The EU-ACP partnership (Cotonou agreement)

Sally Nicholson ENPI workshop November 06

Cotonou Agreement

• Partnership between EU and 78 countries in Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP countries)

• Trade agreements, Development aid, Political dialogue, participatory approaches

• Commitments from all partners to environmental integration into programming

• European Development Fund is the financial instrument of the Cotonou Partnership

European Development Fund (ACP)

0

5

10

15

20

25

EDF 6(1985-1990)

EDF 7(1990-1995)

EDF 8(1995-2000)

EDF 9(2000 -2007)

EDF 10(2008-2013)

EDF Commitments €bn

New guidelines for aid programming

• European Development Consensus – emphasises need for environmental integration and highlights environment as a focal sector

• New, improved guidelines for Regional and Country Strategy Papers

• Country environmental profiles obligatory• Environmental analysis is part of the overall CSP diagnosis• Enhanced role for non-state actors – consultation and direct

grants • Use of Strategic Environmental Assessments

Support to WWF offices in ACP

• Manual in French and English and Summary • Training workshop in Africa • Production of brochures for use by colleagues in Africa• Newsletter to offices in ACP countries • Facilitation of support from European NOs and sharing of

information

Indications to date

• Civil society outreach has not been as effective as hoped• Parliamentarians in ACP countries not in the picture• Little participation of other ministries in the process

BUT• Evidence that Country Environmental Profiles are being

done• Environment has been proposed as a non-focal sector in

some countries/regions • Finnish presidency has stressed natural resource needs

Access to information

• Need for availability of information and documentation so that civil society can play its part

• Eg Availability of Country Environmental Profile for the consultations on the draft strategy papers

• Access to Environmental Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessment

• WWF writing to EC country delegations and asking MEPs to ask questions of Commisson