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

INTRODUCTION

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP OF STATES, A GROUPING OF 79 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SPANNING THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THE CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC REGIONS, AND REPRESENTING 730 MILLION PEOPLE.  THE ACP GROUP’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION, COMPRISING 27 MEMBER STATES, IS HAILED AS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC AND ADVANCED AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE DEVELOPING AND DEVELOPED WORLD.

THE ACP GROUP OF STATES – A BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

COOPERATION BETWEEN EU AND ITS ACP PARTNERS CAN BE TRACED TO THE 1957 TREATY OF ROME, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (EEC), AND PROVIDED FOR A SPECIAL ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP FOR OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND COLONIES OF THE 6 FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE TREATY.

THIS COOPERATION WAS GUIDED BY FIRST, AN ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH THE OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES (1957-1962) AND THROUGH THE YAOUNDÉ AGREEMENTS I AND II (1963-1975). SINCE 1975, THE CONSTITUENT ACT OF THE ACP GROUP, THE GEORGETOWN AGREEMENT, HAS BEEN THE BASIS FOR THE SUBSEQUENT LOMÉ AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE ACP GROUP AND THE EU FROM 1975 TO 2000. AFTER THE EXPIRY OF LOMÉ IVBIS IN 2000, THE ACP GROUP AND THE EUROPEAN UNION SIGNED A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT, THE ACP-EU PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, SIGNED IN COTONOU, BENIN, ON 23 JUNE 2000. THE COTONOU AGREEMENT HAS A LIFESPAN OF 20 YEARS FROM 2000 TO 2020, WITH PROVISION FOR PERIODICAL REVISION EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THE ACP-EU RELATIONSHIP IS INCLUSIVE, AND COVERS VARIOUS THEMATIC AREAS AND SECTORAL PROGRAMMES, SUCH AS CULTURE, EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NATURAL DISASTERS, ENERGY, WATER, INFRA-STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING. TODAY, ALLOW ME TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVITIES AND MAIN PREOCCUPATIONS OF THE ACP GROUP, AND ITS ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. 

REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION AND THE FUTURE OF THE ACP GROUP

ON THE EVE OF THE IMPORTANT MEETING OF OUR LEADERS IN CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND, UNDER THE CHARIMANSHIP OF THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, LET ME PROVIDE SOME REFLECTION ON REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION.  REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION FEATURES PROMINENTLY IN ACP-EU RELATIONS AND BOTH PARTIES HAVE AGREED ON THE NEED TO BASE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES NOT ONLY ON ALL-ACP AND/OR COUNTRY APPROACHES, BUT ALSO, AND SOMETIMES MORE SO, ON SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE VARIOUS REGIONAL GROUPINGS OF THE ACP GROUP.  SINCE 2005, THE EU HAS DEVELOPED ITS OWN INTITIATIVES OUTSIDE THE COTONOU FRAMEWORK IN THE SEPARATE EU STRATEGIES FOR AFRICA, THE CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC REGIONS, AND SOUTH AFRICA.

THE ACP GROUP HAS ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS STATED THAT, THESE STRATEGIES, WHICH WERE DEVELOPED WITHOUT FULL CONSULTATION WITH THE RESPECTIVE REGIONS, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF SOUTH AFRICA, COULD UNDERMINE EXISTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION PROCESSES IN ACP REGIONS. TO THIS END, AT THE EU-AFRICA LISBON SUMMIT IN 2007, IT WAS AGREED TO RE-MODEL THE EU-AFRICA STRATEGY AS THE JOINT EU-AFRICA STRATEGY. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HAS EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS WITH THE PACIFIC AND CARIBBEAN REGIONS TO UNDERTAKE SIMILAR APPROACHES TO THEIR RESPECTIVE STRATEGIES.   IN THIS REGARD, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UPON THE ACP PACIFIC LEADERS TO ENGAGE WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO JOINTLY LOOK AT THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR THE REGION.

