Fitz A Jackson, Co-President of the EU-ACP Assembly, gives an overview of over 40 years of EU-ACP Development Cooperation and pinpoints today's major challenges.

A moving target: EU aid to ACP states

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MEPs and parliamentarians from 79  African, Caribbean and Pacific countries

are meeting in the Strasbourg hemicycle.

The 28th joint ACP-EU parliamentary  assembly got underway on 1 December.

Its Co-President, the Jamaican Fitz Jackson

took the time  to answer EuroparlTV's questions.

Mr Jackson, thank you for joining us  for this interview. -My pleasure.

First question.  What is the ACP-EU joint assembly?

It's the ACP - Africa, Caribbean and Pacific  - group of countries, on the one hand,

and the European Union on the other hand,

through an initial agreement that was  signed in 1975 called the Lomé Convention.

of trade and development facilitation  between both groups

whereby it provides  for developmental support by way of trade

and other developmental support  to ACP countries

that are essentially former colonies  of Europe,

and whose economies,  during the period of colonisation,

were really skewed toward supplying  raw material to European countries

rather than skewed towards  their own national development.

So the post-Lomé period agreement  is an effort to re-adjust, so to speak,

the development agenda of these ACP  countries towards their own national goals.

And why is the relationship  between the ACP and EU so important

and how is it important  for these countries and for Europe as well?

The mutual benefit is that ACP countries  need markets

to supply their goods and their services.

European states need these raw materials  for their industries and their own life,

so there is a mutual benefit to be served.

The problem has always been  how to balance both interests

so that one is not at the disadvantage  of the other.

And so the negotiations and the discussions  are a continuous process

of trying to ensure  there is some equilibrium, some balance,

between how those benefits are generated.

The ACP countries are not just economies.

And the EU countries are not just markets.

And so, out of the relationship,  it is the intention and the hope

that we will create  a better human international family.

Culture doesn't mean  the replacement of one,

but the sharing of cultures,  the sharing of experiences

and enlightened  through those sharing experiences.

Let's say, in this period with the problem of  Ebola, for example, or terrorism,

how can it help on these topics as well?

Europe has a lot of investment in Africa.

The threat of Ebola is not  unique to the African people

is a threat to European people who have  to interface with these African countries.

It undermines the capacity  of these African economies

to produce the services  and goods that Europe also desires.

So there are mutual interests to be served.

And Europe has an interest, a self-interest,

in assisting and doing all it can  to curtail that situation

have an interest in  good health conditions in Europe.

We have to interface with that.  And I'm here.

Coming back to the economy, this year  the African economy has grown by 4%.

How could it be developed further  through this partnership?

Again, and I raised this in my presentation,  it's a question of financing being available

for peoples of Africa  to get involved in business.

We accept that it will not be state-driven  economic development

What sort of synergy can there be between  Europe and private interests in the ACP?

Where they produce more,  they produce quality products,

more reliable supply, to meet the demands  of the European markets.

for the future of this cooperation  between the ACP and EU?

Market access of ACP countries,  financing terms,

availability of technologies,  which European countries are leaders in,

how they can be brought to bear  in these economies

to enhance their own economic growth  and quality of life.

So those are just a few of the areas that we  have identified for immediate cooperation.

Great, thank you very much.  -The pleasure is mine. Wish you the best.

A moving target: EU aid to ACP states

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