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

Brussels , 20 November 2006

4-5 December 2006

Khartoum, Sudan

The ACP Ministers will meet in their 84 rh session in Khartoum, Sudan, on 4 and 5 December 2006. During the meeting, the Ministers will hear the Committee of Ambassadors’ Report which will be presented by H.E. Mr. René Makongo, Ambassador of Gabon and Chairman of the Committee since 1 August 2006. The Council of Ministers is expected to adopt several decisions relating to the ACP Secretariat’s budget for 2007, the Council’s report to the Summit, as well as the implementation of the decisions of the last Summit held in Maputo.

Council will discuss the reports from the Ministerial Committees and Consultations on Bananas, Sugar, Cotton, and Development Finance Cooperation.

The new global environment and major changes in European Union policy have prompted the ACP Group to reposition itself in order to realize its aspirations as enshrined in its founding agreement, the Georgetown Agreement. The Committee of Ambassadors has held discussions on this subject on several occasions and will inform Council of its reflections.

Finally, the meeting will examine the draft Khartoum Declaration to be adopted on 8 December by the Heads of State and Government, as well as the draft agendas and the programme of meetings for the 5 th Summit.

The Council session will be preceded by the following meetings on 3 December 2006: Ministerial Committees and Consultations on Bananas, Sugar (Consultative Group and LDCs), Cotton and the Development Finance Committee.