The annual Joint Council meeting brings together ministerial delegates from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries with fellow high ranking officials from EU member states and the European Commission, to discuss matters related to trade, development cooperation, and political dialogue.

The joint body is the principal decision-making organ under the ACP-EU Partnership Framework (Cotonou Agreement).

Migration, post-2015 agenda

ACP and EU ambassadors meeting on 17 April agreed that migration and development will be a major topic for discussion at the upcoming Council, including recommendations from the ACP-EU experts´ meeting on trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants.

The agenda will also include an exchange views on the post-2015 framework for global development, as well as the issue of financing for development. These discussions take place ahead of major global conferences this year, including the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa, July) and the United Nations Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda (New York, September).

“The post-2015 development agenda should address in a coherent, integrated and balanced manner, the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development,” said the Chair of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, H.E Roy Mickey Joy of Vanuatu.

"In this regard, there is need for the means of implementation to be addressed in a comprehensive manner to ensure adequate and predictable financing from all prospective sources, including, domestic and international public resource mobilization, innovative financing and mobilization of private financial and investment flows."

Development finance, trade cooperation and ACP-EU future

The Council will look at development finance and trade cooperation, including updates on the state of play of the ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements, the impact of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on developing countries and the management of mining and natural resources.

It is expected that a joint strategy on developing the private sector in ACP countries will be considered.

Finally, outlooks on ACP-EU relations after 2020 – which is when the current partnership agreement between the two groups of countries come to a close – will also feature in the May Council meeting. Both sides have been undergoing activities to review possible scenarios for the future and discern the best way forward.

The ACP-EU Council of Ministers will be preceded by meetings of the ACP Council of Ministers.

– ACP Press

For more information contact Ms. Josephine Latu-Sanft, Press Officer, +32 2 7430617 or latu@acp.int.