>TABLE>

LIBREVILLE

(Gabon)

Minutes of the sitting of Monday, 19 March 2001

(2001/C 265/01)

(The sitting opened at 11.10 a.m.)

Formal inaugural sitting

The following addressed the Assembly: Mr George's Rawer, President of the Senate of the Gabonese Republic, Mr John Corrie, EU Co-President, Mr Louis Serge Clair, ACP Co-President and Mr Dijob Divungi di Nding, Vice-President of the Gabonese Republic.

(The sitting adjourned at 12.30 p.m. and resumed at 4.30 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CLAIR

Co-President

Sitting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

1. Composition of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Mr Clair, 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. Composition of the Bureau of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Mr Clair, Co-President, announced that he had received the following proposals pursuant to Article 2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly:

ACP Members

ACP Co-President:

Mr Louis Serge Clair (Mauritius)

ACP Vice-Presidents:

Angola

Belize

Burundi

Central African Republic

Cook Islands (to replace Fiji)

Lesotho

Madagascar

Mauritania

Mauritius

Nigeria

St Kitts and Nevis

Solomon Islands

European members

European Co-President:

Mr John Corrie

European Vice-Presidents:

Mrs Junker

Mr Van Hecke

Mr Schwaiger

Mrs Kinnock

Mr Mauro

Mrs Carlotti

Mr Novelli

Mrs Dybkjær

Mrs Lucas

Mr Morillon (to replace Decourrière)

Mr Martínez Martínez (to replace Mendiluce Pereiro)

Mr Sylla

The Bureau, as set out above, was elected by acclamation.

3. Approval of list of non-parliamentarian representatives of ACP States

Mr Clair, Co-President, announced that he had received a list of non-parliamentary representatives from the authorities of the ACP States. Pursuant to 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 be registered and their names be annexed to the minutes.

The Assembly agreed to this.

4. Adoption of the draft agenda (APP/3074/REV)

The Assembly decided to submit the following motions for resolution to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly:

- tabled by Mr Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on racism and migration (APP/3126)

- tabled by the following members: Schörling, Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Maes and Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on Immigration (APP/3127).

The deadline for tabling amendments was fixed for Tuesday, 20 March at 12 noon.

The Assembly also decided to bring forward the debate on the situation of Southern Africa to the beginning of the morning sitting to Thursday, 22 March.

With the above modifications, the draft agenda was adopted.

5. Documents received

Mr Clair, Co-President, announced that the following documents had been received:

- working document on means of access to global communication for ACP countries as a contribution to sustainable development, and the need for such access; Rapporteur: Karin Junker (APP/3082)

- draft interim report on the implementation of the Partnership Agreement (Rules of Procedure); Rapporteur: Maître Edgar-Yves MONNOU (Benin) (APP/3072/REV3.)

- report on behalf of the Working Party on the use of renewable energy sources in the ACP countries Rapporteur: Anders Wijkman (APP/3057)

The following motions for resolutions had been tabled:

- by the following members: Kinnock and Junker on behalf of the PSE Group and Rob Davies, Member of Parliament (Republic of South Africa), on the negotiations in the framework of the WTO (APP/3101)

- by the following members: Schwaiger, Deva, Cunha, Fernández Martín, Khanbhai and Wijkman, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group on the negotiations conducted within the WTO framework (APP/3102)

- by the following members: Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Maes, Isler Béguin and Schörling, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the negotiations in the framework of WTO (APP/3103)

- by the following members: Miranda, Sjöstedt, Vinci and Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the WTO negotiations (APP/3104)

- by the following members: Kinnock and Junker, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the negotiation of new ACP-EU trade agreements (APP/3105)

- by the following members: Rod, Lucas, Maes, Lannoye, Isler Béguin and Schörling, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the negotiation of new ACP-EU trade agreements (APP/3106)

- by the following members: Cunha, Keppelhoff-Wiechert and Redondo Jiménez on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjær and van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, Rod, Lannoye, Lucas, Maes, Schörling and Isler Béguin on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Sjöstedt and Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on food safety in trade between the European Union and the ACP countries (APP/3107/COMP)

- by Mrs Junker on behalf of the PSE Group, on food security with regard to ACP-EU trade (APP/3108)

- by The Hon. Dawit Yohannes (Ethiopia), on "Everything But Arms" (EBA) (APP/3109)

- by the following members: Howitt and Junker, on behalf of the PSE Group and Davies, Member of Parliament (Republic of South Africa), on "Everything But Arms" (EBA) Agreement (APP/3110)

- by the following members: Deva, Wijkman, Cunha, Fernández Martín, Khanbhai and Schwaiger on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjær and van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, on "Everything But Arms" (EBA) (APP/3111)

- by the following members: Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Maes, Isler Béguin and Schörling, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on "Everything But Arms" (EBA) (APP/3112)

