President John Dramani Mahama on Friday evening returned from Equatorial Guinea where he led a delegation to the 7th Summit of the Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) Heads of State and Governments.
Addressing the media on arrival at the KIA, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, who was part of the delegation, said the ACP, made up of 80 countries was the largest trans-national inter-governmental organization and had championed the cause of north-south and south-south cooperation and development for years.
The theme of this year's meeting: "The Future of the ACP group in a Changing World: Challenges and Opportunities," was to review the period since its last summit in 2008 and to decide and chart a course for the future, especially as the cooperation with the EU is set to end in 2020.
Among some key focal points of the summit was the future of development finance and global partnership, peace, security, stability and good governance in ACP states and regions, recognizing the importance of peace in prosecuting sustainable growth and as the ACP’s mandate includes poverty reduction with a view to eradicating it in the long term.
Alhaji Mumuni said the summit also discussed trade and development with a focus on EPAs which had been deadlocked for about 10 and how best to conclude them. Other issues discussed were food security and availability, affordability and reliability of energy in ACP states.
Alhaji Mumuni also stressed government’s support for the candidature of Mr Alan Kyeremanteng as Director General of the World Trade Organisation saying it started in the Mills administration leading to his adoption by the AU as its candidate.
He noted that President Mahama, in urging members of the ACP to support Mr Kyeremanteng's candidature, believed that he was qualified for the job, with extensive experience and track record as Minister of Trade, in negotiation and other relevant trade issues and thus could vouch for his competence.
The President was met on arrival by the Vice President, Minister Of Defense, Deputy Minister Of Foreign Affairs And Other Service Personnel.