Deauville Partnership Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué (September 20, 2011)
1- We, the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Deauville Partnership, met in New York on 20 September 2011. In this period of change, we reaffirmed our profound commitment to the values of democracy and to a sustainable and inclusive economic development which are both key elements of stability and peace in the region.
2- The Arab Spring is today a source of great hope. It originated from the aspirations of the peoples of the region for greater freedom, justice and human dignity. It is both a political and economic challenge that demands immediate and concerted action. The Deauville Partnership launched last May with Tunisia and Egypt is a political and economic response from the G8 and its Partners to the historical events underway in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In Deauville, the G8 members adopted a Declaration on the Arab Spring, and agreed on a long-term partnership with the countries committed to a democratic transition.
3- The Partnership is aimed at MENA countries that are engaged in a tangible and credible transition towards free, democratic and tolerant societies, either through a regime transformation or an evolutionary process. This Partnership should be respectful of national sovereignty.
4- The Partnership adopts a step-by-step approach. The Partnership, based on the request of each country, remains open and inclusive. At this stage, the focus is on five countries: Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and now we welcome the new Libya, which has entered the civil reconstruction phase firmly supported by the international community. Non-G8 countries in the region support the process and will participate in the economic pillar of the Deauville Partnership.
5- International organizations and financial institutions will take their part in the political and economic dimensions of the Deauville Partnership, according to their respective mandates. We welcome the participation of the United Nations (UN), the League of Arab States, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) through its MENA Initiative, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank (WB), working with the other international and regional financial institutions signatories of the Marseille Joint Declaration in support of the economic pillar of the Partnership.
6- We, the Partners, want now to implement the Partnership with concrete achievements with a real long-term impact in both political and economic areas.
7- The political component of the Partnership is a response to individual countries requests for support as they put in place the building blocks of democracy, by encouraging governance reforms, in particular the strengthening of the rule of law, human rights, the fight against corruption, support for civil societies, and for the empowerment of the youth and women.
8- The economic component of the Partnership takes the form of a set of actions, and unprecedented mobilization of a broad set of international financial institutions. It will help reforming governments to meet the aspirations of their people by promoting a broad-based and sustainable growth model more oriented towards economic and social integration, modernization of the economy and integration in the regional and global economy. We strongly believe that these reforms will benefit the poorest and the vulnerable in reforming countries and will favor economic growth and integration in the area. To reach these goals, the Partnership supports progress in the relevant areas: Strengthening of the Rule of Law
9- In order to meet countries’ expectations, we stand ready to provide assistance to achieve needed constitutional and institutional reforms that, we believe, should allow the consolidation of the rule of law, in particular based on equality under the law, the separation of powers, free and fair electoral processes and the independence of the judiciary system. This may include electoral assistance and support for capacity development for administrations. We will also support ongoing local initiatives for decentralization and for a more balanced local development.
10- We stand ready to provide assistance to achieve reforms as regards transparency, openness and meaningful public participation in processes, and fight against corruption. To this end, the accession to and implementation of international instruments in the fight against corruption, such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions, and other related instruments on government integrity and transparency, are also relevant. We will fulfill our international commitments to secure the return of stolen assets, and we will, by taking firm and appropriate bilateral action, and promoting the World Bank/United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, support Tunisia and Egypt to recover those assets.
11- We stand ready to increase our support for reforms in transition countries safeguarding fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of opinion, expression, association, and assembly, and the right to practice religious faith in safety and security. Freedom of the press and the media are key elements of the current reforms undertaken by the Partnership countries in transition. Supporting Civil Societies
12- We will support the ongoing dialogue between governments and civil society, and will help foster the dialogue among civil societies themselves, taking into account inter alia the past and ongoing work of the Forum for the Future, that will convene at ministerial level in Kuwait next November 21-22, in order to respond to, and reflect, recent changes in the region and to enhance the dialogue between the members of the Partnership. We welcome the work done in the three civil society workshops held this year and look forward to the recommendations civil society will present to the Forum.