- by the following members: Miranda, Sylla and Vinci on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the "Everything but Arms" trade initiative (APP/3113)

- by the ACP Representatives, on bananas (APP/3114)

- by the following members of the ACP Working Party on Rum (Barbados, the Dominican Republic, the Eastern Caribbean States, Fiji, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Madagascar, Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago) on rum (APP/3115)

- by the representatives of the ACP States signatory to the Sugar Protocol on sugar (APP/3116)

- by the following members: Van Hecke and Morillon, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on the use of depleted uranium ammunition (APP/3117)

- by the following members: Martínez Martínez and Junker on behalf of the PSE Group, on the use of depleted uranium weapons (APP/3118)

- by the following members: Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Maes, Isler Béguin and Schörling, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the use of depleted uranium (APP/3119)

- by the following members: Wurtz, Miranda, Vinci, Sjöstedt and Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the use of depleted uranium weapons (Balkans Syndrome) (APP/3120)

- by the representative of South Africa, on Racism and Xenophobia and its impact on ACP-EU relations (APP/3121)

- by Mrs Maij-Weggen, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on racism (APP/3122)

- by the following members: Sauquillo Pérez del Arco and Junker on behalf of the PSE Group, on racism (APP/3123)

- by the following members: Rod, Lannoye, Lucas, Maes, Schörling and Isler Béguin on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on racism (APP/3124)

- by Mr Speroni on behalf of the TDI Group, on racism (APP/3125)

- by Mr Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on racism and migration (APP/3126)

- by the following members: Schörling, Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Maes and Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on Immigration (APP/3127)

- by the representatives of Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mauritius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, on Tourism and Development in the Context of the Management and Control of European Development Fund (EDF) (APP/3128)

- by the following members: van den Berg and Junker, on behalf of the PSE Group, on the management and control of the European Development Fund (EDF) (APP/3129)

- by the following members: Maes, Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Isler Béguin and Schörling, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Luigi Vinci, Jonas Sjöstedt on behalf of the GUE/NGL, on EDF management (APP/3130)

- by the following members: Schwaiger, Cunha, Fernández Martín, Ferrer, Morillon, Wieland, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjær and van den Bos, on behalf of the ELDR Group, Miranda and Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL, Rod, Maes, Isler Béguin, Lucas, Lannoye and Schörling, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the situation in West Africa (APP/3131/COMP)

- by the following members: Junker and Carlotti on behalf of the PSE Group, on the situation in Western Africa (APP/3132)

- by the representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the situation in the Great Lakes Region (APP/3133)

- by Mr L.A. Mumba (Zambia), on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (APP/3134)

- by the representative of the Republic of Rwanda, on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (APP/3135)

- by the representative of the Republic of Uganda, on the situation in the Great Lakes Region (APP/3136)

- by the following members: Van Hecke, Khanbhai, Berend, Ferrer and Morillon on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjær and van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, Maes, Rod, Lannoye and Lucas on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Sylla and Sjöstedt on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on Central Africa (APP/3137/COMP)

- by the following members: Junker and Sauquillo Pérez del Arco on behalf of the PSE Group, on Central Africa and the Great Lakes region (APP/3138)

- by the following members: Berend, Callanan, Cunha, Glase, Redondo Jiménez, Van Hecke, Wijkman, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjær and van den Bos, on behalf of the ELDR Group, on Southern Africa (APP/3139/COMP)

- by the representative of South Africa, on further incidents of flooding in Mozambique (APP/3140)

- by the following members: Junker and Scheele on behalf of the PSE Group, on Mozambique (APP/3141)

- by Mr Miranda on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on flooding in Mozambique (APP/3142)

- by the following members: Junker and Kinnock, on behalf of the PSE Group, on Zimbabwe (APP/3143)

- by the following members: Maij-Weggen, Mauro, Mayer, Schnellhardt, Van Hecke, Wijkman on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjær and van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, Lucas, Schörling, Rod, Lannoye and Maes on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Sjöstedt and Vinci on behalf of the GUE/NGL, on East Africa (APP/3144/COMP)

- by the following members: Junker, Carlotti and Fruteau on behalf of the PSE Group, on the political situation in the Comoros (APP/3145)

- by the representative of the National Assembly of the Republic of Djibouti, on the human rights situation and peace in Djibouti (APP/3146)

- by The Hon. Dawit Yohannes (Ethiopia), on Ethiopia and Eritrea (APP/3147)

- by the following members: Junker, Ghilardotti and van den Berg on behalf of the PSE Group, on the Horn of Africa (APP/3148)

- by the following members: Junker and Kinnock on behalf of the PSE Group, on Sudan (APP/3149)

- by the representative of Belize, on the question of Belize (APP/3150)

