EN Official Journal of the European Union C 391/6

JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP OF STATES, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES, OF THE OTHER PART

MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 16 JUNE 2015

(2015/C 391/02)

Contents

1. Statement by Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Latvia), President-in-Office of the EU Council 6

2. Question Time to the EU Council 7

3. Debate with the EU Council — catch-the-eye 7

4. Cultural diversity and human rights in ACP and EU countries 7

5. Natural resources 8

6. Seas/Oceans (climate change, biodiversity, renewable energy, fisheries, maritime security and piracy, oil and minerals in seabed) 8

7. Urgent topic No 1: The natural disaster in Vanuatu (and neighbouring states): the way forward, including regional cooperation 9

8. Challenges and opportunities in education and vocational training in ACP countries 9

MINUTES OF THE SITTING OF TUESDAY, 16 JUNE 2015

The sitting opened at 9.05 a.m.

IN THE CHAIR: Fitz A. JACKSON

Co-President

Adjedoue Weidou (Chad) drew attention to the suicide attacks in N’Djamena (Chad), which killed 23 people and injured more than 100.

1. Statement by Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Latvia), President-in-Office of the EU Council

Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Latvia), President-in-Office of the EU Council of Ministers, stressed that 2015 was a very significant year for development. Good EU-ACP cooperation would be key in the three major international conferences: the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda in New York and the UN COP21 Climate Change Conference in Paris. He underlined the commitment to work together with and promote regional cooperation in the Pacific regions and its Small Island Development States in that respect.

The President-in-Office advocated a holistic European response to migration, including targeting smuggling networks, addressing root causes of migration and actively cooperating with ACP countries. He stressed the importance of the Economic Partnership Agreements, which now cover a majority of the people of sub-Saharan Africa, as dynamic instruments for achieving poverty eradication and promoting regional cooperation. The expiry of the Cotonou Agreement in 2020 would offer both a challenge and an opportunity. The EU would engage in public consultation until the end of the year.

2. Question Time with the EU Council

A total of 21 questions were put to the Council. Since the ACP Council could not attend, only 12 questions (those directed towards the Council of the EU) were answered.

Edgars Rinkēvičs replied on behalf of the Council of the EU to the following questions and supplementary questions:

Oral question 18 by Catherine Bearder on migration

Oral question 19 by Nathalie Griesbeck on ACP–EU cooperation on migration and action to combat trafficking

Oral question 20 by Davor Ivo Stier on the Post-Cotonou framework — good governance as an essential element

Oral question 21 by Marielle de Sarnez on cooperation between the EU and the ACP States on counter-terrorism

The following questions were not followed by a supplementary question:

Oral question 10 by Kashetu Kyenge on the EU response to the crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR)

Oral question 11 by Ignazio Corrao on the impact of US–Cuba relations on Cuba–EU relations

Oral question 12 by Enrique Guerrero Salom (replaced by Norbert Neuser) on fragile States

Oral question 13 by Louis-Joseph Manscour (replaced by Kashetu Kyenge) on the EU response to the Ebola epidemic

Oral question 14 by Piernicola Pedicini (replaced by Ignazio Corrao) on Nigeria: a model for action to eradicate Ebola?

Oral question 15 by Laura Agea, Isabella Adinolfi and Laura Ferrara (replaced by Ignazio Corrao) on the recognition of climate refugee status

Oral question 16 by David Martin on Trade Facilitation

Oral question 17 by Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (replaced by Kashetu Kyenge) on the situation of the rights of LGBTI people in Africa

3. Debate with the EU Council — catch-the-eye

Speakers: Fitz A. Jackson, Michael Gahler, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Marielle de Sarnez and Louis Michel.

The debate could not take place because the President-in-Office of the EU Council had to leave. Members expressed their dismay. The Co-Presidents will address a letter to the High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission, who had asked the Minister to stand in for her, and to his Prime Minister.

