Cotonou, 23/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 23 June 2000, the 25th anniversary of the Lomé Convention that presently links the 71 member states of the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP) and the European Union, the new partnership agreement that will now link the 77 ACP countries and the Union for the next twenty years was signed in Cotonou, the capital of Benin. Six island states of the Pacific region - the Cook Islands, the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nioue, the Federated States of Micronesia - welcomed by the partners as new Member States in the agreement, also put their signature on the official text, after the 86 other signatures.
The signing ceremony of this innovative agreement, that the signatures have agreed to informally call the "Cotonou Agreement", took place at the sports stadium "de l'Amitié", with all the solemnity required by an event that inaugurates the new era of cooperation between the ACP and the EU. There was jubilation, largely expressed by traditional song and dance at various points during the ceremony. The importance of this agreement, concluded after eighteen months of intense negotiation to give fresh impetus to ACP/EU relations and define a new model of cooperation under the combined influence of trade liberalisation and globalisation, was amply stressed in the opening speeches to the ceremony. Described on many occasions as historic, the partnership agreement that has just been signed will make the eradication of poverty its prime aim by promoting the gradual and harmonious inclusion of ACP countries into the world economy, on the basis of consolidation of intra-ACP regional integration. Founded on the respect of human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law as well as on the good management of public affairs ("good governance"), the agreement will be enriched with a political dialogue between partners conceived as an essential component for guiding Community support. The differentiation of aid depending on the levels and needs of development in the different ACP countries, the participation of the civil society and of economic and social actors, the promotion of the private sector, the encouragement of gender equality, the sustainable management of the environment and natural resources will constitute leverage for the partners' ambition of sustainable development. Finally, the phased preparation of ACP States to negotiation (as of 2002) on regional economic partnership agreements that should come into effect in 2008 to result in free trade areas in 2020, will mark the coming of a new commercial regime geared to gradual reciprocity and no longer to unilateral trade preferences. The less advanced ACP countries, which will not be able to integrate such agreements, will continue, for their part, to enjoy the preferential regime granted to all less advanced countries in the world from 2004 in the context of the GSP (generalised system of preferences).
A financial allocation of EUR 13.5 billion (budget of European Development Fund (EDF) for the next five years), increased if necessary by 9 billion in EDF leftovers, will accompany the implementation of projects.
"The context of the new partnership forms a precious tool for the development of ACP countries. The Cotonou agreement will be placed in the annals for cooperation between the Union and the ACP by enshrining a new economic, political and social contract", said Mr Séverin Adjovi, Trade, Craft and Tourism Minister for Benin and President of the ACP/EU national committee. Poul Nielson, European Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, felt that the agreement was a historic and political event, because, according to the disappointing results of Seattle, it "gives proof that there is still room for a true and deep relationship between North and South", the effects of which would be worldwide. The Commissioner stressed that the new approach of the trade regime is "vital for improving the ACP countries' ability to trade and to attract international private investment. The decision to make good governance an essential element of the new agreement is a "very encouraging sign to the rest of the world".
Luis Amado, Portuguese Secretary of State for development cooperation and President of the Union Council, congratulated the authorities of Benin for the speed with which they have managed to host an event of such importance (which was initially to be held in Fiji). In his view, the development of ACP States is a "powerful factor of peace, stability, security and wellbeing for all" as the degradation of the economic situation and the worsening of poverty in many ACP countries over recent years "can largely explain the large number of armed conflicts and emergency situations, mainly on the African continent". Mr Amada stressed in this respect the role that will be played by strengthened political dialogue in the prevention of conflict settlement by placing emphasis on the responsibility of the States concerned, through ACP/EU consultation procedure provided for in the case of violation of an essential element of the agreement by an ACP State.
Mr Anicet Georges Dologuélé, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic and President of the ACP Council, welcomed the fact that the Cotonou agreement had the ambition of eradicating poverty and allows the ACP States to gradually adjust to trade liberalisation - an ambition the success of which largely depends on the political determination of ACP States, he stressed. Deploring the fact that the debate of ACP States still remains a burden that is far too heavy, he launched an appeal to the International community so that "questions of development are not left untouched". The admission of six new ACP States in the new agreement, that he welcomed, illustrates, he says, the power of attraction that a single cooperation model of this kind has.