- by the Group of African Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP), on the situation in Haiti (APP/3151)

- by the following members: Khanbhai and Fernández Martín on behalf of the PPE/DE Group, Dybkjaer and van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, Schörling, Lucas, Maes, Rod, Lannoye and Isler Béguin on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Sylla and Vinci on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, on the situation in Haiti (APP/3152/COMP)

- by Mrs Junker on behalf of the PSE Group, on the situation in Haiti (APP/3153)

- by the following members: Carlotti and Martinez Martinez on behalf of the PSE Group, on accession by Cuba to the new ACP-EU Agreement (APP/3154)

- by the representatives of the Pacific Region, on the situation in Fiji and the Solomon Islands (APP/3155)

- by the following members: Deva, Maij-Weggen, Zimmerling on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Dybkjaer and van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, Maes, Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Isler Béguin and Schörling on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Vinci and Sylla on behalf of the GUE/NGL, on the situation in the Pacific Region (Fiji, Solomon Islands) (APP/3156/COMP)

- by the following members: Junker and Kinnock on behalf of the PSE Group, on the Pacific Region (APP/3157)

- by Dr Bornito de Sousa (Angola) on the situation in Angola (APP/3158)

- by Dr Bornito de Sousa (Angola) on food safety in the context of ACP-EU trade arrangements (APP/3159)

- by Dr Bornito de Sousa (Angola) on the use of depleted uranium weapons in the Balkans war (APP/3160)

- by the Hon. Beraky Ghebreslassie (Eritrea), on Eritrea and Ethiopia (APP/3161)

- by Mr Aboubacar Somparé, Chairman of the PUP/PCN Parliamentary Group, (Guinea Conakry) on the attacks being carried out on the Republic of Guinea by Liberian and Sierra Leonean mercenaries (APP/3162)

- by the Honourable Parliamentarian Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Nigeria) on Ghana (APP/3163)

- by Burundi, on Burundi (APP/3164)

- by ACP members, on the importation and local production of generic drugs (APP/3165)

- by the following members: Lannoye, Rod, Lucas and Maes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on access to medicines for AIDS sufferers in South Africa (APP/3166)

6. Announcements by Mr Corrie and Mr Clair, Co-Presidents

Mr Corrie, EU Co-President, proposed that the Assembly should officially apply for the observer status with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Mr Clair, ACP Co-President, proposed that the Assembly accepts the request for observer status from the ECOWAS Parliament and from the Interparliamentarian Committee of West African Economic and Monetary Union ( WAEMU).

The Assembly agreed to these proposals by acclamation.

7. Access to global communication for ACP countries

- General Rapporteur: Mrs Karin Junker

- Introductory statement by General Rapporteur

Mrs Junker, the general rapporteur, introduced a working document on the subject.

The following spoke: Wijkman, Dybkjaer, Monnou (Benin), Imbarcaouane (Mali), Bawa-Bwari (Nigeria), Gunness (Mauritius), Sardjoe (Suriname), Presbot (Dominican Republic) and Gemelli.

Mrs Junker summed up.

8. Statement by Mr Ketumile Masire, former President of Botswana and OAU Facilitator for Inter-Congolese Dialogue

Mr Masire made a statement on the latest development, concerning the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement and the Inter-Congolese dialogue.

The following spoke: Omatuki (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Van Hecke.

Mr Masire concluded.

9. Working group on the implementation of the Partnership Agreement (Rules of Procedure of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly)

Mr Monnou (Benin), rapporteur, presented his draft interim report (APP/3072/REV3).

Mr Clair, Co-President, announced that the debate on the draft modifications to the Rules of Procedure would be held at the end of the morning of Tuesday 20 March. At its meeting on 18 March 2001, the Bureau fixed the deadline for tabling amendments at Wednesday 21 March at 12.00 noon. The Bureau would examine the proposed modifications at its meeting on Wednesday 21 March, and could propose that the Assembly vote on the draft modifications on Thursday 22 March. Pursuant to Rule 34(2) of Rules of Procedure this vote would be by separate houses.

(The sitting closed at 6.54 p.m.)

Louis Serge Clair

andJohn Corrie

Co-Presidents

Jean-Robert Goulongana

andDietmar Nickel

Co-Secretaries General

>TABLE>

Minutes of the sitting of Tuesday, 20 March 2001

(2001/C 265/02)

(The sitting opened at 9.20 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CORRIE

Co-President

1. Statement by Mr Poul Nielson, EU Commissioner responsible for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid on:

- implementation of the Partnership Agreement

- reform of EU external aid

Mr Nielson made a statement referring to the implementation of the Partnership Agreement.

The following spoke: Deva, Wijkman, Imbarcaouane (Mali), Sardjoe (Surinam) and Corrie.

