08 March: International Women’s Day
ACP Secretariat
08 March: Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors
10 March: Committee of Ambassadors
European Parliament
07-10 March (Strasbourg) : European Parliament Committee Meetings
07-10 March (Strasbourg) : European Parliament plenary session
Council of the EU
07 March: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
08 March: Economic and Financial Affairs Council
10-11 March: Justice and Home Affairs Council
Other events
09 March: Infopoint Lunchtime Conference: Climate resilient and low carbon development Wed
10 March: Infopoint Lunchtime Conference: Congo's conflict mines
The CTA 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 of emerging countries' in agriculture in the ACP regions). The main stories for the week are featured in our newsletter and all stories can be found in our Regional Trade and the South-South cooperation sections.
Launched to add value to local fruit and generate income for women, Guyana’s Pomeroon Women’s Agro-Processors Association is going from strength to strength. Its President, Rosamund Benn is just one of a number of women whose life has changed beyond recognition since the agro-processing enterprise was first set up in one of the members’ homes 15 years ago. It all started in a cramped apartment belonging to one of a group of friends. The women had decided that it would make sense to put some of the spoiled fruit produced in the Pomeroon area of Guyana to good use. In doing so, they reasoned, they could avoid wastage and help create jobs for some of the many women in the area who had no source of income. That decision, taken back in 2001, led to the launch of the Pomeroon Women's Agro-Processors Association (PWAPA).
Full ArticleInnovative mobile technology will provide life-enhancing services to millions of people in poverty as part of a new partnership between the UK government, the GSMA Foundation, and the GSMA, the organisation that represents mobile operators worldwide. The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) will provide financial support to develop and roll out new technologies that can improve response to natural disasters, help women obtain financial services and boost access to safe water and clean energy across the developing world. The partnership will make significant contributions to nine of the Global Goals including ending extreme poverty, promoting decent work and economic growth, innovation and infrastructure, affordable and clean energy, clean water and sanitation and addressing gender inequality.
Trade and Economic Development Minister Oliver Joseph is calling on the business community to take full advantage of the investment opportunities existing in the region and the Europe. He says government has been working tirelessly to create market access for local entrepreneurs and businesses should not the benefits go unclaimed. “So we have the EPA [Economic Partnership Agreement with Europe], the CARICOM Single Market and Economy and all the trade agreements . . . What the private sector needs to do is to ensure market presence. So we negotiate for you, but you have to ensure that the goods reach there,” he said.