Speech by Commissioner Urpilainen at the 1st plenary session of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) in Luanda, Angola

Speech by Urpilainen OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Your Excellencies,

Honourable Members,

It is a profound honour and a highlight of my mandate as Commissioner for International Partnerships to address you at the first session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly under the Samoa Agreement.

This is a historic moment.

So let me begin by thanking all of you for keeping the momentum going and getting this powerful partnership framework signed.

This is indeed a “new dawn”.

At a time when geopolitics and geoeconomics are increasingly interlinked, the need for multilateralism and partnership is ever more important.

I would have three messages to start our conversation.

First, the EU-OACPS partnership ranks among the oldest in the history of the European Union. It encompasses more than 1 billion people.

With the Samoa Agreement, we enhance our ability to respond to the joint challenges. We strengthen our political cooperation at the multilateral level.

We foster closer cooperation on the ground through the three new regional protocols. And we expand both the scale and scope of our dialogue.

Importantly, we also prioritize inclusive decision-making— by amplifying the voice of civil society of course, but crucially by increasing your role.

We do this right here—in this room—where democracy really comes to life.

The Samoa Agreement enhances the parliamentary dimension, helping us to strengthen ties between politicians and citizens of the OACPS and the EU.

Colleagues,

The real value-add of the Samoa Agreement lies in its implementation, which we must deliver together. And this brings me to my second point.

Through the renewed partnership, we commit to accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

Together, we will bolster human rights, democracy, and good governance. We will promote gender equity, inclusivity, and pluralism.

And we will effectively respond to climate change, conflict, and the most pressing global challenges.

Regarding next steps, the EU and OACPS are currently preparing a proposal for the Rules of Procedure for the remaining joint institutions.

We will follow this up with the Joint Ministerial Council in Brussels, and the three regional Protocols will be launched followed by Regional Ministerial Council meetings.

We will also work together to adopt guidelines for the Partnership dialogue, the Stakeholders' Engagement Mechanism, and the modalities for engagement in international fora.

In the meantime, we have upcoming opportunities to bolster our voice in multilateral fora, such as the SIDS Conference, the Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, the Summit of the Future, and COP 29.

By aligning our positions and adopting joint statements, we can move the needle on issues that matter most. Yes, we can make the difference. Together.

Finally, with a view to our cooperation on the ground, I would like to see us working together in the framework of the Global Gateway Strategy.

Global Gateway is the EU's values-based offer to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and Paris climate objectives, and also enhance strategic autonomy and resilience.

EU and OACPS countries are already working together on Global Gateway initiatives in all regions.

For example, the EU and its Member States – together as Team Europe – have launched a EUR 20 billion Green Energy Initiative in conjunction with African partners to provide at least 100 million people with access to electricity by 2030.

In the Caribbean, Team Europe is working with partners to change sargassum from a threat to an economic opportunity by transforming it into cosmetics, fertilizers, electricity or biomass.

Meanwhile, the Green-Blue Alliance for the Pacific brings 15 Pacific Island countries and Team Europe together to tackle climate, ocean, and energy transition challenges head-on.

These examples are part of the ambitious investment packages we have launched across all three regions…

• The Global Gateway Africa Europe Investment Package
• The EU-LAC Investment Agenda
• And the Global Gateway Package for the Pacific Region.

As we push forward to implement these packages, we will ensure that people and communities remain front and centre in our efforts to tackle inequalities.

Dear Friends,

In this period of so much geopolitical tension and instability, the EU is not turning its back on its partners. I believe the EU-OACPS partnership stands as an example.

We represent four different regions. In some cases, thousands of kilometres separate us. Yet we are united by a common vision for a fairer, greener, and more sustainable future.

The Samoa Agreement is now provisionally applied.

I know I can count on your unwavering commitment to completing the internal procedures necessary for the Agreement to enter into force.

Let's work together to implement the Samoa Agreement's ambitious goals, for the good of our countries, and the people we represent, leaving no one behind.

Thank you!