changeover: the challenges ahead
62 A brighter economic future?
64 EU-Senegal cooperation: a new basis
66 Forum Civil: ten years an advocate for transparency
69 Senegal's mangrove forests: problems and prospects
70 PAPA-SUD: increased support for artisanal fishing
The ACP-EU Courier is the voice
of the ACP-EU partnership in 71 From top to bottom - Senegal's decentralisation programme
political, economic and social
73 The Regional Vocational Training Centre (CRFP)
cooperation. This relationship can be
traced back 45 years to the Treaty of 75 Democracy under close surveillance
Rome. The two sides have set up
77 Casamance: between war and peace
joint institutions and are involved in
an ongoing political dialogue. 79 Profile
'4
The partnership was last renewed on
23 June 2000 with the signing of the 80 Books
Cotonou Partnership Agreement,
covering a 20-year period. 81 Maps
As well as the political dimension,
this agreement provides for intense
cooperation in the trade area as the
Appeal to readers
EU seeks to ensure that the ACP
countries do not suffer
marginalisation in the current
multilateral trade negotiations To enable us to provide you with the magazine which best fulfils your needs,
(Doha Round).
feedback from you is vital.
The partnership has always focused
We have drawn up a questionnaire, asking for your views on the magazine,
on development assistance which
targets the twin objectives of which we ask you to complete. You will find it in the middle of the magazine.
poverty reduction and sustainable Please remove it and send it, completed, to the address indicated.
development.
You can also fax it or reply to the questionnaire on-line:
Giving voice to men and women
from ninety-three EU and ACP http://europa.eu.int/comm/publicat/courier/index_en.htm
countries across the globe facing
the future in a spirit of partnership: Your answers are very important to us.
that is our mission. Thank you for your help in improving your magazine.
_meeting point
Sustainable industrial development:
alleviating poverty by fostering productivity growth
Industrialisation is a key element in the promotion of sustainable development by
creating productive employment and generating value added income and hence
making a significant contribution to the eradication of poverty. As part of the United
Nations (UN) system, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
has responsibility for promoting industrialisation throughout the developing world in
cooperation with its Ί69 Member States. In this interview, UNIDO's Director General
Carlos Magariños answers the Courier's questions on how to forge a stronger
consensus on the role of industrialisation within the general development paradigm.
Maurizio Carbone
In the past two years the international community has promoting the greater well­being of all people, trade liberali­
made concrete progress towards achieving the sation can onlv benefit the developing countries if they have
Millennium Development Goals. Doha, Monterrey and sufficient productive capacities to generate tradable goods and
Johannesburg show that the developed world is il their products satisfy international norms and standards. In
committed to eradicating world poverty. What was this sense, the UN system could do more. In particular,
UNIDO's role in these major conferences? Is there a increased efforts are needed to promote technology coopera­
common, coherent strategy within the UN system on tion, innovation and competitiveness. For instance, UNIDO
how to promote industrial development? is participating actively in the task force on technolog}7 estab­
In a nutshell, the outcome of the three major conferences lished under the Millennium Project directed by Jeffrey Sachs.
can be summarised as follows: Doha recognises that interna­ Furthermore, I intend to initiate consultations with the
tional trade cooperation has to heed better the needs of the Executive Heads of several other UN agencies to identify
developing countries; Monterrey celebrates a consensus on avenues for increased cooperation within the UN system in
how development is to be financed; and Johannesburg this area. It is also important to note that the UN Secretan­
strengthens the international resolve to achieve development General has been mandated by the General Assembly to
in ways that are sustainable. From UNIDO's perspective it include the topic of industrialisation in his yearly report on the
was of paramount importance to see the role of the productive implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's
sector properly highlighted in these processes. While there is Development. UNIDO will cooperate ver)' closely with the
general agreement now that trade has to supplement aid in Secretan­ General in this area.
Thinking about industrialisation and
industrial policy has undergone many
' shifts in the post-war period. What lessons
år- have we learned since the 1960s?
