Observation of rule of law, strengthening of democratic principles are reinforced by free, fair, transparent elections – ACP

…as EU calls for credible, transparent completion of electoral process

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) has expressed its concerns as it relates to the current political climate in Guyana.

ACP Group Secretary General Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti appealed to the political leadership of Guyana to exercise its collective responsibility in pursuit of consolidating democratic governance in the country.
“The observation of the rule of law and the strengthening of democratic principles are reinforced by free, fair and transparent elections. The Secretary General commends the efforts by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and its leadership in search of a solution to the political situation in Guyana,” the Group said in a statement.
The ACP Group also reiterated its solidarity with the Guyanese people and pledged to support their efforts towards establishing an environment that promotes democratic governance.

EU
Meanwhile, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) left Guyana in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mission in a short statement said, “The EU EOM calls on all stakeholders to complete the electoral process in a credible and transparent way in accordance with legal requirements.”
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is an organisation created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. It is composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states, with all of them, save Cuba, being signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, also known as the “ACP-EC Partnership Agreement” which binds them to the European Union. There are 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.
The ACP Group´s main objectives include sustainable development of its member states and their gradual integration into the global economy, which entails making poverty reduction a matter of priority and establishing a new, fairer, and more equitable world order; coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of ACP-EC Partnership Agreements; consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP States, as well as understanding among their peoples; and establishment and consolidation of peace and stability in a free and democratic society.
The Group was originally created with the aim of coordinating cooperation between its members and the European Union. Its main objective was to negotiate and implement, together, cooperation agreements with the European community.
Over the years, the Group extended its range of activities. Since then, cooperation among its members has gone beyond development cooperation with the European Union and covers a variety of fields spanning trade, economics, politics and culture, in diverse international fora such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO).