1. EU Institutional Change 
2. EU Enlargement / EU New Neighbourhood Policy 
3. Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) - The EU's Role in the World 
4. EU Budget - Inter-Institutional Agreement on Financial Perspectives / 10th EDF Negotiation and Determination 
5. EU-Africa Relations 
6. African Union / NEPAD 
7. Migration and Development 
8. EU External Aid 
9. Good Governance 
10. Coordination/Complementarity/Harmonisation/ Coherence 
11. Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) 
12. Private Sector Issues 
13. General Trade-WTO Issues 
14. Non-State Actors, Parliaments, Local Governments 

Dear Mohamed Saleck,

This is the weekly e-alert on ACP-EU News.  I have a lot more information, but will send this to you on Friday…..

Information provided in weekly e-alerts is available via daily updated RSS feeds which can be found on the ECDPM website’s News and Events page www.ecdpm.org/news.
You can view all information or select feeds according to specific topics of interest. You may find these easier to read.  And they are also available to any organisation to post on its own internal or external websites. This e-alert and previous issues are also available in PDF format at: http://www.ecdpm.org/Web_ECDPM/Web/Content/Content.nsf/7732def81dddfa7ac1256c240034fe65/2f9cc239d94a300bc1257344004ddd21?OpenDocument

I need to improve the quality of the weekly e-alert with information and analysis from beyond what’s available on the internet.  If you have a moment to pass on anything that could usefully be included I’d be most grateful.  It will be non-attributable of course (unless you prefer otherwise).  If you provide information, then others will too with information useful to you.

All the best,

Melissa

New at ECDPM

*Discussion Paper 84: Enhancing the EU response to women and armed conflict with particular reference to Development Policy. ECDPM
The issue of women and children affected by armed conflict is one of the priorities of the 18-month troika programme of the three EU Presidencies of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia. A first study on Children Affected by Armed Conflict (CAAC) was completed in January 2008. This second study on Women and Armed Conflict (WAC) was jointly commissioned by Slovenia, Austria and Germany.
Though the study concentrates on women rather than on gen! der and armed conflict, it
recognises the importance of gender analysis as a tool to promote a better response to women and armed conflict. Since women are both affected by and can affect armed conflict, “affected by” was removed from the initial title. This report focuses on the EU’s response to WAC, in particular on the development cooperation dimension. The report describes international approaches and legal obligations to WAC, identifies and discusses the most salient issues, gives an overview and assessment of the EU response and provides findings and recommendations. Examples or cases from Sierra Leone, Uganda, the DRC, Kosovo and Burundi are included as well as thematic cases on sexual and gender based violence, local advocates for accountability on WAC, national action plans associated with WAC and regional approaches to WAC.
The PDF is on the website now and can be found at www.ecdpm.org/dp84
*Women in front! line of armed conflicts. European Parliament Hearing
06.05.08 ECDPM paper served as the background document to the hearing (*Discussion Paper 84: Enhancing the EU response to women and armed conflict with particular reference to Development Policy. ECDPM www.ecdpm.org/dp84).

The tragic situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and sexual violence were the main issues discussed at a hearing on women in armed conflicts held jointly by the EP development and women's rights committees. More consistent implementation of UN Resolution 1325 by the Member States and a European strategy were among the proposals made by MEPs.
In his opening announcements, the Development Committee Chairman stated:
"… I am pleased to underline that inside your dossier you will find a very important and interesting study on "Enhancing the EU response to ! women and armed conflict" jointly commissioned by the Slovenian presidency of the EU, along with Austria and Germany, to the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM).
The draft version of the study was presented last month by the Presidency. The study is to serve as a basis for a Council Declaration for the next meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council in May. A representative of the Slovenian EU presidency-in-office is with us today to present us with the Presidency vision on the issue: Ms Dubravka Šekoranja, Minister Plenipotentiary, Division for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
For a full report of the meeting and presentations, including the ECDPM study, see the hearing’s website at:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/hearingsCom.do?language=EN&body=DEVE

*The May 2008 issue of Trade Negotiations Insights, a joint publication by ICTSD and ECDPM, is now available online at: www.ictsd.org/tni/index.htm and www.acp-eu-trade.org/tni
In this fourth edition of the year, TNI continues to look at the EPAs agreed between the ACP and the EU, and assesses some of the implications for the future:
P1. Bridging the divide: the SADC EPA
P.3 Partnership or power play? EPAs fail the development tests
P6. In Focus: Building an EPA se! rvices deal: an important tool for services development in the Comoros
P8. EPA stocktaking: urgency for a development contest
P10. MFN in the Cariforum EPA is no threat to South-South trade
P11. ECOWAS CET: the imperatives of Nigeria's fifth band
P12. WTO Roundup
P14. EPA Negotiations Update
P.16 Calendar and Resources
http://www.acp-eu-trade.org/library/files/TNI_EN_7-4.pdf  

*New website pages of the South North Network, accessible via the short url: www.acp-eu-trade.org/sn2.
On the SN2 home page, in the left hand column you will find the link to the 4-5 April launch meeting, Addis Ababa, behind which you will find all the presentations and background material given during the meeting on the 4th.
We invite you to also check out some of the other pages on this site, and would be grateful for any comments or questions to: ab@ecdpm.org.

