Afghanistan is a priority for the EU too
Adelina Marini, April 17, 2009
A little after the American president announced his new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as his plans for nuclear non-proliferation, the European Commission presented its new programme to fight terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The new programme is for three years and was announced today on the eve of the donors’ conference for Pakistan. The programme includes for the first time global counter-terrorism measures developed by the Commission together with experts from EU Member States. Key priorities are Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as the Sahel region in Africa which makes it possible, if the programme is implemented, for joint actions between the US and the EU. Until now for the 8 years of president Bush, this was almost impossible because of the different approaches of the transatlantic partners which lead to the media division Venus and Mars or the soft and the hard power.
Another serious global problem has also been included in the programme, which as also prioritised by the US - the fight against maritime pirates, especially in the region of the Gulf of Aden. The programme of the EC envisages enhancing the capacity of coastal states to patrol their own territorial waters and exchange information.
A serious problem for the realisation of the programme for its period 2009-2011 is the financing: the EC has determined a budget of 225 million euro for the three years of the programme.