13- We also welcome the initiatives that the Anna Lindh Foundation is developing within the region, including its contribution to the Alliance of Civilization initiative. Requests for capacity development in this area will be addressed. Special attention will be given to the role and position of women in the transition processes. Developing Education and Vocational Training
14- Education and vocational training will be key to the Partnership’s work. We stand ready to provide assistance in improving quality of education and tackling illiteracy and unemployment, especially among young people, and making vocational training labor-market-oriented in cooperation with the private sector, in order to ensure a qualified workforce to help modernize the economies of the region. We encourage the conduct of benchmarking exercises such as joint OECD/World Bank education reviews to identify and support needs for policy reforms on education with programs such as the OECD Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
15- We, the Partners, seek to encourage student mobility between us and foster greater educational and research linkages between universities. Bilateral and multilateral programs will be sought, including the EU Erasmus Mundus and Tempus Programs under which additional students have already been selected for the 2011-2012 academic year, and the Mediterranean Youth Office (MYO) will be tools of this policy. Exchanges of best practices on programs enhancing the skills of unemployed people, including vocational training, will be encouraged.
Strengthening Economic Development 16- We welcome the communiqué of the Deauville Partnership Finance Ministers meeting in Marseille on September 10. We are committed to give our support to the implementation of the economic and financial agenda of reform and support adopted on that occasion. We welcome and support the plans shared by Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan, which are tailored to each country’s circumstances. We stress in particular the importance of consultation processes to ensure broad-based, multi-stakeholders involvement throughout their development.
17- We note that the enlarged group of international and regional financial institutions supporting the Partnership brings the total amount available for Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan, to USD 38billion in 2011-2013, in support of suitable reform efforts, in addition to resources that could be available from the IMF. We also welcome the coordination platform among the international and regional financial institutions, as expressed in their joint declaration in Marseille.
18- We fully support the efforts of the Libyan authorities to ensure that unblocked assets are used transparently and accountably for the benefit of the Libyan people, and we are firmly committed to release Libyan assets frozen under the UN Security Council resolutions and other decisions where relevant on this basis.
19- We welcome the extension of the geographic mandate of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD), as proposed by its board of directors on 27 July 2011, and we are determined to ensure its quick and effective implementation, as it is essential to secure its crucial experience in supporting transition for the region.
20- Bilateral assistance should also be activated and strengthened to support Partnership countries in their transition process. We welcome the announced bilateral assistance to Partnership countries and commit to ensure timely delivery. Recognizing that the range of tools varies from country to country, we call on bilateral donors to align their support with the national strategies and priorities set out in the country plans.
Supporting Regional and Global Integration 21- Encouraging regional and global integration will be another important aspect of our Partnership. This consists of two complementary forms of political, economic, trade, and cultural cooperation at the regional and global levels.
22- At the political level, as stated by the Deauville Declaration of the G8 on the Arab Spring, we will support the reinvigoration of the existing inter-parliamentarian fora and the development of cooperation among the region between local authorities as a means to establish concrete links between peoples.
