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

Brussels, 31 March 2006

The 3^rd meeting of the ACP Finance and Economic Affairs Ministers will take place at ACP House, Brussels, from 24 to 28 April 2006, to review ACP-EU financial cooperation and to discuss global financial issues. The Ministers will exchange views, adopt a common position and agree on a strategy in response to the development finance challenges currently facing the ACP Group.  The Ministerial session will take place on 27-28 while the Senior Officials' segment will take place on 24-26 April 2006.

At the meeting, emphasis will be placed on ACP-EU development finance cooperation, the impact of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) on development and global monetary and financial issues, including a common approach to the Monterrey+5review.

The Ministers will also exchange views with the members of the European Commission responsible for Development and Trade, particularly on the implementation of ACP-EU development finance cooperation and ways of improving the disbursement of resources. They will discuss the EU development policy and strategy for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, financing of the development dimension of the EPA process, the reinforced HIPC[1] Initiative and other debt-relief measures, and the prospects for reducing debt in ACP countries.

The Ministers will meet with representatives from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the European Investment Bank and regional development banks to discuss the implementation of measures concerning debt relief and debt sustainability, aid for trade, financing of the adjustment costs linked to integration into the multilateral trading system and, finally, participation in the decision-making process of the Bretton Woods institutions.