Guyana now ready to sign new OACP-EU pact – Todd

By Marcelle Thomas On In Guyana News |
On 15 November 2023 the partnership between the European Union (EU) and its 27 Member States, and the 79 Member States of the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) was solidified with the signing of the Samoa Agreement in Apia, Samoa. The historic signing ceremony a first to be held in the Pacific, was attended by more than 250 delegates from across the four continents. (https://www.oacps.org/)
On 15 November 2023 the partnership between the European Union (EU) and its 27 Member States, and the 79 Member States of the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) was solidified with the signing of the Samoa Agreement in Apia, Samoa. The historic signing ceremony a first to be held in the Pacific, was attended by more than 250 delegates from across the four continents. (https://www.oacps.org/)

Having gotten the clarity it sought on areas of concern, Guyana says that it will now sign on to the Samoa Agreement – successor to the Cotonou Agreement that the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (OACPS) has with the European Union (EU) and which is the overarching framework for relations with the EU and its  member countries.

“We have been able to, the technical teams that is, sort out the [areas of concern] of the agreement. We had a few areas to clarify. So the technical teams have worked that out already for us… and definitely we would be signing,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd told the Sunday Stabroek on Thursday, when asked for an update on the matter.

“The technical officials had been engaging on the areas we would have flagged for our interests. They have worked that out,” he added.

The absence of Guy-ana’s signature had raised concerns at various level in Georgetown as over 60 countries have already signed on