HOWEVER, IT MUST STILL BE POINTED OUT THAT THESE STRATEGIES ARE STILL OUTSIDE THE COTONOU FRAMEWORK, AND IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT COMPLEMENTARITIES THERE WILL BE WITH ACP-EU REGIONAL INTEGRATION INITIATIVES. THE SAME CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED WITH REGARD TO THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF EPAS ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN THE ACP GROUP. IT MUST BE RECALLED THAT ONE OF THE STATED OBJECTIVES OF EPAS IS TO SUPPORT REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN ACP REGIONS. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL NOT CLEAR WHETHER EPAS WILL BUILD ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION INITIATIVES OR WILL, RATHER, UNDERMINE THESE PROCESSES. FOR INSTANCE, IN SOME ACP REGIONS, THE EPA NEGOTIATIONS CONFIGURATIONS DO NOT CORRESPOND WITH EXISTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION STRUCTURES AND/OR CUSTOMS UNIONS.

I WILL ALSO LIKE TO EMPHASISE THAT UNDER THE COTONOU AGREEMENT, REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION ARE NOT JUST ABOUT TRADE; THEY COVER A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER FUNCTIONAL AND THEMATIC FIELDS WHICH  ADDRESS COMMON PROBLEMS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SCALE OF ECONOMIES. THESE INCLUDE INFRASTRUCTURE, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, THE ENVIRONMENT, WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ENERGY, HEALTH, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION AS WELL AS ARMS CONTROL, THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS, ORGANISED CRIME, MONEY LAUNDERING, BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION.

REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE COTONOU AGREEMENT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE ACP GEOGRAPHICAL SPACE ONLY, THEY ENCOMPASS ALSO SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES INVOLVING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NON-ACP STATES. IN OUR PACIFIC REGION, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROVISION, AND TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE THEREOF.

IT IS A REALITY THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ACP GROUP AS AN ENTITY IS BEING MINIMIZED, AND WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW OUR PRINCIPLE PARTNER, THE EU, TO DICTATE OUR FUTURE.  IN OUR REFLECTION ON THE FUTURE OF THE ACP GROUP, A PROCESS THAT IS ONGOING, WE NEED POLITICAL LEADERSHIP TO GUIDE THIS GROUP.  WE NEED CHANGE AND REFORM, CONTINUE TO BUILD ON OUR NUMERIC STRENGTH WITH CONCRETE ACTIONS, STRATEGIES, AND VISION TO DELIVER TO OUR PEOPLE. IN THIS REGARD, THE PACIFIC ACP STATES OF THE GROUP NEED TO HAVE A DEEP REFLECTION ON ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GROUP, OTHER PARTNERSHIPS AND WHICH COOPERATION FRAMEWORK WOULD SUIT THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTRIES THE BEST.

POLITICAL DIALOGUE

THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF THE ACP GROUP ARE ITS UNITY AND SOLIDARITY.   IN RECENT YEARS, AN ACTIVE, FRANK AND SUBSTANTIVE INTRA-ACP PROCESS OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE IS TAKING PLACE.  THE PROCESS ALLOWS US, INTER ALIA, TO PREPARE FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR PARTNER, THE EU, AND TO ASSIST A SISTER COUNTRY IN ITS EXTERNAL RELATIONS.

IN 2000, THE COTONOU AGREEMENT INTRODUCED A POLITICAL DIMENSION INTO THE ACP GROUP’S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EU. IN THIS CONTEXT, POLITICAL DIALOGUE DEALS MORE SPECIFICALLY WITH TWO SETS OF PILLARS ON WHICH THE ACP-EU PARTNERSHIP IS FOUNDED: THE FIRST ARE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS, I.E. HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES AND THE RULE OF LAW; AND THE SECOND IS THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT, I.E. GOOD GOVERNANCE. SERIOUS VIOLATION OF ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS, SUCH AS A COUP D’ETAT OR A SERIOUS CASES OF CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS OR DEMOCRATIC VALUES, LEAD TO CONSULTATIONS UNDER ARTICLES 96 AND 97 OF THE COTONOU AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES AND FAILURE TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT REMEDIES THE SITUATION MAY LEAD TO PARTIAL OR COMPLETE SUSPENSION OF THE COOPERATION. RECENT CASES OF CONSULTATION AND PARTIAL SUSPENSION OF COOPERATION INCLUDE COUNTRIES SUCH AS MAURITANIA, THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA, THE REPUBLIC OF MADAGASCA AND, CLOSER TO YOU, THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI.  FIJI REMAINS A MEMBER OF THE ACP GROUP, AND THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN THAT COUNTRY WILL SURELY BE DISCUSSED BY OUR LEADERS IN CAIRNS.  IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, WE NEED TO ASSIST FIJI TO RETURN TO CONSTITUTIONAL RULE AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY, AND ENSURE THAT ITS PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING PENALISED FOR THE CURRENT POLITICAL IMPASSE.

