The European Parliament adopted by 448 votes to 31, with 131 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part.
Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.
As a reminder, signed in 2000 for a period of 20 years, the Cotonou Agreement, which governs relations between the EU and the then African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, was supposed to expire in February 2020. While negotiations for a successor Agreement ended in December 2020, the signature of the Agreement only took place in Samoa on 15 November 2023 due to repeated delays.
The Samoa Agreement provisionally entered into force in January 2024, which is very much welcome as the new agreement provides for a strengthened, modernised and more ambitious framework for cooperation that goes beyond traditional development cooperation.
The specific objectives of the new Agreement are to:
- promote, protect and fulfil human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance, paying particular attention to gender equality;
- build peaceful and resilient states and societies, tackling ongoing and emerging threats to peace and security;
- foster human and social development, and in particular to eradicate poverty and address inequalities, ensuring that everyone enjoys a life of dignity and that no one is left behind, with special attention paid to women and girls;
- mobilise investment, support trade and foster private-sector development, with a view to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and creating decent jobs for all;
- combat climate change, protect the environment and ensure the sustainable management of natural resources; and
- implement a comprehensive and balanced approach to migration, so as to reap the benefits of safe, orderly and regular migration and mobility, stem irregular migration while addressing its root causes, in full respect of international law and in accordance with the Parties’ respective competences.
The new Agreement also:
- fosters strengthened cooperation, both sectoral and political, including on foreign policy issues of common interest. These include peacekeeping, terrorism, situations of fragility, death penalty with unprecedented provisions;
- recognises that engagement with stakeholders, notably local authorities, civil society, and private sector representatives, is integral to well-informed decision-making;
- offers enhanced space for dialogue. In this regard, Parliament welcomed the provisions on global alliances and international cooperation, with both parties stressing their commitment to the rules-based international order and to promoting international dialogue and seeking multilateral solutions to drive global action forward.