# C_2009061EN.01000101.xml

| 16.3.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 61/1 |
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16.3.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 61/1

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MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2008

MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2008

(2009/C 61/01)

(The sitting opened at 11.00 a.m.)

(The sitting opened at 11.00 a.m.)

Formal inaugural sitting

The following addressed the Assembly:

Acting Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Hon. Tony Aimo (Papua New Guinea), Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Ms Glenys Kinnock and Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. Dr Puka Temu.

(The sitting adjourned at 11.50 a.m. and resumed at 3.15 p.m.)

(The sitting adjourned at 11.50 a.m. and resumed at 3.15 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR: Ms KINNOCK

Co-President

Co-President

Sitting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

The Co-President welcomed all the participants.

1.   Composition of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

The Co-President announced that the list of Members of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, as forwarded by the authorities of the ACP States and the President of the European Parliament, would be annexed to the minutes.

2.   Accreditation of non-parliamentary representatives

The Co-President announced that the authorities of the ACP States had sent a list of non-parliamentary representatives. In accordance with Article 17(1) of the Partnership Agreement and Article 1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, he proposed that these representatives should be recorded and their names listed in an annex to the minutes.

The Joint Parliamentary Assembly agreed to this.

3.   Substitutes

The Co-President announced the following substitutes: Audy (for Coelho), Budreikaitė (for Busk), Ford (for Arif), Gill (for Gröner), Goebbels (for Bullmann), Hutchinson (for McAvan), Jäätteenmäki (for Morillon), Lavarra (for Zani), Leinen (for Jöns), Maldeikis (for Louis), Martin D. (for Fraile Cantón), Neris (for Ferreira E.), Olajos (for Mitchell), Sornosa Martínez (for Scheele), Sudre (for Gaubert) and Zwiefka (for Záborská).

4.   Adoption of draft agenda (ACP-EU/100.388)

Speakers: Assarid (Mali), Deva, Cashman, Bowis, Martens, Gahler and Straker (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines).

The draft agenda was adopted as shown in these minutes.

5.   Approval of the minutes of the 15th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (OJ C 271 of 25.10.2008)

The minutes were approved.

6.   Co-Presidents' announcements, including decisions taken at Bureau meeting on 24 November

The Co-President reported on the decisions of the Bureau meeting on Monday 24 November:

| — | Piracy in Somali waters would be debated in the Committee on Political Affairs at its next meeting in February 2009; |
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Piracy in Somali waters would be debated in the Committee on Political Affairs at its next meeting in February 2009;

| — | The issue of per diems for ACP members and different rules that apply to payment of allowances between EP and ACP Members would be raised with Commissioner Louis Michel during the week and addressed by the Bureau at its next meeting; |
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The issue of per diems for ACP members and different rules that apply to payment of allowances between EP and ACP Members would be raised with Commissioner Louis Michel during the week and addressed by the Bureau at its next meeting;

| — | The topic of bananas would be taken during the EPAs debate; |
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The topic of bananas would be taken during the EPAs debate;

| — | The Bureau would issue a declaration on the absence of the President-in-office of the EU Council from the JPA; |
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The Bureau would issue a declaration on the absence of the President-in-office of the EU Council from the JPA;

| — | The co-secretariat would begin preparations for a JPA election observation mission to monitor the European elections in June next year in the United Kingdom and one other member state; |
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The co-secretariat would begin preparations for a JPA election observation mission to monitor the European elections in June next year in the United Kingdom and one other member state;

| — | The third regional meeting would be held in the week of the 23 February 2009 in the Caribbean region subject to a formal invitation being received by 10 December; |
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The third regional meeting would be held in the week of the 23 February 2009 in the Caribbean region subject to a formal invitation being received by 10 December;

| — | A fourth regional meeting would be held directly after the 18th session in the West African region in a host country to be determined by the members of the region; |
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A fourth regional meeting would be held directly after the 18th session in the West African region in a host country to be determined by the members of the region;

