Zone of Peace and Cooperation	Brief overview	Final Declaration	Plan of Action

Final Declaration

THE LUANDA FINAL DECLARATION OF THE VITH MEETING OF MEMBER STATES OF THE ZONE OF PEACE AND COOPERATION OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC

The Ministers of the Member States of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic hereinafter referred to as “the Zone”, meeting in Luanda on 18 and 19 of June 2007 on the occasion of the Sixth Ministerial Meeting of “the Zone”:

Recall the United Nation’s General Assembly Resolution 41/11 of October 1986, in which the Atlantic Ocean, in the region situated between Africa and South America, was solemnly declared “Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic”, as well as other relevant United Nations General Assembly resolutions;
Recall the final Declaration and Plan of Action adopted at the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of Member States of the Zone held in Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic, on 21 and 22 October, 1998;
Stress the role of the Zone as a forum for increased interaction among its Member States and acknowledge with appreciation the valuable contribution made by the 1st Africa-South America Summit held in Abuja on 26-30 November 2006, particularly in reference to article 7 of the Abuja Declaration on the Zone, which mandated the strengthening of regional cooperation on peace and security among organizations and mechanisms in which they are members, mentioning the Zone as an important instrument for consolidating peace and security;
Affirm that our endeavors are guided by the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter and by full respect for the principles of International Law, including the principles of sovereignty and sovereign equality of states, territorial integrity, settlement of international disputes by peaceful means, non-intervention in the internal affairs of states, bearing also in mind the responsibility of each Member State to protect its population from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity;
Reaffirm the importance of preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding for the maintenance of international and regional peace and security;
Reaffirm further the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, and stress the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and the need to increase their role in decision-making with regards to conflict prevention and resolution;
Reaffirm also their commitment to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children in armed conflicts. Welcome the significant advances and innovations that have been achieved over the past several years. Welcome in particular the adoption of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005;
View with concern the continuation of situations that adversely affect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of some Member States of the Zone;
Support efforts by Member States of the Zone in promoting the principle of settling disputes by peaceful means and in finding negotiated solutions to territorial disputes affecting Member States of the Zone;
Call for the resumption of negotiations between the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in accordance with General Assembly resolution 2065 (XX) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly on the “Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas)” with a view to finding as soon as possible a peaceful, just and durable solution to the sovereignty dispute;
Reiterate the commitment of the Member States of the Zone to democracy and political pluralism and to the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, and in this regard welcome the establishment of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission as a concrete achievement of the implementation of the 2005 World Summit decision;
Recall the importance of the full implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, taking into account the consequences of climate change for all countries, in particular for Small Island States;
Recognize the importance of the International Criminal Court and encourage Member States that have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court;
Recall the previous final declarations of the Zone reaffirming that issues of peace, security and development are interdependent and inseparable, and consider that cooperation among the States of the region for peace and development is essential to promoting the objectives of the Zone;
Express concern that Africa is the only continent currently not on track to achieve any of the goals of the United Nations Millennium Declaration by 2015, and in this regard emphasize that concerted efforts and continued support are required to fulfill the commitments and to address the special needs of Africa;
Agree on the need to attach priority to the fight against hunger and poverty and emphasize the need for the international community to promote inovative sources of additional funding on a sustainable basis to enable the fulfilment of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals;
Emphasize the need for the international community to fully implement the global partnership for development and enhance the momentum generated by the 2005 World Summit in order to operationalize and implement, at all levels, the commitments in the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits, including the 2005 World Summit and its Development Follow-up Resolution;
Call upon the United Nations system and the international organizations and institutions, including the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization, to translate all commitments made at the major United Nations conferences and summits, including the 2005 World Summit, in the economic, social and related fields into concrete and specific actions in order to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals;
Stress the need for the United Nations to play a fundamental role in the promotion of international cooperation for development and the coherence, coordination and implementation of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, and actions agreed upon by the international community;
Reiterate that the increasing interdependence of national economies in a globalizing world and the emergence of rule-based regimes for international economic relations have meant that the space for national economic policy, that is, the scope for domestic policies, especially in the areas of trade, investment and industrial development, is now often framed by international disciplines, commitments and global market considerations;
