The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

Press Note - Official opening session of the 84th ACP Council of Ministers

KHARTOUM, SUDAN ,4 DECEMBER 2006

The 84th session of the Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) was officially opened by the Vice-President of the Republic of Sudan, Mr. Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, in Khartoum, Sudan, on Monday 4 December 2006. Meeting on the eve of the 5th Summit of the ACP Heads of State and Government, the Ministers will hold discussions on trade, political, administrative and financial matters and take decisions regarding, in particular, the ACP Secretariat’s budget for 2007, Council ‘s report to the Summit, and the implementation of the decisions taken at the last Summit in Maputo.

In his opening address, Vice-President Ali Hosman Mohamed Taha, expressed delight that the Council session and the 5th Summit were being held at a special period in the country’s history, namely on the 50th Independence Anniversary of Sudan and also during a year in which the country has already hosted two Summit meetings : the African Union Summit and that of the Arab League.

The Vice-President also took the opportunity to inform the audience of developments in the situation in Sudan and the efforts made to implement the various agreements signed since 2005, namely the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Darfur Peace Agreement and the East Peace Agreement. The peace efforts, he added, have created a positive environment that has made it possible to achieve significant progress in addressing the needs of the population. According to the Vice-President, ‘the economic programme has been strengthened by an accelerated growth rate and the financial performance is stabilized’.

In concluding, the Vice-President expressed the hope that “(…) the international Community would meet (..) its obligations and commitments to help (us) face the challenge of peace in Sudan”, and called for the ‘continued support of the ACP Group”.

Addressing the assembly during the opening ceremony, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lesotho, Moyane Moleleki, on behalf of the Council, commended, the choice of the historic city of Khartoum as the venue for the meeting. « If the Nile is the source of life that has sustained inhabitants for generations over many centuries, then perhaps we are at the appropriate place to have our leaders deal with issues that concern the viability and future of the Group”, he declared.

This meeting, Minister Moleleki continued, is being held at an opportune moment, when the ACP States must face several challenges. ‘In an ever-changing global environment, we always strive to find relevance in our efforts to meet the fundamental goals and objectives of the Group ‘, he pointed out. During this session, Council will discuss, among other things, the negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) and the future of the ACP Group. These are not ‘hypothetical matters’. They are the very substance that our countries collectively rely on as we ponder the future of our respective populations in the years to come’, Minister Moleleki declared.

The meeting, which will last for two days, will be followed by a joint session of the ACP Council of Ministers and ACP Ministers of Foreign Affairs responsible for preparing the 5th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government.

The 5th Summit will be officially opened on 7 December 2006.

• The Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government is the supreme organ of the ACP Group. It defines the broad lines of the Group. It has been meeting regularly since 1997 to define the broad lines of the general policy of the ACP Group, and issues directives to the Council of Ministers for its implementation.

• Previous ACP Summits :
Gabon (1997) ; Dominican Republic (1999) ; Fiji (2002) ; Mozambique (2004)

• Official Site of the Summit : http://www.5thacpsummit.gov.sd/