HomeBusinessThe Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis signed the Samoa Agreement at...

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis signed the Samoa Agreement at the OACPS Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium

Published on

spot_img

On 22 November 2023, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis joined an increasing number of Member States of the Organization of Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific States in signing the Samoa Agreement at the OACPS Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

The signing ceremony culminates what can be described as an extended and highly spirited negotiation process, which commenced in September 2018 in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. The lead negotiators initialed the Agreement in April 2021.   

The official signing ceremony for the new OACPS-EU Partnership Agreement now referred to as the Samoa Agreement, was held during the 46th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Council of Ministers in Apia, Samoa on 15 November 2023. The Agreement was signed by the EU and its Member States alongside Members of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States.

The Samoa Agreement sets the foundation for a new legal framework for relations between the European Union and 79 OACPS Member States comprising 47 African, 16 Caribbean, and 15 Pacific countries and the Republic of Maldives over the next 20 years.

The new Agreement prioritizes six areas namely democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth and development, climate change, human and social development, peace and security, and migration and mobility.

The Samoa Agreement replaces the previous partnership framework, the Cotonou Agreement adopted in 2000 to replace the 1975 Lome Agreement. The Samoa Agreement covers approximately two billion people and is expected to build on the long-standing partnership between the European Union and Member States from the African, Caribbean, and Pacific regions.

The Agreement is underpinned by a common foundation that applies to all parties and three regional protocols focused on addressing the specificities of each region.  It also signifies a binding commitment by both sides to address global challenges, promote economic growth, and foster sustainability.

The provisional application of the agreement will commence on 1 January 2024. The Agreement will enter into force upon consent by the European Parliament and the ratification by the EU Member States and at least two-thirds of the OACPS Membership.

The Samoa Agreement will ensure that all Parties to the Agreement are better positioned to address the emerging needs and global challenges, including climate change, ocean governance, migration, and peace and security through an estimated Euros 60. bn fund envelope distributed through the following geographical allocations. The Neighborhood Euros 19.323 bn, Sub-Saharan Africa Euros 29.181bn, Asia, Middle East and Pacific Euros 8.849 bn and the Americas and the Caribbean Euros 3.395 bn under the new development instrument called the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument for 2021-2027. The Caribbean is expected to benefit from a Euros 800 mn allocation out of 3.395 bn allocated to the Americans and the Caribbean for 2021-2027.

Samoa Agreement Signing Ceremony OACPS Headquarters Photos – 22 November 2023

Dr. Norbert Richard Ibrahim, Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Political Affairs and Human Development (PAHD) of the OACPS Secretariat, OACPS Member States Heads of Missions from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Grenada, Niger, and the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis at the Samoa Signing Ceremony held at the OACPS Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium (left to right).
Heads of Missions from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Grenada, Niger, the Embassies of Eastern Caribbean States, and Dr. Norbert Richard Ibrahim, Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Political Affairs and Human Development (PAHD) of the OACPS Secretariat.
Dr. Norbert Richard Ibrahim, Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Political Affairs and Human Development (PAHD), and Desmond Simon Charge de Affaires a.i. Embassies of Eastern Caribbean States to Belgium and Missions to the EU. (left to right).
European Union representative, Desmond Simon, Charge dé Affaires a.i. Embassies of Eastern Caribbean States to Belgium and Missions to the EU, and Mr. Morgan Githinji, Expert Relations, Governance and Protocol (left to right).
Heads of Missions from the Embassies of Eastern Caribbean States, Niger, Grenada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi (left to right).

Latest articles

Drone Survey Uncovers 17 Promising Groundwater Sites Across Saint Kitts

The report from the survey conducted across Saint Kitts was presented to the Water Services Department on October 06, 2025. At the Sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, October 17, 2025, Minister of Public Infrastructure, the Honourable Konris Maynard, shared that 17 sites have been identified with the promise to provide potable water – that is, water safe for consumption.

SKELEC Bids Farewell to Corporate Communications Manager Ms. Patrice Harris

Since joining SKELEC in 2020, Ms. Harris has played a pivotal role in reshaping the company’s corporate image. Through strategic branding, community engagement, and innovative communications, she successfully modernized SKELEC’s public presence, making it more relatable, and customer-focused. Her efforts helped build stronger trust between the company and the public, and positioned SKELEC as a forward-thinking utility provider in the region.

Nevisian businesswoman Shobaina Prince wins Taiwan ICDF Entrepreneurial Elite Pitch Competition

Nevisian entrepreneur Shobaina Prince, owner of Native Radiance, has been named winner of the Entrepreneurial Elite Pitch Competition, hosted under the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund’s (ICDF) Women’s Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Financial Inclusion (WEEEFI) Project.

Ministry Of Agriculture Turns World Food Day’s 2025 Message Into Meaningful Action

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources continued its tradition of community outreach by partnering with the St. Christopher Outreach Center to provide hot, nutritious meals to members of the community at its annual luncheon on Friday, October 17, 2025.

More like this

Drone Survey Uncovers 17 Promising Groundwater Sites Across Saint Kitts

The report from the survey conducted across Saint Kitts was presented to the Water Services Department on October 06, 2025. At the Sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, October 17, 2025, Minister of Public Infrastructure, the Honourable Konris Maynard, shared that 17 sites have been identified with the promise to provide potable water – that is, water safe for consumption.

SKELEC Bids Farewell to Corporate Communications Manager Ms. Patrice Harris

Since joining SKELEC in 2020, Ms. Harris has played a pivotal role in reshaping the company’s corporate image. Through strategic branding, community engagement, and innovative communications, she successfully modernized SKELEC’s public presence, making it more relatable, and customer-focused. Her efforts helped build stronger trust between the company and the public, and positioned SKELEC as a forward-thinking utility provider in the region.

Nevisian businesswoman Shobaina Prince wins Taiwan ICDF Entrepreneurial Elite Pitch Competition

Nevisian entrepreneur Shobaina Prince, owner of Native Radiance, has been named winner of the Entrepreneurial Elite Pitch Competition, hosted under the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund’s (ICDF) Women’s Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Financial Inclusion (WEEEFI) Project.