A word from the chair

Welcome to the website of the European Parliament's Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

I am grateful for the trust that the members of the EU Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly have placed in me by electing me as their Chair. Succeeding personalities of great prestige and experience, who have left a legacy of great responsibility, I will be Chairman of this Delegation during a period of huge challenges.

I am committed to ensure that the EU Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly makes a strong contribution to strengthening a partnership between equals and promotes sustainable development in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda, within a framework that advances and defends human rights, the rule of law and respect among peoples.

I count on all the elected members of this Joint Assembly and on the technical and political teams that support them, so that together we can transform a genuine desire of cooperation and development into tangible results in people's quality of life and the planet's sustainability.

Carlos Zorrinho

Please scroll down to see our latest news !

You can also visit and bookmark our new ACP-EU JPA website at www.europarl.europa.eu/acp

Delegation meeting Thursday, 16 February 2023 in Strasbourg

17-02-2023 - 11:28

The Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly met in Strasbourg on Thursday 16 February to discuss mainly the preparation of the meetings of the standing committees and the Bureau of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, 1-2 March 2023 in Brussels (Belgium).

Link to the meeting documents.

Link to the recorded meeting.

Delegation meeting Thursday, 15 December 2022 in Strasbourg

20-01-2023 - 11:12

The Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly met in Strasbourg on Thursday 15 December to discuss mainly:

  • the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the parliamentary elections in Lesotho (7 October 2022) and
  • the evaluation and follow-up of the 42nd Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and of the meetings of the standing committees, in Maputo (Mozambique), 29 October -2 November 2022.


Link to the meeting documents.

Link to the recorded meeting.

Delegation meeting Thursday, 6 October 2022 in Strasbourg

14-10-2022 - 15:41

The Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly met in Strasbourg on Thursday 6 October and elected Max Oetjen (Renew) as new 1st Vice-Chair of the Committee on Political Affairs to replace Catherine Bearder (Renew), who left the European Parliament after the Brexit.

Furthermore, Members discussed the preparations of the 42nd JPA plenary session, which will take place in Maputo in Mozambique from 29 October to 2 November 2022.

Link agenda.

Delegation meeting Thursday, 7 July 2022 in Strasbourg

25-08-2022 - 12:25

The Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly met in Strasbourg on Thursday7 July and elected Max Orville (Renew) as new 1st Vice-Chair to replace Chrysoula Zacharopoulou (Renew), who left the European Parliament to become State Secretary in the French government.

Furthermore, Members discussed which topics could be subject of committee reports and urgent resolutions at the forthcoming JPA session in Maputo (29.10.-2.11.2022).

Link agenda

Link to the recorded meeting


Delegation to the ACP-EU JPA on Thursday 12 May 2022

13-05-2022 - 12:46
Carlos Zorrinho and Peter Kenilorea Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU JPA sitting at the podium with SG Ibrahim Norbert Richard
JPA Strasbourg 2022 podium.jpg © @European Parliament

The Delegation to the ACP-EU JPA met on Thursday 12 May in Brussels.

The Members of the delegation elected Eric Andrieu (S&D) as 6th Vice-President, replacing Pietro Bartolo (S&D) and Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana (Greens/EFA) as 7th Vice-President, replacing Tineke Strik (Greens/EFA) and evaluated the Joint Parliamentary Assembly plenary meeting that took place in Strasbourg 1-3 April. They also took stock of the drafting of Rules of Procedure for the new JPA and the Regional Parliamentary Assemblies that will be set up under the post-Cotonou Partnership Agreement EU-OACPS.

The video recording of the meeting is available here.

Agenda and meeting documents can be found here.

Statement on the situation in Burkina Faso

26-01-2022 - 16:06
picture of the Palais Kosyam in Burkina Faso
Palais_Kossyam_2013.jpg © Creative Commons by Sputniktilt (2013)

Statement on the situation in Burkina Faso, following the detainment of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré

Statement by David McAllister, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tomas Tobé, Chair of the Committee on Development, and Carlos Zorrinho, Chair of the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly:

"We are following with great concern the developments in Burkina Faso and strongly condemn the military coup against the democratically elected government under President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and any other members of his government in detention.

"We insist on an immediate return to civilian-led government, to restore parliament, the constitutional order, and the rule of law in Burkina Faso. We urge military leaders to return their forces to the barracks and protect the country's institutions."

Background

President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was detained on Sunday and is being held by military forces, who have since made a statement that they are seizing power in Burkina Faso.

Human rights in Burundi under the spotlight

25-11-2021 - 10:35
photo of Carlos Zorrinho, Chair of Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Carlos Zorrinho.JPG © European Parliament

The human rights situation in Burundi was discussed with several experts in a meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, hold in association with the ACP Delegation on Monday, 15 November, 15:15-16:15.

The EU ambassador to Burundi and human rights defenders provided inputs.

