Foreign Affairs Council, 26/10/2015 - Main results
Main results
Burundi: EU requests the opening of consultations under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement
Burundi
The Council approved a draft letter inviting Burundi's authorities to consultations in application of article 96 of the EU-ACP partnership agreement (the Cotonou agreement). This article defines the procedure in cases where the essential elements of the agreement - namely human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, are not respected.
Migration, refugees, and development
Ministers had an in-depth debate on migration, focusing on how development cooperation can help address the common challenges currently facing Europe and its partner countries. They agreed to step up the EU's level of engagement and strengthen cooperation with third countries on migration both at bilateral and multilateral level.
The High Representative said "Development cooperation is an important element of the EU comprehensive approach to migration. At this last foreign affairs Council meeting before the Valletta Summit with our African partners, we had a thorough discussion on how it can help dealing with refugees, displaced persons, and more generally migratory flows, recognising that our African partners themselves are at forefront of the challenges that we commonly face."
EU-ACP relations
Ministers had an initial exchange of view on future relations between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries in view of the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement in 2020. The Council will come back to the issue in their forthcoming meetings and will continue debating in a very open manner, on the basis of the consultation open on the future of the partnership.
Public consultation - Towards a new partnership between the EU and the ACP countries after 2020
Humanitarian affairs
As record funding figures are outpaced by even greater humanitarian needs, the Council discussed humanitarian affairs in preparation for the World Humanitarian Summit, which will take place in Istanbul on 23-24 May 2016. Ministers stressed in particular the need to reaffirm the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, and the importance of ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law in order to ensure access to vulnerable populations and safety of humanitarian workers.