Brussels, 8 June 2017/ ACP-EU DevMin/ ACP: Five thousand micro, small and medium scale ‘Development Minerals’ operators will now have access to more affordable finance as a result of a partnership between the African Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Ltd (AGF), the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Tallinn, Estonia, 31 May 2017/ ACP: The ACP Secretary General H.E. Dr. Patrick I. Gomes and the Prime Minister of Estonia H.E. Mr. Jüri Ratas today signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the margins of the 2017 Tallinn Conference on E-Governance, on behalf of the ACP Group of States and the Government of Estonia.

Bonn, 18 May 2017/ DG CLIMA/ ACP: The European Union and 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific developing countries, who together make up more than half of the signatories to the Paris Agreement on climate change, today reaffirmed their strong and steadfast commitment to full implementation of the agreement, urging all partners to keep up the momentum created in 2015.

Nairobi, 10 May 2017/ UNHABITAT/ ACP: A new USD 11 million has been secured for the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme to empower African, Caribbean and Pacific countries transform the living conditions of slum dwellers.

Brussels, 5 May 2017/ ACP: The Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States closed its 105th session with two key decisions that will influence how the bloc of 79 countries will carve out a more effective role in the international arena.

Brussels, 3 May 2017/ ACP: The 105th session of the ACP Council of Ministers was opened today in Brussels, gathering high level officials from the 79 member states of the ACP Group to discuss and take decisions on major issues of common concern and interest. 

The 105th session of Council is presided over by the Minister of Finance and Cooperation of Ethiopia Dr. Abraham Tekeste. 

Following opening remarks by the ACP Secretary General Dr. Patrick Gomes, the President-in-Office of the United Nations General Assembly, Amb. Peter Thomson of Fiji addressed the Council of Ministers as a special invited guest.

Honorable Ministers

H.E. Dr. Patrick I. GOMES, Secretary-General of the ACP Group,

H.E. Dr. Abraham TEKESTE, Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, President in Office of Council

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to be here today in Brussels to address the 105^th Session of the Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.

Your Excellency the President of the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Peter THOMSON

Honourable Ministers,

Your Excellency, Secretary-General GOMES,

Excellencies, Ambassadors

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I bring you warm greetings from His Excellency President TESHOME, His Excellency Prime Minister DESALEGN, and the Government and People of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Land of Origins. It is a great honour for me to be presiding over the affairs of our 105^th Council Session.