CM/Res.1634 (LXIII)
RESOLUTION ON THE RATIFICATION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE 4TH LOME CONVENTION
The Council of Ministers of the organization of African Unity, meeting in its Sixty-Third ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26 to 28 February 1996,
Noting that the Agreement amending the 4th Lome Convention was concluded on 4 November 1995,
observing, among the amendments made to the Convention, the major changes made to Article 281 to 284 bearing especially on programming and the implementation of the 8th EDF in two tranches,
Whereas this new implementation procedure implies that, pursuant to the revised Article 283, the Community and the ACP States shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the indicative programmes are adopted within twelve months of the signing of the Financial Protocol,.
Remarking however that the Agreement amending the 4th Lome Convention was concluded almost one year behind schedule and that this delay threatens to seriously eat into the period remaining for the programming and the beginning of the implementation of the 8th EDF:
LAUNCHES AN URGENT APPEAL to the ACP States to take all necessary measures to speed up the ratification of the Agreement and forward as soon as possible to the EU Council Secretariat in conformity with Article 359 and 360, the instruments of ratification and the formal notification of the Agreement amending the 4th Convention;
REQUESTS the OAU Secretary-General, in close cooperation with the ACP Secretary-General, to ensure the execution of this resolution and report to the next Session of the Council of the Ministers.