Brussels 11 February 2019/ACP: The Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia, H.E. Dr. Kaire M. Mbuende will preside over the Committee of African, Caribbean and Pacific ambassadors in Brussels for the period 1st February – 31 July 2019.

His chairmanship comes at a decisive time when negotiations for a new partnership with the European Union are well advanced and are expected to be concluded during the summer of 2019.

In a hand-over ceremony on the 1st of February 2019, Ambassador Mbuende thanked the outgoing Chair, Ambassador Ammo Aziza Baroud of Chad for her leadership during the previous six months. He noted the successful launch of the negotiation meeting at the level of ACP Ambassadors and Senior Officials of the European Union which took place on 18 October 2018 in Brussels.

Ambassador Mbuende also welcomed the new members of the Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors, which held its first meeting on 1st February 2019 at the ACP Secretariat’s headquarters.

The Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors, which coordinates the work of the full committee, is made up of one representative for each of the six ACP regions, as well as a Troika comprised of the current, incoming and outgoing Chairs.

For the current term, the Bureau include: The Ambassador of Mauritius, H.E Mr. Haymandoyal Dillum (East Africa), Ambassador of Gambia H.E Mrs. Teneng Mba Jaiteh (West Africa), Ambassador of the Republic of Congo H.EMr. Léon Raphaël Mokoko (Central Africa), Ambassador of Botswana H.E. Mr. Samuel Otsile Outlule (Southern Africa), Ambassador of Surinam H.E. Ms Sieglien Burleson (Caribbean) and the Ambassador of Tuvalu H.E. Mr. Aunese Makol Simati (Pacific).

The Troika includes the Ambassadors of Chad and Namibia, as well as the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea H.E Mr. Joshua Kalinoe from the Pacific region, which will be next to hold the presidency.

The Committee of Ambassadors is an important decision-making body of the ACP Group of States, comprising of one representative from each of its 79 member countries. It meets at least one a month in Brussels to monitor the implementation of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, and carry out any mandate tasked to it by the ACP Council of Ministers. Much of its work is carried out through six technical sub-committees (on Political, Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs; Trade and Commodities; Investment and the Private Sector; Sustainable Development; Financing and Development; and Establishment and Finance), as well through ad-hoc working groups and task forces.

Ambassador of Chad Her Excellency Mrs. Ammo Aziza Baroud (Left) and His Excellency Dr. Kaire M. Mbuende (right)