1Pursuant to the Partnership agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (OJ 2000 L 317, p. 3) and approved on behalf of the Community by Council Decision 2003/159/EC of 19 December 2002 (OJ 2003 L 65, p. 27), the ninth European Development Fund (EDF) implemented a support programme for cultural initiatives for five African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, namely the Portuguese-speaking African countries (‘the PALOP countries’).