Brussels, 22/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - Security in the African Great Lakes region and tension in the Comoros archipelago mainly due to the territorial dispute between France and the Comoros islands over the Island of Mayotte - these will be the two topical subjects of major concern to be tackled by the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) hosted in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) from 25 to 27 November, under the joint chairmanship of Louis Michel (ALDE, Belgium) and Joyce Laboso (Kenyan parliamentarian).
On each of these issues, the JPA - the six-monthly political gathering that brings together nearly 200 MEPs and parliamentarians from ACP countries (African, Caribbean, Pacific) represented equally - will adopt an emergency resolution.
Debates will also cover: - the opportunities available to and the challenges facing ACP countries when it comes to South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation; - respect of the rule of law and the role of an independent and impartial legal system; - and pastoralism and institutional cooperation between the European Union and the African Union. The JPA is to adopt resolutions on all these themes.
As usual, the parliamentary representatives will have an opportunity to put questions to Andris Piebalgs, European Development Commissioner, as well as the presidents-in-office of the ACP Council of Ministers and the Council of the EU on subjects of common interest relating to cooperation between the EU and the ACP countries under the Cotonou agreement binding the two parties, such as the global framework for development after 2015 and the next WTO ministerial meeting.
Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Secretary General of the ACP Group, said when speaking at the start of the ACP meetings in preparation for joint work: “The Joint Parliamentary Assembly is an exceptional instrument for cooperation, which allows very relevant and often sensitive matters concerning our populations to be tackled”.
Kick-off for this JPA will be given by the Ethiopian prime minister, Hailemariyam Desalegn, the president of the National Assembly, Abadula Gemeda, and the two co-presidents of the JPA. As a joint institution of the ACP-EU partnership, the JPA aims to promote the democratic process through dialogue and consultation, allow greater understanding between the people of the EU and those of ACP States and examine questions relating to development and to the ACP-EU partnership. (AN/transl.jl)