PEACE, SECURITY AND CONFLICT PREVENTION AND RESOLUTION

ACP AND EU PARTNERS UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT-SECURITY NEXUS AND ENCOURAGE THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS AND CONSOLIDATION OF PEACE IN ALL COUNTRIES AND REGIONS, IN PARTICULAR THROUGH DIALOGUE AND HOME-GROWN INITIATIVES INCLUDING RESPECT FOR TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF ALL MEMBER STATES. THE COTONOU PARTNERSHIP PROVIDE FOR A RANGE OF MECHANISMS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CONFLICT PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT, SUCH AS THE AFRICAN PEACE FACILITY, WHICH ADDRESSES CONFLICT PREVENTION, PEACE KEEPING AND PEACE BUILDING. THE ACP GROUP IS NOW ENGAGED IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EU WITH A VIEW TO SETTING UP SIMILAR FACILITIES FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND THE PACIFIC REGIONS, OR EXTENDING THE AFRICAN PEACE FACILITY TO INCLUDE THESE REGIONS. I HOPE THAT THIS MATTER IS RECEIVING ADEQUATE ATTENTION FROM PACIFIC LEADERS, SINCE PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

MIGRATION, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WILL REMAIN ON THE INTERNATIONAL AGENDA FOR THE NEXT DECADE, IF NOT LONGER.  WE LIVE IN AN INTER-CONNECTED WORLD, AND MIGRATION FOSTERS DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO LOOK AT THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF MIGRATION, AND TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS THE PHENOMENON OF BRAIN DRAIN, AND THE MIGRATION TO DEVELOPED COUNTRIES OF HIGHLY SKILLED AND MUCH NEEDED PROFESSIONALS EDUCATED AND TRAINED AT GREAT PUBLIC EXPENSE IN ACP STATES. IN RECENT TIMES, SOME ACP STATES HAVE LOST SO MANY DOCTORS, NURSES AND TEACHERS TO DEVELOPED COUNTRIES THAT ETHICALLY, IT IS NO LONGER VIEWED AS BRAIN DRAIN BUT BRAIN THEFT.

THE ANSWER TO MIGRATION IS NOT WALLS, FORTRESSES AND SELECTIVE POLICIES (SUCH AS THE MUCH HATED AND DISCREDITED SYSTEM OF APARTHIED OR THE SILENT PERSISTENCE OF THE ‘WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY’).  WE ARE ALL MIGRANTS, AND A PRAGMATIC APPROACH IS NEEDED.  WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS, PROMOTE CIRCULAR MIGRATION AND FACILITATE LEGAL MIGRATION. THE TIGHTENING OF IMMIGRATION LAWS MAKES IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR PROSPECTIVE MIGRANTS TO OBTAIN ENTRY VISAS, WHICH LEADS TO AN UPSURGE IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, WHICH CAUSES MIGRANTS TO EXIST ON THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY, OFTEN WITHOUT RECOURSE TO LEGAL OR SOCIAL PROTECTION. ON THE OTHER HAND, INCREASING RESENTMENT, XENOPHOBIA AND RACISM HAVE COMPOUNDED THE ALREADY DESPERATE SITUATION OF MIGRANTS. EVEN AMONG LEGAL MIGRANTS, LIVING CONDITIONS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE OFTEN DEPLORABLE, LEADING TO POOR INTEGRATION AND REINFORCING PERCEIVED OR ACTUAL MARGINALISATION FROM THE REST OF SOCIETY. AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION OF DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, LARGE NUMBERS OF NON-WHITE OR NON-CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN THEIR MIDST ARE CHALLENGING THE TRADITIONAL IDEAS ABOUT NATIONAL IDENTITY. AS I HAVE SAID, THIS HAS MADE IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM ISSUES SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING SOCIAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS ISSUES IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

