Causas The 26th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Maria da Graça Carvalho participated in the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly 26th Session which took place 23-27 November 2013 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

The meeting of the Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade took place on the 23rd of November.

During the meeting it was considered the draft report Regional integration and modernisation of customs for sustainable development in ACP Countries in cooperation with the EU. The co-Rapporteurs: Piet van der Walt (Namibia) and Oldřich Vlasák (EP). In her capacity of shadow of this report, Maria da Graça Carvalho presented the EPP position. The deadline for amendments is 12 February 2014.

Ms Carvalho was also appointed rapporteur for Private sector development strategy including innovation for sustainable and inclusive development.

On the 24th, there was an EPP meeting in the afternoon, followed by a meeting between the EP delegation and the Ambassador to the EU in Ethiopia in which they discussed the general situation of the country.

On the 25 it was the formal opening sitting of the 26th Session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly. The speakers included Abadula Gemeda Dago, Speaker of the House of Peoples' Representatives of Ethiopia; Joyce Laboso, Co-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly; Patrice Tirolien, Vice-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly and Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia.

These interventions were followed by a statement by Andris Piebalgs, Member of the Commission with responsibility for development. Ms Carvalho asked the comissioner about the EU role in order to contribute for the dialogue and to consolidate peace, estability and the economic growth in Mozambique.