Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1012 of 21 June 2021 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa

Article 1

European Union Special Representative

The mandate of Ms Annette WEBER as the EUSR for the Horn of Africa is extended until 31 August 2024.

The mandate of Ms Annette WEBER as the EUSR for the Horn of Africa is extended until 31 August 2026.

The mandate of Ms Annette WEBER as the EUSR for the Horn of Africa is extended until 31 August 2027.

The Council may decide that the EUSR’s mandate be terminated earlier, on the basis of an assessment by the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the “HR”).

Article 2

Policy objectives

• (a) the stabilisation of the Horn of Africa, with a focus on broader regional dynamics, including at country level, where relevant for the stability of the region, with a particular focus on Sudan;

• (b) the state-building process in Somalia, transitions e.g. in South Sudan, peace and implementing transitional justice processes in Ethiopia, as well as the prevention and early warning of potential conflicts between or within countries in the region, including transboundary disputes, and contribution to their peaceful resolution;

• (c) the political, security, sustainable economic regional cooperation and joint multilateral action, in particular with the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD);

• (d) a negotiated solution on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the promotion of transboundary cooperation in the whole Nile Basin;

• (e) the security, stability and cooperation around the Red Sea.

Article 3

Mandate

• (a) actively contribute to the implementation of the Strategy and enhance the overall coherence and effectiveness of Union activities with a view to further deepening and strengthening the Union’s relationship and partnership with the Horn of Africa, its countries and organisations;

• (b) engage with all relevant stakeholders in the region, national governmental and non-governmental actors, regional authorities, international and regional organisations, civil society, youth, private sector and diasporas, with a view to furthering the Union’s objectives, and contribute to a better understanding of the role of the Union in the region. In this context, the EUSR shall regularly travel to all the countries in the region;

• (c) engage with relevant actors outside the region, in the interest of tackling issues of broader regional stability, including the GERD, the Red Sea, the Western Indian Ocean and the security transition in Somalia. Contacts shall include bilateral engagement with, as appropriate, the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the countries of the Gulf, Egypt, as well as regional contacts with the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Council of Arab and African States on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and other relevant international actors;

• (d) represent and promote the interests and visibility of the Union in relevant regional and international fora;

• (e) encourage and support effective political and security cooperation and sustainable economic integration in the region through the EU’s partnership with the AU and regional organisations, in particular IGAD. The EUSR shall initiate/steer, support and promote conflict resolution mechanisms, in particular Africa-owned and also Middle Eastern/North African ones, with a view to furthering effective prevention, de-escalation and peaceful settlement of disputes and for reconciliation by encouraging dialogue, negotiation and mediation;

• (f) follow political and security developments in the region and contribute to the development of the Union’s policy towards the region, with a view to advising on and formulating concrete proposals for action, including in relation to Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, the Sudan-Ethiopia border dispute, the Somalia-Kenya tensions, Kenya’s regional role, the Nile dispute, the security around the Red Sea, promoting regional integration and other concerns in the region that impact on its security, stability and peaceful and inclusive development. The EUSR shall also contribute to the Union early response and strategic and long-term vision of the Union in the Horn of Africa;

• (g) continue to mobilise regional and international support for implementing transitional justice, including accountability for human rights violations during the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia, in close cooperation with the Heads of Union delegations and Member States’ missions. The EUSR shall also contribute to supporting nation-wide peace and reconciliation efforts in Ethiopia, on the basis of inclusive and transparent dialogue. The EUSR shall pursue efforts addressing the regional consequences of the multiple crises in Ethiopia, including in the Amhara and Oromia regions;

• (h) continue to encourage stronger support from regional and international stakeholders, to critical peace and state building processes in Somalia and South Sudan. As a complement to the efforts of the Head of the Union delegation and Member States, the EUSR shall support Union’s State-building efforts in Somalia, including the development of the security sector. In this regard, the EUSR shall feed into the reflexions related to the use of the European Peace Facility, and to the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations in the region. With regard to South Sudan, in close cooperation with the Head of the Union delegation, the EUSR shall continue to work closely with the UN, IGAD, AU and other relevant international partners to uphold their support to peace efforts and the overall stabilisation of the country;

• (i) engage with Eritrea, insisting on a constructive agenda at regional level, including on the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia;

• (j) continue to represent the Union in its capacity of observer to the AU-led talks on the GERD. Working in close coordination with the Heads of Union delegations and the Member States’ missions to Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, the EUSR shall contribute to support dialogue as well as cooperation between the parties building trust and developing confidence-building measures which could help incentivize a resolution of the GERD dispute. More broadly, the EUSR shall contribute to Union’s effort to step up engagement in water diplomacy in the whole Nile Basin;