ΨΜ Spil With respect to industrialisation, the part
played by 'industry in development' — if it was
ever seriously questioned — is full)' recognised
­ again. In particular, the key role of manufactur­
r^^F ing industry for growth ­ based mainly on tech­
nology­driven increase of productivity and some
^ ^^^H essential "co­factors', like human skills or appro­
priate institutions ­ is undisputed. As regards
It is the role of governments to formulate a
national vision, to achieve consensus and
unite the key stakeholders of society
behind such a vision, as well as. eventually,
to create the conditions for unleashing the
dynamism of the private sector in achieving
that vision
the Courier ACP­EU n° 196 january­february 2003
.meeting point
policy, the new lessons take into account, in particular, the faceted develop­
question marks about the role of industrial policy in the success ment problems
stories of Japan and the East Asian Tigers. The core of the new of African coun­
thinking is that functioning markets and private agents acting tries, it seems
in these markets matter most, also for the development of reasonable to
industry and its contribution to growth. However, they must expect that in
not be left to themselves completely, if the goal is to promote the near future,
and accelerate industrialisation and growth effectively. In areas the decline of
where markets fail predictably, public policy has to step in. industry - as
Prominent among such areas, where public intenention is reflected, for
expected to enhance welfare, are those to do with the creation instance in
as well as the diffusion of knowledge and information. It is the decreasing per
public-goods chatacteristics of all kinds of knowledge that are capita manufac­
at the roots of market failure and thus provide a rationale for turing output of
policies to correct it. Another broad field for policy-making is African Least
that of building institutions required for and conducive to sus­ Developed
taining and accelerating the development of industry. Countries - will
Economic theorising and recently empirical results too point to be arrested, stas,-
the pivotal role of institutions for sustained growth (also of and nation lifted and
through industry) and to the fact that policies are at the core of turned into
establishing fruitful institutional settings, which can vary wide­
increase before long. Based on this scenario, industry can be
ly between countries.
expected to make its much-needed contribution (through
growth) to .a substantial reduction of poverty by 2015, as stat­
With the exception of some East Asian countries and to ed in the first of the Millennium Development Goals.
a lesser extent China, almost all developing countries
have experienced a process of industrial regression or Are there different paths to industrialisation? Or do you
de-industrialisation. Can the industrial sector still play a think that greater export-orientation is the only "game
role in the fight against poverty and marginalisation? in town"?
By addressing the economic and social causes of poverty, Although export-oriented industrialisation may not be the
industry can play a major role in helping to overcome it. The only path, it seems to be the most promising one by far for
indirect contribution of industry through its promotion of eco­ most developing countries. There are a number of reasons
nomic growth, which is a necessary condition for a sustainable for this. The first one goes back to Adam Smith's dictum
reduction of poverty, is undisputed. The direct contribution of about the division of labour being limited by the extent of
industn' to poverry reduction, though more narrowly defined the market. Only very few developing countries have domes­
and thus limited, is nevertheless significant, and includes the tic markets large enough to induce a pattern of specialisation
creation of jobs for clearly disadvantaged groups like unskilled leading to an efficient allocation of resources. In addition to
workers. For most developing countries, the greatest benefits allowing for an optimal pattern of specialisation, world mar­
can be derived through a pattern of industrial specialisation in kets provide the chance for the smaller economies to exploit
accordance with the principle of comparative advantage. In scale effects in their production. Furthermore, exposure to
addition, an industrialisation strateg)' meeting the needs of international competition as a rule leads to increases in tech­
rural development can also be expected to have positive effects nical efficiency with the ensuing gains for growth. Further
with respect to poverty reduction in the affected areas. increases in productivity come from knowledge acquisition
By contrast, the topic of marginalisation reflects broader associated with export activities, or simply from "learning by
issues or how developing countries can take full advantage of exporting ".
the potential benefits of the rapidly advancing process of glob­
alisation. In this context it may be noted that industry can act The experience of leading industrialised economies
as a key agent for securing developmental benefits from rapid shows that innovation and technological change are
international integration, with respect to trade, investment and key elements of the industrialisation process. Do you
technolog)' transfer. In the case of ttade, for example, manu­ think that applying and adapting imported technologies
facturing industry is a sector producing tradable goods only. If is the only option for developing countries?