4. Cultural diversity and human rights in ACP and EU countries

Committee on Political Affairs

Co-rapporteurs: Abdoulaye Touré (Côte d’Ivoire) and Davor Ivo Stier

Mohamed Youssouf Goumaneh (Djibouti), replacing Co-rapporteur Abdoulaye Touré (Côte d’Ivoire), and Davor Ivo Stier presented the report

Speakers: Mohamed Youssouf Goumaneh (Djibouti), Davor Ivo Stier, Christophe Lutundula (Democratic Republic of Congo), Kinga Gal, Kashetu Kyenge, Tesfaye Daba (Ethiopia), Ryszard Legutko, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Petr Jezek, James Kembi Gitura (Kenya), Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Ahamada Soukouna (Mali), Bodil Ceballos, Mohamed El Mokhtar Zamel (Mauritania), Ignazio Corrao, Mohamed Ben Oumar (Niger), Aymeric Chauprade, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Carlos Zorrinho, Makhosini Hlongwane (Zimbabwe), Tadeusz Zwiefka, Marlene Mizzi, Agustin Diaz de Mera, György Hölvényi, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Eleni Theocharous, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Michael George Peyrefitte (Belize), Michael Gahler, Ousmane Kaba (Guinea) and Kristin de Peyron (European External Action Service).

Members acknowledged that many cultures are disappearing rather quickly due to their oral tradition in combination with globalisation. At the same time, these cultural traditions forge an identity and protect the communities from radicalisation. That is why cultural diversity should be respected and promoted. Members stressed, however, that cultural differences should not be misused to justify violation of common human rights principles such as the principle of non-discrimination. Some Members said that it was more important to preserve their cultural heritage than to focus on new rights for LGBTI people. Many others disagreed.

Mohamed Youssouf Goumaneh (Djibouti) and Davor Ivo Stier wound up the debate.

5. Natural resources

Debate with Charles Abel, Minister for National Planning (Papua New Guinea)

Charles Abel, Minister for National Planning of Papua New Guinea, made a presentation on natural resources.

Speakers: Christophe Lutundula (Democratic Republic of Congo), Eleni Theocharous, Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea), Kashetu Kyenge, Netty Baldeh (Gambia), Dawid Jackiewicz, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Javier Nart, Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Michèle Rivasi, Louis Michel, Ignazio Corrao, Michael Gahler, Jo Leinen, Joachim Zeller, Felix C.M. Mutati (Zambia), Magnus Kofi Amoatey (Ghana), James Kembi Gitura (Kenya) and Peter Craig-McQuaide (European Commission).

Charles Abel set out his government’s policy on resource management, stressing that lessons had been learned from past mistakes and that the focus was now on responsible sourcing, (environmentally) sustainable management of resources, fighting corruption and ensuring that the local population benefit from the country’s natural wealth.

Members welcomed the frank statement and stressed that ACP countries could learn from this experience. Issues raised included the need for transparency, strengthened parliamentary control, tax reform, traceability of minerals, the role of civil society as a watchdog and the setting up of sovereign wealth funds to use the revenues for future generations, making companies responsible for repairing environmental damage.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.35 and resumed at 15.10)

IN THE CHAIR: Louis MICHEL

Co-President

Co-President Jackson announced that he had been informed by the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo that they would not be able to host the 12th regional meeting, due to take place between 20 and 24 July 2015.

6. Seas/Oceans (climate change, biodiversity, renewable energy, fisheries, maritime security and piracy, oil and minerals in seabed)

Keynote debate

Anote Tong, the President of Kiribati, made a presentation on the existential threat which climate change represents for his country. Kathy Jetnil-Kijner, a poet and civil society representative from the Marshall Islands, recited her poem Dear Matafele Peinem, dealing with the consequences of climate change, as she had done in the UN Climate Summit in September 2014. Feleti Teo, Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, made a presentation on the management of fisheries in the Pacific.

