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You are here : Home > News > Press Releases > June 2005 > Jean-Louis Schiltz to chair the 30th session of the ACP-EU Council in Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2005
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Press Release
Jean-Louis Schiltz to chair the 30th session of the ACP-EU Council in Luxembourg, 24-25 June 2005

Date of release : 24-06-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : 30th session of the EU-ACP Council of Ministers


Jean-Louis Schiltz, Luxembourg’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, will chair this important meeting of ministers jointly with Victor Borges, Cape Verde’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities and current ACP Council President.

The most important event in this session will be the signing of the revised Cotonou Agreement. This partnership agreement was signed in the year 2000 between the European Union and the 78 ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) countries for a duration of 20 years. Signature of this revised agreement completes the first of the revisions to the document which are scheduled once every five years. This revision will strengthen every aspect of this partnership, particularly regarding its political provisions, cooperation and development issues and procedures for the implementation and management of financial cooperation.

Official signature of the revised agreement took place on 23 February 2005, after the two parties had reached an agreement at a final session of negotiations. Afterwards Minister Jean-Louis Schiltz expressed his satisfaction with these frank and constructive discussions.

The Saturday morning session will be reserved for a discussion on HIV/AIDS, following which ministers will approve a joint declaration.

The meeting will then continue with an informal discussion, attended by representatives of civil society from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, on the issue of improving the contribution of development aid in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

It should be noted that Richard Manning, Chairman of the DAC (the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD) will open discussions with a presentation.

Notable among representatives of civil society will be the president of ENDA Third World, an NGO based in Dakar and with whom Luxembourg works in close cooperation.

"This is an important meeting at an important moment. Indeed, we are three months from the United Nations summit were heads of state and government from the entire world will evaluate progress made in the fight against poverty. The Luxembourg Presidency has been a driving force in helping the EU provide solid commitments in both the quantity and quality of public development aid", stated Jean-Louis Schiltz.


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This page was last modified on : 24-06-2005

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