this production meets the standards of international competi­ The adoption of imported technology is clearly not the
tiveness, it forges a most important link to world markets. only feasible path to industrial development, although it
Similar global integration effects occur in industry with respect may often be the most appropriate one. Empirical studies of
to investment and the transmission of knowledge. A prudent economic growth - including some carried out by UNIDO
industrialisation strateg)' may thus be seen as an indispensable - have shown that technological progress is the achievement
element in fighting economic marginalisation. of a relatively small number of industrialised countries, and
that the remaining industrialised and virtually all developing
What can we expect in the near future for Africa? economies can realise large productivity gains from the
Expectations for Africa in the not too distant future are built adoption of this technology. A prerequisite for the successful
around this renewed view of what industrialisation can do for use of foreign technolog)', and the learning processes associ­
development at large and of the attendant 'economically cor­ ated with it, is some own effort in research and development,
rect' policies. Given what we know today about the multi- which, however, does not have to result in a large volume of
n° 196 january-february 2003 the Courier ACP-EU r(- Τ3 Λ
.meeting point
world-class innovations. One of the reasons why it is pru a black-and-white perspective on FDI. It was either consid
dent for "technological followers" to concentrate on the ered a devil in disguise or counted on as the panacea for
adoption, adaptation and utilisation of industrial-technolog development. In reality, the challenge is to utilise FDI as a
ical knowledge transmitted from abroad is that this type of mechanism to benefit the entire economy. This, by the way,
knowledge displays clear traits of an international public also implies working with those transnational corporations
good. It offers a foundation on which developing countries that look beyond a crude short-term profit maximisation
can base their technological advances without foregoing the strategy. What comes into play here is corporate social
possibility of their own, albeit limited, innovative activity. responsibility — an issue that is also high on the agenda of
the EU. Also, let us not forget that, for successful industri
What can the international community do to close alisation to take place, heavy reliance on FDI is not the only
this technological divide? option. For instance, the Republic of Korea - during its
In addition to promoting the international integration of take-off phase in the 1970s and 1980s — relied mostly on
the industrial sectors of developing countries, more direct other forms of technology acquisition such as licensing
support to building agreements. At the same time, it is true that most develop
industrial capacities in ing countries have assigned a prominent role to attracting
the less industrialised FDI flows and the technological and managerial know-how
countries can be offered that comes with it. While the benefits can be tremendous,
through technical coop there are some risks which need to be carefullv monitored.
eration between these These include a possibly negative impact on the balance of
countries and the inter payments when the levels of imported technology, raw
national community. In materials and components are high and the outflow of prof
the field of industry, its and dividends puts a burden on the current account.
such cooperation can Other risk factors relate to a possible "race to the bottom"
take many forms, cover in terms of competing with generous investment incentives,
ing areas ranging from and to the danger of creating a dual economy with a mod
investment and technol ern enclave-type foreign sector co-existing with traditional
ogy promotion to busi domestic firms. Clearly, therefore, the key policy challenge
ness support services is one of linking the nvo areas. This starts with attracting
and further to energy- FDI into the most appropriate sectors, and requires build
efficiency and cleaner ing up the physical and institutional infrastructure that
production methods. In would allow and foster business linkages between foreign-
this context, the provi invested and domestic firms. We at UNIDO are support
sion of direct support ing developing countries in creating such linkages.
for the building of insti
tutions tailored to cer
The small-scale industry sector is often seen as an
tain aspects of industrial
alternative to big firms. Small and medium sized
development and to the
enterprises (SMEs) play a leading role in creating
specific conditions pre
employment in low-income countries, especially in
vailing in a given devel
Africa and Asia. But there is also evidence that, while
oping country is partic
only a very small percentage of SMEs graduate, the
ularly important. This
majority of them remain small or disappear.
may be complemented
I would not consider small enterprises as an alternative to
by the provision of appropriate policy advice for the simple-
large ones, be they domestic or foreign-owned. Rather, they
reason that good institutions result - in a cumulative
are a complement to big businesses. It is essential to build
fashion - from good policies.
up an industrial sector that effectively combines large,
medium and small enterprises. Many researchers see the
The basis for any industrial strategy is a national key weakness of poor developing countries exactly in hav
vision of industrial development. Governments play a ing a myriad of informal micro enterprises on the one hand
key role in allowing heavy foreign involvement in and just a few large enterprises on the other. These
industrialisation, through foreign direct investment economies are lacking the so-called "missing middle" of
(FDI) by multinational corporations. What are the risks dynamic small and medium companies that are so impor-
of a too "dependent" industrial policy?
