From Brussels to Niamey. New perspectives for ACP cultural cooperation

The 5th meeting of ACP Ministers of Culture held in Niamey (Niger) last October represented another highlight of 2019. Two years after the previous meeting, held in Brussels in 2017, this event offered a unique opportunity to jointly assess the progress made, to review the state of implementation of the commitments made in Brussels and to draw new perspectives enabling culture to fully play its role as an engine of economic and human development in the ACP countries. The meeting also officially launched the new ACP-EU CULTURE programme entitled “Towards a sustainable cultural industry”, funded by the European Commission from the intra-ACP envelope of the 11th EDF.

Three panels brought together experts and policymakers on several priority issues for the cultural and creative sector of ACP countries, such as the diversification of sources of financing, the interaction between cultural heritage, creative industries and climate, and the role of cities and local and regional authorities in South-South cooperation.

Mrs Henriette Geiger, Director at the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development of the European Union, presented the new “Financing Initiative for Cultural and Creative Industries” (CreatiFI), a program offering unprecedented opportunities for access to financing for ACP cultural creators and operators.

The Niamey Declaration “Strengthening and diversifying partnerships in favor of ACP cultures” reflects the richness of the discussions held at this event. It expresses the will of the ACP States to further develop the potential of the cultural sector, but also to base cooperation in this field on multiple North-South and South-South partnerships. The document also makes a clear statement on issues that have become unavoidable, such as the fight against climate change and the return of cultural property to their countries of origin, and marks the commitment of the ACP States to intensify their cooperation and to adopt more effective policies in these areas.