Luena MP Charles Milupi elected ACP president
Luena independent Member of Parliament Charles Milupi has been elected President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Parliamentary Assembly.
Mr. Milupi was elected at the just ended 18th session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which took place from November 25th to December 3rd, 2009 in Luanda, Angola.
He was also elected as Co-President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
According to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by National assembly Media Liaison Officer Chikomeni Banda, Mr. Milupi is expected to carry out duties of presiding officer of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly and Co- Presiding Officer of the ACP-EU JPA.
The ACP-EU JPA is one of the organs of joint institutions provided for under Article 8 of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.
It was created out of a common desire to bring together elected representatives of European Community, Members of European Parliament and elected representatives of ACP groups of states.
ZANIS
Labels: ACP, CHARLES MILUPI
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Zanu-PF, MDC tackle Europe over sanctions
Herald Reporter
ZANU-PF and MDC legislators and their colleagues from the Caribbean and Pacific bloc have started lobbying the European Union for the removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, since the inclusive Government was now running smoothly.
The lobbying took centre stage at the African Caribbean and Pacific and European Union parliamentary session held recently in the Czech Republic.
Zanu-PF, MDC and the ACP bloc resolved in a caucus meeting that sanctions against Zimbabwe should now be lifted immediately because it was no longer necessary to continue the embargo before tabling the resolutions to their EU counterparts.
The EU legislators, however said they wanted to observe the progress of the inclusive Government before committing themselves. The Zimbabwean delegation argued that there was no longer any justification for the maintenance of sanctions.
The ACP-EU met in the last two weeks of March in the Czech Republic, where legislators from the bloc discussed various issues affecting member countries.
Head of the Zimbabwe delegation, Rushinga Senator Damien Mumvuri (Zanu-PF) said Zimbabwe had received overwhelming support from African, Pacific and Caribbean countries who concurred that the embargo was no longer necessary.
Other members from the Zimbabwean delegation, which returned home on Good Friday, are Matobo Senator Sithembile Mlotshwa (MDC-T) and Gwanda North House of Assembly Thandeko Mnkandla (MDC).
Lawmakers from the EU said they would monitor political developments in the country before considering lifting the sanctions.
"We raised the issue of sanctions and we were encouraged by the support we got from our African brothers, and those from the Caribbean and Pacific countries. They agreed with us that the time has now come to have these sanctions removed," said Sen Mumvuri.
"The EU maintained their reservations saying they were not yet satisfied with the political environment in our country. They said they were still observing if there were tangible results to talk about. They said they will, however, continue to give humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe."
Sen Mumvuri took over as head of the Zimbabwe delegation to the ACP-EU parliamentary sessions from Cde Forbes Magadu, the former Chitungwiza senator.
Mrs Mlotshwa replaced Communication Information Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa, who ceased to be a member when he was appointed to Cabinet.
Zimbabwe has resolved to engage the EU and other Western countries to remove the sanctions following the formation of the inclusive Government.
Sadc has pledged to assist Zimbabwe in this regard and has since dispatched teams of ministers to the United States and the EU to lobby for the lifting of the illegal sanctions and canvass economic support for the inclusive Government.
Meanwhile, Kadoma Member of the House of Assembly Editor Matamisa (MDC-T) is expected to replace Ms Paurina M’pariwa as a member of the Pan African Parliament.
Ms M’pariwa is now the Minister of Labour.
Other members of the PAP include Mberengwa West House of Assembly Cde Joram Gumbo (Zanu-PF), president of the Chiefs Council Chief Fortune Charumbira, Gwanda Central Member of the House of Assembly Mr Patrick Dube (MDC) and Bikita Senator Kokerai Rugara (MDC-T.)
Ms Matamisa is expected to be sworn-in as a member of PAP when the continental body sits in Midrand, South Africa, next month.
The ACP-EU session coincided with Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaker of the House of Assembly Lovemore Moyo led the Zimbabwean delegation to the meeting.
Other members to the IPU are Kambuzuma Member of the House of Assembly Mr Willias Madzimure (MDC-T), Zvimba Senator Virginia Muchenje (Zanu-PF) and Nkayi North Member of the House of Assembly Mr Abednico Bhebhe (MDC).
The IPU, which brings together parliamentarians from across the world, meets twice a year to discuss global issues.
Labels: ACP, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, SANCTIONS
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EPAs will not advantage Zambia, says DPI
By Nomusa Michelo
Tuesday January 01, 2008 [03:00]
DEVELOPMENT Partnership International (DPI) Zambia media and strategy coordinator Richard Musauka has said the interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) will not advantage the country if there is no industrial development. In a statement, Musauka said the setting up of industries would undoubtedly put African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries on upright track to supply the open world markets with competitive value added products.