First of all, it is important to underline the premise of
your question: yes, it is indeed the role of governments to
formulate a national vision, to achieve consensus and unite
the key stakeholders of society behind such a vision, as well In the past, there was often a black-and-white
as, eventually, to create the conditions for unleashing the
perspective on FDI. It was either considered a
dynamism of the private sector in achieving that vision.
This is fundamentally different from previous times when devil in disguise or counted on as the panacea
governments prepared so-called industrial master plans
for development. In reality, the challenge is to
pretty much in a top-down manner. The role of FDI needs
to be considered in this context. In the past, there was often utilise FDI as a mechanism to benefit the entire
economy
the Courier ACP-EU n° 196 january-february 2003
.meeting point
2 '^¡¿¡Wy^Æ
¡if ^ ^M For most developing countries, the greatest
\ fg benefits can be derived through a pattern of
*ÉË 3 industrial specialisation in accordance with the
ι principle of comparative advantage. If this
*­­ production meets the standards of international
|W^ competitiveness, it forges a most important link
PPCLpj­^ to world markets.
tant for a resilient and flexible economic structure. Also, (for instance Chile, Brazil and Mexico) and in South Asia
just relying on small enterprises with low­productivity (most notably in the Indian sub­continent). In Africa, SME
would not be a viable strategy under an international trade clustering has been under­researched. The limited evidence
regime in which the most competitive firms worldwide will available suggests a large number of under­performing clus­
prevail. In the long run, the artificial protection of ineffi­ ters with hundreds and even thousands of micro­scaled
cient enterprises is likely to be socially expensive and would enterprises, often in the metalworking and repair sector.
only increase adjustment pressure in the future. The task at The degree of specialisation and collaboration of these
hand is to make micro and small enterprises more produc­ enterprises is low. Moreover these clusters face very severe
tive, to increase their efficient use of resources and to move infrastructure problems both in terms of utilities (e.g.
them towards more consistent output patterns and higher roads, electricity, information technology) and institutions
quality' products. A lot can be done in this direction: from (e.g. contract enforcing, law and order). These features
supporting technology and management upgrading to fos­ limit the capacity of enterprises to reach global markets and
tering cooperation such as in sectoral clusters and, most improve quality and technology. However, these clusters
importantly, facilitating their participation in regional and offer an environment conducive for the development of
international trade through helping them to comply with entrepreneurship and skills. Provided infrastructure is
increasingly demanding technical and environmental stan­ developed, it is likely that "collective efficiency" might
dards. The goal must not be to relegate poor developing emerge.
countries to low productivity activities but to promote a
gradual process of productivity enhancement and innova­
Finally, the relationship between industrial
tion. Micro and small enterprises are a starting point in this
performance and pollution. The last UNIDO report
direction, a breeding ground for domestic entrepreneurship
shows that it is not necessarily the most advanced
and not an end in themselves.
countries that pollute most. It is generally believed
that industrial development compromises the
You discussed some of the constraints that small firms environment: is that a misperception then?
face. You did not mention access to credit... Yes indeed. Progressing industrialisation does — rather
In my view, the key issue here is not access to credit. No would ­ compromise the environment, if nothing were done
doubt, finance is important ­ be it micro­credit, conven­ about it. The danger comes from the sheer volume of pollu­
tional loans or equity capital. But equally, if not more impor­ tion and resource depletion associated with increasing world
tant, are business development services that help new entre­ industrial output, and here the advanced countries still figure
preneurs to identify potential markets, to improve product prominently. However, it is also clear that the more advanced
quality, to select and acquire new technologies, to apply a country is, the less it tends to pollute in relative ­ for some
clean production approaches efficiently, to exchange experi­ pollutants even in absolute ­ terms. All this underlines the
ence and to cooperate, such as in industrial clusters. In other importance of strong efforts to make industrial production
words, injecting finance alone, without ensuring the techno­ cleaner, in view of the inexorable rise of world levels of indus­
logical and managerial upgrading required, will not do the trial production in the context of overall development. The
trick. major instruments for achieving such goals are technological.