Mr Nielson replied to questions. He then made a statement referring to the reform of EU external aid.

The following spoke: Schwaiger, Howitt, Bombete (Congo), Rod and Wijkman.

Mr Nielson replied to questions.

2. Question Time to the Commission

Twenty-two questions were put to the Commission

Mr Nielson replied to the following questions and to supplementary questions put by their authors:

- Question No 1 by Mr Cunha, on emergency aid for Guinea Bissau

- Question No 4 by Mr Morillon, on the situation in Congo-Brazzaville

- Question No 14 by the following members: Maes, Rod, Isler Béguin and Lucas on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the Democratic Republic of Congo

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CORRIE

Co-President

- Question No 18 by the following members: Carlotti and Martínez Martínez, on the participation of Cuba in the ACP-EU Agreement

- Question No 19 by Mrs Carlotti, on the political situation in Togo

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CORRIES

Co-President

- Question No 2 by the Representative of Mali, on NGOs and civil society

- Question No 15 by Mr Howitt, on the inclusion of indigenous peoples in Community development cooperation

- Question No 3 by Mrs Maij-Weggen, on the poverty impact of development aid

- Question No 7 by Mrs Kinnock, on basic education

- Question No 8 by Mr Bombete (Republic of Congo), on the exploitation of renewable energy sources

- Question No 9 by Mr van den Berg, on the implementation of the EU development budget for 2001

- Question No 11 by the Representative of Botswana, on EU aid implementation (Simplification of disbursement procedures)

- Question No 17 by Mr van den Bos on behalf of the ELDR Group, on the reform of EC delegations in ACP countries

- Question No 12 by the following members: Rod, Lannoye, Schörling, Maes, Lucas and Isler Béguin on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on transmissible diseases and medicines

- Question No 16 by Mrs Dybkjær on behalf of the ELDR Group, on the Information and Communication Technology sector (ICT)

The following questions would receive a written reply:

- Question No 21 by Mr Van Hecke on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on a proposed Plan for Africa's Renewal

- Question No 5 by Mrs Keppelhoff-Wiechert, on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

- Question No 10 by the Representative of Namibia, on the impact of the EU-South Africa Trade and Development Cooperation Agreement

- Question No 13 by the following members: Lannoye, Lucas, Rod, Isler Béguin, Maes and Schörling on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, on the use of pesticides

- Question No 20 by the Representative of South Africa, on developmental issues in future multilateral trade negotiations

- Question No 22 by the Representative of Trinidad and Tobago, on implementation of Declaration XXV (Rum) of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement

- Question No 6 by Mrs Ferrer on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, on Sierra Leone

3. Working group on the implementation of the Partnership Agreement (Rules of Procedure of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly) (cont.)

The following spoke: Wieland, Chairman, Van Hecke, Cheltenham (Barbados), Junker, Baeza (Belize), Martínez Martínez, Imbarcaouane (Mali), Bombete (Congo) and Rod.

It was decided to continue the discussion under this item the following day.

(The sitting closed at 1.05 pm)

Louis Serge Clair

andJohn Corrie

Co-Presidents

Jean-Robert Goulongana

andDietmar Nickel

Co-Secretaries General

>TABLE>

Minutes of the sitting of Wednesday, 21 March 2001

(2001/C 265/03)

(The sitting opened at 9 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CLAIR,

Co-President

The Co-President reminded the Assembly that 21 March was International Anti-Racism Day.

IN THE CHAIR:Mr BAWA-BWARI

(Nigeria)Vice-President

1. Statement by Mrs Gun-Britt Andersson, State Secretary for Development Cooperation, Migration and Asylum (Sweden), President-in-office of the Council

Mrs Gun-Britt Andersson spoke to the Assembly on behalf of the EU Council of Ministers.

The following spoke: van den Berg, Khanbhai, Wijkman and Lucas.

2. Question time to the EU Council of Ministers

Twenty-three questions were put to the EU Council of Ministers.

Mrs Gun-Britt Andersson replied to the following questions and to supplementary questions by their authors:

- Question No 10 by the following members: Sjöstedt and Vinci on European Union asylum policy

- Question No 15 by the following members: Schörling, Lannoye, Lucas, Rod, Maes and Isler Béguin on immigration policy

- Question No 23 by Mr Busk on the International Criminal Court

- Question No 17 by the following members: Isler Béguin, Rod, Lucas, Maes, Lannoye and Schörling on the arms trade

- Question No 18 by the following members: Lucas, Lannoye, Rod, Maes, Isler Béguin and Schörling on the use of depleted uranium

- Question No 22 by Mrs Dybkjaer on climate change

- Question No 2 by the representative of Mali on education and training

- Question No 21 by Mrs Carlotti on international trade in and access to treatment for AIDS

