JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP OF STATES, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES, OF THE OTHER PART

MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2014

(2015/C 160/02)

Contents

MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2014

The sitting opened at 9.00 a.m.

IN THE CHAIR: Fitz A. JACKSON

Co-President

1.   The social and economic consequences of malnutrition in ACP countries

Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment

Co-rapporteurs: Alban Bagbin (Ghana) and Norbert Neuser

Norbert Neuser presented the report.

Speakers: Mo-Mamo Karerwa (Burundi), Davor Ivo Stier, Arne Gericke, Mohamed Ben Oumar (Niger), Catherine Bearder, Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye (Rwanda), João Ferreira, Maria Heubuch, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Piernicola Pedicini, Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Francesc Gambús, Linda McAvan, Kashetu Kyenge, Job Yustino Ndugai (Tanzania), Peter Craig McQuaide (European Commission) and Norbert Neuser.

Members agreed that malnutrition is the cause of numerous health and social problems in ACP countries, and debated the improvements that could be made in diet, security of food supply and local food production to remedy the situation. Some ACP members spoke passionately about how malnutrition affects their own populations and called for international assistance to fight this often hidden problem.

2.   Statement by Neven Mimica, Member of the Commission with responsibility for international cooperation and development

Neven Mimica outlined the priorities of his mandate: i) achieving a universal post-2015 development agenda, in which each country will need to assume responsibility for and ownership of its own development and contribute its fair share to the global efforts; ii) the negotiation of the post-Cotonou framework building on the shared values of the ACP-EU partnership; iii) a stronger promotion of policy coherence for development. The Commissioner also focused on the ongoing Ebola epidemic and the EU’s response in terms not only of humanitarian aid but also of development assistance to the most affected countries.

3.   Debate with Neven Mimica, Member of the Commission with responsibility for international cooperation and development — catch-the-eye

Speakers: Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Ismail Al Hag Musa (Sudan), Komi Selom Klassou (Togo), Norbert Neuser, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Enrique Guerrero Salom, Davor Ivo Stier, David Ochieng (Kenya), Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Lidia Senra, Louis Michel, Mame Balla Lo (Senegal), Bodil Ceballos, Abadula Gemeda Dago (Ethiopia), David Martin, Ahamada Soukouna (Mali), Louis André Dacoury-Tabley (Côte d’Ivoire), Mikael Phillips (Jamaica), Mohamed Ben Oumar (Niger), Pedro Silva Pereira and Hermann Razafimbelo (Madagascar).

The exchange of views focused on topics including the following: the fight against hunger and malnutrition, the role of the private sector in promoting sustainable development, the potential impact in Africa of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the United States and the EU, the Ebola epidemic, the human rights situation in Ethiopia and Mauritania, and the future of the ACP-EU partnership.

Commissioner Mimica answered the questions raised by members according to the ‘catch-the-eye’ procedure.

4.   Question Time to the Commission

A total of 31 questions were put to the European Commission.

The Commission had previously replied to those questions in writing. Commissioner Mimica gave oral replies to the supplementary questions posed by the following members:

The authors of questions 11, 13 and 16 had no supplementary questions.

The authors of questions 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29 and 31 were not present.

5.   Action taken by the Commission on the resolutions adopted at the 27th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

A document concerning the follow-up to the resolutions adopted in Strasbourg had been transmitted to the Assembly. Neven Mimica presented the most important highlights of this document.

6.   Report of the economic and social partners

Presentation by Xavier Verboven, Chair of the ACP Follow-up Committee, European Economic and Social Committee — catch-the-eye

Xavier Verboven, Chair of the ACP Follow-up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee, provided a summary of the ACP-EU Economic and Social Interest Groups meeting of October 2014.

Speakers: Mohamed Ben Oumar (Niger) and Adjedoue Weidou (Chad).

Members stressed the importance of civil society organisations and the need to strengthen their capacities.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.35 and resumed at 15.06.)

IN THE CHAIR: Louis MICHEL

Co-President

7.   Yes! Africa can live up to its ambitions

Keynote debate

Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, painted a full and lively picture of the general evolution of the diversity of African countries over the last 50 years. He emphasised in particular the changing situation of the last decade when new opportunities created new hopes and new ambitions with regard to peace, democracy, good governance, economic progress and human dignity. He stressed that Africa needed in the first place courageous vision and leadership, based on an analysis of local strengths and weaknesses.

Speakers: Nick Westcott (EEAS), Michael Gahler, Christophe Apala Pen’Apala Lutundula (Democratic Republic of Congo), Kashetu Kyenge, Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea), Abadula Gemeda Dago (Ethiopia), Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Co-President Louis Michel, João Ferreira, Joyce Laboso (Kenya), Laura Agea, James Munthali (Malawi), Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Ahamada Soukouna (Mali), Joachim Zeller, Job Yustino Ndugai (Tanzania), Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Kennedy K. Hamudulu (Zambia), Mayria Gabriel and Sanghone Sall (Senegal).

Members largely shared the ambitions about the rise of Africa, but insisted that rather than a new vision at the African Union level, more effective implementation of individual programmes was needed. Some Members stressed that the fight against corruption and effective taxation were key for debt relief. Members also discussed issues such as migration, cultural diversity versus human rights, poverty eradication, fundamentalism and conditionality of development aid. Public-private partnership, Economic Partnership Agreements and job-generating growth were also raised.

Olusegun Obasanjo responded to the questions raised by Members.

(The meeting was suspended at 18.00 and resumed at 18.05)

8.   The specific challenges and needs of Small Island Developing States

Debate without resolution

Speakers: Andre Worrell (Barbados), Maurice Ponga, Norbert Neuser, Co-President Fitz A. Jackson, Mikael Phillips (Jamaica), Catherine Bearder, Bodil Ceballos, Eleni Theocharous, Len Ishmael (Commonwealth of Dominica) and Peter Craig McQuaide (European Commission).

Members recalled that, coinciding with the 2014 International Year for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), determined action should be taken to address the numerous challenges faced by those states, and in particular their vulnerability to external shocks such as natural disasters, climate change or rising sea levels. The current discussion of the post-2015 development agenda provided an opportunity to effectively address these challenges. The small size, remoteness, isolation, level of development and food and energy dependency of SIDS should also be taken into account when devising a development strategy for those countries.

9.   Private sector development strategy, including innovation, for sustainable development

Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade

Co-rapporteurs: Arnaldo Andrade Ramos (Cape Verde) and Bogdan Brunon Wenta

Arnaldo Andrade Ramos (Cape Verde) and Joachim Zeller (replacing Bogdan Brunon Wenta) presented the report.

Speakers: Theodor Dumitru Stolojan, Linda McAvan, Joyce Laboso (Kenya), Pavel Telička, Ahamada Soukouna (Mali), Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Ignazio Corrao, K. Hamudulu (Zambia), Francesc Gambús, Peter Craig McQuaide (European Commission).

Members acknowledged the important role of the private sector in inclusive and sustainable development, as a key driver for economic growth, job creation, delivery of goods and services and trade and innovation. They also highlighted the challenges that the private sector is facing and acknowledged that it requires a more favourable business environment, with easier access to financing and to markets.

Arnaldo Andrade Ramos (Cape Verde) wound up the debate.

(The sitting closed at 19.15.)