Brussels, 08 August 2019: The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States has announced that the 9^th ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government will take place from 9 to 10 December 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Summit is themed “A Transformed ACP: Committed to Multilateralism” and will be preceded by Ministerial Sessions from 6 to 8 December at the same venue.

Brussels 6 August 2019/ACP: The ACP Group of States was recently invited to give evidence before the House of Commons International Trade Select Committee to speak about the movement of natural persons in the delivery of temporary services (Mode 4 of services supply). 

Assistant Secretary General, Sustainable Economic Development and Trade, Mr. Viwanou Gnassounou recently participated in the 5^th Edition of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Forum, held from 26-27 July in Abuja, Nigeria. ASG Gnassounou was a panelist in a plenary session on Africapitalism which aimed to show the difference between good business practice and philanthropy; illustrate the government’s role in creating an enabling environment and give insight into how business leaders and policymakers see their roles in Africa’s sustainable development.

On behalf of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the Secretariat, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes, Secretary General of the ACP Group of States conveys his deepest condolences to the family and friends, the Government and People of the Republic of Kenya, particularly the people of Bomet County following the death of their Governor, Dr. Joyce Laboso, on Monday 29 July 2019.

Brussels – Deepened engagement between national and regional authorities on migration in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries emerged as one of the most promising practices in the concluding analysis of a five-year, intra-ACP programme funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

“We have seen how regional and inter-regional peer-to-peer meetings boosted regional and South-South cooperation. They enabled all involved to share experiences and good practices around remittances, trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants, visas and cooperation on mobility,” said Jill Helke, IOM Director of International Partnerships and Cooperation.

Brussels, 1^st July 2019

The EU and Mercosur announced the conclusion of a free trade agreement on 28 June 2019, twenty years in the making, now subject to "legal scrubbing" and possibly minor adjustments.

The ACP Group deeply regrets that it was not consulted fully on the context and content of this Free Trade Agreement as per Article 12 of the Cotonou Agreement. 

The next Global Review of Aid for Trade will take place at the WTO under the theme “Supporting Economic Diversification and Empowerment for Inclusive, Sustainable Development through Aid for Trade”. The Event will take place at the WTO headquarters in Geneva from 3 to 5 July 2019.

The next Global Review of Aid for Trade will take place at the WTO under the theme “Supporting Economic Diversification and Empowerment for Inclusive, Sustainable Development through Aid for Trade”. The Event will take place at the WTO headquarters in Geneva from 3 to 5 July 2019.

On 24 June 2019, BIOPAMA launched the first call for proposals for medium grants (up to € 400 000) in the frame of its "Action component", which provides funding opportunities to address protected and conserved areas, sustainable use of biodiversity and natural resource priorities for actions on the ground in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).

By adopting a landscape approach, these actions will also contribute to enhancing local livelihoods through sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem services as well as increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, Dr Patrick I. Gomes met with the recently-reelected President of the Republic of Senegal, The Honourable Macky Sall on Day one of the European Development Days (EDDs) in Brussels, Belgium. Dr Gomes congratulated the President on his recent re-election and assured him of the ACP Group’s continued support. He then expressed his profound appreciation for the leadership that Senegal has consistently played in advancing the strategic priorities of the ACP Group for the new partnership agreement with the European Union (EU).