*A short account by Aprodev of NGO’s EPA messages following discussions and insights at the EPA stocktaking meeting on 17 April in Brussels that was co-organised by APRODEV, ECDPM and ODI that was addressed to EU and ACP officials and brought together over 60 participants.
http://www.dgroups.org/groups/CoOL/index.cfm?op=dsp_resource_details&resource_id=47850&cat_id=6364

*On the importance of Monitoring Economic Partnership Agreements. Principles and concrete steps for the negotiations and beyond
To ensure that the development dimension of EPAs is fulfilled, it is of prime importance to closely monitor the implementation of the new partnership agreements. Many actors in the ACP and EU have suggested setting up an EPA monitoring mechanism, with the aim of assessing progress in EPA implementation relative to the goals set out in the Cotonou Partnership Agreement. In light of criticism that the EPAs may not be properly implemented and may actually contribute to the further economic marginalisation of ACP states, a sound and transparent monitoring process could play a role in keeping the EPAs focused on their ultimate objective (i.e. development, and not just trade). Monitoring might also help identify possible remedies should the EPAs deviate from their primary intended purposes. That said, the utility of monitoring should not lead those involved to underestimate the problems surrounding the establishment of a suitable monitoring mechanism.
Before an EPA monitoring mechanism can be established, the ultimate goals of the EPA must be identified, complemented by more specific objectives, policy reform ambitions and required accompanying measures. This set of goals and objectives can be determined only by the stakeholders involved. Hence, any credible EPA monitoring mechanism requires a consultative and participatory approach, rooted in the realities of the domestic policy environment. Although people are grow! ing more aware of the importance of monitoring the implementation and impact of EPAs, little thought has been given so far to the possible details of a monitoring mechanism. The ECDPM has engaged in and encouraged debate on this issue, with its partners and through a consultative process. In view of the process to conclude comprehensive EPAs by the end of 2008, and the information needs of the negotiating parties and the many
different actors involved, this paper seeks to share the key conclusions and recommendations emerging from this work.
http://www.ecdpm.org/Web_ECDPM/Web/Content/Download.nsf/0/89E6AC93AFB8B6E0C125741300333B70/$FILE/ECDPM%2003-08%20On%20the%20Importance%20of%20Monitoring%20an%20EPA_short%20paper_FINAL.pdf

*Implementation of Article 37 (4) of the Cotonou Agreement - Provision of technical support to assist the Pacific ACP Region in the Review of EPA Negotiations. ECDPM, January 2007
This Report reviews the negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the Pacific ACP countries (PACP) and the European Union (EU), in accordance with Article 37(4) of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA): "The Parties will regularly review the progress of the preparations and negotiations and, will in 2006 carry out a formal and comprehensive review of the arrangements ! planned for all countries to ensure that no further time is needed for preparations or negotiations".
The Report does not intend to analyse the merits of EPA or to assess whether  concluding an EPA by 2007 is good or bad for the Pacific ACP region. It presents and discuss the views of PACP stakeholders on the structure, process and substance of the negotiations, their trade and development dimensions, as well as the capacity and preparedness of the region to conclude EPA, in accordance with the terms of reference (ToR) as approved by the PACP Trade Ministers1 (and reproduced as Annex I to this Report).
http://www.acp-eu-trade.org/library/library_detail.php?library_detail_id=4356

*Building capacities for monitoring and evaluating decentralisation and local governance.
29.04.08 ECPDM
We are pleased to inform you that the ECDPM InBrief  "Building capacities for monitoring and evaluating decentralisation and local governance. Experiences, challenges, perspectives" by Christiane Loquai and Sonia Le Bay is now available for download in English and French on the ECDPM website:
English:
www.ecdpm.org/inbrief19
French:
www.ecdpm.org/inbrief19fr
This InBrief is aimed to stimulate the debate on developing local capacities to monitor and evaluate decentralisation and local governance processes. It draws on the results of action research jointly conducted by the Malian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Local Government (MATCL) and the Réseau de Réflexion et d’Echanges sur le Développement Local (REDL), a Bamako-based network of development organisations. The SNV Netherlands Development Organisation-Mali and ECDPM were asked to facilitate this process of joint stock-taking and analysis, which resulted, among other outputs, in the publication of eleven case studies presenting experiences and study results from six West African countries. To find out more and read the case studies, please visit:
English:
www.ecdpm.org/m&ecasestudies
French:
www.ecdpm.org/m&ecasestudiesfr 

