UN General Assembly
1984

187. For the Community's own part, and in the context of strengthening our links with the developing countries, our efforts have been largely devoted this year to negotiating a third Lome convention with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. As in the case of its predecessors, the third convention will cover a whole range of trade and aid provisions for over 60 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. We take pride that this co-operation convention represents an unprecedented effort to create a new model for relations between North and South, encompassing almost half of the international community, including most of the poorest nations. The negotiations have now entered their final stage and it is envisaged that the new agreement will be signed in December at Lome, the capital of Togo. We do not claim that this convention will provide definitive solutions to all the development problems of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. It is, however, a contribution, based on a number of fundamental principles, which should enable both the Community and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to continue to build the kind of co-operation that will be beneficial to both sides. The objectives of the convention make that clear. We have agreed that we will support and promote the efforts of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to achieve self-determined, self-reliant and self- maintained development. Our efforts take account of local needs and local resources. Development must be encouraged from within and not imposed from without.