- Question No 1 by Mr Cunha on reconstruction aid in Mozambique after flooding

- Question No 3 by Mrs Maij-Weggen on Sudan

- Question No 27 by Mr Van Hecke on Sudan

- Question No 4 by Mr Morillon on the situation in Congo-Brazzaville

- Question No 9 by Mr van den Berg on UNMEE mission in Ethiopia/Eritrea and embargo on weapons

- Question No 24 by Mr van den Bos on Cuba membership of the Cotonou Agreement

- Question No 5 by Mrs Keppelhoff-Wiechert on sugar

- Question No 19 by Mr Howitt on support for transition of the ACP rum industry

- Question No 8 by Mrs Kinnock on bananas

- Question No 25 by the representative of St Lucia on bananas

- Question No 6 by Mrs Ferrer on the "Everything except arms" initiative by the Commission

- Question No 11 by Mr Sjöstedt on the "Everything except arms" initiative by the Commission

- Question No 26 by the representative of South Africa on enlarging access to the EU markets for BLNS countries

- Question No 13 by the representative of Namibia on the impact of the EU-SA Trade and Development Cooperation Agreement

- Question No 14 by the representative of Lesotho on the impact of the EU-SA Trade and Cooperation Agreement

3. Statement by Mr Eddy Boutmans, Belgian State Secretary for Cooperation, on matters relating to the future Belgian Presidency of the EU

A statement by Mr Eddy Boutmans was read by Mr Van Hecken, head of cabinet.

4. Statement by Mr Hidipo Hamutenya, Minister for Trade and Industry (Namibia), President-in-office of the ACP Council of Ministers

Mr Hidipo Hamutenya addressed the Assembly on behalf of the ACP Council of Ministers.

5. Question time to the ACP Council of Ministers

Four questions were put to the Council of ACP Ministers

Mr Hidipo Hamutenya replied to the following questions together with supplementary observations by their authors:

- Question No 7 by Mrs Kinnock on alternative trade agreements

- Question No 12 by the following members: Martínez-Martínez and Carlotti on Cuba

- Question No 16 by the following members: Lucas, Rod and Isler Béguin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group on the administration of the EDF

- Question No 20 by Mr Howitt on the freedom of the press in ACP countries

6. Migration in the ACP and EU countries

The following spoke: Boumediene-Thiery, Karamanou, Khanbhai and Mrs Andersson, Swedish State Secretary.

(The sitting adjourned at 1 p.m. and resumed at 3 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CLAIR

andMr CORRIE

Co-Presidents

7. Summary report of the Workshops

The three rapporteurs of the Workshops that had taken place the previous afternoon gave an account of the work and contributions.

Workshop 1 on basic health and education in Central Africa - the example of Gabon

Mr van den Bos (rapporteur) made a statement outlining the obstacles to providing affordable universal health and education services in Gabon.

The invited speakers at the workshop were: Mr André Mba Obame, Minister for Education and Government, spokesman (Gabon), Mrs Larissa Mbele, founder and teacher at the Lycée Privé de Nzeng-Ayong, Mrs Justing Nsiri, representative of the National Federation of Parents of Schoolchildren, Mr Bonacci, Director of the Commission's EuropeAid Office, Dr Aboubacar Inoua, Deputy Director-General of Health (Gabon), Dr Noël Théophile Ogowet Igumu, Director, MIA3 Medical Practice Centre, Mrs Blandine-Léa Ondzaghe, Secretary-General Gabonese Association for Infant Nutrition.

Workshop 2 on EU aid for agriculture and infrastructure in Central Africa

Mr Gado Boureima (rapporteur) made a statement on the infrastructure in Gabon, three projects on regional road links Gabon-Cameroun-Central African Republic-Tchad and agriculture-related problems in Gabon.

The invited speakers at the workshop were: Mr Raymond Ndong Sima, Managing Director of the Transgabonais Railway, Mr Jean-Marc Gauthier, European Union coordinator for regional road projects in Central Africa, Mr Raphaël Vinchent, Director-General of the Gabonese Development Support Institute, Mr Owono-Essono, Minister of Agriculture (Gabon) and Mr Bonacci.

Workshop 3 on peace-building policies and conflict prevention and resolution

Mrs Kinnock (rapporteur) made a statement on conflict prevention concluding that conflict management is much better than trying to intervene when it is too late and in this sense not enough is being done at European level.

The invited speakers at the workshop were: Mr Georges Rawiri, President of the Senate (Gabon), Mr Mehler, CPN (Conflict Prevention Network), Mr Ajello, EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, Mr Mogwe, OAU Facilitator for Inter-Congolese Dialogue, Mr Ping, Minister for Foreign Affairs (Gabon).

