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The council considered the report of the first meeting of the ACP fisheries ministers, presented by Mr Morgan as the current chairman of their committee.

It also approved a recommendation to set up a ministerial fisheries mechanism, which aims to shore up political support – both within the group and from its external partners – for new approaches to fisheries governance and cooperation.

This will ensure that fisheries and aquaculture play their full part in the social and economic development of the ACP member states. More information on the issue is available on the ACP website at www.acp.int

Piracy off the coast of Somalia was also discussed by the ACP council which, at the request of Seychelles, mandated its committee of ambassadors to explore how ACP countries affected by such acts can be helped. The council also debated several key issues and challenges now facing the ACP Group, including the status of the second five-year revision of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EU) and negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and various ACP regions.

Also discussed were the global economic and financial crisis and the coordinated ACP position on climate change for the forthcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change to be held in Copenhagen next month.

Speaking on the latter issue, Mr Morgan called for the support of the ACP council and member states to press for a legally binding framework on greenhouse gas reduction targets.

During its session, the council also approved the appointment of Dr Mohammed Chambas from Ghana as the new secretary-general of the ACP Group for the next five years.

Apart from Mr Morgan, Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Transport, the Seychellois delegation comprised new principal secretary for foreign affairs Barry Faure, principal secretary for natural resources and transport Veronique Herminie, ambassador designate to Belgium and the EU Vivianne Fock-Tave, managing director of the Seychelles Fishing Authority Ina Henriette and counsellor in the Seychelles embassy in Belgium Audrey Dine-Angras.