“The recently signed interim Economic Partnership Agreements cannot advantage Zambia and other African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries which have signed, unless substantial assistance from donors is targeted at the setting-up of industrial infrastructure which must target increased, balanced and sustainable trade with the developed world,” he said.
He said in order to reach a level of industrialisation, there was need to eliminate the threat of expensive imports from industrialised countries that ACP countries have been subjected to due to the lack of industries.
“The other important factor which must be taken into account is that of industrial technology transfer from the industrialised world into the ACP countries which have to enable the developing world and particularly sub-Saharan Africa which in the African region is much behind in achieving the MDGs,” he said. “If the steps to setup sufficient and suitable processing and manufacturing public and private infrastructure are put into place in the ACP countries and in particular, the case being for Zambia we are not going to make advantage benefits from the interim Economic Partnership Agreements.”
He said the government should seriously take into consideration to ensure that more industries are set up so that the country is not exporting a lot of raw material.
Labels: ACP, DPI, EPAs
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Fee calls for new trade regime between Europe, ACP countries
By Chibaula Silwamba
Monday October 01, 2007 [04:00]
EUROPEAN Union head of delegation in Zambia Dr Derek Fee has said there is need for a new trade regime between European countries and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. And Netherlands Ambassador to Zambia Eduard Middeldorp said it was important that Parliament and the Zambian government accounts for the donor aid flowing into the country.
During the newsmakers forum organised by the Press Freedom Committee of The Post newspapers at Chrismar Hotel last Saturday, Dr Fee said parties to the negotiations about the EPAs were close to a final agreement.
“At the time of Cotonou Agreement, we told these (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries that we have a trade waiver from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which would expire on January 1, 2008 and that we would have to, in the intervening period, negotiate EPAs with these 77 ACP countries which conform to WTO rules.
Now some people will say well, why can’t we extend on that date because there are several very sensitive products which are entering the EU at the moment from the 77 ACP countries that other people in the rest of the world are just about to make a complaint to the WTO.
In particular bananas, which the colleagues in Latin America are ready to put a complaint to WTO, sugar which the Brazilians are interested in as well,” he said.
“So we have to do something in terms of new trade agreements by 1st January, 2008 and we have been negotiating this for the last seven years and we are getting very close to final agreement.”
Dr Fee said there would be no chance of the European products flooding the Zambian market.
Dr Fee said the EU was the world’s biggest trading block and wanted to import more commodities from ACP.
“EPAs will set our framework for trade with Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries for the next foreseeable future. We have to look at how we can help all ACP countries to develop their private sector and their own supply side not only to export to us.
The intra regional trade is potentially a lot more lucrative to countries of COMESA group than increased trade with the EU,” he said.
Dr Fee said the EU in the next few weeks would have to discuss with commerce minister and President Mwanawasa on what EPAs meant for Zambia.
But several people that contributed demanded that the EPAs should not go ahead because they would disadvantage Africa.
They complained that European farmers would get subsidise unlike their African counterparts hence the trade arrangement would be not be balanced and Europe would benefit more than Africa.
Meanwhile, Dr Fee said the EU was the biggest donor in Zimbabwe at the moment.
“This year we are giving 197 million pounds aid between European Commission and the member states in aid to Zimbabwe. That aid is absolutely directly given to Zimbabweans, I can tell you that Zimbabweans on the ground see European aid because it’s given to them directly. We are also the biggest donor of food security at the moment in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“What is the situation between the EU and Mugabe? We have been saying this for a long time and we will continue to say there are no economic sanctions from EU against Zimbabwe. In fact, Zimbabwe has a positive balance of payments with the EU, in other words they sale more to the European Union than they import.
“What we have are sanctions against Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe’s President) and 173 other named individuals including Mugabe’s wife Grace and his main supporters within ZANU PF. So there are travel restrictions to the EU only to those people.”
He also said the Portuguese President would make a decision on whether or not to invite President Mugabe to the EU/Africa summit in Portugal in December.
And Ambassador Middeldorp said it was important that Parliament and the Zambian government account for the donor aid flowing into the country.
“We are really trying as embassies and representatives here to know where our money is going. Yes, we are visiting rural areas to see where our aid is going,” he said. “But it’s not just the donors being accountable, it’s definitely also a matter of government of Zambia and Parliament in Zambia to be accountable for the aid flowing to Zambia.
Ambassador Middeldorp said there was need to improve the health and education sectors.
He added that private sector development was important for Zambia.
“We are involved in private sector development in the sense that we are trying to create together with the Zambian government an environment where business is possible and profitable,” he said.
He also said it was difficult to involve foreign companies to explore minerals if they were offered very low percentages.
“The Zambian government is presently negotiating with a lot of these companies to make more profits for Zambia and I think that is the way forward,” he said.
Ambassador Middeldorp said donor countries had problems to align their aid with the local development plans, such as the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) because they had their own areas of priority.
Labels: ACP, DEREK FEE, EU
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