8. Working group on the use of renewable energy sources in the ACP countries: statement on progress

- Chairman: Mr Darius Mbela (Kenya)

- Rapporteur: Mr Anders Wijkman

Mr Wijkman gave a statement on progress of the working group. Mr Mbela (Kenya), chairman of the working group stressed the remarkable work done by all the members of the working group underlining that energy is across-cutting issue very much linked to poverty alleviation.

9. Working group on the impact of sanctions and, in particular, of embargoes on the people of the countries on which such measures are imposed: statement on progress

- Chairman: Mr Renzo Imbeni

- Rapporteur: Mr Richard L. Cheltenham (Barbados)

Mr Cheltenham (Barbados), rapporteur, made a statement on progress of the working group recalling that since the last meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the group had held three working sessions in which they studied the cases of Angola, Sudan, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and South Africa. He thanked the Research Directorate of the European Parliament for the excellent documentation provided.

10. Follow-up by the Commission to resolutions adopted at the 1st session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (Brussels, 9-12 October 2000)

Mr Richelle, Director-General of DG Development, completed orally the information given previously by Commissioner Nielson and the written report transmitted to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly. He referred particularly to action taken by the Commission in the field of communicable diseases.

11. Report on the activities of the Economic and Social Partners

Mr Baeza outlined the new working programme drafted for the next six months taking into account the framework of the Partnership Agreement. He stated that a regional seminar would take place in the Dominican Republic on 21 to 25 May 2001.

Mr Rijo (Dominican Republic) expressed his satisfaction that the seminar was being held in his country and encouraged the participation of the members of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

12. Subjects and themes relating to development cooperation between the EU and ACP countries under the Partnership Agreement pursuant to Article 7(1) (ii) of the Rules of Procedure

The Chairman announced that Mr Ouedraogo, Deputy Director General of the WTO and Mr Falkenberg, Director at DG Trade at the European Commission had been invited to participate in the debate on trade-related issues, and answer questions.

Mr Ouedraogo made a statement on the current development at WTO level.

Mr Falkenberg made a statement underlining in particular the trade negotiations in the context of the new Cotonou agreement.

Generic drugs

Negotiations in the framework of the WTO

IN THE CHAIR:Mrs Dybkjaer

Vice President

Negotiation of new ACP-EU trade agreements

Food safety in the trade exchanges ACP-EU

"Everything but Arms" proposal of the EU (bananas, rum, sugar and rice)

Mr Ouedraogo and Mr Falkenberg reacted on the different aspects raised during the debate.

Mr Wurtz intervened on a point of order.

Use of depleted uranium ammunition

Racism

(The sitting closed at 7 p.m.)

Louis Serge Clair

andJohn Corrie

Co-Presidents

Jean-Robert Goulongana

andDietmar Nickel

Co-Secretaries General

>TABLE>

Minutes of the sitting of Thursday, 22 March 2001

(2001/C 265/04)

(The sitting opened at 9.10 a.m.)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CORRIE

Co-President

1. Modification of agenda

The Co-President announced that, as there was no consensus on amendments to the Rules of Procedure, voting on this would be postponed until the following session.

The afternoon sitting would begin at 2.30 p.m.

Mr Lannoye, on a point of order, regretted that the Bureau meeting the previous day had taken place in parallel with the plenary session, thereby preventing Vice-Presidents taking part in some debates. The Co-President said that the Bureau would examine this question.

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CLAIR

Co-President

2. Subjects and themes relating to development cooperation between the EU and ACP countries under the Partnership Agreement pursuant to Article 7(1) (ii) of the Rules of Procedure (continued)

Mrs Maij-Weggen raised a point of order. Mr. Corrie responded.

Management and control of the European Development Fund (EDF)

3. Urgent subjects relating to the situation in different countries or regions, pursuant to Article 7(1) (i)

Southern Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CORRIE

Co-President

West Africa (Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea (Conakry), Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone)

Central Africa and Great Lakes Region (Burundi, Rwanda and situation in RDC)

East Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda)

(The sitting adjourned at 1 p.m. and resumed at 2.30 p.m.)

IN THE CHAIR:Mr CORRIE

Co-President

East Africa (continued)

Caribbean

Pacific

Statements

Mr Rawiri, President of the Gabonese Senate, thanked the Co-Presidents and the Joint Parliamentary Assembly. Mr Clair, Co-President replied, thanking President Bongo, Mr Rawiri for the organisation of the session, and the members and staff of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

4. Vote on motions for resolution

Negotiations in the framework of the WTO

APP/3179/COMP on the negotiations in the framework of the WTO: adopted with 11 amendments.

APP/3180/COMP on the WTO negotiations: adopted with no amendments.

APP/3173/COMP on the importation and local production of generic drugs: adopted with 4 amendments.

Negotiation of New ACP-EU Trade Agreements

APP/3175/COMP on the negotiation of new ACP-EU Trade Agreements: adopted with 3 amendments.

