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 MONDAY, 13 JUNE 2016

(2016/C 451/01)

Contents

MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF MONDAY, 13 JUNE 2016

(The sitting opened at 11.15)

Formal inaugural sitting

The following addressed the Assembly:

Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Michèle Rivasi, Acting Co-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Netty Baldeh, Co-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and Nickey Iyambo, Vice-President of the Republic of Namibia.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.35 and resumed at 15.12)

IN THE CHAIR: Netty BALDEH

Co-President

Sitting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

The Co-President welcomed all the participants.

Composition of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

The Co-President announced that the list of members of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, as forwarded by the authorities of the ACP states and the European Parliament, would be annexed to the minutes.

1.   Adoption of agenda (AP102.023)

The agenda was adopted as shown in these minutes.

2.   Approval of the minutes of the last sitting of the 30th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (OJ C 179, 18.5.2016).

The minutes were approved.

3.   Co-Presidents’ announcements, including decisions taken at the Bureau meeting of 12 June 2016

The Co-President reported on the results of the Bureau meeting of 12 June 2016.

The following decisions were taken:

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

Neven Mimica, Member of the Commission with responsibility for international cooperation and development, focused his statement on the future of the Cotonou Agreement, which would be coming to an end in 2020. While recognising the unique nature of the Agreement, the Commissioner underlined the need to adapt it to the changing environment and to the emergence of global challenges such as climate change and migration. The Commissioner presented the results of the public consultation and also informed that the EU would soon revise the European Consensus on Development in order to fully integrate into development policy the Sustainable Development Goals agenda and the outcome of the COP 21 Conference.

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

Speakers: Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, Purmanund Jhugroo (Mauritius), Norbert Neuser, Michèle Rivasi, Agathon Rwasa (Burundi), Joyce Laboso Abonyo (Kenya), Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Abdoulaye Toure (Ivory Coast), Babiker Mohamed Toum (Sudan), and Michael Gahler.

The exchange of views focused on the future of the ACP-EU Partnership and the Economic Partnership Agreements. Members also raised questions relating to the security/development nexus, the conditionality of aid, human trafficking, the consequences of a possible Brexit on EDF funding and the new Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition. The need for a better linkage between development programmes and humanitarian assistance was reiterated.

Commissioner Mimica answered the questions raised by Members following the order of the ‘catch-the-eye’ procedure.

6.   Question Time to the Commission

A total of 22 questions were put to the Commission.

The Commission had previously responded to the questions in writing. Commissioner Mimica gave oral replies to the supplementary questions related to the following original questions:

The author of question 2 had no supplementary questions.

The authors of questions 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21 were not present.

7.   Action taken by the Commission on the resolutions adopted at the 30th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

A document concerning the action taken by the Commission and the European External Action Service on the resolutions adopted by the Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels in December 2015 had been included in the dossiers.

8.   Prevention and management of epidemics

Debate without resolution

Dr Quazi Monirul Islam, WHO representative to Namibia, outlined the latest developments and recent progress made concerning the fight against four important transmissible diseases mostly affecting developing countries, namely the Ebola virus disease, yellow fever, the Zika virus disease and malaria.

Speakers: Joachim Zeller, Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, Lucie Milebou Aubusson (Gabon), Arne Gericke, Pavel Telička, Tesfaye Daba Wakjira (Ethiopia), Michèle Rivasi, Ibrahim Rassin Bundu (Sierra Leone), Gatoloaifaana Amataga Gidlow (Samoa), Piernicola Pedicini, Adjedoue Weidou (Tchad), Francesc Gambus, Amos Fish Mahlalela (South Africa), Maria Noichl, Purmanund Jhugroo (Mauritius) and Domenico Rosa (Commission).

Members emphasised that the right to health was a fundamental right that must be guaranteed and that it had a clear cause-effect relationship with decent living conditions. Health issues must be tackled globally and thoroughly, in particular since viruses could spread across continents within hours. There was a clear link between health and wealth, and development cooperation must contribute to creating the conditions for stronger healthcare systems in developing countries. Policy coherence and better coordination among ministries were also outlined, as improved socioeconomic conditions (in particular as regards water, sanitation, nutrition and housing) had a manifest effect on better health conditions. The problem of increased antibiotic resistance, which was becoming a global emergency, was raised.

Dr Quazi Monirul Islam wound up the debate.

9.   Report of the economic and social partners

Presentation by Yves Somville, Chair of the ACP Follow-up Committee, European Economic and Social Committee

Yves Somville, Chair of the ACP Follow-up Committee, European Economic and Social Committee, made a presentation on the activity report of the Committee, with particular focus on the ongoing reflection on the post-Cotonou process.

Speakers: Domenico Rosa (Commission) and Michael Gahler.

(The sitting closed at 18.40)