Brussels, 03/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - In Prague from 6-9 April, 78 MEPs and an MP from each of 78 ACP states (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) linked to the EU by the Cotonou Agreement will meet for the 17th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which is held twice a year for political dialogue and consultation, alternately in an ACP country and in the country holding EU Presidency. Organised the day after the G20 summit, this JPA session, co-chaired by Glenys Kinnock, British Labour member, and Wilkie Rasmussen, MP from the Cook Islands, will naturally focus on the financial and food crisis affecting ACP countries and on the role that the ACP/EU partnership can play to attenuate this impact.
The main subject of concern, the situation in Somalia which is a country prey to piracy at sea and to violent fighting between the African Union peace force (AMISOM) and Islamic insurgents, will be the main topical points discussed and the subject of emergency resolutions.
Mirek Topolánek, Czech Prime Minister, Jan Kohout, Czech Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of development, and Louis Michel, European Humanitarian Aid and Development Commissioner, will speak at the formal opening sitting.
Talks will cover the state of progress in negotiations on the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) underway between the EU and all ACP countries except the Caribbean - the only country that has not sealed a full EPA with the EU. Catherine Ashton, European Trade Commissioner, will have the opportunity, on Tuesday 7 April, to address the joint assembly for the first time as part of the debate, and thus break with the all too rare appearances - largely decried by the parliamentary representatives - of her predecessor, Peter Mandelson. An exchange of views is also foreseen on the state of negotiations at the WTO as part of the Doha Development Round.
The Assembly will adopt current resolutions on the following: - state of play of EPAs and their possible impact on ACP countries [co-rapporteurs: Jügen Schröder (EPP-ED, Germany) and Assarid Ag Imbarcaouane (MP from Mali)]; - the social and environmental impact of climate change [co-rapporteurs: Josep Borrell Fontelles (PES, Spain) who chairs the EP development committee, and Netty Baldeh, MP from Gambia]; - the challenges to the democratic accommodation of ethnic, cultural and religious diversities in ACP and EU countries [co-rapporteurs: Filip Kaczmarek (EPP-ED, Poland) and Ruth Magu, MP from South Africa].
The Joint Parliamentary Assembly aims to promote democratic processes, allow greater understanding between the peoples of the EU and those of ACP states, heighten public awareness on development issues, and adopt resolutions and formulate recommendations at the Council of Ministers with a view to achieving the objectives of the Cotonou Agreement. (A.N./transl.jl)