ACP-EU Relations beyond 2020: Necessary Adaptation in a Changing World?

Current negotiations between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States for the successor agreement to the Cotonou Agreement will regulate the future relationship between the EU and the largest organised group of developing countries. At its signing in 2000, the Cotonou Agreement was hailed as the most advanced, comprehensive development assistance agreement between the North and the global South. While acknowledging some major implementation successes, not all provisions of the agreement have been fully exploited, and some envisaged outcomes were not in accordance with expectations.

Since 2000, the partners have experienced many changes, and there are multiple new global challenges. For these, the existing provisions of the Cotonou Agreement are inadequate. Against this background, the presentation will assess the role and value of the continued ACP-EU relationship as an enabler for the ACP Group’s and the EU’s future ambitions.  Furthermore, it will examine to what degree the existence of the ACP Group is grounded in the relationship with the EU, and how the EU uses the relationship as a proxy to promote its relationship with Africa.

The presentation will also examine the negotiating mandates of the partners, internal changes and adaptations, and their respective stated ambitions for the future.

Tuesday 10 December 2019
12:00 - 13:30 
UNU-CRIS, Bruges

This event is free but registration is required.

Please register here before 6 December 2019 23:59 CET.