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African Caribbean And Pacific Group Celebrates 40th Anniversary

BRUSSELS, Belgium CMC – The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States will mark its 40th anniversary this year, focusing on regional integration, cultural diversity and forging strategic partnerships for the future.

The ACP said, that it will hold a two day event here from June 4, under the theme “From Georgetown to Sipopo and beyond”, and will feature seminar debates, a photo exhibition and cultural festivities showcasing culinary specialties and musical spectacles from across the ACP regions.

ACP Secretary General, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes

ACP Secretary General, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes

Headlining the main cultural event will be award-winning Ivorian singer Dobet Gnahoré, accompanied by Pan African dance group, Badenya, as well as performances from the Caribbean and Pacific Islands.

“Four decades of existence is a milestone for the ACP as an international alliance of developing countries,” said recently elected ACP Secretary General, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes, of Guyana.

“With the organization currently repositioning itself for more strategic engagements with regards to its future, this is an opportunity not only to review the past, but also to project to the decades ahead, especially in terms of how to be more effective, and better respond to the development needs of our member countries in the 21st century,” he added.

Since the signing of its founding document, the Georgetown Agreement, on 6 June, 1975 in the Guyanese capital, the ACP Group has grown to now include 79 member countries, including 48 from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.

The intergovernmental body has established a unique sense of cohesion and solidarity, making it a powerful platform for developing countries to make joint stances on key global development issues.

A key focus of the 40th anniversary is how to enhance regional and intra-ACP relations, in order to better position the ACP Group to deliver on development goals in the post-2015 era.

Gomes said that one of the main areas  on which the ACP countries are working,  is to diversify our partnerships beyond and in addition to the EU, to include other potential development partners as well as the emerging economies.

“In this regard, the ACP has a strong commitment to its role in South-South and Triangular cooperation,” he added.

The longstanding partnership between the ACP Group and the European Union covers trade relations, development cooperation, and political dialogue. Within this framework, also known as the Cotonou Agreement, the EU contributes EUR 31.5 billion to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, channeled through bilateral, regional and intra-ACP envelopes.

The 40th anniversary celebrations will be preceded by the ACP Council of Ministers meeting, and the annual ACP-EU Joint Council from 25-29 May 2015.

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