Council Decision 2011/819/CFSPShow full title

Article 3 U.K. Mandate

1. In order to achieve the EU’s policy objectives in relation to the Horn of Africa, the mandate of the EUSR shall be to:

(a) engage with all relevant stakeholders of the region, governments, existing regional authorities, international and regional organisations, civil society and diasporas, with a view to furthering the EU’s objectives and contribute to a better understanding of the role of the Union in the region;

(b) represent the Union in relevant international fora and ensure visibility for EU support to crisis management and prevention;

(c) encourage and support effective political cooperation and economic integration in the region through the EU’s partnership with the African Union (AU) and sub-regional organisations;

(d) contribute to the implementation of the EU’s policy towards the Horn of Africa, in close cooperation with the European External Action Service (EEAS), Union delegations in the region and the Commission;

(e) with regard to Somalia, and working in close coordination with relevant regional and international partners, contribute actively to actions and initiatives leading to the implementation of the Djibouti Peace Agreement and its post-transition arrangements, supporting institution-building, the rule of law, and the establishment of capable governance structures at all levels; improving security; promoting justice, national reconciliation and respect for human rights; improving humanitarian access, especially in South-Central Somalia through appropriate advocacy activities regarding respect for international humanitarian law; and safeguarding compliance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence;

(f) maintain close and active cooperation with the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) Special Representative for Somalia, participate in the work of the International Contact Group for Somalia and other relevant fora, and promote a coordinated and coherent international approach towards Somalia, including, through the European Union military mission to contribute to the training of Somali security forces (EUTM Somalia), EUNAVFOR Atalanta and EU’s continued support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), working closely with Member States;

(g) closely follow the regional dimension of the Somali crisis, including terrorism, arms smuggling, refugee and migration flows, and maritime security, piracy and related financial flows;

(h) regarding piracy, maintain an overview of all EU actions within the EEAS, the Commission and Member States, and maintain regular high level political contacts with the countries in the region affected by piracy originating in Somalia, the regional organisations, the UN Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, the UN and other key actors in order to ensure a coherent and comprehensive approach to piracy and to ensure the EU’s key role in the international efforts to fight piracy. This includes the EU’s active support to regional maritime capacity-building and for the judicial treatment of pirates, and ensuring that the root causes of piracy within Somalia are adequately addressed. It also includes continued support to the ESA/IO region in the implementation of its counter piracy strategy and action plan as well as the Djibouti Code of Conduct;

(i) follow political developments in the region and contribute to the development of the EU policy towards the region, including in relation to the Ethiopia-Eritrea border issue and implementation of the Algiers Agreement, the Nile Basin initiative and other concerns in the region that impact on its security, stability, prosperity, including the challenge of ensuring accountable governments or in cases of outbreak of violence or political breakdown;

(j) follow closely the trans-boundary challenges affecting the Horn of Africa, including any political and security consequences of humanitarian crises;

(k) contribute to the implementation of EU human rights policy in the Horn of Africa, including the EU Guidelines on human rights, in particular the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict as well as on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, and the EU policy on Women, Peace and Security, including by monitoring and reporting on developments as well as formulating recommendations in this regard.

2. For the purpose of the fulfilment of his mandate, the EUSR shall, inter alia:

(a) advise and report on the definition of EU positions in international fora in order to promote proactively the EU’s comprehensive policy approach towards the Horn of Africa;

(b) maintain an overview of all activities of the Union and cooperate closely with all relevant Union delegations.