European Commission

Coming back from Ouagadougou…

I come back from Ouagdougou where I attended the joint ACP-EU Council yesterday. This session was particularly interesting for two reasons. First, we officially signed the revised Cotonou Agreement, this political and financial framework on which we base our relations with ACP countries. The negotiations have been intense, sometimes complicated but in general done in a constructive atmosphere. Imagine what it takes to reach an agreement with 27 Member States on one side, and 78 on the other side, all very different, with particular interests and objectives. But we did it, we anchored our partnership in the XXI century, and I think this sole fact is already an achievement!

We succeeded because for the EU, and dare I to say for ACP countries as well, we are each other’s privileged partner. Historical ties, but also economic and cultural bonds are linking the EU and the ACP. Today, we are equal partners, faced with common global challenges which none of us can solve alone. And which consequences impact the two of us. We all think about poverty and climate change, but there is also security and peace, migration and trade for instance. The new version of the Cotonou Agreement encapsulates all these issues, and we agree to act jointly to address them with a common approach.

The second reason which made this meeting special is the adoption of two joint statements, on the Millennium Development Goals and on Climate Change, which come in due time ahead of two major international “rendez-vous”. This gesture sends a strong political message to the world. It confirms our common determination to pool efforts in the fight against poverty and the one against climate change. And if 106 countries – representing half of the world- agree on common principles and objectives, we can hope to make some steps ahead in New York and Cancun…

On MDGs, we all agree on the diagnostic and picture of the situation. On EU side, we repeated our commitment to stick to our promises of “more aid and better aid”. But a success will require a stronger ownership of ACP countries of their national strategies. In a word, they have to take their future in hand, and be in the driving seat of their development.

On Climate change, we recognized that climate change is a threat to the achievement of MDGs and requires an adoption of coordinated measures. We also stressed the fact that such actions have to be based on a principle of common but differentiated responsibility, and should take into account diversified capabilities of the developing countries.

So all in all, a good session, which should help to move ahead on more complex issues, but as crucial, such as trade and migration. We will discuss, keeping in mind that we have much more to gain than to lose, in this new “two-way” partnership. I’ll keep you informed.

If you want to have more information about this, please read:
Press release on the revised Cotonou Agreement
Press release on the Joint Statements

 You can also find more background information on the DG Development website

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