Food Safety in Trade between the EU and the ACP countries

APP/3167/COMP on food safety in trade between the European Union and the ACP countries: adopted with 1 amendment.

Everything But Arms

APP/3171/COMP on Everything But Arms (EBA): adopted with 8 amendments.

APP/3172/COMP on Everything But Arms (EBA): vote by separate houses: the EP representatives voted against the motion for a resolution which was therefore rejected.

Bananas

APP/3114 on bananas: adopted with no amendments.

Rum

APP/3115/rev. on rum: adopted with no amendments.

Sugar

APP/3116/rev. on sugar: adopted with no amendments.

Use of depleted uranium ammunition

APP/3169/COMP on the use of depleted uranium ammunition: vote by separate houses: the EP representatives voted against the motion for a resolution which was therefore rejected.

APP/3117/COMP on the use of depleted uranium ammunition: adopted with no amendments.

APP/3118 on the use of depleted uranium weapons: adopted with no amendments.

Racism

APP/3192/COMP on racism and xenophobia and their repercussion on ACP-EU relations: adopted with 2 amendments.

APP/3125 on racism: adopted with no amendments following points of order by Mrs Maij-Weggen and Mrs Junker.

Migration

APP/3127 on immigration: vote by separate houses: the ACP representatives voted in favour and the EP representatives voted against the motion for a resolution which was therefore rejected.

Management and control of the European Development Fund

APP/3128 on tourism and development in the context of the management and control of the European Development Fund (EDF): adopted with no amendments.

APP/3174/COMP on the management and control of the European Development Fund (EDF): adopted with 2 amendments.

APP/3130/COMP on EDF Management: adopted with 2 amendments.

West Africa

APP/3178/COMP on the situation in Western Africa: adopted with 8 amendments. The Co-President pointed out that the English text of recital M contained an error, and consequently the French text was to be considered the correct version.

Central Africa and the Great Lakes

APP/3176/COMP on Central Africa: the following spoke on the amendments: Mrs Omatuku (Democratic Republic of Congo), Mr Van Hecke, Mrs Maij-Weggen and Mrs Junker. Mr Polisi (Rwanda), Mr Ssekandi (Uganda), and Mrs Niyuhire (Burundi) stated that they had not signed any of the amendments numbered 1 to 11, which in fact had only been signed by the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was decided that amendments 1 to 11 would not be put to the vote. Amendment 12, signed by Burundi and Mr Van Hecke, was put to the vote and adopted. The resolution was adopted with 1 amendment.

APP/3164 on Burundi: adopted with no amendments.

Southern Africa

APP/3196/COMP on Southern Africa: adopted with no amendments.

APP/3197 on the flooding in Mozambique: adopted with no amendments.

East Africa

APP/3177/COMP on East Africa: Amendments 2, 3, 5 and 6 were adopted. Amendment 4 was rejected following a vote by secret ballot. The motion for a resolution as a whole was put to the vote by separate houses: The ACP representatives voted with 11 in favour, 37 against and no abstentions, and the EP representatives voted with 49 in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention. The motion for a resolution was therefore rejected.

APP/3145 on the political situation in the Comoros: adopted with no amendments.

Caribbean

APP/3150 on the question of Belize: adopted with no amendments.

APP/3170/COMP on Haiti: adopted with no amendments.

APP/3194/COMP on accession by Cuba to the new ACP-EU Agreement: adopted with 1 amendment.

Pacific

APP/3168/COMP on the situation in Fiji and the Solomon Islands: adopted with no amendments.

5. Date and place of next session

The Co-President announced that the next session would be held in Brussels from 29 October to 1 November 2001.

Mr Imbarcaouane (Mali), Mr Koumba (Congo-Brazzaville) and Mr Van Hecke asked why the sessions in a European country were always held in one of the working places of the European Parliament. Mr Corrie, Co-President, stated that he would try to obtain approval for the principle that, in future, Joint Parliamentary Assembly sessions in Europe should be held in the country holding the Presidency of Council.

6. Other business

Mr Wieland requested that the names of non parliamentarians representing ACP countries be published in the minutes.

Mr Imbarcaouane (Mali) informed the Assembly that Mr Diallo, a former Vice President of the Assembly and the President of the National Assembly of Mali, had been elected President of the ECOWAS Parliament.

Mr Corrie, EU Co-President, thanked the Gabonese authorities, in particular President Bongo and Mr Rawiri, President of the Senate. He congratulated the ACP Secretary General, Mr Goulongana, for the excellent level of cooperation.

(The sitting closed at 5.55 p.m.)

