Seychelles to host ACP-EU regional forum
23.12.2009
Seychelles is to host the joint parliamentary meeting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union’s (ACP-EU) East Africa region scheduled for May 26-29 next year.
The Joint ACP-EU Bureau – at the 18th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Luanda, Angola – agreed on the meeting being held here following a motion tabled at a session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2007 by the chairman of the National Assembly’s International Affairs Committee Waven William.
The motion was backed by both the regional country grouping and the ACP assembly.
The meeting is expected to bring together a dozen countries from East Africa and an equal number of members of parliament from the EU.
Mr William said this meeting will come at a very appropriate time, now Seychelles is in the middle of tackling issues affecting the economy.
“This will be an opportunity for us to take up topical issues such as climate change, piracy, fisheries, regional integration and the global financial crisis,” he said.
The meeting will also create another platform for Seychelles to seek more support from stakeholders, both locally and internationally, and will give the delegates a chance to better understand at first hand Seychelles’ specific situation and the problems faced by other East African countries.
Meanwhile, Seychelles has been re-elected to the ACP-EU committees on economic development, finance and trade for another two years.