European Economic
and Social Committee
Programme
DRAFT AGENDA
Thursday, 16 March 2023
Morning (9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
9.30 to 9.40 a.m. Welcome address by Filipe ARAÚJO, Vice-Mayor of Porto
9.40 to 10.40 a.m. Opening Session
- Christa SCHWENG, President of the European Economic and Social Committee
- Francisco ASSIS, President of the Economic and Social Council of Portugal
- H.E. Georges Rebelo PINTO CHIKOTI, Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)
10.40 to 11 a.m. Coffee break
Part I - The institutional framework under the Post-Cotonou Agreement
11 to 11.15 a.m. Setting the scene
Keynote speech by Domenico ROSA, Head of Unit, Head of the Task Force on Post Cotonou, Strategic Partnerships with Africa and OACPS, DG International Partnerships (DG INTPA), European Commission
11.15 a.m. to 1 p.m. The new OACPS-EU Partnership Agreement: state of play and participation of civil society
- Alessandro BOZZINI, Project Manager on Stakeholder Engagement in the OACPS-EU Partnership, Open Government, Civic Space, and Public Communication Unit, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Khalid BOUDALI, Presiding Officer of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC)
- Idriss ILALI, Member of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of the Kingdom of Morocco, representing the Preisident of the Union of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions of Africa (UCESA)
- Dimitris DIMITRIADIS, President of the EESC External Relations Section
Debate
Afternoon - 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. Study visit to the University of Porto
Presentation on the EU-ACP cooperation in the scope of EU programmes for education and training and visit to the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto / Universidade do Porto (Praça de Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto)
Friday, 17 March 2023
Morning (10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.)
10 to 10.10 a.m. Welcome address by José Luís CARNEIRO, Minister of Home Affairs of
Portugal
Part II - Outlook on the future partnership
10.10 to 10.30 a.m. Setting the scene:
- Keynote speech by Carlos ZORRINHO, Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
- Keynote speech by Ana Rita SITHOLE, President of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly and Co‑Chair of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. The Global Gateway: involvement of civil society
- Marlene HOLZNER, Head of Unit, Local Authorities, Civil Society Organisations and Foundations, Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission
- Dumitru FORNEA, Rapporteur of the EESC opinion on the Global Gateway
- Ionuţ SIBIAN, Chair of the EESC Western Balkans Follow-up Committee and Vice-President of the External Relations Section
- Dr Sifa CHIYOGE, Member of the ACP-EU Follow-up Committee, International Co-operative Alliance-Africa
- Vitor MELÍCIAS, Former Member of the European Economic and Social Committee
Debate
Afternoon (2.00 to 4.30 p.m.)
2 to 4 p.m. Water challenges in ACP countries
- Milena ANGELOVA, Co-Rapporteur of the EESC opinion on Water Politics: Between Desertification and Securitization - Time for a Blue Diplomacy
- Rémy KINNA, Legal Officer, Secretariat of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), UNECE
- Elisabeth ATANGANA, President of the Concertation Nationale des Organisations Paysannes au Cameroun, Special Ambassador of the FAO for cooperatives
- Simone LEWIS, Regional Coordinator, Global Water Partnership – Caribbean
- Francisca JIMÉNEZ, Member of the ACP-EU Follow-up Committee, Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA)/ITUC America
- Dr Hwirin KIM, Chief Hydrology and Water Resources, World Meteorological Organization
Debate