EZULWINI – The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is confident that Eswatini and many other African States will ratify the Samoa Agreement soon.
When chairing the second session of the OACPS for the East Africa Region Parliamentary group at Ezulwini Pallazo yesterday afternoon, Seychelles Legislator Churchill Gill registered concern that many countries had not ratified the agreement.
Signed in November 2023, the Samoa Agreement is a 20-year framework governing relations between the EU and 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific States.
It has been signed by most European Union (EU) member S tates and the majority of OACPS States, with provisional application since January 1, 2024, requiring two-thirds of OACPS members to fully ratify.
“The ratification of the Samoa Agreement remains a key priority. I therefore encourage all members to ensure that their respective countries have either completed or initiated the ratification process,” he said.
The chairman said to date, only 12 OACPS member States had ratified the agreement. He said member States that ratified include Seychelles, Mozambique, Botswana, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Uganda, Solomon Island, Angola and Côte d’Ivoire.
On the part of the EU, nine ratifications have been deposited, namely: Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Denmark, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, Spain and Slovakia.
OACPS Secretariat Doreen Walsweer said a delay in ratification is a delay in development of the continent.
She also urged members States to ratify to tap into the development initiatives that come with the agreement.
President of the Thomas Tayebwa said ratifying the Samoa Agreement is essential for the development of African States. Some legislators raised concern that effort must be dedicated in resolving the fear of interference by European countries in the affairs of the African countries.
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A deep dive into the landmark Samoa Agreement
MBABANE – The Samoa Agreement was described as a definitive roadmap for international cooperation to help Eswatini and its peers in the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
In a presentation, Doreen Walsweer of the OACPS Secretariat outlined the sophisticated architecture of this new treaty, which succeeds the Cotonou Agreement. The Samoa Agreement is not merely a trade deal, it is a comprehensive legal framework founded on the principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect and shared responsibility. She said the agreement moves away from traditional donor-recipient dynamics, favouring an integrated approach. This means that political, economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions are now inextricably linked. It emphasises a multi-stakeholder approach that moves beyond government-to-government interactions to include the active participation of parliaments, local authorities, civil society and the private sector. This ensures that the benefits of the partnership reach the grassroots level. One of the most delicate segments of the new treaty is Title VI, which addresses migration and mobility. The agreement adopts a comprehensive and balanced stance, recognising both the challenges and opportunities of human movement.
While it establishes clear frameworks for addressing irregular migration and the politically sensitive issue of return and readmission, it equally celebrates the role of the diaspora. It recognises the vital contribution of remittances, skills transfer and the circulation of persons to national development, while ensuring the protection of refugees and displaced persons remains a core priority. She said the agreement reaffirms the principles of aid effectiveness—transparency, ownership and results orientation. However, unlike previous iterations, the Samoa Agreement does not create a detailed autonomous financial window
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