The Effectiveness of Political Conditionality as an Instrument of Democracy Promotion by the EU: Case Studies of Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Niger

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of political conditionality by looking at the European Union’s suspension of development cooperation with three African, Caribbean and Pacific ACP states Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Niger perceived to have violated the principles of human rights and democratic principles as laid out in the Cotonou Partnership Agreement adopted in 2000. Analyzing the effectiveness of democracy promotion activities raises the question about its impact upon political processes in the recipient countries. This task is complicated, and it is beyond the aim and capacity of this paper to find a complete answer. Therefore, our conclusions will be cautiously assessed since other factors could intervene and undermine or contribute to the changes in the political system of a given country. Our findings reveal that, in most of the cases, political dialogue and appropriate measures have a modest effect on each country’s performance on democratic principles

Keywords

• Democracy promotion, European Union, Sub-Saharan Africa, political conditionality, effectiveness.

References

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43. 43 In actual fact the ACP countries never opposed the notion of human rights, and the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights was adopted in 1981; the ACP countries were also using the language of human rights to condemn apartheid South Africa.
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49. 49 The operational indicator of democracy is derived from coding of the competitiveness of political participation, the openness and competitiveness of executive recruitment, and constraints on the chief executive. A mature and internally coherent democracy, for example, might be operationally defined as one in which (a) political participation is unrestricted, open, and fully competitive; (b) executive recruitment is elective, and (c) constraints on the chief executive are substantial.
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53. 53 The provisions in Article 98 allow disputes between parties to be submitted to the Joint Council of Ministers for settlement.
54. 54 These measures included the suspension of the budgetary support under Zimbabwe’s 7 and 8th EDF National indicative program; the suspension of financial supports for all projects, except those in direct support to the population; re-orientation of financial support to assist the population; suspension of the signature of the 9th EDF NIP; suspension of annex 2 of article 12 of the CPA, and evaluation of regional projects on a case-by case basis.
55. 55 Council decision of 19 February 2004 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC/ concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under article 966 of the CPA agreement (2004/157/EC IN JO of the EU L50., 20.2.2004); Council decision of 14 February 2005 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/ EC/ concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under article 966 of the CPA agreement (2005/139/EC IN JO of the EU L48., 19.2.2005); Council decision of 14 February 2006 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC/ concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under article 966 of the CPA agreement (2005/139/EC IN JO of the EU L48., 18.2.2005); Council decision of 19 February 2007 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC/ concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under article 966 of the CPA agreement (2008/158/EC IN JO of the EU L53., 22.2.2007); Council decision of 18 February 2008 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC/ concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under article 966 of the CPA agreement (2007/127/EC IN JO of the EU L51., 26.2.2008); Council decision of 19 February 2009 extending the period of application of the measures in Decision 2002/148/EC/ concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under article 966 of the CPA agreement (2009/14/EC IN JO of the EU L49., 20.2.2009).
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