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

Mr. President,
Members of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly,
Distinguished representatives of ACP Missions and Embassies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the first place I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to address this august Assembly. I also wish to extend to you my personal welcome to Slovenia , and hope that you will have fruitful deliberations.

Mr. President,

I thought that it might be useful for me to share with you some of the major pre-occupations of the ACP Group. 

Without a doubt, global undercurrents and inherent changing configurations are affecting the goals and purposes of the ACP Group.  In that regard the ACP Group has had to absorb change and need to make adjustments accordingly.

Economic Partnership Agreements and ACP-EU relations

Negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements have been the most prominent pre-occupation of the ACP Group for the past seven years. As Parliamentarians, you have discussed this issue in virtually every Session of the JPA since 2001. As late as December 2007, on the eve of the expiry of the dead-line for the conclusion of EPAs, many ACP States and Regions still

had serious reservations about whether EPAs would deliver the required structural transformation of their economies.

The Kigali Declaration called for EPAs to be tools that promote sustainable development and aptly questioned whether the present focus of the EPA negotiations would truly lead to increased levels of production and supply capacity in ACP States - both necessary instruments to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development.  You will have been informed by now that only one ACP Region, the Caribbean, has been able to initialize a full EPA with the EU. Many other ACP States and Regions have opted instead, to initial interim agreements with the EU. Still others might wish to undertake interim agreements as subgroups of EPA regional integration configurations. This is vindication, if ever one was needed of the issues that you have raised in this and other fora about the potential negative impact of EPAs.

Many ACP Representatives and Parliamentarians have repeatedly stressed the point that ACP States are willing to conclude EPA negotiations that should not make them worse off than under the current regime. On the contrary, EPAs should promote their development and effective integration in the world economy. EPAs, if not properly implemented, will have long term negative effects on the economic, social, and political realms of our ACP States and Regions. 

In some of our regions the incompatibilities between EPAs and the existing Regional Integration Agreements have contributed to the on-going difficulties in EPA negotiations. In this regard, the Motion for a Resolution on ´Experiences from the European Regional Integration Process relevant to ACP Countries`, states clearly that EPAs should support and promote existing ACP regional integration processes, and not lead to the disintegration of ACP Regions.  Additionally, the fundamental changes to the ACP Group’s external environment, the global re-alignments and the major shifts in EU policy orientations such as the EU’s separate strategies for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Regions and South Africa , are the issues that the ACP Group need to follow very carefully.

I am of the view that it is also important to analyse and discuss with our partner, the impact of the recently adopted Lisbon Treaty on the ACP Group and the ACP-EU Partnership. To this end, the JPA provides an ideal forum for open, frank and substantive discussions on this matter. 

Increasingly, the Cotonou framework is utilised by our principle partner to promote and support EU policies and initiatives.  To a certain extent this undermines the role and obligations of statutory organs of the Group, the spirit of our Partnership and encourages unilateral action.  Our Partnership is based on the principle of equality and mutual respect, and we must, at all cost, safeguard and protect our dignity and self-reliance. Our Group has so much potential, and we should never put ourselves in a position that any other party or entity can deconstruct the ACP Group.    

In the final analysis, we have to ask ourselves what impact EPAs, EU initiatives and the perceived downgrading of the preferential status of the Group by the EU will have on the ACP Group as an entity, its organizational structure, role and purpose, and invariably its future. If ever before, the foundations of our existence - ACP unity and solidarity - are being challenged.

Mr. President,

Doha Development Round, global impact of Climate Change and Migration

At the international level, the events of primary interest to the ACP States are the multilateral trade negotiations at the WTO and progress with the Doha Development Agenda. Will the developed and developing countries manage to reconcile their respective positions and iron out their differences to finally conclude the Doha Round in 2008? Climate Change and its effects on human and environmental development, and migration also continue to be a source of concern to the entire international community. Will nations manage to take adequate action based on multilateral environmental agreements to avert ecological disaster for present and future generations, and will we be able to transform the negative perspectives of migration into positives for sustainable development?  I would like to state it categorically - the answer to immigration is not to fortress Europe, to build walls or to erect fences!

A shared and common positive ACP-EU approach to addressing these issues can only contribute to the promotion of sustainable development and the eradication of poverty in our States.

Future of the ACP Group and the 6^th Summit of ACP heads of State and Government

In view of the many global development challenges that we are faced with, including EPAs, the WTO agenda as well as various political challenges, the ACP Group is currently in discussions concerning its future, and how it can continue playing an effective role on behalf of the Member States on the international scene. At the 86^th Session of Council in December 2007, Ministers discussed and adopted the Report of the Committee of Ambassadors on the Future of the ACP Group in which a number of proposals were made, including the revision of the Georgetown Agreement.

At the 6^th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government, which shall be held in Ghana during October 2008, major issues of importance to the ACP Group, including the future of the ACP Group, EPAs, ACP-EU relations, and the political situation in ACP States shall be discussed.

Ratification of the revised Cotonou Agreement

I wish to reiterate the concern already expressed by the President of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly over the slow pace of the ratification of the Revised Cotonou Agreement.  To date, 25 EU member States and 46 ACP States have ratified and deposited their instruments of ratification of the Revised Cotonou Agreement. To enter into force, the Agreement must be ratified by two thirds of the Member States of the ACP Group and all the member states of the EU. 

Without the completion of this ratification process, it will not be possible to access the resources of the 10^th EDF.  To this end, I would like to appeal to all members of Parliament of ACP States that have not yet ratified, to ensure that the legal instruments of ratification are deposited without any delay.

Mr. President,

Now please allow me to add a few personal observations from one's experience as a former Minister for National Planning and Development as well as Finance, and Mining and Petroleum, in addition to being Co-President of our organisation between 1995 and 1997. What kind of future do I see for our Group?

How do I feel when I listen to the human plea from St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis , calling out for us to address their fundamental concern about Customs and Taxation Regime, so that any deficit, created from loss of revenue, as a result of the destruction of national production in sugar, can be accommodated?

How do I feel when I listen to Honourable Members who are concerned about the continuing decline in the production of agricultural commodities, or of their concern about the increasing costs for food, water and energy?

Concerning the study regarding the future and restructuring of the Center for the Development of Enterprise (CDE), what are the new orientation and responsibilities of this joint ACP-EU institution in terms of private sector development?

The final question I wish to raise is related to Mining. Should we allow ourselves to succumb under the forces of REACH without giving our Mining Ministers the opportunity to address such issues as foreign direct investment, mining policies and legislation, development issues as are related to the extraction of non-renewal resources from our countries?

To conclude my personal observations, let me ask how realistic is the presumption that Trade, as perceived in the EPAs, is the answer to poverty alleviation, especially when a study commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat has concluded that the costs for reforming our various national economies will be in the region of € 9 Billion.

I have taken the opportunity to raise these issues to direct our attention to the challenges confronting us and for us to ask whether the instruments and mechanisms now in place are sufficiently resourced to help us to meet the demands of globalisation.

In the time that I have served as Secretary-General, I have realized that the implementation of the Cotonou Agreement and the sheer size of the ACP Group require efficient services and coordination from a central hub. This is not an easy task considering the diversity of developmental challenges and interests among member States of the ACP Group.  Despite financial and human resource constraints, it is my objective to serve you better, to lead a Secretariat that can promote the interests of ACP States and Regions, and to become a far more vibrant interlocutor in the management of the ACP-EU development relationship.  Your political support in achieving this objective is indispensable. 

In conclusion, I would like to wish you every success in your meetings and a wonderful stay in this beautiful city of Ljubljana.

I thank you for your attention.