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

June 3rd, 2008 – Brussels

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Committee of Ambassadors were able to raise key issues with the European Commission (Monday 2nd June), which are likely to dominate next week’s Joint ACP-EU Minister’s Meeting in Addis Abba, Ethiopia.

Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and regional integration; basic food prices and food security; and aid effectiveness and financing for development are penciled as the major issues for the joint meeting.

In the meeting with Commissioner Louis Mitchel, the ambassadors highlighted concerns on the ongoing negotiations of EPAs and its consequences, the rise in food prices and aid effectiveness.

Acting Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors and Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, H.E. Mr. Berhane Gebre Christos, said that the most serious concern is that the EPAs, as they currently stand, will no doubt present obstacles to regional integration.

Of the six ACP regions, only the CARIFORUM and the EAC have all members joined the EPA and accepted identical liberalisation schedules.

Mr Christos said that for the rest of the ACP regions serious, problems are being encountered in moving ahead with the process at the regional level.

“In some cases we have read reports of possible break ups of existing regional integration arrangements. SACU (South African Customs Union), the oldest customs union in the world, is a case in point,” he argued.

The Ambassador said it would be most unfortunate if it were to happen.

“We have to do all that is necessary to avoid such an occurrence,” he said.

Meanwhile, also discussed at the meeting is the basic food prices and food security, including the impact of climate change and energy.

Mr Christos said that the basic food prices and food security are global issues which could develop into a structural problem in the long term.

The ambassador wants it to be examined from three angles; short-term emergency measures, medium term; and long term.

On the short term, Ambassador Christos said: “This is an urgent matter requiring immediate attention by all of us if we are to stem the food riots that are proliferating in our ACP states.”

To address that, he suggested that – aid from the Commission’s budget through ECHO (European Community Humanitarian aid Office); advance use of the 10th EDF reserves in the form of direct budgetary aid; use of the B envelopes under the 10th EDF by the deserving needy countries; and special voluntary contributions by the member states.

According to Mr Michel, the EU had allocated 280 Million Euros in emergency fund to address the increase in food prices.
He also highlighted the need for ACP countries to ensure that agriculture becomes an important part of their national budgets.
On EPAs, Mr Michel strongly denied black-mailing ACP states.
He said ACP states will not even lose one Euro and they are not black-mailing countries that are still to sign EPAs.
On aid effectiveness, Mr Michel urged ACP States to exert pressure on other global donors to honour their commitments.
Many ACP leaders are concerned that some international donors are not living-up to their promises to assist developing states meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Details contact: iroga@acp.int