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Spotlight on Scotland again
13/09/2005
Scotland will play host to another major international event later this year.
Edinburgh will be the venue for the EU-Africa Caribbean and Pacific Joint Parliamentary Assembly from November 19 to 24, 2005.
Parliamentarians from more than 100 countries will be gathering to promote human rights, democracy and the common values of humanity.
The Assembly offers another opportunity to promote Scotland on the world stage and highlight the work the Executive has been doing in international development.
The Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe said:
"This is fantastic news - Scottish Ministers have offered strong support to the proposal since it was mooted earlier this year and we are absolutely delighted Scotland has been chosen as the venue for this prestigious event. Parliamentarians from more than 100 countries wil gather in Edinburgh later this year for the ACP Assembly, offering us another excellent opportunity to promote Scotland.
"The Assembly builds on G8 Gleneagles, Make Poverty History and the World Youth Congress earlier this year. Once again the international community has recognised that Scotland is an ideal host for major events bringing leaders and people together from throughout the world."
Glenys Kinnock, Co-Chair of the ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, said:
"Our Parliamentary Assembly with MPs from 78 African Caribbean Pacific countries will now take place in the Scottish capital. This is entirely appropriate since Scotland has shown its strong commitment to the Make Poverty History campaign.
"Our deliberations will be about Europe's aid and trade relations with some of the world's poorest and most needy countries. The co-operation and support of the Scottish Executive has been magnificent, as has the co-operation of the administration of Conference Centre. We now look forward to planning the organisation of what will be a great occasion for the European Parliament, the ACP and the British Presidency of the European Union."
Edinburgh's Lord Provost, Lesley Hinds, said:
"It is excellent news that Edinburgh has secured the right to host this important development summit in November. Following Scotland's involvement in the G8 and the extremely successful Make Poverty History march earlier in the year, the conference will build on Edinburgh's reputation as a caring city, committed to promoting human rights and democracy. High-profile events such as this also help Edinburgh affirm its position as one of the leading conference destinations in the world."
Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) Chief Executive Hans Rissmann said:
"Selected to host seven major governmental events in nine years means that world leaders are comfortable meeting and doing business in Edinburgh at EICC. We are delighted to play our part as a conference venue that makes a difference on the world stage."
The EU-Africa Caribbean and Pacific Joint Parliamentary Assembly will be held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The first full session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly anywhere was in Inverness in September 1985.
EICC has already hosted six major governmental conferences in the period 1997 to 2005: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) (1997), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Meeting on GM Food Safety (2000), European Space Agency (ESA) Ministerial Council (2001), Commonwealth Education Ministers (CEM) Triennial Conference (2003), Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council (2004) and Conference of Presidents of Regions with Legislative Powers (2004).