Speakers: Andre R. Worrell (Barbados), Michael Gahler, Kilosho Bulambo (Democratic Republic of Congo), Eirangi Marsters (Cook Islands), Jo Leinen, Sanjit Patel (Fiji), Javier Nart, Anote Tong, Feleti Teo, Lidia Senra Rodriguez, Mohamed El Mokhtar Zamel (Mauritania), Bodil Ceballos, Ignazio Corrao, Tialavea Tionisio Seigafolava Hunt (Samoa), Michèle Rivasi, Andre Pool (Seychelles), Joachim Zeller, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Pedro Silva Pereira, Eleni Theocharous, Carlos Zorrinho, Marlene Mizzi and Kashetu Kyenge.

The debate focused on the importance of seas and oceans and the need to promote coordinated and consistent policies and to mobilise sufficient resources to protect biodiversity, ensure the sustainability of maritime resources, mitigate and adapt to climate change and address the threats posed to coastal areas and their inhabitants. Members noted that many of the threats facing the oceans were caused by unsustainable consumption patterns and the over-exploitation of maritime resources. They stressed the importance of reaching an agreement at the UN COP21 Climate Change Conference in Paris in December 2015 and called for convergent action on the part of the EU and the ACP States in that forum.

Anote Tong and Feleti Teo wound up the debate.

7. Urgent topic No 1: The natural disaster in Vanuatu (and neighbouring states): the way forward, including regional cooperation

Osnat Lubrani, UN resident coordinator and UNDP representative, gave an introduction on the emergency aid provided to Vanuatu in the wake of tropical cyclone Pam.

Speakers: Andre R. Worrell (Barbados), Maurice Ponga, Kilosho Bulambo (Democratic Republic of Congo), Jo Leinen, Arne Gericke, Catherine Bearder, Joyce Laboso (Kenya), Lidia Senra Rodriguez, James Munthali (Malawi), Michèle Rivasi, Mohamed El Mokhtar Zamel (Mauritania), Ignazio Corrao, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Derek Vaughan, Joachim Zeller and Peter Craig McQuaide (European Commission).

Members expressed their deepest condolences to the countries and people affected by tropical cyclone Pam, and their appreciation to all humanitarian workers for their work.

Members urged the international community to mobilise the resources needed for the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by the cyclone and to shift towards long-term rehabilitation and development. Members also called on ACP governments to revise their development strategies to incorporate measures to mitigate disaster risks and promote climate adaptation in building planning policies and recalled the need to address the legal shortfalls that exist in the protection of environmental refugees and migrants.

Anote Tong (President of Kiribati) informed Members about the recovery process in Kiribati.

Osnat Lubrani responded to comments made by Members.

8. Challenges and opportunities in education and vocational training in ACP countries

Committee on Social Affairs and the Environment

Co-rapporteurs: Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea) and Francesc Gambús

Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea) and Francesc Gambús presented the report.

Speakers: Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Javier Nart, Tesfaye Daba (Ethiopia), Norbert Neuser, Arne Gericke, Mikael Phillips (Jamaica), Catherine Bearder, Abdikadir Omar Aden (Kenya), Lidia Senra Rodriguez, James Munthali (Malawi), Michèle Rivasi, Mohamed El Mokhtar Zamel (Mauritania), Ignazio Corrao, Mohamed Ben Oumar (Niger), Ibrahim Bundu (Sierra Leone), Michael Gahler, Amos Fish Mahlalela (South Africa), Kashetu Kyenge, Adjedoue Weidou (Chad), Krzysztof Hetman and Makhosini Hlongwane (Zimbabwe).

IN THE CHAIR: Kashetu KYENGE

Vice-President

Speakers: Marlene Mizzi and Derek Vaughan.

IN THE CHAIR: Louis MICHEL

Co-President

Speaker: Peter Craig McQuaide (European Commission).

Members noted the importance of education for the improvement of individuals’ lives and the development of ACP countries. Members stressed the importance of ensuring free, universal access to primary schooling, especially for vulnerable groups such as rural communities and girls. Members highlighted the importance of quality education at all levels, including tertiary education and vocational training, and stressed the need for ACP countries to provide sufficient resources to education and for the EU to make education a priority sector in its development cooperation programmes.

Francesc Gambús and Musa Hussein Naib (Eritrea) wound up the debate.

(The sitting closed at 19.00)