Brussels, 01/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - Sir John Kaputin took up his duties on Tuesday as the Secretary General of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) group. This former foreign minister of Papua New Guinea (and former President of the ACP/EU joint parliamentary assembly) was appointed to the post by a decision of the ACP Council of Ministers last December.
Sir John Kaputin takes over from Jean-Robert Goulongana, to whom the JPC paid tribute. In a resolution adopted in Brussels in February, the Assembly recognises the “constant commitment and devotion of the Secretary General and his team in the efficient defence of the objectives of the ACP group”. Over a leaving drink in Brussels on Monday, Jean-Robert Goulongana told the press of his pleasure that the ACP group had been able to conclude negotiations with the EU on the revision of the Cotonou agreement (see EUROPE of 25 February, p.8). “We reached an acceptable compromise. But it is not over yet, because negotiations on the economic partnership agreement continue. Activities have been decentralised to the regions, but the impetus must come from Brussels”, he said. Mr Goulongana also welcomed the emergence of the ACP group as a negotiation force at the WTO and voiced his hopes of success for the two deadlines ahead of the ACP group in coming months: defending their candidate, Yaya Krishna Cuttaree, the Foreign Minister of Mauritius, for the post of Director General of the WTO, and continuations of the Doha development round ahead of the ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December.