EU sets new aid condition

By Emmy Allio The European Union (EU) parliament has passed a resolution to stop debt relief and aid to countries violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Uganda, Rwanda and other countries with troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo fall in this category, although they were not mentioned in the resolutions. The parliament resolved that debt relief and aid from EU countries to African Carribean and Pacific (ACP) countries should be linked to good governance, respect for human rights, democracy, rule of law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Uganda and Rwanda have troops in Congo backing various rebels fighting to topple the President Laurent Kabila, who is backed by troops from Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia. The 33-point resolution of the parliament that sat on October 26, says to stop armed conflicts in the Great Lakes region, Horn of Africa and other parts of Africa, 'smart sanctions' should be imposed on the countries involved in the conflicts. Smart sanctions involve refusal of certain visas, the freezing of assets and limitation of military cooperation, including arms exports or trade relations. Resolution 14 reads, "Stop unspecified budgetary support to countries involved in armed conflicts." The EU parliament, in its resolutions, also strongly condemned the use of child soldiers and urged all ACP and EU countries to ban their use. Ends.