Further reiterate that it is for each Government to evaluate the trade-off between the benefits of accepting international rules and commitments and the constraints posed by the loss of policy space and that it is particularly important for developing countries, bearing in mind development goals and objectives, that all countries take into account the need for appropriate balance between national policy space and international disciplines and commitments;
Reaffirm the commitments made in the Doha Ministerial Declaration and the decision of the General Council of the World Trade Organization of 1 August 2004 to fulfill the development dimensions of the Doha Development Agenda, which places the needs and interests of developing and least developed countries at the heart of the Doha work programme, and call for the successful and timely completion of the Doha round of trade negotiations with the fullest realization of the development dimensions of the Doha work programme;
Call for the abolition of unfair trade practices and express their desire for a more just and fair global trading regime for the benefit and welfare of the peoples of the region;
Reaffirm the willingness to build a solid basis for increased cooperation in all areas with potential for joint action especially in the economic, investment, technical, environmental and cultural fields and in particular, in tourism and sports;
Express the need for exchange of information on successful national experiences, lessons learnt as well as for technology transfer in order to foster cooperation in, among others, the areas of Clean Fuels and Environmentally Friendly Energy/Biofuel, Agricultural and Livestock Production, Human Resource Development, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, Biotechnology, Education, Infrastructure Development;
Acknowledge the potential for trade within the Zone, recognize the need to improve lines of communication and transportation, and express their intention to foster economic and commercial exchanges as well as the role of the private sector and the civil society, and agree to actively support all efforts to intensify business cooperation as well as other activities geared towards increasing trade, investment and improve capital flows among Member States of the Zone;
Further acknowledge the cultural linkages between Africa and South America and encourage greater exchanges among their respective civil societies including among non-governmental organizations related to youth, women and sports as well as enhancement of cultural cooperation bearing in mind the significance of the African Diaspora in South American countries;
Emphasize the role of regional and sub-regional integration in improving international competitiveness of national economies and contributing to their development and recognize the importance of coordination with regional and sub-regional organizations within the space of the Zone, such as MERCOSUR, the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC);
Welcome the establishment of the Commission of the Gulf of Guinea as a sub-regional vehicle for cooperation, promotion and maintenance of stability and security, and for the attainment of the principles and objectives of the Zone. In this regard, express their gratitude to the Government of Angola for hosting the headquarters of the Commission and facilitating the operationalization of its secretariat;
Express the determination of Member States of the Zone to prevent and eliminate terrorism, in accordance with the relevant international conventions and Security Council resolutions;
Welcome the ongoing efforts aimed at reforming the United Nations in order to render the Organization better equipped to deal with the current challenges to international peace and security. In this regard, call for an urgent reform of the Security Council – an essential element of our overall effort to reform the United Nations – and express support for its enlargement in order to make it more broadly representative for the developing countries, efficient and transparent and, thus, to further enhance its effectiveness, its legitimacy and the implementation of its decisions;
Welcome the positive developments underway in the African countries, in particular in those Member States of the Zone in post-conflict situations and invite the International Community, including the United Nations, regional and sub-regional organizations and international financial institutions, to complement and strengthen the peacebuilding and development efforts being made by the governments of these countries;
Support the work being carried out by the Peacebuilding Commission and express satisfaction for the election of Angola, one of the Members of the Zone, as its first chairman, as well as for the selection of two African countries to be the first on its agenda and in particular Sierra Leone, a Member of the Zone;
Express their willingness to contribute to the enhancement of the existing mechanisms and capacities of prevention and resolution of conflicts within the Zone, as well as support peacebuilding efforts in the increasing number of countries emerging from conflict in Africa, in particular Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and Security Sector Reform (SSR), including through the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and the African Union Framework for Reconstruction and Development;
Express support for the leadership of the African Union Peace and Security Council in its efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa, bearing in mind the primary responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace and security in accordance with the United Nations Charter. In this regard, commend the progress made in the resolution of conflicts in Africa and call upon the International Community to continue to complement efforts aimed at achieving lasting and durable solutions to remaining armed conflicts;
Express deep concern over the negative role of the illegal exploitation of natural resources in fuelling conflicts and note with satisfaction the ongoing efforts in Africa, in particular by Member States of the Zone, for the implementation of a legal framework aimed at tackling this practice and to this effect, call upon the international community to support these efforts, including by implementing the relevant provisions of the Security Council resolution 1625(2005);
