Heads of Sections Meeting: Brussels, October 21
Mise à jour le Mercredi, 21 Septembre 2011 10:18 Écrit par Communications Intern Mercredi, 18 Août 2010 13:40
During the Belgium EU Presidency, the AWEPA Heads of Sections and representatives (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, European Parliament, Flanders, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Poland, Spain and Sweden) gathered in the Belgian Parliament for their yearly meeting chaired by Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet, AWEPA President, to exchange knowledge and get inspired by the work of other Sections. They brainstormed about their role and engagement in the development and implementation of AWEPA's programmes and projects and how to improve these. Some case study examples of well functioning Sections were shown by the Sections in the Austrian, Swedish and Irish Parliament.
All the Sections then had the opportunity to provide an update on their activities, actions and future plans. For example, the representative of the AWEPA Section in the Spanish Parliament, which has been re-constructed this year, spoke about the establishment of a Spanish AWEPA Executive Committee with members from different parties, regions and with a gender balance. Under the auspices of the Africa All Party Parliamentary Group, the Head of the AWEPA Section in the Parliament of the United Kingdom has also made an effort in recruiting or renewing membership of the group after the elections. Additionally the Belgium Section Head Hon. Sabine de Bethune, who hosted the meeting and other AWEPA activities taking place in the Belgium Parliament that week, shared the success of the Belgium Section in raising members after the federal elections in June.
Furthermore, the importance of staff support to the AWEPA Sections was discussed. The Austrian, Belgium, Irish and Danish Sections shared their staff model with the others.
A number of political issues were raised by the Heads of the Sections. For example, the Irish Section Head and AWEPA Vice-President Hon. Brendan Howlin stressed the importance of discussing Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and called upon the other Heads to join in raising this issue for debate.
The Heads of the AWEPA Sections were briefed on AWEPA's programmes and possible actions to be taken by them. They were informed about the Network of African Parliamentarians, which wants to ensure that all African parliaments are fully engaged in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), and AWEPA asked the Heads to support this network.
One of the other suggested actions which was highlighted was the request to the Sections to engage in so called "Joint Monitoring Teams", whereby teams are formed between donor European MPs and recipient African MPs, who work together to track the Official Development Assistance (ODA) leaving or entering their country. In the coming period AWEPA will develop this pilot project further.
The meeting was concluded with recommendations as a suggested framework Plan of Action by the Sections.
Accompanying Documents
AWEPA Sections discuss activities and future plans to support Africa
Final recommendations Heads of Sections Meeting
