Human rights and democracy in the world: Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP debate on the annual report 2023
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Madame President, Honourable Members,
I wish to thank the Rapporteur, [Nacho] Sánchez Amor, and also other Members who contributed to this report on human rights and democracy. As it states in this report, the human rights situation is worsening across the world.
We all have received the news of the death of Alexei Navalny in Russia with consternation. Today, the EU continues working to address many other human rights abuses and humanitarian law violations. In countries worldwide.
Your report includes a long list of countries and cases from China to Belarus, from Afghanistan to Nicaragua and so on.
We just spoke under the previous item on the Israel/Gaza war. What is clear is that all cases deserve our full attention and there should be no hierarchy of victims.
At the same time, democratic backsliding continues from the military coup in the Sahel region to the unsuccessful attempts to thwart the democratic transition of power in Guatemala.
Alternative narratives try to change universally agreed human rights law and challenge the international order.
The UN and its Secretary General [António Guterres] have the full support of the European Union. We are leading the necessary reforms, building alliances with partners across continents, and in particular, we are insuring the better involvement of the Global South.
Honourable Members,
The European Union cannot impose radical changes on third countries. What we can do is keep all possible channels of communication open with the different parties, and continue to develop our toolbox and instruments in support of human rights and democracy.
The EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy has been reinforced financially though the Global Europe Human Rights and Democracy Programme with €1.5 billion for 2021-2027.
Last December, the 25th EU NGO Forum gathered 250 human rights defenders worldwide on: “Youth as actors of change for human rights”. It also commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to uphold and advance human rights.
At the very first Foreign Affairs Council in the mandate of the High Representative, he proposed the creation of an EU Human Rights sanction regime to hold those responsible for gross violation of human rights accountable.
With the political support from this Parliament, it was swiftly approved.
Since 2020, the EU has used this sanctions regime to impose restrictive measures against perpetrators around the world including in China, in Russia, in Libya, in South Sudan, and Eritrea, and also against the Wagner Group.
Last week the EU adopted the 13th package of sanctions package against Russia, against its political leadership and authorities, and we decided to rename the Global Human Rights Sanction Regime after Alexei Navalny.
Fighiting impunity remains one of our priorities. Last December we signed a four-year 20 million euro project: the “Global initiative to fight against impunity for international crimes”. This will complement our ongoing support to the International Criminal Court.
Honourable Members, we could not succeed in any of this without human rights defenders.
Since 2015, the EU Human Rights Defenders Protection Mechanism has supported 66,000 Human Rights Defenders and their families. You can rest assured that we will continue doing so wherever defenders are in urgent need.
Electoral observers also deserve a particular mention as human rights defenders. Also, in the name of the High Representative, I wish to thank each and every member of this Parliament who participated in the EU election observation missions and carried the EU flag across the world in defence of democracy.
In 2023, the EU continued its efforts to help improve electoral processes throughout the world through our electoral observation missions. Although this have to operate in increasingly challenging contexts they continue to be a backwall against democratic backsliding, as demonstrated, for instance, by our mission to Guatemala.
This mission played an important role to preserve the results of the elections and allow for an orderly transfer of power to the newly elected President. For their efforts and professionalism the EU mission to Guatemala received the Wilson Centre Award. The EU and this Parliament should be proud of this.
Dear Members,
The case of Guatemala indeed is worth a particular mention. Last week, we had the honour and pleasure to receive the newly elected President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo.
He acknowledged the decisive role played by the EU in upholding a democratic electoral process, and in ensuring respect for the electoral results.
At the same time the European Union has imposed sanctions on those individuals who attempted to undermine the full transition of power in Guatemala, holding them accountable.
This is one more clear example of what we can achieve as the European Union when we act together, with one voice, and combine our different EU foreign policy tools in a principled and coherent manner.
There is much more work to do. Your report includes a long list of countries and challenges to address. Time does not allow me to go through them all but you can rest assured that we will take a very good note of the report, as well as of your suggestions.
Thank you.
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-253446
Closing remarks
It is quite evident from this debate that we all care deeply about human rights and democracy in the world.
Even though we may sometimes differ in the approach we favour. For instance, should we prioritise private diplomacy or public pressure? Should we re-evaluate an agreement? Should we impose sanctions? Should we even cut relations?
I believe each case demands an individual assessment. And this is how we work in the European Union.
What is clear is that our efforts need to be result oriented as you highlighted in this report we need to be coherent in our actions. Our dialogues with our international partners represent one of the most important tools to focus on human rights and to call for them to be respected. But these dialogues are not a standalone tool. The EU continues to use all its instruments to reinforce our action wherever necessary. And this Parliament is a crucial ally in this endeavour, and continues to inspire our work, and I continue to count on your support.
Thank you
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-253448