PNG Offers to Host the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group Leaders’ Summit in 2016

Papua New Guinea has offered to host the next Leaders's Summit for the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States in 2016.

The Prime Minister, Hon. Peter O'Neill CMG MP, made the offer when addressing the ACP Group of Ambassadors in Brussels, Belgium.

Prior to delivering his address, PM O'Neill met with the ACP Secretary-General, Dr. Patrick Gomes, where they discussed several of the more challenging issues facing ACP countries around the world.

This includes matters relating to economic development, and collective perspectives on dealing with climate change and pandemic disease.

PM O'Neill said the broad range of ACP countries have a wealth of knowledge and experience that is required for developing economies to confront shared challenges, and he said Papua New Guinea has an important role to play in that process.

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"The challenge for Papua New Guinea is the same for many of the member countries, to add more midstream and downstream value to our national resources," Prime Minister O'Neill said to the group.

"Another focus of our Government, that is shared with ACP countries is how we can deal with cross-border issues that have a devastating impact on our people and their lives.

"Such issues like the effect of climate change and pandemic diseases are areas that are of great concern to our nation and the ACP community.

"We are all vulnerable to these challenges

"It is my hope that lessons learned from the Ebola crisis and the cyclone Pam disaster will strengthen or resolve as a group to respond to these crises in a timely manner in the future."

The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for the ACP Group to be aware of the changing economic situation in Europe, from where a great deal of ACP support is derived.

He said the entry of developing countries into the European Union will draw on EU development support.

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"We must think of a political dimension and the relationship that we have with the European Union - post the Lisbon treaty.

"Our overall participation within the EU must be reexamined to ensure that the partnership remains relevant to the needs of the ACP Group.

"The landscape is not the same as in 1975 when the Cotonou Agreement was negotiated and sealed.

"The EU membership has grown and some new members have their own development challenges which requires more EU budget support.

"This will certainly reduce the overall resources available to ACP states.

"It is therefor important that we reposition the ACP Group to mobilise resources form the diverse partnerships that we have."

The Prime Minister concluded his address to the Ambassadors by stating that Papua New Guinea is willing to host the Ninth ACP Leaders Summit that had originally been intended to take place in the Caribbean.

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"I wish to advise that Papua New Guinea is wiling to host the Leaders' summit in May or June 2016.

"As part of our commitment to the ACP Group, our Government will work closely with the ACP Secretary General and the Committees of Ambassadors in order to undertake and participate in this event.

"Papua New Guinea is also going to be the host of a number of high level regional and global leaders meetings in the coming years.

"This will include the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in September this year, and the APEC Leaders Summit in November 2018.

"Our Government has the necessary capacity and the logistical support that is required to welcome the Leaders, and we are committed to delivering a very successful summit."

The Prime Minister said the Government of Papua New Guinea will await a response to the offer to host the Summit.

Prime Minister O'Neill delivered the address at ACP House in Brussels on 18 June.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States is comprised of 79 members - 48 from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.

The ACP Group lists its main objectives as:

- Sustainable development of its Member-States and their gradual integration into the global economy, which entails making poverty reduction a matter of priority and establishing a new, fairer, and more equitable world order;

- Coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of ACP-EC Partnership Agreements;

- Consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP States, as well as understanding among their peoples ;

- Establishment and consolidation of peace and stability in a free and democratic society.

Government Media Release