Brussels, 10 November 2017/ ACP: Leaders and policy makers from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) reaffirmed their commitment to making culture a priority sector in their countries through concrete actions and strategies, while welcoming €40 million under the European Development Fund for a new ACP-EU support programme to be launched in 2018.

Brussels, 7 November 2017/ ACP: On 9 and 10 November 2017, the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States will organise the fourth meeting of ACP Ministers of Culture on the topic of “Making culture an impact investment in achieving 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development” in Brussels. The Ministers’ conference will be preceded by the meeting of ACP Senior Officials in charge of Culture on 7 and 8 November.

Brussels, 26 October 2017/ ACP: The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States has followed with great interest the democratic developments in Kenya. In this regard the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States recalls the historic ruling by the supreme court of Kenya on 1^st September 2017 that called for fresh elections to be held on 26 October 2017. The ACP Group commends the people of the Republic of Kenya for going to the polls; this once again illustrates Kenya’s commitment to democratic governance.

Brussels, 24 October 2017/ UNDIO/ ACP: The first symposium dedicated to the cooperation between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP), took place today at the ACP Secretariat in Brussels. The Secretary General of the ACP, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes and UNIDO Director General, LI Yong, took part in the event, which focused on “Boosting ACP Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization through job creation, value chains, and productive investment.”

Brussels, 20 October 2017/ ACP/ EC: During the Joint Ministerial Trade Committee held on 20 October 2017, the ACP and the EU discussed preparations for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Buenos Aires on 10-13 December 2017.

Brussels, 20 October 2017/ ACP: Ministers and senior officials responsible for Trade from 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries reaffirmed their strong and resounding commitment to the multilateral trading system, at the conclusion of the 20th ACP Ministerial Trade Committee meeting held in Brussels on 18-19 October.

Brussels, 19 October 2017/ ACP: The regime that manages the EU sugar market changed from 1^st October 2017 with the removal of domestic quotas.  Sugar suppliers to the EU under  Economic Partnership Agreement and the Everything But Arms (EBA) Initiative, comprised mostly of small and vulnerable economies, had strongly opposed the abolition of EU domestic sugar quotas when it was first mooted in 2013.   

Brussels, 16 October 2017/ ACP: The Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States H.E. Dr. Patrick I. Gomes met with the President of the Togolese Republic H.E. Mr. Faure Gnassingbé on Monday 16^th October, to lay the groundwork for preparations towards the forthcoming 107^th session of the ACP Council of Ministers and 43^rd session of the ACP-EU Joint Council.