Stress the importance of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, to which some Member States of the Zone are major contributors, and in this regard recognize the potential for cooperation to strengthen the capacity of the Member States of the Zone to participate in peacekeeping operations;
Welcome a holistic conception of peacekeeping operations that takes into account security, economic development and political aspects, and take note of the role of new stakeholders, particularly civil society organizations;
Stress the importance of international support on issues such as capacity building, logistics, and information exchange and the use of the existing Training Schools and the International and Regional Peacekeeping Training Centres among others;
Agree to implement concrete measures dedicated to peace support proposed by the April 2007 Montevideo Workshop held within the framework of the “Luanda Initiative”, aimed at improving cooperation among Members of the Zone on peace, stability and security, including conflict prevention and peacebuilding in the Zone;
Express their support for the full implementation of the zero tolerance policy regarding cases of crimes committed by personnel deployed in United Nations peacekeeping missions, particularly the victimization of women and children, and welcome efforts being undertaken by Member States of the Zone to address such violations;
Recognize the importance of the role of regional and sub-regional peacekeeping operations, such as the current African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) operations, as a complement of the role of the United Nations in this area in accordance with Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter and stress the need to further develop this role through the creation of a legal framework and capacity building including through cooperation among the Member States of the Zone;
Welcome the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1631(2005) regarding the cooperation and coordination between the United Nations and regional organizations, commend the African Union for the establishment of a Standby force and stress the need for the full implementation of the 2005 World Summit Outcome to develop and implement a 10-year Plan for capacity building with the African Union;
Further welcome the Security Council Presidential Statement (S/PRST/2007/7) of March 28 2007, entitled “The relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, particularly the African Union, in the maintenance of international peace and security’’;
Stress the need for the full implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action for the Prevention, Combating and Eradication of the Illicit Trade and Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its aspects, and support efforts to curb the illegal flow of arms and ammunition, particularly within the Zone;
Emphasize the importance of cooperation in promoting and strengthening regional, sub-regional and national initiatives to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and in this regard welcome efforts by Member States of the Zone at implementing the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects;
Urge States that have not done so to sign, ratify and implement the “Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction” and to cooperate in the field of demining;
Recall the 1994 Declaration of the Zone on the Denuclearization of the South Atlantic adopted by the Third Ministerial meeting and accordingly undertake all efforts to prohibit and prevent in their respective territories and jurisdictional waters, the testing, use, manufacture, production, acquisition, receipt, storage, installation, deployment and possession of any nuclear weapon, as well as to refrain from engaging in, encouraging or authorizing, directly or indirectly, any of these activities in the South Atlantic;
Reiterate their commitment to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their complete elimination and in this regard call on the international community to adhere to the status of the Zone;
Note with satisfaction the full entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in South America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) and reiterate the importance of the early entry into force of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba);
Reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Member States of the Zone to engage in research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination in conformity with articles I, II, III of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty;
Express their concern regarding the illicit traffic of drugs and psychotropic substances as well as transnational organized crime, including piracy and agree that high priority must be given to combating these problems as they represent a threat to the peace, security as well as the development of Member States and to the well being of their peoples;
Recognize that transnational organized crime, human trafficking, particularly women and children, money laundering, piracy, drug trafficking, illicit trade in small arms and light weapons are interrelated, and emphasize the need for comprehensive and integrated strategies within the Zone to effectively combat these scourges, and in this regard further emphasize that the implementation of national policies and strategies must be complemented by regional and international agreements, including among the Member States of the Zone;
Recall the 1996 Decision of the Zone on Drug Trafficking adopted by the Fourth Ministerial Meeting and stress the need for cooperation among origin, transit and destination countries in combating illicit arms and drugs, as well as in reinforcing border security and control;
Urge States that have not done so to become parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three supplementary protocols;
Recall the conclusions of the Third Preparatory Workshop on the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic held in Buenos Aires in 2007, devoted to the issues of “sustainable use of genetic marine resources beyond areas of national jurisdiction and measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as well as their support to the conservation of marine mammals and their wish to cooperate on the non-lethal use of cetaceans;
