Africa and the Caribbean should forge closer cooperation

The new partnership agreement between the European Union (EU) and members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) was initialed on the 15 April 2021 by representatives of the three regions and the European Union in Brussels after a long negotiation process.

The agreement which aims to govern the political, economic and sectorial collaborative framework of the partners for the next 20 years aims to create new opportunities for strengthening relationships between Africa, Caribbean and Pacific nations. It aims to bring the three regions together to take advantage of common cultural heritage, human and their natural resources to harness opportunities in tune with new realities and challenges including recovery of economies in the post-COVID era, social justice and climate change.

The new agreement would help to realize our regions’ visions for sustainable development and poverty reduction in a world that has changed profoundly and continues to evolve. It would strengthen the basis for further reinforcing the already strong relationship with the EU, and between Africa and Caribbean countries.

The new agreement would also facilitate ongoing cooperation with the European Union to address current and future challenges in priority areas such as: human rights, democracy and governance, peace and security, human development which includes health, education and gender equality. It also includes promoting environmental sustainability, climate change, sustainable development and growth, migration and mobility in addition to new challenges such as recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and dealing with future pandemics.

To enter into force, the parties will have to complete their respective internal procedures. The post-Cotonou negotiations started in September 2018 in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The aim was to agree on a new agreement to succeed the existing Cotonou Agreement and adapt the relation of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries with the EU to the new realities. The agreement is composed of a “common foundation”, which sets out the values and principles that bring partners together and indicates the strategic priority areas that the EU, Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Partners intend to work on. These are: (i) human rights, democracy, and governance in people-centred and rights-based societies (ii) peace and security, (iii) Human and social development, (iv) Environmental sustainability and climate change, (v) Inclusive sustainable economic growth and development, and (vi) Migration and mobility.

It combines this foundation part with three specific, action-oriented regional protocols (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) which focus on each region’s needs. Each regional protocol will have its own specific governance to manage and steer the relations with the EU including through regional parliamentary assemblies.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) is an organisation created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975 with its secretariat in Brussels, Belgium. It is composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states, with all of them, save Cuba, signatories to the Cotonou Agreement, also known as the “ACP-EC Partnership Agreement” which governs their relationship with the European Union. There are 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific.

Chris Addy-Nayo is a Development Consultant.