IT MUST BE NOTED THAT GENERALLY, ACP STATES HAVE BEEN MORE TOLERANT TO MIGRANTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. TAKING PACIFIC STATES AS AN EXAMPLE, THE LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN OR CHINESE DESCENT IS A MANIFESTATION OF THIS FACT, NOT TO MENTION THOSE OF CAUCASIAN ANCESTRY THAT MIGRATED DURING THE COLONIAL ERA.

THE ACP GROUP HAS RESPONDED TO THE CHALLENGE OF MIGRATION THROUGH A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING THE CREATION OF THE INTRA-ACP MIGRATION FACILITY, TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF MIGRATION ISSUES IN THE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES OF THE ACP STATES, SUCH AS TO BUILD CAPACITIES TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF MIGRATION THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTRY MIGRATION PROFILES, AS WELL AS TO ENSURE THE RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS OF MIGRANTS.

EXACTLY 68 YEARS AFTER I WAS BORN, WHEN SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE OF GHANA IN ACCRA ON 11 JULY, 2009 PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID:

“I HAVE THE BLOOD OF AFRICA WITHIN ME, AND MY FAMILY’S OWN STORY ENCOMPASSES BOTH THE TRAGEDIES AND TRIUMPHS OF THE LARGER AFRICAN STORY”.

THE PRESIDENT CONTINUED,

  “MY GRANDFATHER WAS A COOK FOR THE BRITISH IN KENYA, AND THOUGH HE WAS A RESPECTED ELDER IN HIS VILLAGE, HIS EMPLOYERS CALLED HIM “BOY” FOR MUCH OF HIS LIFE. HE WAS ON THE PERIPHERY OF KENYA’S LIBERATION STRUGGLES, BUT HE WAS STILL IMPRISONED BRIEFLY DURING THE REPRESSIVE TIMES.  IN HIS LIFE, COLONIALISM WASN’T SIMPLY THE CREATION OF UNNATURAL BORDERS OR UNFAIR TERMS OF TRADE – IT WAS SOMETHING EXPERIENCED PERSONALLY, DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR.”

THE PRESIDENT ADDED,

“MY FATHER GREW UP HERDING GOATS IN A TINY VILLAGE, AN IMPOSSIBLE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES WHERE HE WOULD COME TO GET AN EDUCATION.”

MUCH AGAINST AUSTRALIA’S EARLY POLICY IN EDUCATION, I SHARED ONE OF THOSE AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES WITH BARACK’S FATHER, THOUGH A FEW YEARS APART.

FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AND AS A WARD OF THE STATE WITHOUT ANY RIGHT TO CITIZENSHIP, AS A FATHER I COULD NOT OFFER ANYTHING TO MY CHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE BORN AND SO TODAY MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE AUSTRALIAN BY NATIONALITY.  FROM MY SECOND MARRIAGE, MY STEP CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE AUSTRALIAN MY BIRTH. TWO YEARS AGO, MY WIFE AND I WENT TO DENMARK TO LOOK FOR THE SMALL VILLAGE OF HER GREAT GRANDFATHER, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO SEE.  ALL THIS IS SIMPLY IN TERMS OF FREEDOM AND RIGHTS, AND BEING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW AND POLICIES, AND HAVING LIVED AND STUDIED IN AUSTRALIA, I AM ONLY TOO AWARE OF THE REALITIES THAT PREVAIL IN THIS COUNTRY. 

THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE FACILITY IS TO PROMOTE CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION OF MIGRATION ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT POLICIES, IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF MIGRATION. THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE LINKS BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH, EDUCATION, YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, FREE TRADE, RURAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVEMENT OF THE STATUS OF WOMEN, ON ONE HAND, AND INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MIGRATION, ON THE OTHER HAND.

