Seventy nine member states of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group and 28 members of the European Union declared their joint support for a strong overarching global framework that seeks to achieve poverty eradication and sustainable development, while also addressing the challenges and unique vulnerabilities of ACP countries.
The declaration was endorsed at the 39th session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers on 19-20 June in Nairobi, Kenya. Amongst other things, it stressed the need to address specific issues faced by ACP Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Countries and post-conflict territories. It also recognised challenges of Middle Income Countries.
Climate change was underlined as a key threat to vulnerable ACP states, posing immediate and long term risks to development efforts. There was a call to integrate the cross-cutting issue of climate change into the post-2015 global development framework.
In addition, the declaration demanded more focus on basic living standards, including measures such as universal healthcare, as well as inclusive and sustainable economic growth, with the framework acting as a key driver to reduce inequalities, create decent jobs, improve the sustainability of consumption and production patterns and promote structural economic transformation.
ACP and EU member states called on all countries and the international community at large to play their part in mobilising financing for the post-2015 development agenda, both through public resources as well as private financial and investment flows. It called on the developed countries that have not done so, to fulfill their pledge to commit 0.7% of Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance.
The joint statement affirmed that while the development agenda should be a single universal framework, national ownership and political support in all countries were vital for its success, taking into account different national capacities and levels of development.
BRUSSELS, (ACP PRESS)
