In Summary: Uganda’s Deputy Speaker and OACPS Parliamentary Assembly President Thomas Tayebwa has urged African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to negotiate with the European Union as a united bloc, warning that divisions could weaken their influence on trade, investment, climate finance and development. He also called for faster ratification of the Samoa Agreement and greater financial independence for the Assembly.
Brussels, Belgium — Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament and President of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Parliamentary Assembly, Thomas Tayebwa, has urged the organisation’s 79 member states to negotiate with the European Union (EU) as a united bloc, saying their collective strength will determine their influence on international trade, investment, climate finance and development.
Tayebwa made the call on Sunday while chairing the 65th session of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels, Belgium, his first session as the Assembly’s president.
He challenged legislators from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to develop coordinated positions on issues affecting their regions and the nearly two billion people they represent, arguing that fragmented national positions could weaken their bargaining power in international engagements.
Tayebwa pointed to Europe’s ability to negotiate as a regional bloc, saying the OACPS should adopt a similar approach when engaging its European counterparts.
“When we are engaging with our European countries, our partners, you will not hear them talking about their country. They will be talking about Europe as a region. We want in our engagement tomorrow with our European counterparts to be guided by unity,” Tayebwa told delegates.
“When you are speaking, you are speaking for Africa, you are speaking for the Caribbean, you are speaking for the Pacific, not just for your country. That’s the only way we shall be able to match these people,” he added.
The session brought together 46 heads of delegation and more than 220 participants from the three regions to discuss shared priorities and prepare for engagement with European counterparts through the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly scheduled for November 9 to 13 in Brussels.
Tayebwa urged delegates to participate actively, coordinate with colleagues across the three regions and support their negotiators in advancing common positions.
His appeal comes as he seeks to strengthen the organisation’s institutional structures and redefine its role in international parliamentary diplomacy under the Samoa Agreement, which provides the framework for cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union.
The agreement covers areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, sustainable development, climate change, governance, peace and security.
OACPS Secretary-General Moussa Batraki also urged delegates to turn the organisation’s diversity into a source of strength rather than an obstacle to collective action. “Our collective force resides precisely in this ability to combine the diversity of our priorities and the solidarity that unites our 79 Member States,” Batraki said.
He noted that the parliamentary architecture emerging under the Samoa Agreement places additional responsibility on the organisation to preserve its unity while allowing each region to articulate its specific interests.
Batraki cited the Caribbean-EU parliamentary meeting held in Antigua and Barbuda in February 2026, the Africa-EU parliamentary meeting in Eswatini in May 2026 and preparations for the Pacific region’s parliamentary engagement in Brussels as examples of the organisation’s regional cooperation efforts.
Tayebwa raises alarm over slow ratification
On the sidelines of the summit, Tayebwa also raised concern over the slow ratification of the Samoa Agreement by member states, warning that delays could undermine its full implementation and limit opportunities available to participating countries.
He told delegates that, according to the latest update presented to the OACPS Bureau, only 15 OACPS member states and 15 EU member states had ratified the agreement, despite it approaching its second anniversary.
The Deputy Speaker disclosed that he had written to speakers of parliaments across the OACPS, asking them to help accelerate national ratification processes. “I encourage colleagues to follow up with their national authorities so that ratification moves fast and we move from provision to full implementation,” he said.
He also urged legislators to hold their respective foreign affairs ministers accountable by seeking updates on the ratification process when they return to their national parliaments.
“When you go back, I will request you to ask your ministers in charge of foreign affairs, on the floor of parliament, to give you an update on how far they have gone with ratification. Because it unlocks a lot of opportunities for your country,” he added.
Batraki reinforced the appeal, explaining that although the agreement had been provisionally applied since January 2024, its full implementation required ratification by at least 53 OACPS member states. “We are still far from this goal. Your role in accompanying national procedures will therefore be decisive,” he told the Assembly.
Push for independent financing
The Assembly’s financial sustainability was another major issue discussed, with Tayebwa pushing for mechanisms that would allow the institution to finance its activities without relying entirely on support from the European Union.
He argued that institutional reforms and changes to the Assembly’s rules would have limited impact if the organisation lacked the financial resources to implement its priorities.
“Reliable financing is essential if we are to organise our own activities and follow through on our priorities. We cannot continue to depend on external support only to determine when and how we meet,” he said.
The proposal received support from the regional parliamentary groups, with Pacific Regional Parliamentary Group President Renata Tamapua backing the establishment of a common parliamentary fund.
Tamapua said contributions should reflect the financial capacities of member states, geographical constraints and high travel costs. She also called for predictable and sustainable financing to support the Assembly’s activities between formal sessions.
The Caribbean group, represented by its president and Jamaica’s Deputy Speaker, Heroy Anthony Clarcke, also supported the proposed common fund, suggesting that contributions from the three regions should be based on their respective capacities and accompanied by proper financial accountability.
The African group similarly endorsed the principle of independent parliamentary financing and proposed an initial fund of approximately €1 million from 2027.
Climate finance, debt and digital development on agenda
Climate finance, debt sustainability, digital learning and trade are also expected to feature prominently in the OACPS-EU parliamentary engagement.
Tayebwa said these issues directly affect decisions made by national parliaments and governments’ ability to protect their populations.
He particularly highlighted the challenge of financing climate action without placing additional pressure on developing economies already struggling with debt burdens.
“Our discussions on climate finance and digital learning also concern choices we face in our own parliaments. That is how to protect communities without depending on debt, and how to strengthen the skills and institutions needed to serve them,” he said.
Batraki called for stronger parliamentary participation in international discussions on climate change, debt, trade, investment and food security, arguing that decisions in these areas have direct consequences for citizens.
“Our parliaments must be able to contribute more to these international debates, promote common positions and ensure that commitments are translated into rational national policies,” he said.
The OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, scheduled for November 9 to 13 in Brussels, will provide a platform for legislators from both sides to deliberate on the shared priorities and strengthen cooperation between the two blocs.
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