ACP-EU-bijeenkomst: help ontwikkelingslanden bij strijd tegen klimaatverandering (en)

The principle of "differentiated responsibility" for reducing greenhouse gas emissions should be ratified by the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, says a resolution adopted by the joint parliamentary assembly of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and MEPs in Luanda (Angola) on Thursday. The JPA also condemned a coup d'état in Madagascar and debated the institutional crisis in Niger.

The ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly (JPA), which twice a year brings together 78 members of the European Parliament and 78 parliamentarians from the African, Caribbean and Pacfic (ACP) states, held its plenary session in Luanda (Angola) from 30 November to 3 December.

The JPA sees helping developing countries to cope with climate change challenges as the key issue for the UN-backed Copenhagen conference, which starts on 7 December. It says the post-Kyoto protocol should be a legally-binding agreement which emphasizes equity and social justice and relies on "common but differentiated responsibility".

In line with this principle, industrialised countries should set an example by substantially reducing their emissions. Developing countries and emerging economies should, for their part, undertake to introduce mitigation measures within their power, even if greenhouse gas emissions have considerably increased.

Political crises in Madagascar and Niger

The JPA vigorously condemns the December 2008 seizure of power in Madagascar, which it calls a "coup d'état", in a resolution adopted on Thursday. It calls for a return to constitutional order, and insisted that the Malagasy Parliament must be reinstated immediately and involved in efforts to resolve the crisis.

It condemns the decision to entrust the Presidency of the Republic to Mr Andry Rajoelina, who, after suspending the National Assembly and the Senate, proclaimed himself President of the Republic and head of the High Authority of Transition on 17 March 2009.

It calls for a return to constitutional republican order and asks the four political groupings involved to reach consensus on the sharing of government posts, in accordance with Maputo and Addis Ababa commitments. In the event of failure to respect the undertakings given in Maputo and Addis Ababa, individual sanctions should be put in place, says the resolution. The European Union has suspended funding of its various programmes, with the exception of humanitarian aid.

In a statement on Niger, the JPA Co-Presidents called on the President and the authorities to return to constitutional order as soon as possible and to immediately release all political prisoners, including Members of Parliament, and opposition leaders. On 4 August 2009 President Mahmmadou Tandja held an illegal referendum allowing him to stay in power for three more years and also held unconstitutional parliamentary elections in October 2009.

The Madagascar, Niger and Equatorial Guinea delegations were downgraded to observer status at this assembly, depriving them of voting rights. The JPA called for independent international investigations into human rights violations and arbitrary arrests in Madagascar and Niger.  

Luanda Declaration on the revision of the Cotonou Agreement

Negotiations under way with a view to revising the Cotonou Agreement in 2010 should strengthen its principal objectives, which are "the eradication of poverty, promotion of sustainable development, gradual and effective integration of ACP States into the world economy, preservation and strengthening of the 'Lomé acquis', as well as enhancing ACP unity, cohesion and solidarity", according to the declaration adopted by the Assembly.

To reduce the impact of the economic and financial crisis on developing countries, and notably falling commodity prices, the JPA recommended targeting spending on key sectors and reducing the debt of developing countries. The current crisis should be an opportunity to explore new sources of development funding, such as revenue from an international tax on financial transactions. Negotiations on economic partnership agreements between ACP and EU countries should moreover take account of the effects of the crisis, according to a report drafted by Joseph K. Mugambé (Uganda) et Hans-Peter Mayer (EPP, DE).

Reforming international institutions

International institutions should be  more representative and give developing countries, notably in Africa, more say in decision taking by the governing bodies of the IMF and World Bank, for example, according to a proposal by rapporteurs  Donald Ramotar (Guyana) et Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (S&D, ES). MEPs and their ACP counterparts also adopted a report calling for better access to education and employment for 15-24 year olds, who make up 31% of the population in developing countries. The co-rapporteurs were Manuel Jiménez (Dominican Republic) and Olle Schmidt (ALDE, SE).

New ACP Co-President

The Assembly closed its 18th session by electing Charles Milupi (Zambia) to the post of ACP Co-President and paying tribute to his predecessor, Wilkie Rasmussen (Cook Islands).

Date of the next meeting

The next JPA meeting, under the Spanish Presidency, will be held in Tenerife from  29 March to 1 April 2010.

With the Lisbon Treaty, in force as of 1 December 2009, the European Parliament has important new lawmaking powers. Virtually all EU legislation is now decided by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers together - including agriculture, immigration, energy and the EU budget. As the only directly elected EU institution, Parliament's position in making sure the EU is accountable to its citizens is also strengthened, for example by MEPs having a bigger say in appointments to many of the EU's top jobs.