Universal healthcare cover, notably aspects relating to healthcare in ACP countries, migration, human rights and humanitarian refugees and the post-election situation in Burundi will be among the topics debated at the 30th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) in Brussels on 7-9 December.

The session will be officially opened by its co-chairs, Louis Michel for the European Parliament, and Fitz A. Jackson (Jamaica) for the ACP countries. It will be preceded and prepared by meetings on 4 December of the three standing committees, on economic development, finance and trade, political affairs, and social affairs and the environment.

The committees will report on the forty years of ACP-EU partnership, family businesses and ease of support for peace for Africa. Debates will also be devoted to good governance, the rule of democracy and COP 21.

Speakers will include EU International Cooperation and Development Commissioner Neven Mimica, for the European Commission, Finance Minister of Lesotho Mamphono Khaketla, for the ACP Council and Luxembourg’s Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action Romain Schneider, for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The ACP-EU JPA’s two 2016 sessions should in principle take place in ACP countries.

Background for editors

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA ) brings together MEPs and MPs from 78 European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states that have signed the Cotonou Agreement, which is the basis for ACP-EU cooperation and development work.