17th Regional Seminar of ACP-EU Economic and Social Interest Groups

On the basis of the Cotonou agreement, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is mandated to organise consultation sessions and meetings of ACP-EU economic and social interest groups in order to voice these actors' views on the ACP-EU partnership and foster cooperation between civil society organisations.

Within this framework, the EESC organises regional seminars every year in one of the ACP regions.

This year, the EESC organised a regional seminar in Eastern and Southern Africa, which comprises the Indian Ocean islands (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles), countries from the Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan) and some countries of Southern Africa (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe).

The regional seminar took place in Mauritius, on 21-22 November 2019. It was followed on 22 November afternoon by a field visit organised for participants on the topic of the Blue economy.

There were several topics of discussion:

  • infrastructure as a factor of progress;
  • a greater role for civil society in trade relations and regional integration;
  • towards a blue economy.

The EESC invited representatives of economic and social actors as well as political authorities and international organisations.