(PSCU) – President Uhuru Kenyatta has assured that during the three year tenure as chair of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states, Kenya will work to promote and protect the interests of the bloc.
President Kenyatta said Kenya will prioritise the integration of ACP states into the global economy and push for the conclusion of the new partnership agreement with the European Union.
“Going forward, Kenya as the chair of the summit reaffirms her deep commitment to the objectives and principles of the ACP group of states,” President Kenyatta said.
The President was speaking today at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre at the end of the two-day 9th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government.
The Kenyan leader, at the same time, encouraged ACP nations to ensure that the decisions made at the Nairobi summit are fully implemented, saying they have the potential to radically transform the ACP group.
Speaking during the occasion, ACP leaders endorsed and adopted resolutions of the Nairobi summit dubbed the “Nairobi Nguvu ya Pamoja Declaration”.
The declaration that was read by Ambassador Fatumanavu Luteru of Samoa focused on four key pillars in which member states committed to multilateralism, environmental sustainability and climate change, intra-ACP cooperation and economic development.
President Kenyatta termed the 9th ACP summit, which attracted 19 Heads of State and Government and representatives from 70 of the 79 member states across the Six ACP regions, as a great success.
President Kenyatta noted that many business partnerships were established during the summit while the ACP exhibition village gave some insight into the diversity and richness of the investment potential of the ACP bloc.
The Kenyan Head of State underscored the need to promote multilateral ism and called on the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference that will be held in Kazakhstan in June 2020 to provide meaningful direction to the World Trade Organization on the preservation of the multilateral trading system.
He said the summit was also united on the need for the ACP group to become bolder and more ambitious in its endeavours.
“As my brother the President of Ghana challenged us, we should not be proud of our numerical strength but rather of the quality and scholarship of our thought and our commitment to take action,” President Kenyatta said.
He pointed out that ACP leaders collectively resolved to shape a group that is responsive to new and emerging global challenges.
“As part of the resolutions of the summit, the leaders unanimously agreed on the need to upscale our efforts in enhancing global governance, intra-ACP cooperation and South-South and triangular cooperation; promoting global peace and security, while deepening trade and investment across the three regions,” President Kenyatta said when he addressed a press briefing at the end of the summit.
Others who addressed and endorsed the Nairobi ACP declaration included Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Michael Holness, President Danny Faure of Seychelles and his Ghanaian counterpart Nana Akufo-Addo as well as Barbados Prime Minister Mia Motley who congratulated President Kenyatta for hosting a successful summit.
Other speakers included the incoming ACP Secretary General Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti and his predecessor Patrick Gomes.