| — | Regional Strategy Papers for the ACP regions would be dealt with in the Committee on Economic Development, Trade and Finance beginning at its next meeting, with the other committees being consulted on relevant areas; |
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Regional Strategy Papers for the ACP regions would be dealt with in the Committee on Economic Development, Trade and Finance beginning at its next meeting, with the other committees being consulted on relevant areas;

| — | The Bureau's human rights report on the death penalty was adopted with amendments and would be made public; |
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The Bureau's human rights report on the death penalty was adopted with amendments and would be made public;

| — | The Bureau's report on non-state actors would be finalised at the next Bureau meeting; |
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The Bureau's report on non-state actors would be finalised at the next Bureau meeting;

| — | The 17th session would take place in Prague (Czech Republic) from 6 to 9 April 2009 and the 18th in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009. |
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The 17th session would take place in Prague (Czech Republic) from 6 to 9 April 2009 and the 18th in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December 2009.

The Assembly approved the application of the UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) to be granted observer status.

The Co-President outlined the social events for the week and the three workshops taking place on Wednesday afternoon. She also gave details of how speaking time was to be allocated.

The Co-President announced that the deadlines were as follows:

| — | concerning amendments to motions for resolutions included in the reports presented by the standing committees: Tuesday, 25 November at 6.00 p.m.; |
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concerning amendments to motions for resolutions included in the reports presented by the standing committees: Tuesday, 25 November at 6.00 p.m.;

| — | concerning amendments to motions for compromise resolutions and other urgent motions for resolutions to be put to vote: Wednesday, 26 November at 12 noon; |
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concerning amendments to motions for compromise resolutions and other urgent motions for resolutions to be put to vote: Wednesday, 26 November at 12 noon;

| — | concerning questions relating to voting methods: Thursday, 27 November at 6.00 p.m. in writing. |
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concerning questions relating to voting methods: Thursday, 27 November at 6.00 p.m. in writing.

7.   Report by: Mr Waven William (Seychelles) and Ms Anne Van Lancker

Mr William (Seychelles) and Ms Van Lancker presented the report.

Speakers: Dombrovskis, Baldeh (Gambia), Budreikaitė, Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Deva, Kamar (Kenya), Alma (Niger), Martens, Rosati, Deng Dekuek (Sudan), Agnoletto, Jean-Marie (Saint Lucia), Sudre, Ramotar (Guyana) and Baum (European Commission).

Mr William (Seychelles) and Ms Van Lancker responded to the issues raised in the debate.

8.   Report by: Ms Ana Rita Sithole (Mozambique) and Mr Liam Aylward

Ms Sithole (Mozambique) and Mr Aylward presented the report.

Speakers: Bowis, Haug, Schmidt O., Assarid (Mali), Grabowska, Alma (Niger), Novak, Deng Dekuek (Sudan), William (Seychelles), Deva, Roithova, Jouye de Grandmaison and Baum (European Commission).

Ms Sithole (Mozambique) and Mr Aylward responded to the issues raised in the debate.

9.   Millennium Development Goals: debate without resolution

The Co-President introduced the subject.

Speakers: Pimple (UN Millennium Campaign), Gomes, Toga (Ethiopia), Bowis, Kamar (Kenya), Budreikaitė, Tabai (Kiribati), Mataola (Malawi), Assarid (Mali), Gill, Deerpalsing (Mauritius), Aubert, Abdullahi (Nigeria), William (Seychelles), Novak, Zimmer, Mugambe (Uganda) and Baum (European Commission).

Mr Mugambe (Uganda) drew the attention of the Assembly to two subjects of great concern to the East African Region — maternal mortality (MDG5) and proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The Co-President expressed the moral support of the JPA and proposed that these issues be addressed within the framework of a JPA Regional meeting.

10.   IT Education in ACP countries: debate without resolution

The Co-President introduced the subject.

Speakers: Pagelio (Secretary for Education, Papua New Guinea), Deva, Martens, Leinen and Ribeiro e Castro.

(The sitting closed at 7.00 p.m.)

(The sitting closed at 7.00 p.m.)

Wilkie RASMUSSEN and

Glenys KINNOCK

Co-Presidents

Sir John KAPUTIN and

Dietmar NICKEL

Co-Secretaries-General

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