According to the report from the Vanguard, The European Union (EU) and its Member States have entered into a partnership agreement with the members of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). Negotiations for the agreement began in 2018 during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly and were finalized on November 15, 2018, in Apia, Samoa. All 27 EU Member states and 47 out of 79 OACPS Member states signed the agreement.
The agreement consists of 103 articles, which include a common foundational compact and three regional protocols: Africa-EU, Caribbean-EU, and Pacific-EU. Each regional protocol addresses the specific issues of the respective regions.
The African Regional Protocol is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the Framework for Cooperation, while the second part covers Areas of Cooperation. These areas include Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth and Development, Human and Social Development, Environment, Natural Resources Management, and Climate Change, Peace and Security, Human Rights, Democracy and Governance, and Migration and Mobility.
Nigeria signed the agreement on June 28, 2024, after an extensive review and consultation process led by the Interministerial Committee, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Ministry of Justice. The committee confirmed that none of the 103 Articles and Provisions of the Agreement contravene the 1999 Constitution or Nigerian laws. Nigeria's endorsement was accompanied by a Statement of Declaration, dated June 26, 2024, clarifying its understanding and context of the Agreement within its jurisdiction. It emphasized that any provision inconsistent with Nigerian laws would be invalid.
The Nigerian government assures its citizens that the Bola Tinubu Administration, as a rule-based government, will not enter into any international agreement that is detrimental to the country's interests. The negotiation process for the Agreement followed the mandates exchanged between the EU and the OACPS in 2018.
The Samoa Agreement serves as a crucial legal framework for cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union. Its objectives include promoting sustainable development, combating climate change and its effects, generating investment opportunities, and fostering collaboration among OACPS Member States on the international stage.