The EU-ACP partnership (Cotonou agreement)

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The EU-ACP partnership (Cotonou agreement)
Sally Nicholson ENPI workshop November 06
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Cotonou Agreement

• Partnership between EU and 78 countries in
  Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP countries)
• Trade agreements, Development aid, Political
  dialogue, participatory approaches
• Commitments from all partners to environmental
  integration into programming
• European Development Fund is the financial
  instrument of the Cotonou Partnership

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European Development Fund (ACP)
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New guidelines for aid programming

• European Development Consensus emphasises need
  for environmental integration and highlights
  environment as a focal sector
• New, improved guidelines for Regional and Country
  Strategy Papers
• Country environmental profiles obligatory
• Environmental analysis is part of the overall CSP
  diagnosis
• Enhanced role for non-state actors consultation
  and direct grants
• Use of Strategic Environmental Assessments

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Support to WWF offices in ACP

• Manual in French and English and Summary
• Training workshop in Africa
• Production of brochures for use by colleagues in
  Africa
• Newsletter to offices in ACP countries
• Facilitation of support from European NOs and
  sharing of information

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Indications to date

• Civil society outreach has not been as effective
  as hoped
• Parliamentarians in ACP countries not in the
  picture
• Little participation of other ministries in the
  process
• BUT
• Evidence that Country Environmental Profiles are
  being done
• Environment has been proposed as a non-focal
  sector in some countries/regions
• Finnish presidency has stressed natural resource
  needs

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Access to information

• Need for availability of information and
  documentation so that civil society can play its
  part
• Eg Availability of Country Environmental Profile
  for the consultations on the draft strategy
  papers
• Access to Environmental Impact Assessments and
  Strategic Environmental Assessment
• WWF writing to EC country delegations and asking
  MEPs
• to ask questions of Commisson