Seychelles signs Samoa Agreement alongside EU and OACP Member States |16 November 2023

Minister Radegonde signing the Samoa Agreement

Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, has signed the Samoa Agreement, which is the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) on November, 15, 2023 in Apia Samoa.

The Agreement, which succeeds the Cotonou Partnership Agreement signed in 2000, underscores pivotal areas for partnership encompassing human rights, democracy, governance, peace and security, human and social development, inclusive sustainable economic growth and development, environmental sustainability, climate change, migration, and mobility.

The signing was preceded by the Special Session of the Council of Ministers of OACPS and 46th Session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, convened in Apia, Samoa, on November 14, 2023.

The sessions provided a platform for constructive dialogue and strategic discussions on a myriad of global challenges, including the implementation of the Samoa Agreement and the upcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 28), to be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

The signing ceremony symbolises a new chapter in the collaborative efforts of OACPS member states and the EU, marking a step forward in their shared pursuit of sustainable development and prosperity.

Minister Radegonde was accompanied by the Seychelles Resident Ambassador in Brussels, Kenneth Racombo, and Rennie Mondon, Third Secretary at the Foreign Affairs Department.

Contributed