St.Julian's, Malta, 19 June 2017/ EP/ ACP-EU JPA: The 33rd plenary session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) will take place in St. Julian’s, Malta, from 19 to 21 June 2017. The session will be opened formally by its Co-Presidents, including Louis Michel for the European Parliament, Hon. Mémounatou Ibrahima of Togo for the ACP Parliamentary Assembly, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Angelo Farrugia.
The plenary session will be preceded and prepared by meetings of the three standing committees – Economic Development, Finance and Trade; Political Affairs; and Social Affairs – on Saturday, 17 June. The Bureau will meet on Sunday, 18 June.
MEPs will debate the risk of the emergence of the most severe famine and humanitarian crisis in history with Commissioner Stylianides on the morning of Tuesday 20 June. More than 20 million people in four African countries – South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen – are facing starvation and famine.
Another debate on the impunity for crimes against humanity will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 20 June with Sidiki Kaba, President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and former Minister of Justice of Senegal.
Furthermore, the Assembly will debate and vote on three resolutions on Wednesday 21 June:
  • the financing of political parties in ACP and EU countries (debate on Tuesday morning, co-rapporteurs: Worlea Saywah Dunnah (Liberia) and Cécile Kashetu Kyenge (IT)),
  • improving aid and development effectiveness in EU-ACP cooperation (debate on Tuesday afternoon, co-rapporteurs: Sebastian C. Kopulande (Zambia) and Neoklis Sylikiotis (CY)), and
  • the role of sport as an enabler for education and poverty eradication (debate on Wednesday morning, co-rapporteurs: Abderahmane Marrakchy (Mauritania) and Teresa Jimenez-Becerril (ES)).
Two urgent topics will be discussed and concluded by resolutions:
  • the security situation in the Sahelo-Saharan region (debate on Tuesday, vote on Wednesday), and
  • the situation in Burundi (debate on Tuesday, vote on Wednesday).
The formal opening session of the 33rd session of the JPA on Monday, 19 June at 11.00, will take place in the presence of the President of the Republic of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, and of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Angelo Farrugia. MEPs will also hold debates with Commissioner Neven Mimica (HR) on Monday, 19 June, and with representatives of ACP and EU Councils on Wednesday, 21 June.
Aside of the plenary session, MEPs will gather during the Women’s Forum in the morning of Saturday 17 June. They will also meet with young Maltese students during the Youth Conference which will take place on Sunday 18 June afternoon.
Background information about the JPA
The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA ) brings together MEPs and MPs from 78 European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states that have signed the Cotonou Agreement, which is the basis for ACP-EU cooperation and development work.
Contact:
Delphine COLARD
Press Officer in Malta
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E-mail: delphine.colard@europarl.europa.eu
Emilie TOURNIER
Press Officer in Brussels
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Phone number: (+33) 3 881 72649 (STR)
Mobile number: (+32) 473 55 74 66
E-mail: emilie.tournier@europarl.europa.eu
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