MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 7 APRIL 2009

(2009/C 221/02)

(The sitting opened at 09.20 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Mr RASMUSSEN

Co-President

The Co-President invited the Assembly to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the earthquake which had occurred in central Italy the previous day.

The Co-President said that this day marked the 15th anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, and invited the Assembly to observe a minute of silence at noon in memory of the victims of the tragedy.

The Co-President welcomed the Presidents -in-Office of the ACP and EU Councils, Hon. William Haomae and Mr Jan Kohout.

1.   Substitutes

The Co-President announced the following substitutes:

Fernández Martín (for López-Istúriz White), Gill (for Jöns), Hutchinson (for McAvan), Jäätteenmäki (for Hall), Kastler (for Gaubert), Klass (for Coelho), Leinen (for Grabowska), Neris (for Pleguezuelos Aguilar), Olajos (for Novak), Seeber (for Ribeiro e Castro) and Virrankoski (for Busk).

2.   Statement by Mr Jan Kohout, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in charge of Development, President-in-Office of the EU Council

Mr Kohout made a statement on behalf of the EU Council.

3.   Statement by Hon. William Haomae, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade (Solomon Islands), President-in-Office of the ACP Council

Mr Haomae made a statement on behalf of the ACP Council.

4.   Question Time to the Council

Two questions had been put to the ACP Council.

Mr Haomae answered the following questions and supplementary questions:

Question No 1 by Mr William (Seychelles) on untying of aid and the revision of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA).

Question No 2 by Ms Carlotti and Mr Lutundula (DRC) on the decision by the ACP Council to reduce the ACP Secretariat’s mission budget (the supplementary question was asked by Ms Carlotti).

The author of Question No 3 was not present.

Sixteen questions had been put to the EU Council.

Mr Kohout answered the following questions and supplementary questions:

Question No 4 by Ms Roithova on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Question No 6 by Ms Neris on additional funding / EU-Africa strategy.

Question No 8 by Ms Van Lancker on the health financial gap.

Question No 15 by Mr William (Seychelles) on development assistance to Middle Income Countries (MICs).

Question No 13 by Ms Deerpalsing (Mauritius) on the implementation/follow-up of EU Council Decisions/Conclusions on EPAs.

Question No 16 by Ms Carlotti (for Mr Hutchinson) on the situation in Eastern DRC.

Question No 17 by Mr Veneto on the grave situation in the DRC.

Question No 18 by Mr Fernandes on Zimbabwe.

Question No 20 by Mr Schnellhardt on military deployment off the coast of Somalia.

Question No 5 by Mr Assarid (Mali) on the global food and financial crises.

Question No 10 by Mr Fernandes (for Ms Gomes) on the impact on the ACP of the new Common Position on Arms Exports.

Question No 12 by Ms Carlotti on migration and ACP-EU partnership.

Question No 14 by Mr Kaczmarek on development cooperation in new EU donor countries.

Mr Kohout answered the following questions and supplementary questions together:

Question No 11 by Mr Cashman on persons with disabilities and the MDGs.

Question No 21 by Ms Atim Ogwal (Uganda) on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The following question was not followed by a supplementary question:

Question No 7 by Mr Martínez Martínez (for Ms Jouye de Grandmaison) on climate change.

The authors of questions Nos 19 and 9 were not present.

5.   Debate with the Council

Speakers: William (Seychelles), Baldeh (Gambia), Diagne (Senegal) and Milupi (Zambia).

Mr Haomae and Mr Kohout responded to points raised.

6.   The revision of the Cotonou Agreement: debate without resolution

Speakers: Manservisi (European Commission), Wieland, Carlotti, Martens, Bobbo (Cameroon), Cashman and Co-President Kinnock.

Mr Manservisi responded to points raised and wound up the debate.

7.   Urgent topic No 2: Establishing and promoting peace, security, stability and governance in Somalia

Speakers: Dekuek (Sudan), Kaczmarek, Naib (Eritrea), Carlotti, Abdi Said (Djibouti), Gahler, Gebre-Christos (Ethiopia), Morillon, Baldeh (Gambia), Deva, De Sousa (Angola), Aubert and Berend.

Sheikh Adan M. Nur, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia, addressed the session pursuant to Article 4, point 4, of the Rules of Procedure.

Mr Manservisi (European Commission) wound up the debate.

(The sitting adjourned at 1.10 p.m.)