Hence it must be seen as a primary objective to transfer envi­
You referred to industrial clusters. Can the "industrial ronmentally sound technology to the developing countries in
district model" guarantee Africa the necessary large measure and at the fastest pace possible. Leveraging the
flexibility for international competitiveness? complementarities of developmental and environmental
efforts has the potential to maximize the contribution of
Whereas 15 years ago, SME cluster development seemed
industrial expansion to fairer and more environmentally
to be a prerogative of OECD economies, the last decade
responsible sustainable development. ■
witnessed successful cluster experiences in Latin America
n° 196 january­february 2003 the Courier ACP-EU ΓΓ)
news
EU-Cuban relations
Taking further steps
towards Cotonou membership
The year 2003 marks a decisive step in strengthening the relations
between the European Union and Cuba. On 8 January Mr Perez Roque,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, sent a formal request for accession to
the Cotonou Agreement. In February, a European Commission Delegation
opened in Havana.
Maurizio Carbone
Over the past 18 months much progress has been However, following the 12th evaluation of the CP, on
achieved in relations between the European Union and 10 December 2002 in the conclusions of the General
Cuba. Two meetings at high political level took place Affairs and External Relations Council, the Council intro
(in Havana in December 2001 and in Copenhagen in duced two important modifications while reconfirming the
November 2002) and a further meeting is planned for the CP principles. Firstly, there will no longer be limitations on
end of 2003. However, although Cuba is now a full mem development cooperation measures provided they meet the
ber of CARIFORUM and has recently signed a partial free main objectives of the CP. Secondly, the periodic reviews of
trade agreement with CARICOM, it is the only country in the CP are extended from six to 1 2 months.
Latin America and the Caribbean that has not yet signed a The opening of the new Delegation in February 2003
cooperation agreement with the European Union. represents a further step in this process of rapprochement
Nevertheless, the EU is Cuba's most important partner in between the EU and Cuba. "Cuba and the EU are tied
terms of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), as well together in an important strategic partnetship. A partner
as a major tourist provider. In 2001, EU exports to Cuba, ship based on our historical ties but also on the fact that the
which have doubled over the past ten years, stood at €1.43 EU today is Cuba's main trading partner, major source of
billion, while imports from Cuba reached €581 million. As foreign investment, first provider of tourists and its princi
for FDI, the EU's share exceeds 50 per cent of total foreign pal partner in development cooperation. I am convinced
investment in Cuba. that from now on we will travel together some way towards
the goal of fostering a democratic and prosperous Cuba,"
Strengthening political dialogue stated Poul Nielson, EU Commissioner for Development
The basis of the EU policy towards Cuba is the Common and Humanitarian Aid.
Position (CP) adopted in 1996. In the first paragraph, the
CP states that "the objective of the European Union in its Application for membership
relations with Cuba is to encourage a process of peaceful Another event will allow Cuba and the EU to turn a page
transition to pluralist democracy and respect for human in their relations. Following an announcement made on 8
rights and freedoms". On the basis of this position, the December 2002 by President Castro Ruiz in Havana before
European Commission has been able to provide, since 1993, a meeting of all CARICOM Heads of Government, Cuba
close to €145 million in assistance programmes to Cuba formally applied for accession to the ACP-EC Partnership
(see table). The CP has been confirmed every six months. Agreement (the Cotonou agreement) on 8 January 2003.
G L O B A l
Mm "* - DE
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Vp ot 0 1 0 ' rTARP.AA
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news
"The expression of this desire takes into account the his­ ship. It should be remembered that Cuba joined the ACP
torical bonds forged by the Republic of Cuba with the ACP Group on 14 December 2000, thus placing the EU in a
States and the EU Member States, the similarities of its eco­ position of having a partnership agreement with the ACP
nomic­productive structure with that of the rest of the ACP Group from which Cuba is the only country not benefit­
States and the active participation that the Republic of ing.