Since 2016, Burundi has been excluded from most EU development funds and subjected to sanctions due to human rights violations, but following recent changes in Burundi EU Member States are currently considering lifting sanctions and resuming aid.

Links:

Webstreaming

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/droi/meetings/webstreaming

Meeting documents

https://emeeting.europarl.europa.eu/emeeting/committee/en/archives/DROI


The EP calls for the swift signature of the ACP-EU Post-Cotonou agreement

26-11-2021 - 11:56

29-10-2021

The Chairs of the DEVE, AFET and INTA Committees and of the Delegation for relations with the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly call for the swift signature of Partnership Agreement

In joint letters addressed to the 27 EU ministers for development, Tomas Tobé, David McAllister, Bernd Lange and Carlos Zorrinho, in their capacity as - respectively - the Chairs of the DEVE, AFET and INTA Committees and Chair of the Delegation for relations with the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, call for the swift signature of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

Nine months after a political agreement on the text was reached, and over five months since the initialling of the Agreement, the Chairs believe that it is of the utmost importance to overcome any remaining divisions and move forward with the signature of the modernised agreement.

In their joint letters, the Chairs underline the potential of this future agreement to enhance the political partnership between the EU and the ACP, one which covers important issues like climate change, migration and peace and security.

Tomas Tobé, Chair of the Committee on Development, said:

"EU Member States and the Commission have had ample time to exhaustively discuss the specificities of the modernised Agreement between the EU and the Members of the OACPS. At this critical juncture, with the end date of the Cotonou Agreement in sight, Parliament firmly insists on receiving the request for consent from the Council. Swift ratification is equally important on both the side of the OACPS and the EU."

EYE 2021: Young people and MEPs to discuss What future for the Africa-EU relationship

15-11-2021 - 12:25

On 8 and 9 October, the European Youth Event (EYE) took place both at the European Parliament in Strasbourg and online, bringing together youth to shape and share their ideas on the future of Europe.

One of the highlights was the open debate between young people and MEPs on the topic "What future for the Africa-EU relationship?" It took place on Friday 8 October from 16:00 to 18:00 with the presence of around 80 youngsters and 7 MEPs.

Participants were invited to discuss with Members the way forward in order to build a new and reinforced Africa-EU partnership, building on the acquis of the current Joint Africa Europe Strategy.

The debated topics included:

· youth, peace and security,

· the impact of climate change on Europe and Africa,

· the Post-Cotonou agreement,

· the potential of the rapidly growing African youth and of European youth for development, welfare and socio-economic progress, diaspora involvement and memory culture.

The young participants were invited to draft conclusions to be shared after with all the participants, the MEPs working with Africa, the European Commission and the European External Action Service.

The following MEPs participated at the event: Alviina Alametsä, Michael Gahler, Monica Silvana Gonzalez, Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Rainer Wieland and Carlos Zorrinho.

https://european-youth-event.europarl.europa.eu/en

JPA Co-Presidents condemn assassination of Jovenel Moïse, President of Haiti

07-07-2021 - 17:20
Carlos Zorrinho (S&D, PT) and Peter Kenilorea Jr (Solomon Islands), Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) strongly condemn the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, President of Haiti, who was killed last night at his residence by unknown gunmen.

They extend their deep sympathies and extend condolences to the family of Mr Moïse, and their wish for a prompt recovery to First Lady Martine Moïse, who was wounded in the attack and is now receiving treatment.

They call for an end to the violence and appeal to the EU and the OACPS and their Member States to support and assist Haiti in addressing the humanitarian, political and security situation in the country. Coordinated and strengthened international support is urgently needed to improve the situation of the Haitian people.

Background

President Moïse had been in power since 2017, but the legitimacy of his rule grew to be contested by the political opposition and civil society groups, which claimed that his mandate should have ended in February of 2021.

However, the President remained in power, and ruled by decree since January 2020 after the expiration of the legislature, following the postponement of legislative elections in 2019.

This situation politically polarized and divided the population of Haiti, and in recent months gang violence became increasingly prevalent in the country, with reports of targeted gang attacks as well as a surge in kidnapping cases, which government forces have struggled to control. Haiti also faces food shortages and a growing humanitarian crisis.

In its 21 May 2021 resolution on the situation in Haiti, the European Parliament called on "the Haitian authorities to organise free, fair, transparent and credible legislative, local and presidential elections, and to guarantee sustainable security during these electoral processes; recalls that as long as the conditions of transparency, fairness and democracy have not been met, the EU should not provide any financial and technical support for the electoral processes; recalls that only a credible, transparent, participatory and peaceful election process can overcome the protracted political crisis in Haiti;"

It also underlined the need for an independent judiciary and called on the Government to respect the fundamental principles of democracy, to strengthen the rule of law and to increase efforts to end gang clashes and armed attacks on civilians and on law enforcement and to bring those responsible to justice in fair trials.

Stik

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