FOREIGN Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is of the view that new and emerging issues on the global agenda are creating both challenges and opportunities for ACP countries, which should alert member

nations of the ACP to strengthen solidarity around common causes.
She voiced this opinion at the 7th Summit of ACP Heads of State & Government on ‘The status of the ACP Group towards 2012 and beyond’, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea last week.
At the time representing His Excellency President Ramotar, who was unable to attend the meeting for reasons beyond his control, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett conveyed deepest apologies on behalf of the Head of State, and declared that “the disarray of the financial markets; the challenges associated with climate change; food and energy security; migration and geo-political alignments; and tendencies of fragmentary forces that are trying to erect protectionist barriers in trade.”
She waxed adamant in declaring that some countries which aim to reinforce exclusive spheres of influence while paying lip service to rules-based trade really want to impose conditions that give access to [our] markets, but little in return for [our] development.”
Against this backdrop, she cautioned the Heads that, “these challenges should alert us in the ACP to strengthen solidarity around common causes.”
Warning that solidarity and unity of the ACP cannot be a message of convenience, she emphasized: “It has to be demonstrated and deepened in practice through Intra-ACP Cooperation at the political level; in trade and investment; in effectively using development assistance to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); by cultural, scientific and technological cooperation.”
She, however, expressed optimism that the outcome of the deliberations would resonate with clear political commitments beneficial to the poor, hungry and exploited all across the Global South.

ACP-EU partnership
Touching on the ACP-EU Partnership and its evolution, Minister Birkett recalled that at the core of the Georgetown Agreement, as revised in 2003, is the regard with which the ACP Group has attributed special significance to the Lome Conventions and the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement of 2000 for a period of 20 years. Moreover, she said that within the Georgetown Agreement, which speaks of ensuring “the realisation of the objectives of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreements,” particular attention is given to “the eradication of poverty, sustainable development, and the smooth and gradual integration of ACP States into the world economy.
“These are the three pillars of the ACP-EU Partnership. The objectives are clear, straightforward and complementary. They entail a commitment and firm resolve that Heads of State and Government of the ACP endorsed from 1975 and in six subsequent Summits from 1997 to 2008.
Albeit, the Guyanese Foreign Minister insisted that the “longstanding and privileged ACP-EU relationship” is also challenged. She was poignant in declaring, “The relationship, once predicated on aid and preferential trade, has shifted with great emphasis on “political dialogue” and reciprocal trade arrangements through Economic Partnership Agreements, that remain contentious and of dubious value for poverty eradication.”
With this in mind, she declared, “This Summit has reason to seriously reflect and probe deeply into the extent to which both “the eradication of poverty” and “sustainable development”, as well as our “integration into the global economy”, has been achieved.
“Such an assessment of our past, and the nature, benefits and prospects of our partnership with Europe, is all the more important as we approach the 2015 five-year review of the Cotonou Agreement,” she affirmed.
Follow-up Actions
Minister Birkett pointed to prior deliberations which have already addressed major concerns related to future ACP trade and development, as well as measures for development finance to more effectively support the policies and strategies that are consistent with national and regional goals, rather than those of external agencies and interests.
In relation to progress, made so far by the Working Group on Future Perspectives for the ACP Group, the minister pointed to four aspects of both the process and content of the envisaged transformation of the Group and of the Secretariat, under the very able and distinguished leadership of Secretary-General Chambas.
In this regard, she emphasized:

* The Secretariat must be a dynamic, proactive, knowledge management nerve-centre of the organization, and overtime become self-financing of its core operations.

* The need for the financial sustainability of the organization must be addressed in a very objective, balanced, just and phased manner, and there is need for political commitment, as  countries need to live up to their assessed contributions, arrived at in a fair and progressive manner.

* A deepening and widening of the scope of engagement of the ACP as a Group, and the promotion of intra-ACP cooperation which must address exchanges in the areas of trade and commercial linkages, technology transfer, agriculture and food security, cultural cooperation, and south-south cooperation.  A priority can be a specialized ACP trade-financing facility with technical assistance for sound investment proposals

* Negotiation for continued institutional support, with adequate time to design and adopt specific measures for improved financial sustainability of the ACP.  She submitted that this is a top priority on which the Ambassadorial Group must concentrate its attention.
The minister was of the view that the question of “financial sustainability” cannot be determined “here and now”, or by a simple request for an increase in the proportion of the operational costs, now dependent on 50% from the European Development Fund.
She also saw as key documenting and rigorous analysis of how ACP countries have exchanged their know-how and expertise; as, for example, by the Technical Aid Corps of Nigeria; by Cuba in the health and pharmaceutical sector, and the current Sugar Research and Innovations Programme that benefits all 30 ACP sugar producing countries.
The Guyanese Foreign Minister opined that many lessons can be derived to improve ACF countries’ development strategies and increase the quality of their absorptive capacities, but added, “We simply do not know enough of what each other has accomplished.”
She noted that additional importance must be attributed to a suitable mechanism for collaboration with the Group of 77, to join in strong political advocacy on issues of mutual concern throughout the UN system.
“It is not enough for the ACP Group to have Observer Status in the United Nations, but exercise only a periodic presence.  How this is to be enhanced and on what issues of Global Governance and its systematic reform will require further thought,” she stated.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett stressed the importance of the ACP recapturing its political resonance by enlarging its engagement through new and diversified partnerships.  On this note she affirmed: “The numerical strength of 79 developing countries has to be marshalled and focused on critical issues that are affecting the daily lives of millions of people in the Global South. The opportunity to work in collaboration with the BRICS, for example, needs concerted attention.”