ASIDE FROM ACP INITIATIVES, THE ACP GROUP, THROUGH ITS SECRETARIAT, IS PARTICIPATING ACTIVELY IN THE GLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT (GFMD), WHICH AIMS TO SUPPORT THE NEXUS BETWEEN MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT. TO THIS END, THE ACP SECRETARIAT WAS ACTIVE AT THE 1^ST GLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT THAT TOOK PLACE IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM FROM 9 TO 11 JULY 2007, AS WELL AS AT THE 2^ND FORUM THAT WAS HELD IN MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES, FROM 27 TO 30 OCTOBER 2008.  FURTHERMORE, THE ACP GROUP WILL TAKE ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE AT THE 3^RD FORUM, SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN ATHENS, GREECE DURING NOVEMBER 2009.

URBANIZATION AND SLUM UPGRADING

AS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE ABOVE, ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE ACP GROUP IS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT AFFECT THE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR PEOPLE. ASIDE FROM MIGRATION, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING A LOT OF ATTENTION IS THE ISSUE OF URBANISATION, IN PARTICULAR, ITS IMPACT ON HUMAN HABITATS. THE ACP GROUP IS CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSION WITH A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS DEALING WITH THIS AREA.  FOR INSTANCE, FROM 8 TO 10 JUNE 2009, IN NAIROBI, KENYA, THE ACP SECRETARIAT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND UN-HABITAT JOINTLY ORGANIZED AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON URBANIZATION CHALLENGES AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN ACP STATES. THE AIM OF THE CONFERENCE WAS TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN THESE THREE INSTITUTIONS WITH A VIEW TO HARMONIZING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, PARTICULARLY THOSE RELATING TO THE REDUCTION OF POVERTY AND THE UPGRADING OF SLUMS.  IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND UN-HABITAT, THE ACP SECRETARIAT IS ALSO INVOLVED IN A “PARTICIPATORY SLUM UPGRADING PROGRAMME”, COVERING 30 ACP STATES.

THE PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION

ONE OF THE RECENT CRITICISMS OF MULTILATERALISM IS THE SO CALLED DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT. IT HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MOST OF THE MAJOR DECISIONS AT MULTILATERAL LEVEL, WHICH AFFECT THE LIVELIHOODS OF ALL THE WORLD’S CITIZENS DAILY, ARE MADE BY UNELECTED OFFICIALS, WHO IT IS ARGUED, ARE NOT ANSWERABLE TO ANYONE. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT EVEN THE EU, WHICH HAS A DIRECTLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT, IS NOT IMMUNE TO THIS CRITICISM, AS IT IS ARGUED THAT MUCH OF THE EU’S LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME IS DRIVEN BY UNELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

WITHIN THE COTONOU FRAMEWORK, THE PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION IS COVERED THROUGH THE ACP-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY (JPA), CONSISTING OF EQUAL PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION FROM THE EU AND ACP-SIDES. IT IS THE ONLY INSTITUTION OF ITS KIND; THERE IS NO OTHER MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BODY THAT INCLUDES WITHIN ITS TREATY OBLIGATIONS THE NEED TO ENSURE THE INVOLVEMENT OF PARLIAMENTARIANS.

IN ADDITION TO THE JPA, THERE WAS RECOGNISED A NEED ON THE ACP-SIDE TO ESTABLISH AN ALL-ACP PARLIAMENTARY BODY AS WELL, WHICH WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH ISSUES OF MUTUAL CONCERN TO ACP STATES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE GEORGETOWN AGREEMENT. THE ACP PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY MIRRORS THE IMAGE OF THE JPA IN THAT IT IS COMPOSED OF ACP MEMBERS OF THE JPA, AND ITS BODIES AND WORKING METHODS ARE MODELED ON THOSE OF THE JPA.