Acknowledge that the sustainable and equitable use of Genetic Marine Resources presents an opportunity for cooperation among the Member States of the Zone and recall the need for access to technology and enhanced international cooperation to achieve the sustainable and equitable use of those resources;
Emphasize that any activity related to the biological diversity of the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction should be carried out for the benefit of mankind as a whole, on the basis of the relevant principles and provisions governing the area and marine scientific research, as well as the need to coordinate actions aiming at securing the continuation of the efforts at the United Nations to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction, so as to define a regime for the benefit of all States, in particular developing countries;
Stress that any discussion on an international regime on genetic resources beyond national jurisdiction should be held in accordance with the provisions and principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);
Recognize the need for continued dialogue on the issue of intellectual property rights as they relate to genetic marine resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction so as to achieve a common understanding on the applicable regime;
Recall the conclusions of the expert meetings on the law of the sea in the Member States of the Zone, held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo and Montevideo, Republic of Uruguay, on 12-15 June 1990 and 3-6 April 1991 respectively, devoted to the development and implementation of the legal regime established by the UNCLOS;
Encourage full participation in the activities of the International Seabed Authority;
Further recall the 1996 Decision of the Zone on IUU fishing practices adopted by the Fourth Ministerial Meeting and express great concern over the continuation of such practices in the territorial waters of Member States of the Zone, and note that institutional capacities to combat IUU fishing should be strengthened and applied in the maritime areas of the Members of the Zone, including combating of illegal spillages and dumping of toxic waste;
Recall the role ship crews play in protecting the Maritime Community in observing and reporting suspicious activities onboard their vessels and surrounding areas and welcome the adoption and continuing review, by the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization, of guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers and encourage all States, including States in the Zone, to put in place mechanisms protecting the human rights of seafarers;
Stress that one of the principal means to combat IUU fishing is responsible Flag and Port State measures consistent with international law as well as effective Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs);
Emphasize the need to strengthen capacity building, including through cooperation, assistance and research for the effective prevention of IUU fishing;
Call upon Member States of the Zone to consider the possibility of becoming parties to the agreement for the implementation of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks adopted in New York on 4 August 1995;
Stress the need for all Member States of the Zone to maintain effective Flag State controls, including through the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and to prevent and combat the issuance of flags of convenience;
Express serious concern with subsidies to the fishing industry, particularly by developed countries, as they contribute to IUU fishing, fishing overcapacity, and overfishing in the coastal waters of Member States of the Zone;
Call on Member States of the Zone to develop programs to help them benefit from increasing revenues from their fisheries resources in order to combat the problem of IUU fishing in coastal waters, in particular African coastal waters;
Reaffirm the importance of implementing the 1993 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) “Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels in the High Seas” as well as other FAO Plans of Action and call upon those Member States of the Zone who have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the aforementioned FAO Agreement;
Recall the 1994 Declaration of the Zone on the Marine Environment adopted by the Third Ministerial Meeting and the 1996 Decision on the same issue adopted by the Fourth Ministerial Meeting and underscore that pollution and toxic residues are a problem that should be dealt with, including through cooperation among the Member States of the Zone;
Emphasize the need to revitalize the Zone and in this regard, recall the 1994 Decision of the Zone on the Inter-sessional follow-up mechanism adopted by the Third Ministerial Meeting of the Zone; acknowledge the utility of an open-ended Core Group of Members as established by the “Luanda Initiative”; further recall Annex 4 of the 1994 Zone Declaration on Business Cooperation, in particular the establishment of a Working Party and Ad Hoc Working Groups of experts drawn from Member States of the Zone and covering key areas of interest as provided for by the Final Declaration of the Third Ministerial Meeting of the Zone;
Agree to hold at least two annual inter-sessional meetings of the Permanent Committee to assess the implementation of its decisions;
Further agree to hold its Ministerial Meeting on a biennial basis;
Congratulate the Argentine Republic for its valuable work as coordinator of the Zone from 1998 to 2007;
Commend the Government of the Republic of Angola for its significant contribution to the revitalization of the Zone, particularly, by generating the “Luanda Initiative” as a roadmap for the preparatory process of the VIth Ministerial Meeting, comprising workshops on issues of common interest held in New York in March 2007, in Montevideo in April 2007 and in Buenos Aires in May 2007;
Express gratitude and appreciation to the Government and People of the Republic of Angola for their warm hospitality and generosity and the excellent arrangements made for the holding of this Meeting;
Welcome with appreciation the offer by the Government of Uruguay to host the Seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Zone in 2009;
Agree to adopt the annexed Plan of Action and request the current Chair to create the necessary conditions, including institutional ones, for its implementation.

Issued in Luanda on June 19th, 2007

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