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.

Brussels, 29 April 2017/ ACP: The Ambassador of Ethiopia to the Benelux countries and the European Union H.E Mr. Teshome Toga Chanaka presides over the Committee of Ambassadors of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group for the period 1 February 2017 - 31 July 2017. He shares with ACP Press priority issues for the coming months in his tenure, including discussions on the future of the ACP Group, including ACP-EU relations. 

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Brussels, 3 April 2017/ ACP: Seventy-nine countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific will speak with one voice as they prepare to negotiate a major partnership framework with the European Union.

The new accord will follow on the current ACP-EU Partnership Agreement (also known as the Cotonou Agreement), which covers trade, development cooperation and political dialogue between the two parties until 2020.

Geneva, 24 March 2017/ ACP: Experts have highlighted the importance “coherent global actions” to ensure the sustainability of the world’s fish stocks – a valuable export commodity for more than 60 ACP countries. Fisheries is particularly significant to the ACP’s 37 member states that are classified as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as well as coastal economies.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States is following keenly the political developments in the Gambia following Presidential elections held on 1^st December 2016 that led to the election of President Elect Adama Barrow.

Concerned at the volte – face by President Yahya Jammeh, the ACP calls for respect of the will of the Gambian people as expressed by the election results and the need for a peaceful and orderly transfer of power to the President elect.

The ACP Group of States seizes this opportunity to support all efforts by the International Community and Regional Organisations, in particular ECOWAS, to ensure smooth and peaceful transfer of power to President elect Adama Barrow on 19^th January 2017

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States congratulates the people of Ghana for a smooth, peaceful and successful, organization of the Presidential and parliamentary elections held on the 7^th December 2016.

The ACP Congratulates President Elect Nana Akufo-Addo for his election and accession to the Presidency of the Republic of Ghana. The ACP commends President John Dramani Mahama for the graceful acceptance of the results of the elections.

The ACP Group stands committed to promoting peace, good governance and democracy in ACP states and applauds the people of Ghana for affirming the strength of Ghana’s democracy through this election.

Brussels 01 December 2016/ ACP: The 104^th session of the Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States ended yesterday in Brussels, presided over by the Hon. Lindsay F.P. GRANT, Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Consumer Affairs of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. 

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States continues to monitor closely the unsettling political developments in The Gambia, following the successfully conducted elections of December 1, the graceful concession of defeat by President JAMMEH on December 2, and the latter’s subsequent reversal of that decision on December 9.  The ACP Group joins the international community in condemning the decision by outgoing President JAMMEH to subsequently contest the results of the elections, which had been declared free, fair and transparent by the Independent Electoral Commission, and which threatens the peace and harmony for which The Gambia is renowned.  Various strata of the Gambian society have unanimously condemned this volte-face – the lawyers, business community, stud

Brussels, 18 November 2016/ ACP: The ACP Sugar Group welcomed the recent publication of the “Study on Current and Forecast Market Developments for ACP Sugar Suppliers to the EU Market”, which was undertaken by Cardno/LMC International and funded by the European Union. The study sets out a comprehensive assessment of the risks for ACP/EBA sugar producers as a result of changes to the EU sugar regime and it contains a series of helpful recommendations aimed at mitigating the impacts of the reform on the ACP sugar sector.

Brussels, 27 October 2016/ ACP: The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States strongly condemns the horrific terrorist attacks perpetuated on 25 October 2016 in Mandera, Northern Kenya, by terrorist organisations which has led to the death of 12 people.

The ACP Group extends its condolences to the families of the victims as well as the people of the Republic of Kenya. The ACP stands firmly with the Government of Kenya as it confronts terrorism which poses serious threats to international peace and security.