The Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin held a meeting to discuss the quality of EU Aid. MEP Gay Mitchell gave some examples of the importance of the European Parliament as legislator in ensuring Europe's quality of international cooperation. He also emphasised the importance of international aid as an instrument for the EU, and demonstrated Irish leadership in this important area of EU policy. Koos Richelle, Director of EuropeAid gave an overview of the improvements realised in recent years under the Agenda of Aid Effectiveness. Mirjam van Reisen, Director of EEPA, gave examples of Irish involvement that had allowed important decisions for the EU's international cooperation programme, especially to ensure strong accountability and transparency. She warned that the European External Action Service, a diplomatic agency that will bring Member States' foreign policies closer together under one umbrella, should not be burdened by the implementation of development policy as this would complicate already ambitious goals that have been set in the Lisbon Treaty in the area of external policy. She urged that the Treaty was clear on the separation between development and humanitarian aid on the one hand, and the diplomatic service on the other. She urged that with the European Commission as implementing agency and the European Parliament's control accountability and transparency was best ensured.

Click here for the keynote speeches, presentation and video.
Click here for some pictures in our Photo Library.

At the moment 130,000 Bhutanese are living outside the country of whom 110,000 are living in the UNHCR registered refugee camps in Nepal. The other 20,000 refugees who have been resettled in various western countries are facing serious adjustment problems. In the past few years the dire situation of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) has gained in importance on the agenda of the EP. It is within that context that SAAPE, Eurostep and EEPA would like to draw attention to the refugee problem of the Bhutanese people. With a letter they invited the MEPs to raise the problems that these refugees face within the EC and the EU Member States.

Click here to read the letter.

Today (18 September 2009), the European Council issued a declaration on political prisoners in Eritrea. In this document the European Union expresses its deep concern about the Government of the State of Eritrea severely violating its human rights obligations under domestic and international law. In particular, the European Union urges the Government of the State of Eritrea to unconditionally release all political prisoners. EEPA hopes that this declaration is a step for the EU to insist on political dialogue between the EU and Eritrea in which the severe situation of political prisoners is addressed.

On 18 September 2001 a group of eleven prominent members of parliament and of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice, the only political party in Eritrea, was arrested. Five days later, on 23 September 2001, ten independent journalists were also arrested. Since then, other individuals have been arrested and detained incommunicado, with their rights to a due process suspended. For a few years now, the European Council has been issuing declarations on political prisoners in Eritrea on the anniversary of 18 September. For more information on the declarations, see the links below.

• 18/09/2009 - Declaration on behalf of the European Union on political prisoners in Eritrea (original version)
• 22/09/2008 - Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on political prisoners in Eritrea
• 20/09/2007 - Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on political prisoners in Eritrea
• 18/09/2006 - Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on political prisoners in Eritrea

On 7 September 2009 the European Commission and the Eritrean government concluded a 122-million Euro agreement for the implementation of development programs in Eritrea for 2009 to 2013. 70 million Euro will be channeled towards achieving food security, 34 million Euro for expanding infrastructure facilities, 10 million Euro towards promoting social services  and 8.3 million Euro will be directed towards the preservation of national heritage. In addition a 7 million envelope for humanitarian assistance was agreed. At a meeting called by Human Rights Watch human rights defenders denounced the agreement and claimed the aid was keeping the military regime in power.

Click here for a report of the meeting.
Click here for the HRW report.
Click here for more information on the CSP Eritrea-EC.

On 9 September, U Win Tin, a senior leader in Aung San Suu Kyi's political party the National League for Democracy (NLD), published an impassioned and powerful article in the Washington Post outlining a call for international support for the Burmese democracy struggle.

The author is risking his life by writing this article. He already spent 19 years locked up as a political prisoner in Burma, and by speaking out against the military regime he is putting his own life on the line.

Some international observers, such as U.S. Senator Jim Webb, are using language of fear in pressuring the NLD to participate in showcase elections the Burmese regime has scheduled for next year. This article is the Burmese democracy movement's rejection of that pressure and makes it clear that the election will only result in permanent military dictatorship.

Click here to read the article.