A3-0195/94

Resolution on the democratization processes in the countries of West Africa

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motions for resolutions by:

(a)Mr Cabezón Alonso and Mr Verde i Aldea on political transition in Equatorial Guinea (B3-1072/92),

(b)Mr Balfe on democratization in Cameroon (B3-1501/92),

-having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having delegated the power of decision to the Committee on Development and Cooperation pursuant to Rule 52 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A3-0195/94),

A.whereas there is no single model for democracy; whereas each country is entitled to choose the democratic model that accords most closely with the type of society in that country,

B.whereas although democratic values are universal, to be democratic, institutions must take account of the specific ethnic and cultural traditions of each country,

C.whereas democracy does not just mean the introduction of a multiparty system and elections, but also includes respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights and the creation and effective functioning of all democratic institutions,

D.whereas the lack of international economic democracy is an obstacle to the economic and social development of the African people and economic problems are used as a pretext by some leaders to suspend the democratization process,

E.whereas decentralized cooperation makes it possible to provide support for grassroots movements as well as political parties, the press, pressure groups and associations all working towards the introduction of democracy; whereas decentralized cooperation is an important feature of the Lomé Convention,

F.whereas structural adjustment programmes which ignore the social dimension, policies of externally operated single-crop farming, and debt are leading to a deterioration in living standards in the countries concerned and such economic and social problems may lead people to gravitate away from democratic values towards authoritarian rule,

1.Congratulates those West African states, political parties and civil societies in general which have opted for democracy and pledged to introduce a democratic political system based on peaceful pluralism, with no exclusion or discrimination, and on respect for human rights;

2.Reminds the Commission and Council of the EU that, like other regions of the world, the new democracies in West Africa face the problem of implementing economic, political and institutional reforms all at the same time, with the resulting financial burden they entail;

3.Calls on the European Union, as a matter of urgency, to take flanking measures aimed at alleviating the adverse effects of the devaluation of the CFA franc on the poorest populations of Western Africa;

4.Calls on the EU and its Member States to continue to provide financial, political and technical support for those states and civil societies which wish to introduce a democratic institutional framework; calls, more specifically, for the introduction of training programmes for those involved in the successful functioning of democratic institutions (such as judges, lawyers, members of the armed forces and civil servants in general) and for the public to be made aware of their democratic rights;

5.Condemns unequivocally the human rights violations and moves by some regimes to block or interrupt the democratization process in certain countries; condemns also the hijacking of democratic institutions by the armed forces;

6.Urges the EU and its Member States to continue to demonstrate their clear support for democracy and to make democratization and the defence of human rights in West Africa a crucial element of cooperation and political dialogue, as is the case in other developing countries;

7.Rejects the notion of a 'useful Africa' entertained by some western governments which are supporting sham democracies and authoritarian regimes for geo-strategic and geo-political reasons;

8.Calls on the EU and its Member States to put an end to any policy of support for sham democracies and authoritarian regimes in West Africa, or in other developing countries, and to maintain sanctions against such regimes by halting cooperation with the governments concerned and continuing to provide only humanitarian assistance, provided this is channelled directly to those for whom it is intended;

9.Calls on the Council and the Commission to ensure that Article 5 of the Lomé Convention is amended and adjusted in line with other conventions concluded with other developing and Eastern European countries in which democracy and human rights are a crucial element of cooperation and where assistance is dependent upon proper respect for such rights and democratic values;

10.Calls on the institutions of the EU to make wider use of decentralized cooperation, as enshrined in the Lomé Convention, with a view to greater involvement of independent, democratic organizations representing grassroots opinion, which are firmly based on the tradition and culture of each country concerned;

11.Urges the Council and the Member States to do everything in their power to ensure that genuine economic democracy is introduced within the international financial institutions;

12.Calls on the Member States to implement wide-ranging debt cancellation measures in order to ease the economic and social pressure on the populations of the countries in question caused by structural adjustment programmes dictated to an excessive degree by economic factors;

13.Commends the activities of the OAU in its efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the civil war in Liberia which will enable Liberia and its neighbours to move towards democracy;

14.Urges the governments of West Africa to work for the harmonious development of opposition movements, political parties, a free press, trade unions and other associations, all of which are tangible signs of democracy and respect for human rights;

15.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the countries of West Africa, the governments of the Member States, the OAU and the UN.