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STATEMENT BY HON. FITZ A. JACKSON, MP (JAMAICA) CO-PRESIDENT OF THE ACP-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 29TH SESSION OF THE ACP-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY MONDAY 15 JUNE 2015 SUVA, FIJI Statement by Co-President Fitz A Jackson, MP (Jamaica), at the 29th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Hon. Prime minister of Fiji, the right hon. Commodore Frank Bainimarama Co-president Louis Michel Hon. Speaker of the parliament of Fiji, Hon. Jiko Luveni Hon. Ministers of the Government of Fiji Members of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Co-Secretaries-General of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Distinguished Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, friends all I am pleased to welcome you to the 29th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our hosts, the Government and people of Fiji, for having offered to host these meetings at short notice. As you know very well, these series of our meetings should have been held in Vanuatu. 2/13 Unfortunately, due to the tragic consequences of cyclone Pam, the country found itself unable to host the meetings. We are therefore grateful that the decision of Fiji has ensured that we are still able to meet in the Pacific, since the last time that we met in this region was in 2008 in Papua New Guinea. It takes some time and effort to get to this part of the world. However, as I told my colleagues in the ACP Assembly, I am convinced that it was worth coming to this country here to see not only the beauty of the country, but the resilience, determination and friendliness of its people, and the richness of its culture. All these are worth preserving, and it should be humbling to realize that decisions taken as far away as Brussels, Geneva or New York can have a bearing on the development of countries this far away from the centers of power. For instance, the decisions that the international community will take at the High- Level Summit on the Post-2015 development agenda, at the COP 21 Conference in Paris, or at the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, will reverberate, literally and otherwise, in the oceans and lands of the Pacific, as it will do in the Caribbean and Africa. Our presence here should help us to appreciate the importance of supporting the development efforts of this and other countries in the region and the need to preserve their livelihoods and cultures. We hope that all of us will speak up for all the Pacific Islands and the threats that they face from the effects of climate change such as rising sea levels and coastal erosion. 3/13 For this reason, the Assembly deliberately chose to discuss some topics that are of general relevance to all ACP states but of particular interest to this region, such as biodiversity, renewable energy, fisheries, maritime security and piracy, and seabed minerals. These issues are not merely trade or economic imperatives; they are about the livelihoods and sustainable development and future prospects of small island developing states, SIDS as we now call them. As an example, just ask yourselves what the fate of this beautiful country and people would be without the EU market for its sugar? On the other hand, the impact of human activity in the oceans, whether it is nuclear testing or overfishing, will impact on the livelihoods of the people of the Pacific. Yesterday, I was part of the group that visited a fish processing plant, which is just one example of the capacity of our countries to supply products of the highest quality to world markets, and in the process, generating employment and revenue for the country. That is more sustainable than aid. But such industries can only survive and prosper if the rules and regulations governing world trade are favourable. Speaking directly to our EU colleagues – I would appeal to you to look closely at the regulations and legislative proposals that come before you, and ensure that they are in harmony with the long-term development objectives of developing countries, especially SIDS. 4/13 The JPA is uniquely placed to be the advocate of development for the peoples of the South and the North. Together, we can build on the positive attributes of our shared history to contribute to the attainment of global objectives of sustainable development for the mutual benefit of the people that we represent in our respective regions and countries of the ACP and Europe. Ours is a platform that we can use to engage the world on the fact that development is not a zero sum game; it can and MUST be a win-win cause. Hon. Prime Minister, Our meetings come in the wake of some tragic events in some ACP States. I am once again reminded of the terrorist attacks at Garissa University in Kenya perpetrated by Al-Shabab militants. 147 students lost their lives in that heinous attack. Al-Shabab has continued its incursions into Kenya, attacking civilians with increasing ferocity with the aim of dissuading the Kenyan Government from its continued participation in the African Union Peace Mission in Somalia. Meanwhile, Boko Haram has also continued its senseless mission of killing and maiming civilians, and sexual assaults against women and children in Northern Nigeria. We condemn in the strongest possible terms all kinds of attacks perpetrated by terrorists, and we applaud the Governments of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Mali and Kenya in their fight against terrorism. 5/13 Aside from the military approach, there is general agreement that we need to tackle the fundamental question that is leading to the radicalisation of our young people. The need for creating other economic opportunities is one of the often mentioned proposals. I believe that one of the reports for adoption at this session, on the theme of Investing in education and vocational training in ACP countries should be a priority for empowering youth for future gainful employment. Hon. Prime Minister While young people are vulnerable to religious radicalisation, others, desperate to leave or flee their countries, are dying in inexpressible agony and anguish in the cold waters of the Mediterranean in search of hope. We know it is a misguided hope, but often-times hope is the last remaining possession of any worth. Some migrants are fleeing political and economic hardships in their own countries, while others simply want to pursue other opportunities for personal advancement. That is nothing new. That has been the pattern of human existence for millennia. The Americas were founded by people looking for economic opportunities or escaping religious and political persecution in Europe. However, today’s migrants face formidable physical, political and institutional barriers. Did the migration then, I ask, impair or facilitate the development of both the Americas and Europe subsequently? 6/13 I wish to applaud the recent decisions of EU Heads of Government aimed at a more humanitarian approach to the migration crisis. However, a long term solution, aside from addressing the difficult and sometimes intractable political and economic situations in countries of origin, is to develop more avenues for regular and orderly migration. In terms of the ACP-EU partnership, I believe that the aims and objectives of the EU’s Policy Coherence for Development provide a good basis for programmes of growth and creation of employment, and thereby, hope for our youth. Hon. Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen, A good number of ACP countries have registered significant strides in social and economic development. Democracy is gradually taking root in most of our nations. Some countries are on track to attain the Millennium Development Goals especially in education and health. Demands and respect for good governance are increasingly the norm rather than the exception. Just take as an example the recent elections in Nigeria. In the face of genuine forebodings of a possible return to the era of elections related violence, the country managed the transition from one Government to another peacefully. That was a victory for all Nigerians, and congratulations are rightly due to them, as well as to the whole of Africa and the entire ACP. I cannot even begin to imagine the ramifications of a prolonged or disputed contest in a country and region already confronted with the ugly spectre of terrorism. 7/13 And, to a great extent, the success of that transition was due to the thoughtfulness of President Goodluck Jonathan to quickly and gracefully concede defeat in time and in the process, he averted a crisis and needless loss of life. While I congratulate President Buhari on his victory, I believe that there is laid up for President Jonathan the respect and gratitude of his fellow country men and women and indeed the whole continent and beyond. This has demonstrated that even in defeat we can make valuable contribution to the continued development of our countries. Other leaders would do well and enormous good if they could but follow such a venerable example. Hon. Prime Minister, There were other successful and peaceful elections in other ACP States, in Benin, Guyana, Togo and Ethiopia, to mention but a few. In other countries that still face difficult institutional choices such as the Central African Republic, on which we shall adopt a Resolution at the conclusion of our session, their leaders can look with optimism at their own processes towards taking lessons from how other countries have resolved their challenges. Speaking of the Central African Republic, I believe that this otherwise beautiful country that has been blighted by civil war, a country with enormous development potential, needs a solution that guarantees lasting peace, not a patchwork agreement that could fray in the smallest of crises.

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