By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS (IDN) – The heads of state or government of the 28 EU member states, constituting the European Council, have authorized the European Commission to open negotiations for a new partnership agreement with 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). The Group’s Secretary-General Dr. Patrick I. Gomes has greeted […]
Parliamentarians Agree on Concrete Goals of Future ACP-EU Partnership
By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS (IDN) – Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and their counterparts from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have adopted a series of far-reaching resolutions during the 35th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) from June 18 to 20 in Brussels. The resolutions relate to strengthening of the parliamentary […]
Lesotho Looks Forward To Post-Cotonou ACP-EU Agreement
By Ntsoaki Nkoe MASERU (ACP-IDN) – Lesotho, a landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa, like many other member states of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, has benefited from partnership with the European Union (EU) through financial assistance from the European Development Fund (EDF) and trade under preferential conditions, says Finance Minister Dr Moeketsi […]
CTBTO Symposium Underlines Importance of Youth and Women
By Reinhardt Jacobsen VIENNA (IDN) – “Now more than ever, this type of diplomacy has a particular importance,” said Elba Rosa Pérez Montoya, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba, in a high-level session of the 2nd CTBT Science Diplomacy Symposium at the Vienna International Centre. “The challenges that define the 21st century such […]
Why 79 ACP Countries and EU Must Enter Into New Partnership
By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS | LOMÉ (ACP-IDN) – The Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of 79 States and 28 European Union (EU) members expires on February 29, 2020. Formal negotiations for a successor Agreement should commence by August 2018. With a view to underpinning preparations and execution of […]
107 ACP-EU Countries Walk The Talk On Global Governance
By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS | LOMÉ (ACP | IDN) – African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the European Union will walk the talk on global governance by organising joint activities during United Nations conferences this year, according to co-presidents of the Joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers. The Council issued a joint declaration reaffirming its […]
New Disarmament Agenda Recognizes CTBT’s Intrinsic Role
Viewpoint by Izumi Nakamitsu The author is High Representative of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). Following are extensive excerpts from her keynote speech on May 25, 2018 at the High Level Session of the Second Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) Science Diplomacy Symposium from May 21-June 1, 2018 in Vienna. – The Editor. […]
79 ACP Ministers Meeting in Lomé to Discuss Strategy for New Accord with EU
By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – Seventy-nine African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries are set to speak with one voice as they prepare to adopt a negotiating mandate for a pact with the European Union (EU) after the Cotonou Agreement expires in February 2020. ACP Government Ministers will convene on May 27 for preparatory discussions […]
CTBTO Must Credibly Confirm Dismantling & Closure of DPRK Nuclear-Weapon Test Site
By Tariq Rauf * While North Korea has invited journalists from a handful of countries to witness the dismantling and closure of its nuclear-weapon test site at Punggye Ri, only the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) has the required expertise, verification technology and credibility to confirm the closure of the Punggye Ri test site. […]
European Development Fund Comes to Rescue as Backyard Schools Swamp Africa
By Jeffrey Moyo HARARE (ACP-IDN) – Enrolment in primary education in developing countries has reached 91 per cent but 57 million children remain out of school. More than half of children that have not enrolled in school live in 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, which are members of the 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific Group […]