• (k) encourage cooperation, dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes around the Red Sea and build privileged relations with regionally-owned initiatives. In close coordination with Union delegations and Member States’ missions in the region, the EUSR shall contribute to develop an integrated approach to the wider Red Sea region and help to build an inclusive agenda of cooperation on the Red Sea among relevant regional and international actors;

• (l) follow closely and promote cooperation to address cross-border challenges affecting the Horn of Africa, notably on radicalisation and terrorism, maritime security and piracy, border disputes, all forms of trafficking, including trafficking in human beings, illicit financial flows, and any political and security consequences of humanitarian crises;

• (m) promote humanitarian access and respect of IHL and the protection of civilians;

• (n) contribute, in cooperation with the EUSR for Human Rights, to the promotion of human rights through the implementation of Council Decision 2011/168/CFSP ([^E0001]) and the Union’s human rights policy, including the Union Guidelines on human rights, in particular the Union 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 Union’s policy regarding UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions on Women, Peace and Security as well as UNSCR 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security. This shall include exchanges with the International Criminal Court, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and with human rights defenders;

• (o) contribute to addressing the growing impact of climate change on peace and security. This shall include ensuring that prevention and peacebuilding activities take account of climate and environmental related security risks.

• (a) advise and report on the formulation of Union positions in regional and international fora, as appropriate, in order to proactively promote action based on partnership and mutual accountability and strengthen the Union’s integrated approach towards the Horn of Africa;

• (b) contribute to maintaining an overview of all Union activities and cooperate and coordinate closely with relevant Union delegations and Member States.

Article 4

Implementation of the mandate

Article 5

Financing

The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the EUSR’s mandate for the period from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2024 shall be EUR 4 744 381,14 .

The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the EUSR’s mandate for the period from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2026 shall be EUR 5 098 000 .

The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the EUSR’s mandate for the period from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027 shall be EUR 2 701 444,65

Article 6

Constitution and composition of the team

Article 7

Privileges and immunities of the EUSR and the EUSR’s staff

The privileges, immunities and further guarantees necessary for the completion and smooth functioning of the EUSR’s mission and the members of the EUSR’s staff shall be agreed with the host countries, as appropriate. Member States and the EEAS shall grant all necessary support to such effect.

Article 8

Security of EU classified information

The EUSR and the members of the EUSR’s team shall respect the security principles and minimum standards established by Council Decision 2013/488/EU ([^E0002]).

Article 9

Access to information and logistical support

Article 10

Security

In accordance with the Union’s policy on the security of personnel deployed outside the Union in an operational capacity under Title V of the Treaty, the EUSR shall take all reasonably practicable measures, in accordance with the EUSR’s mandate and the security situation in the area of responsibility, for the security of all personnel under the EUSR’s direct authority, in particular by:

• (a) establishing a specific security plan based on guidance from the EEAS, including specific physical, organisational and procedural security measures, governing management of the secure movement of personnel to, and within, the area of responsibility, as well as the management of security incidents, and including a contingency plan and evacuation plan;

• (b) ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the Union are covered by high risk insurance, as required by the conditions in the area of responsibility;

• (c) ensuring that all members of the EUSR’s team to be deployed outside the Union, including locally contracted personnel, have received appropriate security training before or upon arriving in the area of responsibility, based on the risk ratings assigned to that area by the EEAS;

• (d) ensuring that all agreed recommendations made following regular security assessments are implemented and providing the HR, the Council and the Commission with written reports on their implementation and on other security issues within the framework of the regular progress reports and a final comprehensive mandate implementation report.

Article 11

Reporting

The EUSR shall regularly provide the HR and the PSC with oral and written reports. The EUSR shall also report to Council working parties as necessary. Regular reports shall be circulated through the COREU network. The EUSR may provide the Foreign Affairs Council with reports. In accordance with Article 36 of the Treaty, the EUSR may be involved in briefing the European Parliament.

Article 12

Coordination

Article 13

Subrogation of rights

For the purposes of ensuring the respect of legal commitments entered into by previous EUSRs for the Horn of Africa with regard to their team members, the procurement of works, supplies or services and the rental of land, buildings or other immovable property, the EUSR shall succeed to, and assume the rights and obligations of, such previous EUSRs, with the exception of obligations arising from serious misconduct for which such previous EUSRs shall remain solely responsible.

Article 14

Review

The implementation of this Decision and its consistency with other contributions from the Union to the region shall be kept under regular review.  The EUSR shall present the Council, the HR and the Commission with regular progress reports and a final comprehensive mandate implementation report by 31 May 2027.

Article 15

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

[^E0001]: Council Decision 2011/168/CFSP of 21 March 2011 on the International Criminal Court and repealing Common Position 2003/444/CFSP (OJ L 76, 22.3.2011, p. 56).

[^E0002]: Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1).