8th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
8th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
31 May – 1 June, 2016
Press Release
Heads of State and Government from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) convened their 8th Summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from 31 May to 1 June, 2016, to chart the way forward on the Group’s future cooperation relationship with the European Union post-2020.
The ACP Heads considered the report of the Eminent Persons Group which, at the last Summit in December 2012, held in Sipopo, Equatorial Guinea, was mandated to broaden and deepen reflections of the ACP Group, with a view to submitting proposals and recommendations on the future of the organization, in a changing global environment. In its submission to the ACP Heads, the EPG concluded that the ACP should focus on trade and development; development cooperation including science and technology and political dialogue and advocacy. The EPG Report stressed the need to build on the positive elements of cooperation with the EU and to strengthen south-south cooperation, particularly in identifying other meaningful cooperation partners.
Heads noted the emergence of pressing global issues which heavily impact ACP countries including drought, famine, food insecurity, climate change, terrorism, migration and citizen security. Heads of Government underscored the importance of implementing the decisions adopted at the various global conferences in 2015, includingthe International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held In New York and the Climate Change Conference in Paris.
The Georgetown Agreement establishing the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States was signed in 1975 to build unity and solidarity among the member nations, especially with respect to development cooperation with the European Union. The organization, which comprises 79 member countries from the three regions,is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
H. E. Rhoda M. Jackson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, represented The Bahamas at the ACP Summit.