No:643 - BOLADUADUA TO TALK BUDGET AT BRUSSELS

Emitai Boladuadua the Chairman of the Operations and Planning Committee (OPOC) of the Third African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Leaders Summit scheduled for July in Nadi leaves for Brussels today (12/06/02) to submit the committee's budget proposal.

Mr Boladuadua will brief the Committee of Ambassadors of ACP countries to the European Union in Brussels on the present preparatory status of the Nadi summit; however, the gist of discussions will be the budget submission from Fiji.

"The Fiji government has committed $2.5 million and the discussions in Brussels will be centered on the additional $2.5 million the EU normally gives for such meetings," he said.

He said confirmation on the budget will help erase all constraints relating to preparations and was optimistic that given the reasonable financial base to work from, the committee will deliver the goods.

With only a month away from the summit, Mr Boladudua said confirmations from ACP members states are flowing in with Botswana the latest inclusion bringing the total attendance figure to 14.

Botswana joins its African neighbours Kenya, Namibia, Guinea and Eritrea all of which have confirmed their attendance.

Other countries which have also confirmed attendance, include the Pacific's recent ACP members namely Palau, the Solomons, Cook Islands and Vanuatu.

The Seychelles and Mauritius are the first Caribbean countries to confirm their presence in Nadi.

Mr Boladuadua heads the committee that reports to the 11 member Cabinet Sub-Committee on the ACP Summit chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Kaliopate Tavola.

All 78 ACP members are expected to be in Nadi for the summit set for July 16 to 19 at the Sheraton Fiji Resort.