Agriculture Colleges and Universities in West Africa recently met at a Workshop to discuss strengthening of their capacity in the ECOWAS sub-region. The Agricultural Colleges and Universities want a stronger role in proposing and implementing Agriculture Policies to support the regional and national governments. In their view, this would enable the region to achieve Food Security and also promote the growth and development of commercial agriculture. Discussions recommended the development of new academic curriculum and training courses to support government officials, private sector and civil society in the development of skills to enhance trade policy and negotiation skills which supports the growth of the agriculture sector within the ECOWAS sub-region.
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TheCTA Brussels News Service is providing EU-ACP policy news since 2004, on various key thematic areas. In addition to this news service, we also provide news on ACP intra-regional trade, and south-south cooperation (investments ofemerging countries' in agriculture in the ACP regions). The main stories forthe week are featured in our newsletter and all stories can be found in our Regional Trade and the South-South cooperation sections.
European Parliament
20 April 2015: Committee on Development
20 April 2015: Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Council of the EU
20 April 2015: Agriculture and Fisheries Council
22 April 2015: Counsellors
24 April 2015: Trade Policy Committee (TPC)
ACP Secretariat
20 April 2015 : World Malaria Day
The UK is Europe’s leading donor for overseas development aid (ODA). The UK is one of only five member states to have met the UN target of 0.7% for ODA. The others are Denmark (0.85%), Norway (0.99%), Luxembourg (1.07%), and Sweden (1.10). In March, Britain became the first G7 country to pledge in law to commit to spending 0.7% of gross national income on ODA. The law had cross party support. Currently, UKIP are the only prominent national party seeking a reduction in the overseas aid budget.
Inthe run up to the new season of citurs imports, COGECA has writtento the EU Heath and Food Safety Commissioner urging for measures to be steppedup to prevent spread of black spot disease in Europe via imports from SouthAfrica. Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said,: “The new importseason for South African citrus fruit is now beginning. Given the South Africansector’s attitude and the experience gained in 2013 and 2014 when 35 and 28interceptions respectively were recorded, the EU should take new measures andenforce its Implementing Decision from 2nd July 2014, to establish: