On November 14 and 15, 2023, Andrejs Pildegovičs, Ambassador for Special Tasks – Head of the Secretariat of Latvia’s candidacy to the UN Security Council, represented Latvia at the signing ceremony of the Council of Ministers of the European Union (EU) and the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the Samoa Agreement Apia, the capital of Samoa.
Addressing the members of the Council of Ministers on behalf of the Baltic States, Ambassador A. Pildegović reminded of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the escalation of the crisis in the Middle East and emphasized the need for closer cooperation between the EU and the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, defending the sovereign equality and territorial integrity of countries, which is also the principles of the UN Charter. A. Pildegovićs also emphasized the disproportionate impact of climate change on small island developing countries and noted that Latvia has already been involved in international legal proceedings that deal with the obligations of countries regarding climate change.
During the visit, A. Pildegović met with the Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiami Naomi Mataafa (Fiame Naomi Mata’afa), with whom he discussed both bilateral cooperation and cooperation in international organizations, focusing especially on issues related to climate change. A. Pildegović also met with heads of delegations from Fiji, East Timor, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Micronesia.
The new EU-African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS) Partnership Agreement replaces the Cotonou Agreement and will be known as the ‘Samoa Agreement’. It will serve as the overarching legal framework between the EU and the OACPS for the next twenty years. The themes included in the Samoa Agreement are sustainable development and growth, human rights and peace and security.
Deputy Head of the Latvian Embassy in Australia Ieva Apine also participated in the signing ceremony of the agreement. The competence of the Embassy of Latvia in Australia is to develop Latvia’s contacts and promote the implementation of this agreement with the countries of the Pacific Ocean.
2023-11-16 09:49:22
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