OACPS Secretariat

🌐Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)

[Thomas Tayebwa @Thomas_Tayebwa]

Yesterday, I chaired two sessions of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels, Belgium, which discussed how to build a mutually beneficial partnership in the critical raw materials sector and strengthen global security in an increasingly fragmented world.

Critical minerals present a major economic opportunity for OACPS countries, which are significant contributors to global mineral production.

OACPS mineral producing countries seek partnerships that support the establishment of local processing industries, create skilled employment opportunities and strengthen domestic businesses. These are the kinds of partnerships that can deliver tangible benefits to local communities.

During the session on global security, I noted that security and development are inseparable. Conflicts, organised crime and instability continue to disrupt livelihoods, undermine public services and divert resources away from development.

I called for stronger multilateral cooperation, respect for national sovereignty and international law, and the protection of civilians. As parliamentarians within the OACPS, we must play a central role in promoting dialogue and strengthening cooperation towards lasting peace.

I also highlighted Uganda's experience in hosting more than two million refugees, mainly from neighbouring countries, while receiving only 12.5% of the resources required to support them. Despite these challenges, Uganda will not close its borders to people fleeing conflict. We understand the importance of offering refuge because, as a country, we have experienced displacement ourselves.

[FAO Brussels @FAOBrussels]

Increasing women's participation in agrifood systems is essential, but not enough. "We must move from participation to transformation by addressing social norms & tackling unequal power relations and institutional barriers". - @FAO's @LM_Phillips at the OACPS-EU JPA Women’s Forum

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

INTERVENANT | 🇪🇺 Costas Kadis (@CostasKadis), commissaire européen à la pêche et aux océans, a prononcé un discours à l’Assemblée parlementaire paritaire OEACP–UE.

🌐 https://t.co/1amRbBtpXV

#OEACP #CooperationParlementaire #Oceans

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

📺 Watch all three sessions live: https://t.co/1amRbBsS8n⁠

🌍 OACPS–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

🕣 08:30–11:00 | Morning plenary
🕑 14:00–16:00 | Youth Forum
🕠 17:30–18:30 | Closing plenary

All times are Brussels time.

#OACPS #OACPSEU

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

INTERVENANT | 🎙️ Antonio Pedro, ancien secrétaire exécutif adjoint de la Commission économique des Nations Unies 🇺🇳 pour l’Afrique (@ECA_OFFICIAL), a prononcé un discours à l’Assemblée parlementaire paritaire OEACP–UE.

🌐 https://t.co/cQgPwieUmv

#OEACP #CooperationParlementaire

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

INTERVENANTE | 🇧🇪 Annelies Verlinden, ministre belge de la Justice, chargée de la mer du Nord, a prononcé un discours à l’Assemblée parlementaire paritaire OEACP–UE.

🌐 https://t.co/1amRbBtpXV

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

🌐🇨🇩 En marge des travaux de l’Assemblée parlementaire paritaire OEACP-UE, le Secrétaire général de l’OEACP, S.E. Moussa Saleh Batraki (@MBatraki), a reçu une délégation parlementaire de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), conduite par l’Honorable Professeur Isaac Jean-Claude Tshilumbayi Musawu (@jc_tshilumbayi), Premier Vice-Président de l’Assemblée nationale (@AssembleeNatRDC).

Les échanges ont porté sur le renforcement de la coopération parlementaire, l’importance de la ratification et de la mise en œuvre de l’Accord de Samoa, ainsi que le rôle essentiel des parlementaires dans la promotion des intérêts des États membres de l’OEACP.

Le Secrétaire général a salué l’engagement de la RDC et souligné l’importance de son rôle dans le renforcement de l’Organisation et la consolidation du partenariat OEACP-UE. 🌍🇨🇩

@RDC_Minafet @PrimatureRDC @Presidence_RDC @Com_mediasRDC

@radiookapi @TopCongo @actualitecd @7sur7_cd @mediacongo

🌐 https://t.co/cQgPwieUmv

#OEACP #RDC #CoopérationParlementaire #AccordDeSamoa #OEACPUE

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

🌍🤝 The OACPS Secretary-General H.E. Moussa Saleh Batraki (@MBatraki) held constructive discussions with Mr Kazuki Kitaoka, Director of the FAO Office of Youth and Women, and Mr Raschad Al-Khafaji, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium in Brussels (@FAOBrussels), on advancing the implementation of the OACPS Youth Compact on Jobs, Resilience and Action.

The exchange focused on establishing a multi-donor trust fund to support youth-led agrifood initiatives, mobilise strategic partners, and expand access to FAO eLearning opportunities across OACPS Member States.

The partnership aims to translate the Youth Compact into practical investments, skills and opportunities for young people, while expanding access to FAO’s eLearning resources and strengthening institutional capacity across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. 🌱🌍

@FAO @World_FoodForum @UNYouthAffairs

🌐 https://t.co/cQgPwieUmv

#OACPS #FAO #YouthCompact #YouthEmpowerment #AgrifoodSystems

[OACPS Secretariat @PressACP]

🌊🇪🇺 #OACPSEU JPA: Join online for today's plenary.

09:00-13:00 🔗 https://t.co/1amRbBtpXV
17:00-19:00 🔗 https://t.co/1amRbBtpXV

#parliamentarydiplomacy @EuroParlPress @Europarl_EN

[European Parliament Diplomacy @ep_diplomacy]

🌊🇪🇺 #OACPSEU JPA: Join online for today's plenary.

