Referring to a special communication to the ministers’ meeting of the EU’s High Representative Javier Solana, Dr Frendo said that Mr Solana admitted in his letter that, in the otherwise highly successful Artemis Operation, the development and humanitarian element was insufficient.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion, who has specific responsibility for Development and Malta’s Development Policy, said that the credibility of the EU’s foreign and security policy (EFSP) and the credibility of the Union’s development programmes depended on this quick and effective response.
“We need to be able to respond effectively to situations where innocent and defenceless people are subjected to violence and death by armed groups. The EU must be the effective defender of their right to life,” said Dr Frendo.
This connection between security and development is long-standing and requires a structured holistic approach within the structures of the European Union, the Maltese Minister said.
Minister Tom Kitts, Ireland’s Minister of Development, referred to this issue in his conclusions and said that he will be raising this particular issue with Javier Solana.
Finally, Dr Michael Frendo said that the European Union should also ensure the strengthening of the United Nations in its peacekeeping functions. The European Union does not only have the responsibility of coherence in all the aspects of its external relations but also a responsibility to ensure that in the United Nations its member states give full support to the strengthening of the UN peace-keeping capabilities as linked to development and humanitarian issues.
On Monday, Dr Frendo together with the Irish Minister for Development Tom Kitt and Agnes Van Ardenne, Dutch Minister for Development, was a key speaker in Dublin at a Conference on External Relations and Human Security organised by Dochas, the Irish National Platform for non-governmental organisations involved in development and humanitarian aid overseas.
This was the first gathering of Development Ministers from the twenty-five EU Member States since Enlargement. Ministers discussed a number of other development issues relevant to the global development debate including the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and the effectiveness of the European Union development policy. The European Union is the largest donor of Overseas Development Assistance in the world.
Dr Frendo spoke about Malta’s contribution to the EU Development Policy as a new member state and particularly mentioned Malta’s knowledge of the Mediterranean region, its special sensitivity due to history of being colonised and its development experience as a member of the Commonwealth.