Akufo-Addo leaves for ACP summit in Kenya

President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has left Ghana to attend the 9th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group), being held in Nairobi, Kenya.

He left Accra on Sunday, 8th December 2019.

“The Summit, which is being held on the theme “A Transformed ACP: Committed to Multilateralism”, will see President Akufo-Addo deliver the opening remarks on behalf of the Africa Group, and later participate in the general debate of Heads of State and Governments,” a statement from the Presidency indicated.

The Presidency said he is accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, MP, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, and officials of the Presidency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Akufo-Addo will return to Ghana on Tuesday, 10th December 2019.

The statement goes on to add that “In his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, will, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead. ”

The Summit comes at an auspicious time for the ACP Group as it prepares to finalise the Post-Cotonou negotiations as well as the revision to its Constitutive Act, the Georgetown Agreement.

At the 110th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers which will precede the Summit, Ministers will appoint the next Secretary General for the term 2020 to 2025. The tenure of the current Senior Management Team expires on 28 February 2020.

The first ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in Libreville, Gabon, on 6 and 7 November 1997, during which the ACP Leaders undertook to meet on a regular basis. Consequently, ACP Heads of State and Government have met every two years on average