Brussels, 24/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - Ministers from the 79 ACP countries (78 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific linked to the EU through the Cotonou Agreement, as well as Cuba) are meeting in Council on 29-31 May in Port Moresby (Papouasie-New Guinea, Pacific) under the Presidency of Onofre Rojas Secretary of State and National Coordinator for European Development Funds in the Dominican Republic. This 83rd ACP Council session will precede the 31st ACP/EU Joint Council on 1-2 June in the capital of Papouasie-New Guinea.
On the ACP Council agenda: bananas, sugar, cotton, development funding, assessment and prospects for economic partnership agreements currently being negotiated between the EU and six ACP regions, as well as the future of the ACP group, which was the subject of a reflection seminar on 18 April. ACP Ministers will also seek to speed up preparations for the fifth summit of Heads of State and Governments from the ACP planned for the end of December in Khartoum (Sudan) and prepare their position for the joint ACP/EC ministerial session.
ACP and EU Ministers will debate the future economic partnership agreements supposed to be concluded at the end of 2007, as well as trade cooperation and cooperation on development funding (financial protocol for the 10th European Development Fund, re-distribution of funds not used up in the 9th EDF) and will examine progress of the specific EU strategies for Africa (adopted in December 2005), the Caribbean (presented in March: EUROPE 9144) and the Pacific (the European Commission's communication on this subject has not yet been formally presented). The two parties are also expected to adopt a common declaration on climate change and development and hold an exchange of views on “immigration and development”.