Members of the European Parliament and their counterparts from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries are meeting in Brussels from 18-20 June for their last joint session before talks on renewing the ACP-EU partnership start in August 2018.

On the agenda at the three-day ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly (JPA): migration, terrorism, population growth, the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan and future relations after the Cotonou Agreement.

“We would like the Post-Cotonou framework to include an enhanced role the ACP-EU JPA. This will enable this Assembly to continue to play its role in the successor agreement that ensures multilateral governance with common objectives for the benefit of the peoples”, said Joseph Owona Kono (Cameroon), Co-Chair of the JPA for ACP countries, echoing theresolution adopted by the European Parliament on 14 June.

Population growth, its challenges and opportunities will also be the focus of debates among parliamentarians from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and their European counterparts.

“According to United Nations, the African continent will reach nearly 2.4 billion inhabitants in 2050, more than half of whom will be less than 25 years old; (…) It is up to political decision-makers, civil society and non-state actors to transform the demographic challenge into a demographic asset”, said Louis Michel (ALDE, BE), Co-Chair for the European Union of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, at the opening of the plenary session on Monday morning.

Background

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) brings together 78 MEPs from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries that signed the Cotonou Agreement, the basis of ACP-EU cooperation and development work.

IMAGE: The European Parliament in Strasbourg, France (Copyright: European Parliament)

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