Speech by SIR JOHN R. KAPUTIN, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ACP GROUP at the GFDRR Seminar on ‘Disaster Risk Reduction and the opportunities for enhanced cooperation between the World Bank and ACP States’ held at the World Bank Washington, DC Thursday, 08 October 2009 Mr. Saroj JHA, It is indeed a honour for me and the ACP Secretariat to participate in this Seminar. Allow me to thank Mr. Saroj JHA, Programme Manager of the GFDRR, for all the arrangements made for my visit to the World Bank, and more importantly, for his tireless efforts to assist ACP States and Regions to cope with natural and other disasters. This seminar comes at a very opportune time, given the many natural disasters that have taken place over the last couple of weeks in Africa and Asia, including in the Pacific. The ACP Group of States and ACP-EU relations – A brief historical background The ACP Group of States was founded in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1975, with a permanent Secretariat based in Brussels, Belgium. Over time the ACP Group has evolved and grown in membership, and now comprise 79 countries with a combined population of about 730 million, from the initial 46 countries in 1975. The Group, founded on the principles of unity and solidarity, has the alleviation of extreme poverty and the promotion of sustainable development of its member states, as its principle objectives. The Group’s supreme organ is the Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government, and the principle decision making body is the ACP Council of Ministers, which holds two sessions per annum. Between sessions of Council, the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, with its various Sub-Committees, guides the day-to-day decision-making and management of the Group. The ACP Group has a special relationship with its principle partner, the European Union, and ACP-EU cooperation is one of the most dynamic in the world, covering a wide range of areas such as trade, development assistance as well as support for peace, security governance and democracy in ACP States. Currently, the ACP Group is implementing a number of projects in cooperation with the European Commission on culture, migration, trade, education, information and communication technologies, science and technology, natural disasters facility and support for local government. These are all aimed at promoting and supporting poverty eradication and the attainment of sustainable development in ACP States. Cooperation between the 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. After successive Yaoundé and Lome Agreements from 1963 to 2000, the present Cotonou Agreement was signed on 23 June 2000, governing ACP-EU relations for the period up to 2020. The Agreement has a lifespan of 20 years from 2000 to 2020, with provision for periodical revision every five years. The first revision was completed in 2005, and the partners are now engaged in the process of the second revision, due for completion in 2010. Our relationship interlocks 105 countries, which represents more than 50% of the membership of the United Nations. The Partnership between the ACP Group and the EU is managed by various joint institutions, such as the joint ACP-EC Council of Ministers and ACP-EC Committee of Ambassadors. The European Development Fund (EDF) is the primary vehicle for development assistance of the EU to the ACP Group. The funding has grown from € 730 million at Yaoundé I to over € 22 billion in the 10th EDF of the Cotonou Agreement covering the period 2008-2013. To this end, the EDF has supported sectoral policies and reforms in education, health and the environment, institutional development and capacity building, macroeconomic and structural programmes, technical cooperation programmes, and humanitarian and emergency assistance. ACP-EU Natural Disaster Facility (NDF) During negotiations in 2008 for a successor financial envelope to the 9th EDF, the ACP Group secured an amount of € 180 million for the ACP-EU NDF under the 10th EDF. The focus of the 10th EDF NDF will, inter alia, be: The implementation of the 10th EDF ACP-EU NDF will commence in 2010. Cooperation between the World Bank and the ACP Group In the ACP Group, there is a growing recognition that disaster risk reduction is key to the promotion of sustainable development and the eradication of extreme poverty, and needs to be mainstreamed in development plans and strategies. In the field of disaster risk management, collaboration with the Bank commenced during 2005, and allow me to thank the GFDRR for the assistance provided to ACP States and Regions through Tracks I, II and III, respectively building partnerships, mainstreaming disaster risk reduction, and sustainable recovery. I am pleased to announce that the ACP Group has decided to recommend to the European Commission to provide the GFDRR with an amount of Euro 60 million from the allocated Euro 180 million for the 10th EDF ACP-EU NDF. I am convinced that the ACP Group’s contribution would further strengthen our existing collaboration and cooperation in disaster risk management. I hope that this financial contribution from the ACP Group, as a representative of the developing world, would encourage the donor community to adequately fund the GFDRR with additional and predictable resources. The ACP Group is ready to take up its place amongst the donors of the GFDRR to, in the true spirit of a partnership, make joint decisions on matters that are of key importance to our people. We look forward to the successful implementation of GFDRR activities and programmes in our states and regions. Conclusions The ACP Group is convinced that its close collaboration with all stakeholders, and indeed participation in the GFDRR, will result in policies and programmes that are people-centred and with a focus on improving the quality of their lives. I thank you for your kind attention.
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