European Commission wants talks on rights, corruption

The European Commission has called for the opening of consultations with Liberia in the light of the worsening situation in the areas of human rights, democratic principles, rule of law and corruption, the Commission reported on Tuesday. A communication adopted on Tuesday is to be submitted for decision to the EU Council of Ministers, the Commission said. According to the Commission, the political situation in Liberia has deteriorated significantly, freedom of the press has been severely undermined, human rights activists have been threatened and attacked and there is concern about the transparent management of public funds by the Liberian government. The Commission’s proposal is based on a June 2000 Cotonou Agreement between the EU and the 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific states that provides for consultations where a party is considered to have breached its obligations in the areas of human rights and good governance. The consultations, whose purpose is to discuss the problems identified and the measures to be taken to resolve them, would also serve as the basis for a reassessment of EU co-operation with the country. According to the Commission, the EU has been the biggest aid donor to Liberia since the civil war ended in 1996. The aid is channelled and administered by the Commission, without government involvement, to the poorest sections of the population, it said. In 1998-1999, the Commission spent 50 million euros on Liberia, mainly in the area of food aid, food security and the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure. In May this year, EU member states approved a 25-million-ecu programme for the resettlement of refugees and displaced people. The Commission said the programme would allow it to continue its assistance in health, community development, and the supply of water and electricity.