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

Representatives from the Commonwealth Secretariat and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat,
representatives of the donor agencies,
Experts, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure and honour to welcome you to this consultative meeting. As per the programme, you are expected to discuss and come up with a roadmap for an acceptable process on a trade and sustainable development approach to negotiations of a fisheries agreement under the umbrella of EPAs. At this juncture, allow me to thank the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and others who have made this meeting possible through sponsorship in one way or another. You could not have chosen a better venue than ACP House a place that has become synonymous with meetings of great minds, a place where expertise is recognized and encouraged, a place where divergent views are honorably welcomed and cherished, a place to hold an important consultative process like this one on fisheries. Feel at home and be assured that you are the right group at the right place at the right time.
I say this because, the EPA clock is ticking away and EPA negotiations are expected to be on the home stretch. Looking at the list of participants, I note that it is made up of stakeholders knowledgeable in their specialized areas. You are the managers of one of the most abundant resources on earth so abundant that some people classify fisheries as wildlife. Your skills and convergence of views will be crucial on how these resources will be managed not only for our generation but also for those who will come after us. They will judge us by decision we reach here and at some other venues. Sustainable development and management of fisheries resources is a crucial task as you have to balance the harvesting and need to conserve. The environmental/eco-system concerns can easily be overridden by motivation to make profit. You are the people to come up with benchmarks to guide the state of play in harvesting, trading in and conserving fisheries resources in the regions you represent. Sustainable development is the catch phrase here.

As stakeholders, you know areas under ACP-EU Partnership Agreement that needs to be re-aligned. One example which comes to mind is the Rules of Origin on fisheries. Many find them too complex to implement, others view them as a deterrent to transfer of technology and requisite skills in processing and trading. You have an opening under Article 37.9 of Cotonou Agreement which provides for a “review of the rules of origin including cumulation provisions that apply to their (notably LDC) exports.”

At this consultative meeting, we have a number of representatives from organizations that are well known for giving sound and tangible technical assistance. They are ready to capture your concerns on areas requiring technical assistance. It will go down well with all of you if you could prioritize your technical assistance requirements. So go a step further and identify other areas, including financing that will build a strong case for a framework on EPA Fisheries Partnership Agreement. One way of making EPAs succeed as a tool for development in the ACP States is to have meaningful participation of the ACP people in steering the economic boat. You can facilitate this by coming up with a framework under EPA that will benefit the ACP States endowed with fisheries through harvesting, processing and exporting this natural resource to EU and other markets. By so doing, you would have left an indelible mark as you use your skills and contribute in the struggle of making poverty a history.

It is my hope that other sectors who may not have held such consultative meetings will borrow a leaf from you so as to have a process of not only exchanging ideas but also of owning the EPAs. Ownership of EPAs will be crucial for their successful implementation.

Representatives of donor agencies, experts, Ladies and Gentlemen, I know your minds are set and reeling to embark on the business of the day. .

Thank you