No: 714 - ACP CONFERENCE PROGRAMME MAKES HEADWAY

Heads of State, Leaders and delegates to the 3rd ACP Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government are expected to arrive in the country on July 14th and 15th, 2002.

This is prior to July 16th’s programme, when informal bilateral and pre-summit meetings involving Ministers of Foreign Affairs of ACP countries will be held.

A full Fijian traditional welcome ceremony will be accorded to the delegates by the Chiefs and people of Narewa village in Nadi, on Wednesday, 17th July.

Students of Queen Victoria School and Ratu Navula Secondary School are currently preparing for the entertainment after the ceremony. Cultural items by the Indo-Fijian community will also be performed on the day. According to the ACP secretariat, three official languages, English, French and Spanish will be used during the meetings.

On Friday, 19th July a press conference chaired by the President of the 3rd Summit is scheduled to take place.

It is expected that other press conferences will be arranged based on requests by members of the overseas media who may need to hear from their own delegates or Head of State.

However, a press conference is already confirmed for the Head of the European Union on July 19th, due to the large funding provisions of the EU towards the summit.

The Fiji Government, as host of the ACP summit has provided $2.5 million for funding purposes.

The summit will close with a dinner and island night, hosted by the Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase.