26 NOVEMBER 2008 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) ----- The 16th Africa Caribbean Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) joint parliamentary assembly is taking place at a time marked by global challenges of climate change, the sudden rise and instability in food and fuel prices and the current financial crisis, reports The National.

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Dr Puka Temu officially opened the ACP-EU session in Port Moresby yesterday challenging the delegates to have highly interactive and constructive discussions.

Dr Temu said all these challenges were impacting the world in an unimaginable manner as they approached the end of the year – a time which should be the turning point in terms of the mid-term assessment of the achievement of the millennium development goals (MDGs).

He said strong partnership with member states was a key and should be scaled up, and with political stability and recent steady economic growth, PNG was cautiously optimistic.

“Our Government’s vision is to transform societal change into a framework of sustainable economic growth. “This is why PNG is calling for the shedding of policy chains of the past and create a new paradigm for the future,” Dr Temu said.

EU assistance under the Rural Development Programme had been the result of the positive dialogue to address social and economic issues in PNG, he added.

Dr Temu expressed his gratitude to the ACP-EU member nations for offering assistance for the rehabilitation and restoration of services on Bougainville, which was now enjoying autonomous status.

He told the delegates that international meetings such as the ACP-EU brought great hopes which were crucial to the fight against poverty in respect of the MDGs.

Dr Temu said in the face of dismal global economic growth and the slowdown of the world economy, ACP-EU countries should remain committed and resolve to honour the commitments undertaken by all countries at these meetings towards their full implementation.

He also stressed that fight against poverty evoked and promoted a “scarcity mentality” while economic growth and wealth creation promoted an “abundance mentality”…..PNS(ENDS)