Tayebwa Urges OACPS Bloc to Unite in High-Stakes EU Negotiations

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has urged legislators from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to close ranks and negotiate with the European Union as a unified bloc. Presiding over his first session as president of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels, Tayebwa emphasized that collective strength is vital for influencing international trade, investment, and climate finance.

Drawing a comparison with Europe’s unified regional strategy, Tayebwa noted that European nations always speak as a collective rather than individual countries. He stressed that OACPS members must adopt the same mindset to effectively match their European counterparts during diplomatic and economic engagements.

The discussions in Brussels centered around the implementation of the Samoa Agreement, which provides the modern framework for cooperation between the EU and the 79 OACPS member states. During the meetings, OACPS Secretary-General Moussa Batraki also encouraged delegates to turn their diverse priorities into a unified source of strength under the new framework.

Aside from unity, Tayebwa expressed concern over the slow ratification of the Samoa Agreement by various member states. He urged leaders to fast-track national processes to move from provisional arrangements to full implementation. Financial sustainability emerged as another core priority, with Tayebwa pushing for internal funding mechanisms to reduce the assembly’s heavy reliance on external European Union support.

Climate change financing dominated later sessions, with OACPS members demanding reforms to help vulnerable nations tackle climate shocks without plunging deeper into debt. Leaders highlighted the stark contrast between wealthy industrialized nations, which are responsible for the vast majority of global emissions, and OACPS countries, which contribute less than six percent of global emissions yet bear the brunt of climate disasters.

Delegates pointed to severe environmental impacts such as rising sea levels in the Caribbean, prolonged droughts in Africa, and worsening conditions in the Pacific. Barbados delegate Dwight Sutherland advocated for the Bridgetown Initiative to reform the international financial architecture and provide climate-vulnerable economies with affordable development financing.

For more details, read the original report on the Parliament of Uganda.