23- We underline that regional and global integration is key to the economic development of the Partnership countries, particularly private sector development. This requires action both within the region and with external partners. We are committed to advance and complement our respective bilateral and multilateral initiatives in this regard, including removing barriers to trade and investment. We support acceleration of on-going trade negotiations and efforts for better regional and global integration of the Partnership countries. Globally: § The European Union is taking initiatives, in the frame of its neighborhood policy and under the Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity, to deepen trade and investment relations with interested countries in the South Mediterranean so as to provide broader mutual market access opportunities and economic integration with the EU and to create in the long term a common economic space. This includes, in the short term, the acceleration of on-going trade negotiations, the rapid revision of Pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin, measures to enhance investment and the offer by the EU to launch discussions on Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, which will aim at, in the medium to long term progressively integrating the economy of the Southern neighbors with the EU single market in areas of mutual interest. In parallel, EU member states are actively promoting trade and investment with MENA states. The Union for the Mediterranean will contribute to regional integration with concrete projects; § The United States is launching a comprehensive Trade and Investment Partnership Initiative in the region to facilitate more trade within the region, build on existing agreements (such as the Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with Tunisia and Libya, the Strategic Economic Partnership with Egypt, the Bilateral Investment Treaties with Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan, and the Free Trade Agreements with Morocco and Jordan), to promote integration with the US market, and open the door for constructing a regional trade arrangement for those countries adopting high standards of reform and trade liberalization; § Japan is promoting trade and investment jointly with MENA countries, in particular through the Japan-Arab Economic Forum. Furthermore, Japan will continue to work together with MENA partners in areas such as infrastructures, and industry diversification; § Russia is taking active steps towards boosting trade and investment cooperation with Jordan on the basis of the 2007 Agreement on Mutual Encouragement and Protection of Capital Investments, as well as with Egypt on the basis of the Long-term Program of promoting trade, economic, industrial, scientific, and technological cooperation. Russia will use its agreement with the League of Arab States to explore projects of regional cooperation and social development; § The Canada-Jordan Free Trade Agreement is undergoing parliamentary approval, bilateral free trade agreement discussions with Morocco were recently launched, and Canada and Tunisia have agreed to begin negotiations towards a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement; § Turkey is stepping up efforts to deepen and diversify its engagement with the MENA countries through enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, energy, tourism, transportation, communication, capacity-building, education and culture within the context of bilateral agreements in force or foreseen to be concluded, including those on free trade and visa facilitation. Within the region: § The increasing economic integration of the MENA region will contribute to the development of their economies and to the welfare of the people. We will support efforts by the concerned countries to raise their level of integration in compliance with international standards; § Two sub-regional organizations already foster regional integration: the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), which recently announced plans to deepen integration with Jordan and Morocco. Regional agreements have also been concluded to enhance regional integration, for instance, the Agadir Agreement between Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, and the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement (GAFTA); § At the level of the whole MENA region, the Arab League and its new Secretary General have decided to address the issue according to its mandate.
24- We welcome the decision of the Finance Ministers in Marseille to task the Centre for Mediterranean Integration, drawing on the expertise of the World Bank and in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, to coordinate an analytical report to be completed by early 2012, and to propose short term and medium term recommendations to rapidly provide an appropriate framework to enhance trade and foreign direct investment. Consultations will be held with all relevant actors. Implementation and Follow-up Process
25- We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, will continue working together to help the transition, and address the relevant initiatives to ensure the success of the political, economic, and societal reforms. We will follow progress, notably through a dialogue on the implementation of the Deauville Partnership. To that end, we will follow up and undertake an annual update on progresses under the Partnership, in a spirit of mutual cooperation. Foreign Affairs senior officials will follow up as appropriate. Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Libya will chair meetings with Ambassadors and representatives of the Partners, regularly and as appropriate, in their country, to follow the implementation of the Deauville Partnership.
26- The continuity and coherence of the political and economic components of the Deauville Partnership is essential in this respect. The Foreign and Finance Ministers will cooperate closely with each other to support the reform process in MENA countries, and to maintain the critical momentum of the Partnership. The Foreign Affairs and Finance Ministers will also draw on the work of the Forum for the Future. Regular updates will be provided to the Leaders of the Deauville Partnership members.
27- We welcome the joint statement of the United Nations (UN), the League of Arab States, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for enhanced cooperation and coordination of the efforts to improve governance reform and regional integration, according to their respective mandate, complementing the joint declaration of the international and regional financial institutions signed in Marseille. The joint statement may be open to other relevant organizations with the agreement of the Partners, and we look forward to their contributions. We will ensure that the two platforms created to support common work interact accordingly in areas of common interest.
28- We will meet again as a Partnership under the chairmanship of the United States of America in 2012.
