NAIROBI, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Elected representatives from parliaments in the African, Caribbean, Pacific and the European Union (ACP-EU) blocs on Friday adopted a communique to revitalize bilateral trade, infrastructure development and skills transfer.
The lawmakers who had earlier held a joint assembly in Nairobi pledged to rally behind a common vision of free trade, technology and knowledge transfer as a means to achieve prosperity, security and peace.
Speaker of the Kenyan Senate, Kenneth Lusaka in his remarks at the closing ceremony of joint parliamentary assembly said that lawmakers have an obligation to lend political support to integration efforts.
"Elected leaders from our respective blocs should promote intra-regional trade and support efforts to address challenges like poverty, conflicts and climate change that are retarding our development," Lusaka said.
Lawmakers, policymakers and experts attended the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly to discuss new strategies to promote cooperation in economic and political spheres.
Delegates reviewed economic partnership agreements (EPAs) signed by the respective blocs to ensure they reflect the aspirations of ordinary citizens.
Lusaka said the ACP-EU blocs stood to gain immensely from establishment of a free trade area and sharing of expertise to achieve food security and environmental sustainability.
"Enormous gains will be realized through opening up our markets and promoting integration through development of transport infrastructure and energy," said Lusaka.
The Nairobi Communique adopted by lawmakers from the ACP-EU blocs emphasized the need for countries to allow free movement of goods, services, capital and labor in order to boost wealth creation.
Joseph Kono, the Co-president of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly said the communique was explicit in its support for integration and joint programs to address challenges like conflicts, transnational crime, food insecurity and climate change.
"We resolved to address constraints to free trade and emerging challenges like forced migration, terrorism, environmental crimes and illegal trafficking of arms," said Okono.
He added that lawmakers pledged support for policy reforms to facilitate private sector investments in economic sectors that have potential to generate wealth and create jobs for the youth.