General Reports/News of Contextual Interest 

*OECD ministers to discuss climate change, trade and global economy at annual meeting, Paris, 4-5 June 2008
http://www.oecd.org/document/7/0,3343,en_2649_201185_40481671_1_1_1_1,00.html

*Sustainable development report on Africa. UNECA
This report aims to serve as an important medium for monitoring and assessing sustainable development in Africa. It promotes a balanced integration of the three pillars of sus! tainable development and addresses a number of key areas in relation to sustainable development; sustainable development governance in Africa, poverty eradication and socially sustainable development, sustainable consumption and production, natural resource base of economic and social development, and means of implementation. The key findings across these themes are discussed under three main factors:
Concrete actions taken and progress made. Key points include:
 Corporate social responsibility (CSR) - the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) sets the tone for CSR in Africa. It highlights the need to create conditions for private-sector growth to generate social development
income poverty- the AU concretely expressed its commitment to facilitating acceleration of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals by African countries. Countries have developed national development plans that incorporate poverty reduction strategies
sustainable for! est management- the majority of African countries have adopted new forest policies and laws. Efforts are being made in to improve law enforcement. Countries are also making progress in integrating forestry issues into poverty reduction strategies.
Key challenges and constraints include:
the slow progress in integrating NEPAD vision and mission, values and agenda, priorities and strategies and programmes and projects into the AU structures and processes
sustaining high levels of growth and ensuring that growth provides employment opportunities are key challenges to reducing income poverty.
Lessons learned and the way forward:
sustaining high growth rates to financially empower countries to alleviate poverty and adopting holistic multiple strategic interventions in a wide range of areas are essential
it is essential to maintain the political momentum and commitment for the effective implementation of the African 10- Year Framework Programmes (YFP)
count! ries should strengthen governance systems at all levels, reinforce institutional capacity, implement effective policies, and foster stakeholder ownership and local participation in natural resources management and development.
http://www.eldis.org/go/display&type=Document&id=37025

Major ACP-EU Events/debates

*33ème session du Conseil des Ministres ACP-CE (Addis Ababa, 12-13 juin 2008)

*European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 June 2008

*June. Lome to host ACP-EU inter-parliamentary conference on poverty reduction
A conference on poverty reduction, bringing together European Parliament and ACP-EU Party Assembly delegates will take place here in June.
In addition to poverty reduction, the conference will look into subjects related to the political dialogue between the ACP countries and the EU "in accordance with the spirit of the Lome and Cotonou agreements relating to the ACP-EU partnership" as well as the sensitive issue of the Economic Partnership Agreements (APEs) .
 http://www.afriquenligne.fr/news/africa-news/lome-to-host-acp%11eu-inter%11parliamentary-conference-on-poverty-reduction-200805143712.html

*33rd Session of the ACP-EC Joint Council of Ministers, which has been scheduled to! take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in June 2008.

*6th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place in Accra,
Ghana on 2 and 3 October 2008,
The ACP Group will reflect with seriousness on its future, global issues such as climate change, migration and food security, including the rise of basic food prices. Our natural resources are a national interest, we will improve the management thereof and ensure that the main beneficiaries are our people. Solidarity and unity are the cornerstones of the ACP Group, and this year, like never before, we will need leadership to address the many challenges that we face. With strong political will and leadership, coupled with our numeric strength, the ACP Group can and will make a difference to the lives of its people.

*2nd Regional Meeting for the Pacific Region of the ACP Group, which will be hosted! by Vanuatu in the wake of the 16th Session of the ACP-EU JPA that will be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in November 2008.

*58th meeting of the ACP-EC Committee of Ambassadors, Brussels,
5 May 2008

*First ACP-EU JPA regional meeting. Southern Africa. Communique
The first region! al meeting of the ACP-EU JPA took place in Windhoek, Namibia between 28 and 30 April 2008. The meeting was extremely well-attended and deemed a great success by all the participants. After  two days of more formal meetings the following communique was adopted by consensus. On the third day the delegations visited projects in the Windhoek vicinity.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/10_01/pdf/windhoek_communique_en.pdf