CREATION OF A SINGLE, UNIFIED VOICE OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD

THE EVOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THE CHANGES IN THE GEO-POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT OVER THE LAST DECADE, NECESSITATE A DEEP REFLECTION BY LEADERS ON THE ROLE AND RELEVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.  TO THIS END, THERE IS A NEED FOR CONSOLIDATION AND EMPOWERMENT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO STATE PUBLICLY THAT THE ACP GROUP OF STATES IS READY TO FULFILL A GREATER ROLE IN REPRESENTING THE VOICE OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD.  AS THE LARGEST DEVELOPING GROUP IN THE WORLD WITH A PERMANENT SECRETARIAT, AND IN EXISTENCE FOR MORE THAT 30 YEARS, IT IS MY VISION TO CONSOLIDATE AND UNIFY THE MANY VOICES OF THE POOR, THE LESS DEVELOPED AND PEOPLE IN NEED IN A UNIFIED, SINGLE BODY THAT CAN CHAMPION AND AMPLIFY THE CAUSE OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA.  I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS FORUM TO REQUEST OUR LEADERS TO WORK TOWARDS THIS GOAL, AND FURTHERMORE, CALL UPON OUR DEVELOPING PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.  LET US EMPOWER THE ACP GROUP TO WORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY GLOBALLY.

COHERENCE IN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

THE CURRENT MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION IS NOT WORKING.  FOR MORE THAT 30 YEARS, WE IN THE ACP GROUP ARE ASKING WHAT ARE THE SUCCESS STORIES OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.  THERE ARE NOT MANY, AND OUR COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO BE POOR, AND LESS DEVELOPED.  IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT WE HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT DEDICATED TO DEVELOPMENT.  IN THIS REGARD, WE IN THE ACP GROUP WOULD LIKE TO CHALLENGE ALL OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION TO AUSTRALIA AND OTHERS, TO CONVENE A SUMMIT WHERE WE CAN JOINTLY DETERMINE OUR DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES IN A COHERENT AND TRANSPARENT MANNER.  ONLY THROUGH THE POOLING OF RESOURCES AND EFFORTS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR REAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND INFRA-STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, WILL WE BE ABLE TO REGISTER AND DEMONSTRATE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. 

FUTURE OF THE ACP GROUP, AND THE ROLE OF PACIFIC ACP STATES

THE ACP GROUP IS ON THE MOVE, AND NOW IS THE TIME TO CONSOLIDATE OUR DESTINY.  IN ITS NUMERIC STRENGTH, THE GROUP HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL, AND IT IS OUR DUTY AND OBLIGATION TO REPRESENT THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE POOR.  WE CAN, AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVES OF SO MANY.  IN THIS REGARD, THE 15 PACIFIC ACP STATES CAN MAKE AN INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION AND CHANGE THE CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.  I CALL UPON OUR PACIFIC ACP LEADERS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP TO THE GROUP IN TERMS OF ITS FUTURE BY PROPOSING THAT A GROUP OF 6 EMINENT PERSONS, REPRESENTING THE SIX REGIONS OF THE GROUP, BE CONSTITUTED TO MAKE CONCRETE PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE ACP GROUP TO THE NEXT SUMMIT OF ACP HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT.  WE NEED TO REVITALIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PRINCIPLE PARTNER, THE EUROPEAN UNION, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, DEVELOP EXPANDED RELATIONS WITH OTHER GLOBAL ROLE-PLAYERS TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR COUNTRIES, AND INDEED THE PEOPLE.  I BELIEVE THAT AN EMINENT PERSONS GROUP FROM THE ACP WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOUND ADVICE TO OUR LEADERS.

CONCLUSION

THE ACP GROUP CONTINUES TO BE CONFRONTED WITH A MULTITUDE OF CHALLENGES, AND WE ARE ALWAYS ENDEAVOURING TO FORMULATE, AND ALIGN PRESENT ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES FACING OUR PEOPLE, MEMBER STATES AND REGIONS.

THE ACP GROUP IS THE LARGEST ORGANIZED DEVELOPING GROUPING WITH ITS OWN SECRETARIAT.  IT BRINGS TOGETHER COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES OF DIVERSE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL BACKGROUNDS, AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT.  OUR GREATEST ASSET IS OUR PEOPLE, AND DURING MY TENURE AS SECRETARY-GENERAL, I HAVE MADE THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE MY KEY OBJECTIVE.  I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN MAKE A REAL CHANGE, AND YES, WE WILL MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LIVES OF SO MANY – THAT IS MY COMMITMENT TO YOU, THE PACIFIC LEADERS AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.

I THANK YOU.