Brussels, 18 November 2014/ ACP: Newly appointed representatives from Eritrea, Solomon Islands and Togo made their inaugural addresses to the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, during recent meetings of the group.
H.E Mr. Negassi Kassa Tekle was Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Eritrea in Brussels for a number a years before being appointed as Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union. He was formerly Head of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also served as a Counsellor in the Eritrean missions in Germany and Italy.
In his maiden speech at the ACP House on November 6, Ambassador Tekle highlighted his country’s support for the Sipopo Declaration of the 7th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government, which reaffirmed the determination to stay united as an African, Caribbean and Pacific family of nations committed to reducing poverty and building sustainable development amongst members.
Weeks before, the Brussels-based Ambassador of the Solomon Islands, H.E Mr. Moses Kouni Mose expressed similar sentiments, underlining the importance of the ACP Group’s “negotiating voice” in international and regional forums such as the World Trade Organisation.
“The ACP Group has a formidable voice in the negotiations that the other members – especially the big members of the WTO respect. Many of us are small and as individual countries, it is not easy to influence an outcome that best reflect our interests. The ACP provides a platform for many of us, where we can have the solidarity and unity of voice in advancing issues of common interests,” he stated.
Ambassador Mose was the country’s Permanent Secretary for Trade before his appointments as High Commissioner to Fiji, then later as Ambassador to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation in Geneva.
Meanwhile, the new ambassador for Togo, H.E Mr.Hubert Kokou Nayo M'Beou, called for a “re-dynamisation” of the ACP Group, as well as continued efforts to adapt ACP-EU cooperation to fit the changing times, while keeping to its founding principles.
Ambassador M’Beou was formerly the country’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, after many years serving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Director of Legal Affairs and Dispute Settlement.
Farewell
In addition to welcoming new officials, the Committee of Ambassadors bid farewell to two prominent women of the group who came to the end of their tours in Brussels.

The Ambassador of Cabo Verde H.E Ms. Maria de Jesus Veiga Miranda Mascarenhas and Ambassador of Cuba H.E Ms. Mirtha Maria Hormilla Castro received farewell gifts of appreciation from their fellow envoys, after having served many years in Brussels. Both were commended for their commitment to strengthening ties with the ACP Group as well as promoting the ACP-EU Partnership.
– ACP Press
(Photos from top: Amb. Negassi Kassa Tekle (Eritrea); Amb. Moses Kouni Mose (Solomon Is.);Amb. Hubert Kokou Nayo M'Beou(Togo);Amb. Mirtha Maria Castro (Cuba) receiving a farewell gift from the Chairman of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, H.E Dr Ousmane Sylla of Guinea;Amb. Maria de Jesus Mascarenhas (Cabo Verde), now Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in her country).