#Romania2019.eu/ForMin Melescanu: Romania exercises active role in monitoring negotiations on future Agreement regarding ACP-EU relations

Romania's Presidency at the EU Council endorses, under the motto "Cohesion, a common European value," the stimulation of political cohesion by promoting the principles which unite the member states - solidarity, equal opportunities and gender equality, social justice, Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu stated in the opening of the works of the 37th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly - Africa, Caribbean, Pacific - European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly. Minister Teodor Melescanu underscored that, as Presidency of the EU Council, Romania has taken on and is exercising an active role in monitoring negotiations on the future Agreement regarding the ACP-EU relations, meaning that there is a broad consensus according to which a modern, ambitious and efficient partnership is necessary, designed to meet the needs and realities of the various geographic areas it covers, a release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) informs. Furthermore, it has to be a partnership among equals, that supports an efficient multilateralism, based on the commitments taken on in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change. The head of the Romanian diplomacy highlighted the fact that the slogan "Leave no one behind" of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development implies, among others, concrete measures for reducing the number of out-of-school children, teenagers and improving their skills and abilities to build their future, reducing youth unemployment, as well as the social-economic inclusion of this segment of society. In this context, the Minister brought to mind that the transversal priority of the Romanian Presidency at the EU Council is to strengthen the role of children and youngsters as agents of change and engines of sustainable development. Moreover, Minister Melescanu highlighted that Romania has the following priority areas of action in its current mandate at European level: identifying viable and consensual solutions for an efficient and sustainable EU migration policy; strengthening internal security at EU level by combating terrorism and crime, including that of the environment. The works of the 37th session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly are attended by approximately 400 MPs of the states in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific and MEPs, members of the European Parliament delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, representatives of the ACP and European institutions. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Karina Olteanu; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)

Continue reading on: