The head of Angola’s diplomacy spoke on behalf of the continent at the signing ceremony of the Association Agreement between the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OEACP) and the European Union (EU), expressing his gratitude for the opportunity.
The world is experiencing a multipolar and interconnected moment that is witnessing fundamental geopolitical shifts and realignments, impacting all Oeacp regions, he emphasized.
He added that in this scenario, Africa can contribute to building capacity in respective regions, promoting good governance, maintaining peaceful good-neighbourly relations and achieving positive development outcomes, as well as representing the voice and unity of the Global South.
The signing of the agreement took place the previous day in Apia, capital of Samoa, in the presence of the Prime Minister of that state, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, and the Secretary General of the Oeacp, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chicoti, as well as other officials.
The document, called the Samoa Agreement, was signed by the majority of the organization’s member countries and is seen as a guide for the future of an alliance of solidarity and unity.
The agreement replaces the Cotonou Agreement signed in July 2022 between the EU and 79 Oeacp countries and, according to the Angolan Foreign Ministry, paves the way for important progress in human development, the fight against climate change, peace, security and good governance next 20 years.
The Oeacp brings together 1.5 billion people from three continents and 79 countries and therefore represents a force that cannot be ignored in the concert of nations.
Given its reach, the bloc is called upon to play a fundamental role in building a world of peace and security, protecting the environment and promoting the economic and social development of all countries.
Established by the Georgetown Accords in 1975, its main objectives are the sustainable development of its member states and their progressive integration into the global economy, which means prioritizing the fight against poverty and the creation of a new, fairer and more equitable world order.
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