part 1 of the african peace facility evaluation - European ...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EU foreign policy towards Africa has evolved in the context of successive EDFs and the Cotonou
Agreement (successor to Lomé) over more than half a century. In response to the request of the
African Union (AU) in 2003, the EU created, under the 9 th EDF, a new foreign policy financial
instrument, the Africa Peace Facility (APF), based on the philosophy of building a “developmentsecurity
nexus” as sustainable economic development can only take place in conditions of peace and
security.
Under the 10 th EDF, the APF Action Plan 2008-2010 includes as a general objective to contribute to
the African peace and security agenda through targeted support at continental and regional levels in
the areas of conflict prevention, management and resolution, and peace building. The APF addresses
peace and security following the underlying principles of the Joint Africa – EU strategy (JAES) 1 :
ownership, partnership and solidarity. The 2008-2010 APF specific objectives meet the three priorities
of the Africa-EU partnership on Peace and Security under the First Action Plan (2008-2010), namely:
‣ provide funding for African-led peace-keeping operations (PSOs)
‣ operationalise the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA)
‣ promote a dialogue on challenges to peace and security in Africa.
APSA is made up of several components and structures and includes eight African regional
organisations (RECs), in particular an AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), which is the central AU
decision-making body; a Continental Early Warning System (CEWS); a 'Panel of the Wise', with a
mandate in conflict prevention and resolution, and an African Standby Force (ASF) to be deployed in
peace support operations. This EU commitment was renewed at the 3rd Africa EU Summit held in
Tripoli in November 2010.
The present report refers to Part I of a comprehensive evaluation of the APF: policy-oriented
review focusing on the procedures of the APF and possibilities of alternative future sources of
funding. Part II will be a substantive evaluation of the overall implementation and results.
Despite any reservations over financial procedures, the APF has transformed the way in which the AU
and the EU are perceived in Africa, making them significant players in the peace and security sector.
Each category of stakeholders (AU and AU MS, international and regional organisations, CSOs in
Europe and Africa) speaks positively about APF and its achievements. The recent events in North
Africa remind us that Europe has a direct interest in creating a strong African security infrastructure
functioning all the way down from the AU Peace and Security Council in Addis, to the distant frontiers
where conflicts occur.
Since the creation of APF in 2003, 2 the instrument has evolved considerably, both in scope (under the
JAES) and financial potential. The following table summarises the main changes in the APF between
the 9 th and 10 th EDF:
1 Adopted in December 2007.
2 For a detailed history of APF’s evolution, see annex 1.
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