Security and Development
The European Union recognizes that there is a strong nexus between security and development, as stated in Council Conclusion on Security and Development of 20 November 2007. The document acknowledges the links between security and development and reiterates that there cannot be sustainable development without peace and security, and that without development and poverty eradication there will be no sustainable peace.
This nexus between development and security should influences EU strategies and policies in order to contribute to the coherence of EU external action, on the understanding that the responsibilities and roles of development and security actors are complementary but remain specific. Increasing coherence between security and development, both at a policy and an operational level, is a process that requires short-term improvements and longer term action. As a step in this process and without prejudice to other important areas of the nexus, the Council has identified initial pragmatic actions for increased coherence in some of the areas spanning the security-development nexus: strategic planning, Security Sector Reform, partnerships with regional and sub regional organisations, and humanitarian aid and security.
The November 2007 Conclusions on Security and Development were the start of a process. The General Secretariat of the Council and the Commission, in close cooperation with the Member States, have initiated work to take the implementation of the Conclusions forward.
On one hand, initial actions identified in the Conclusions are increasingly put into practice (joint fact-finding missions, cross-pillar cooperation in the planning and preparation of ESDP operations, etc.). On the other hand, work on the Action Plan is proceeding and is being influenced by lesson learnt from the past. It is to be expected it will be a good basis for concrete steps in specific contexts.
The nexus between Security and Development is also duly taken into account in the framework of the implementation of the EU-Africa Partnership.
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