Louis Serge Clair

andJohn Corrie

Co-Presidents

Jean-Robert Goulongana

andDietmar Nickel

Co-Secretaries General

Annex I

Alphabetical list of Members of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly

>TABLE>

Annex II

Record of attendance

>TABLE>

Observers:

Cuba: CASTRO

Also present:

ANGOLA

BORGES

CADETE

DO ROSARIO

QUINTA

SAMY

TELICA

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

MBA BELA

MBA OLO ANDEME

MOKOMNG ONGUENE

TAMARITE BURGOS

BARBADOS

PHILIPS

BELIZE

DIEGO-GREY

BENIN

ADEBO

HOUESSOU

BOTSWANA

CHINGAPANE

GEORGE

MOLOSI

MUKUNGU

BURKINA FASO

DICKO

KERE

PARE

BURUNDI

BANKINYAKAMWE

NIYUNGEKO

NKURUNZIZA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

KOUROUSSOU

ZOUNGUERE-SOKAMBI

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF

ADUNAGIOW

AKONGA

KAY KUMWIMBA

LOLEKO

MUYUMBA BUSANGU

PAKASA BALANDA

TSHISUNGU LUBAMBU

COTE D'IVOIRE

ABOLY-BIKOUASSI

GAUZE

GBAKAYORO GBIZIE

GBAOU

GOHOBAH

KONAN N'GUESSAN

MOLLE MOLLE

N'DRI

DJIBOUTI

ABDOULKADER

BOUH

DAWALEH

ERITREA

GHERMAZION

KASSA

ETHIOPIA

DEMBERU

ZEGEYE

ZENNA

GABON

ABESSOLO

ABESSOLO NGUEMA

AGANGA

AKELAGUELO ANGUILE

BOMBY-A-NZENGUE

ESSONGHE

IKOBABENDJE

MAKONGO

MBINA MOUSSIROU

MBOU-YEMBI

MOULENGUI MOUELLE

MVE-EBANG

NDONG NGOUA

NGOYE MALOUMBI

ONDETO

POSSO

RADJOUMBA

REKANGALT

REMPANOT MEPIAT

SINGATADY

SOULOUNGANGA

GHANA

TACHIE-MENSON

TAKYI

GRENADA

BOSCH

GUINEA

DIALLO

KEITA

HAITI

ANGERVIL

AZOR-CHARLES

DESILUS

GUERRIER

LAMOTHE

CAMEROON

BAH OUMAROU

BYAKOLO BYAKOLO

TSESSUE

KENYA

KOMBO

NKURAIYIA

SOKOTO

CONGO

BOMBETE

BYSS-ASSOLANT

DIMI

FOUNGUI

MAVOUNGOU

MBOSSA

MENGOBI

NDEKET

OBIA

LESOTHO

MOKETE

LIBERIA

HORTON

KABA

MOMOH

RAGLAND

TOWSEND

WILSON

MADAGASCAR

BERIZIKY

INDRIANJAFY

MALAWI

KHANYIZIRA

MALI

AG HAMANI

DIAKITE

DIALLO

DRAME

GAKOU

KONE

MAURITANIA

AMADOU

MAURITIUS

GUNESSEE

MUNGUR

MOZAMBIQUE

ALONE

DUMA BANZE

USSENE

ZAQUEU

NAMIBIA

NGAVIRUE

SCOTT IDHENGA

NIGER

ABDOURAHAMANE

ABDOU-SALEYE

ASSA

BALARABE

BOUREIMA

CAZALICA

ISSA TANKARI

NIGERIA

AJULU-OKEKE

AKUNWAFOR

CHIKELU

GUMEL

JACOBS

KEHINDE

LAWAN

NWAJIUBA

RWANDA

BIHOZAGARA

GASHEGU

KABASINGE

SENEGAL

KABA

SAMB

SUDAN

ATABANI

BADRI

ELAMIN

IBRAHIM

SURINAME

KRUTSLAND

SITAL

SOUTH AFRICA

PELLE

POTELWA

TALJAAR

TSHEOLE

TANZANIA

KARUME

TOGO

AFOKPA

NYAWOUAME

PERE

UGANDA

BALINDA

KIRASO

MIGEREKO

MUBANDA

NNAM

ZAMBIA

CHILIMBOYI

MBEYE

SAKALA

SITWALA

ZIMBABWE

NKOMANI

PSWARAYI

ACP-EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

>TABLE>

COMMITTEE OF AMBASSADORS

>TABLE>

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

>TABLE>

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PARTNERS

VEVER, BAEZA, de PAUL de BARCHIFONTAINE (Economic and Social Committee)

MEYER, FOFANA, KIRIRO (ACP)

CENTRE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BURGUET

A.U.O.

DJOMATCHOUA-TOKO

ACP SECRETARIAT

>TABLE>

EU SECRETARIAT

>TABLE>

Annex III

Resolutions adopted

>TABLE>