Capacity building in support of security and development: Enabling partners to prevent and manage crises

Events in Africa, in Europe's neighbourhood and beyond point to a dramatic and deteriorating global security situation, with more than 1.5 billion people living in fragile and conflict affected regions worldwide. On current trends, this number is projected to grow to 2 billion by 2030. Countries in fragile situations have not reached the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), making violent conflict and poor governance continuing crucial developmental challenges. Fragility and violence have also been fuelled by new threats such as terrorism and organised crime.

Coordinated external action that makes use of the European Union's (EU) diplomatic, security, development and humanitarian tools is essential to restore confidence and ensure that partner countries' institutions are equipped to meet the challenges. The EU's external action instruments have different and complementary roles. The link between security and development is a key underlying principle of the EU's comprehensive approach to external conflicts and crises and complementary to the internal security policies, maritime security and others. However, the EU's comprehensive approach needs to be strengthened to cover gaps in the current EU response. For example, this may be the case where training has been provided by Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions, but its sustainability and effectiveness has been hampered by a lack of basic partner country equipment.

In addition, it is important to note in this context that there are a number of significant political frameworks relevant to both security and development, some of which are under review. This includes, for example, the European Neighbourhood Policy, the post-2015 development framework, the Strategic Review on Foreign Policy but also the Maritime Security Strategy and the European Agenda on Security.

On the basis of the December 2013 European Council conclusions and the April 2014 EU-African Union (AU) Summit Declaration, this Joint Communication identifies shortcomings and proposes remedial measures. While it addresses the issue of equipment to support partner countries' security capacity building, it does not address the provision of lethal weapons. The EU will not provide such equipment.

ESO: Background information: Enabling partners to manage crises – From ‘train and equip’ to capacity-building http://www.europeansources.info/record/enabling-partners-to-manage-crises-from-train-and-equip-to-capacity-building/

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