Cotonou - The EU and countries from the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) group yesterday signed a new 20-year partnership agreement, replacing the Lome Convention.
The new, Benin accord sets the eradication of poverty as the priority for EU-ACP relations, a goal to be achieved by progressively integrating ACP member-states in the global economy. Under the trade and aid agreement, the EU is expected to provide 22.5 billion euros (£17.5 billion) over seven years to ACP countries.