The 32nd plenary session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) will take place in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, from December 19 to 21 2016. The session will be opened formally by its Co-Presidents Louis Michel for the European Parliament, and Netty Baldeh (Gambia) for the ACP in presence of the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta and of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, Justin Muturi.

The plenary session will be preceded and prepared by meetings of the three standing committees - Economic Development, Finance and Trade; Political Affairs; and Social Affairs - on Saturday, 17 December. The Bureau will meet on Sunday, 18 December.

The keynote debate at the 32nd plenary session of the ACP-EU JPA, entitled "The role of trade in the attainment of the SDGs will see United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi addressing how UN member states can integrate the aspirations and targets comprised in the Agenda 2030 into trade policies and what implications the SDGs have for the Doha Development Round.

Another debate on “Demographic growth: challenges and opportunities" will focus on issues related to uncontrolled population growth, on the consequences of strong demographic pressure in various regions of the world but also the impact of population aging in Europe. These elements will fuel intensive discussion throughout the session.

Furthermore, the Assembly will debate and vote on three resolutions:

•        Constitutional limits on presidential terms (debate on Tuesday morning, co-rapporteurs: Tulia Ackson (Tanzania) and Ignazio Corrao (IT)),
•        Challenges for family farming and small-scale agriculture production in ACP countries (debate on Tuesday afternoon, co-rapporteurs: Uladi Mussa (Malawi) and Maria Heubuch (DE)); and
•        The impact of illicit financial flows on development finance (debate on Tuesday afternoon, co-rapporteurs: Ousmane Kaba (Guinea) and Theodor Dumitru Stolojan (RO).

Two urgent topics will be discussed and concluded by resolutions:

•        The post-electoral situation in Gabon (debate on Tuesday, vote on Wednesday), and
•        Impact of hurricane Matthew in Haiti (debate and vote on Wednesday).

Another current topic, “How to support the resettlement of migrants in their home country” will be among those debated on Wednesday, 21 December.

The formal opening session of the 32nd session of the JPA on Monday, 19 December at 11.00, will take place in the presence of Justin Muturi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya. MEPs will also hold debates with Commissioner Neven Mimica (HR) on Monday, 19 December, and with representatives of ACP and EU Councils on Wednesday, 21 December.

Background information about the JPA

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.

Journalists are invited to register on-line to take part in the 32nd session of the ACP-EU JPA.