The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States have rounded off a two-day summit for Heads of States and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, by committing to stronger South-South cooperation and calling for more development-friendly relations with European partners.
The 72-point Sipopo Declaration addressed broad areas of peace, security and good governance; development finance; international trade; energy, climate change and sustainable development; and the future outlook of the ACP Group as an international institution.
The Declaration highlighted members’ determination to “stay united as a Group” and retain relevance by “enhancing the ACP-EU relationship as a unique North-South development cooperation model, while developing South-South and other partnerships.”
It lauded the EU’s efforts in helping ACP countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals, while urging that the European Development Fund (EDF) remain outside the regular EU budget framework as a mechanism of development financing for the ACP countries.
The leaders also expressed concern over the notion of differentiation and graduation in allocating development funds, calling on the EU to keep to the legal framework of the Cotonou Agreement.
Read more: International: ACP leaders commit to stronger South-South cooperation
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