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Image credit: European Union.

By Robert Johnson

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – The heads of state or government of the 28 EU member states, constituting the European Council, have authorized the European Commission to open negotiations for a new partnership agreement with 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). The Group's Secretary-General Dr. Patrick I. Gomes has greeted the decision.

The European Commission announced the Council decision on June 22, two days after the conclusion of the June 18-20 ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, where representatives of the European Commission stressed that future partnership should be "a genuine, open and constructive dialogue, and not just going through the motions".

NEWS

Photo: ACP-EU Plenary. Credit: EU

By Robert Johnson

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and their counterparts from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have adopted a series of far-reaching resolutions during the 35th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) from June 18 to 20 in Brussels.

The resolutions relate to strengthening of the parliamentary dimension, llegal trade in plant protection products and seeds, social and environmental cnsequences of urbanisaton, fighting international terrorism, and humanitarian crisis in Southern Sudan.

NEWS

Photo: Joseph Owona Kono. Credit: La Tribune Afrique

By Joseph Owona Kono

The author is Co-President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States. Following are extensive excerpts from his statement opening the 35th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 19 June 2018 in Brussels. – The Editor

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – I have been associated with the Joint Parliamentary Assembly for a while. I have found this assembly to be a great opportunity for parliamentary exchanges on development and democratic processes. As representatives of our various peoples and as policy and decision makers overseeing government functions, we are in a unique position to engage with policy makers in ACP and EU institutions.

OPINION

Photo: Neven Mimica. Credit: EU Commission

By Neven Mimica

The author is EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development. Following are extensive excerpts from his statement opening the 35th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 18 June 2018 in Brussels. – The Editor

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – First and foremost, 2018 is a defining year as we get ready to discuss together the shape and direction of the partnership between the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Union beyond 2020.

Uniting over a hundred countries and around one and a half billion people, our longstanding partnership is unique one not only in terms of its cultural richness and diversity, but also in terms of its geographical scope and potential.

OPINION

Photo: Yuri Sterk. Credit: bnr.bg

By Yuri Sterk

The author is Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. Following are extensive excerpts from his statement opening the 35th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 18 June 2018 in Brussels. He represented the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. – The Editor

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – The 35th session of the Joint ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly is of particular importance. The opening of negotiations on our future ACP-EU relations, after the expiry of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, is fast approaching and negotiations are due to start by September 1, 2018. The outcome of parliamentarians' deliberations will feed into the shaping of our future ACP-EU relations.

OPINION

Photo: EU trade mission led by Brussels-based Trade Affairs Officer of the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission, Roberto Cecutti visited the Kingdom of Lesotho's capital, Maseru, from 14-15 March 2018. Credit: European Union.

By Ntsoaki Nkoe

MASERU (ACP-IDN) – Lesotho, a landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa, like many other member states of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, has benefited from partnership with the European Union (EU) through financial assistance from the European Development Fund (EDF) and trade under preferential conditions, says Finance Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro.

The current ACP-EU partnership agreement adopted in 2000 in Cotonou, Benin, to replace the 1975 Lomé Convention and Georgetown Agreement – expires in February 2020. Work has begun to lay the groundwork for the future partnership between the ACP countries and the EU. The current agreement provides for the opening of negotiations by the end of August 2018 at the latest.

NEWS

Credit: G7

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) - Eight ACP heads of government attended the G7 Summit in Quebec, Canada, on June 8-9, 2018: Jovenel Moïse, President of Haiti and Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya; Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands; Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Chair of the African Union; Macky Sall, President of Senegal; Danny Faure, President of Seychelles; and Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa.

NEWS

Photo (from left to right): Dr. Kaire Mbuende, Ambassador of Namibia, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes, ACP Secretary General, Prof. Mr. Adekeye Adebajo, the author, and Mr. Maxy Ogbede Minister-Counsellor, Embassy of Nigeria. Credit: ACP Press.

BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – A new book titled 'The Eagle and the Springbok: Essays on Nigeria and South Africa'by Professor Adekeye Adebajo was launched and discussed during an event at the ACP house on June 6.

The book essentially assesses Nigeria and South Africa relations in the areas of politics, economics, and culture within the context of rivalries and hegemony.

NEWS

  1. Why 79 ACP Countries and EU Must Enter Into New Partnership
  2. 107 ACP-EU Countries Walk The Talk On Global Governance
  3. ACP Council of Ministers' Pre-meeting Sessions in Lomé
  4. 79 ACP Ministers Meeting in Lomé to Discuss Strategy for New Accord with EU
  5. European Development Fund Comes to Rescue as Backyard Schools Swamp Africa

SDGs

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ACP-IDN

This website is a joint project of the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States and IDN, a flagship agency of the International Press Syndicate (INPS) and its partner, the Global Cooperation Council. It serves as a source for development news and monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

The ACP Group comprises: Sub-Saharan Africa (48), The Caribbean (16), The Pacific (15).

The ACP Group´s main objectives are:

Sustainable development of its Member-States and their gradual integration into the global economy, which entails making poverty reduction a matter of priority and establishing a new, fairer, and more equitable world order;

Coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of ACP-EC Partnership Agreements;

Consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP States, as well as understanding among their peoples;

Establishment and consolidation of peace and stability in a free and democratic society.

 

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This website – launched on July 1, 2016 – is a joint project of the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States and IDN, a flagship agency of the International Press Syndicate (INPS) and its partner, the Global Cooperation Council. It serves as a source for development news and monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

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