Cuba has been undertaking since its accession to the ACP However, if Cuba is accepted by the ACP­EU Council of
Group in December 2000", stated Mr Felipe Perez Roque. Ministers as a new member (which is subject to the con­
This application for accession follows the granting of clusion of the ratification process in the Member States), it
informal observer status for the Economic Partnership could not receive funds under the 9th EDF provision, as
Agreement (EPA) negotiation process. As formal status allocation has already been made. Article 94 establishes that
could only be granted to candidate countries of or signato­ any accession "may not infringe on the benefits enjoyed by
ries to the Cotonou agreement, Cuba was admitted as an the ACP States signatory to this Agreement under the pro­
informal observer during the "all­ACP" phase of the EPA visions on development co­operation financing." This does
negotiations. The first "all­ACP" phase is intended to be not prevent the EU, as was the case for South Africa, from
used for clarification and explanation on a certain number adding a specific budget line to finance cooperation proj­
of salient issues that concern the ACP as a group. The ects under the Agreement. Financial and commercial bene­
regional phase, due to be launched in September 2003, will fits under Cotonou, some Member States point out, is sub­
involve negotiating key issues such as market access, region­ ject to fully respecting the stipulations of Article 9 (which
al market building, and economic integration. refers to democracy, human rights, and rule of law). The
two phases, however, must be kept distinct. Whether it
Cuba's request for Cotonou membership will be assessed
meets the democracy and human rights criterion is to be
on the basis of Article 94 of the Cotonou agreement. This
decided once Cuba becomes a full member of the
article states that any "independent State whose structural
Agreement and not at the moment of the application. ■
characteristics and economic and social situation are com­
parable to those in the ACP States" is eligible for member­
EU-Cuba development cooperation
Poor relations with the US are a major handicap for Cuba's participation in many multilateral insti­
tutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the Inter­American
Development Bank (IDB). Cuba, therefore, enjoys little multilateral development assistance. Its main
donors are the UN agencies, such as the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN development
Programme (UNDP), and UNICEF.
As for the European Union, Cuba receives aid bilaterally from the Member States and from the
European Community (EC). The bulk of assistance provided by the Member States goes into economic
support measures targeting in particular the furthering of trade and investment opportunities for
European companies, vocational training, small­scale agricultural support and local infrastructure.
Since 1993, the EC has financed close to €145 million in assistance measures: most of this money
(about €90 million) is in the field of humanitarian affairs through ECHO, the EC Humanitarian Office.
The food security programme has also been a major provider of funds, with a total of some €20 mil­
lion. Since 1998, the budget lines 'co­financ­
ing of NGOs' and 'economic co­operation
EC cooperation with Cuba 1997­2001
with Latin America countries' have become
(commitments in M€)
increasingly used for projects in Cuba, with
funding reaching €18.8 million and €14.8 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
million respectively in the period 1998­2001. Humanitarian aid 10.3 9.S 11.4 2 8.5
Disaster prevention 0.9
The Commission decided in 2000 to phase
Food security 0.2 02 0.7 I 0
out humanitarian aid on a programmable
NGO co­financing 0.6 2.4 2.8 8.2 5.4
basis, since Cuba was no longer in a state of
Economic co­operation 1.1 2 2.1 5.8 4.9
generalised emergency, and instead to with LA countries
mobilise financing for projects that promote EIDHR 0 0 0 0 0.5
economic reform and the development of 12.2 14.4 17 20.2
civil society. Source: European Commission
n° 196 january­february 2003 the Courier ACP-EU (j)
news
Female genital mutilation:
women step up the campaign at
international level
At the initiative of three associations (Associazione Italiana Donne
per lo Sviluppo [AIDOS], No Peace Without Justice [NPWJ] and
Tanzania Media Women's Association [TAMWA]), and supported
by a number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs),
dozens of women's associations from all over the world met on
10 and 11 December 2002 on the occasion of World Human
Rights Day at the European Parliament in Brussels, for the
"STOP FGM; international campaign" conference, launching an
international campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation.
Moussa Sdwdduyu
"Yes to respect for other cultures, but only if tion in the size of the vulval opening. The most radical
they respect human rights": this was the gist of the pro form of genital mutilation is known as 'infibulation'.
posals presented by Mrs Anna Karamanou, MEP and FGM is generally carried out on young girls of between
President of the Committee on Women's Rights and four and twelve years of age as a rite of passage from
Equal Opportunities. childhood to adulthood. Sometimes it is carried out just
Female genital mutilation is a traditional practice that after a woman gives birth to her first child.
is particularly common in Africa and the Middle East, According to the WHO (World Health Organi
and it consists of the partial or total ablation of a zation), some 130 million women and children, princi
woman's external genital organs. It may involve the par pally in Africa, have suffered FGM. The phenomenon
tial cutting of the external genital organs and a reduc continues, with an average of two million instances per
m
1
-
*m
'
' Maake women in
Lesotho
participating in a
- female circumcision
ceremony
^
8 ) the Courier ACP-EU n° 196 january-february 2003