09:00-13:00 🔗 https://t.co/mhaaiE3IYD
17:00-19:00 🔗 https://t.co/QQc4IekF8O

#parliamentarydiplomacy @PressACP

[Parliament of Uganda @Parliament_Ug]

Parliamentarians from Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific regions gathered in Brussels, Belgium have highlighted the critical need to strengthen multilateralism in an era of global strain.

This call was made at the opening session of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States – European Union (OACPS-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

The Deputy Speaker and also Co-President of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, @Thomas_Tayebwa emphasised that future international cooperation must move beyond rhetoric and be rooted in true equality, mutual respect, and shared solidarity.

[Thomas Tayebwa @Thomas_Tayebwa]

Last evening, we held the opening session of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly at the European Parliament in Brussels, bringing together parliamentarians from Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to strengthen our longstanding cooperation.

As President of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly and Co-President of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, I noted in my remarks that our deliberations should result in a partnership anchored in equality, mutual respect and solidarity.

I updated delegates on the discussions of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly, which we held on Sunday. The OACPS would like to see an economic partnership that delivers tangible benefits, including investment, local value addition, skills development and decent employment in our countries.

The OACPS would also like to see tangible results in climate action and financing. Our vulnerable countries and communities are increasingly confronted by droughts, floods, rising sea levels and other climate-related challenges. We need accessible and affordable climate financing that enables countries to respond effectively without accumulating unsustainable debt.

I also called on parliamentarians from both sides to give renewed attention to the ratification of the Samoa Agreement, which provides an important foundation for our cooperation.

The speeches of the evening were reassuring. Speakers at the opening ceremony, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate H.E. José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste; @RobertaMetsola, President of the European Parliament; @AndrewHolnessJM, Prime Minister of Jamaica; @younousomarjee, Vice-President of the European Parliament and others, spoke about the importance of the deliberations we are having at a time when multilateralism is under strain.

In the sessions I will co-chair with H.E. Francisco Assis, we will deliberate with the understanding that our shared commitment to cooperation, dialogue and multilateralism must deliver tangible results for the almost two billion people represented by the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly member states.

[Hon. Kateshumbwa Dicksons @HonKateshD]

Happening now in Brussels, Belgium!

Im glad to participating in the OACPS–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly alongside Uganda’s delegation, led by Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa. @Thomas_Tayebwa

The assembly brings together legislators from Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe to engage on strengthening international cooperation, trade, investment and sustainable development.

Through parliamentary diplomacy, we continue to build partnerships and advance our shared interests.

[Hon.Namutaawe Joan @NamutaaweJoan]

Ahead of our engagements with the EU,In the 65th OACPS Parliamentary Assembly Chaired by the OACPS president @Thomas_Tayebwa in Brussels yesterday, we called for Global Climate Financing Reforms making a strong call to all international partners to prioritize climate justice.

[Shyam Tanna @shyamtanna_]

Last evening, we held the opening session of the 65th OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly at the European Parliament in Brussels, bringing together parliamentarians from across Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to strengthen cooperation and advance our shared priorities.

The session was addressed by our Co-President, Rt. Hon.@Thomas_Tayebwa - Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, alongside Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President of Timor-Leste, H.E. José Ramos-Horta, the President and Vice-President of the European Parliament, and other distinguished leaders.

[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-EU @CHURCHinEU]

Yesterday in Brussels, a delegation from our office attended the Opening Ceremony of the 2nd OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly at the European Parliament. An important occasion for dialogue and cooperation across Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe.
@PressACP @ep_diplomacy

[European Parliament Diplomacy @ep_diplomacy]

Today at the #OACPSEU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, 14:30-16:00, two parallel sessions:

🌊 Civil Society Consultation: “Working together to protect our Ocean”, feeding into the Ocean recommendation. Keynote by Tiago Cunha, CEO of @OceanoAzulF.
🔗 join online: https://t.co/92qK86uKTX

👩‍🌾 Women’s Forum: “From Field to Policy: Gender transformative policies in agri-food systems”. Keynote by @aruhweza President of @AGRA_Africa
🔗 join online: https://t.co/Lwi7h4G44S

#OACPSEU #ParliamentaryDiplomacy @PressACP

[EESC External Relations @EESC_REX]

🌏The Chair of the @EU_EESC EU-ACP Follow-up Committee @MilenaAngel23 took part in the high level debate on the Global Gateway cooperation in the Pacific region, on the occasion of the Pacific-EU Parliamentary Assembly taking place this week in Brussels

[European Parliament Diplomacy @ep_diplomacy]

🌊🇪🇺 The 1st Pacific-EU Parliamentary Assembly has concluded at @Europarl_EN with the acclamation of a 📜 Recommendation to the Pacific-EU Council of Ministers.

🌏🇪🇺 Parliamentarians from the Pacific and Europe made their voices heard, with a strong political message: our partnership must deliver concrete results for our peoples, strengthen regional cooperation and turn shared commitments into action.

A milestone for Pacific-EU parliamentary relations, reaffirming our shared commitment to dialogue, solidarity and stronger cooperation 🤝

#parliamentarydiplomacy @PressACP

[EESC External Relations @EESC_REX]

🗣️Women’s Forum of the OACPS-EU JPA

@EU_EESC Member Josiane Willems sharing insights on gender transformative policies in agri-food systems.

Women are at the❤️of our agri-food systems. The challenge is to ensure that they are equally at the ❤️ of the decisions that shape them.