Brussels, 11 July 2002
Ministers from each of the EU Member States and the 78 members of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group will gather in Cape Town, South Africa on 26 to 30 July for the first ACP-EU Forum on research for sustainable development. Ministers will discuss the contributions of science, technology and innovation to sustainable development and will prepare a unified ACP position on cooperation with the EU on research and technology.
A joint technical meeting on 29 and 30 July will be attended by Research DG Director-General Achilleas Mitsos, DG Development Director-General Koos Richelle and senior officials from the ACP countries. The aim of the meeting is to prepare a draft declaration and plan of action to be approved at a joint ACP-EU Ministerial forum on research for sustainable development, due to take place in Brussels in November 2002.
South African Minister for arts, culture, science and Technology, Dr Ben Ngubane, is confident that the forum will supply the impetus for a new ACP-EU partnership on research for sustainable development and allow ACP states optimal participation in the EU's Sixth Framework programme for research and technological development.