The Peace Brigades International-Honduras Project has posted on social media:
“The EU-LAT Network and 39 organisations, including PBI, have signed an open letter calling for greater safeguards in EU-backed investments to prevent human rights violations.
This report highlights recurring concerns about the unlawful and unpunished use of resources originally intended for development. In the current context of the growing roll-out of #GlobalGateway Initiative projects, the structure of economic power must not be built at the expense of human rights.
Therefore, the Network and the signatory organisations urge the EU to support the implementation of the following recommendations:
-to urge the Honduran State to implement the GIEI [the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts] recommendations to ensure justice, guarantees of non-repetition and redress.
-Binding due diligence rules for all Global Gateway Initiative projects.
-Independent monitoring and complaints mechanisms for affected communities and human rights defenders.
-Effective reparation mechanisms where development finance institutions have contributed to human rights violations.
-Full public letter available via the profile link and on the website.”
The full letter can be read here.
That letter notes: “One of the main international financiers of the Agua Zarca project was FMO, a Dutch development bank, which is mainly publicly owned by the State of the Netherlands.”
It also calls on the European Union and its Member States to: “Ensure that development financial institutions, including FMO, provide effective reparation mechanisms when their actions or omissions have contributed to negative impacts on human rights.”
Canada and the European Union
Just yesterday, the Canadian Press reported: “The European Union’s ambassador to Canada says the bloc is crafting a new partnership with Ottawa unlike anything that currently exists. …Prime Minister Mark Carney said last month he was pursuing even deeper ties with Europe after signing a defence-industrial pact in addition to the existing strategic partner agreement and a free-trade deal.”
Prime Minister Carney will address the 720-member the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on Thursday September 17, and will host the EU-Canada summit on October 29-30 (location to be announced) welcoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
Politico adds: “The European Commission and the European Council jointly presented preparations for a landmark summit with Canada on Oct. 29-30, committing to explore new areas where they will step up their partnership. That includes sectors like technology, research and innovation, as well as mining for valuable rare metals and breaking down trade barriers, those involved said.”
We continue to follow this.
