Guyana diplomat elected new ACP Secretary General

Guyana's Ambassador to Belgium, Patrick Gomes has been elected as the new Secretary General of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States.

Dr Gomes' appointment took place during the 100th session of the ACP Council of Ministers in Brussels, making him the tenth secretary general since the inception of the organisation in 1975.

He will among other things oversee the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) projects that the East African Community signed with the European Union last month.

Kenya's exports to the EU estimated at Sh98 billion will no longer attract tariffs from the European market following the signing of the EPAs. Gomes was selected by consensus after deliberations on December 9, by the Bureau of the Council of Ministers, comprising of representatives from each of the six ACP regions.

In his acceptance speech, Gomes said he accepted with great honour the appointment on behalf of Guyana, the Caribbean and the entire ACP family and would ensure tangible benefits to the member state.  Kenya was represented during the occasion by Ambassador to the EU Johnson Weru.

He is expected to take office from March 1, 2015 until February 28, 2020. He will hold executive powers as Head of the Brussels-based ACP Secretariat.