2. Ethiopia participates at the OACPS and the EU-OACPS Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA

Ethiopia particpates at the OACPS and the EU-OACPS Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA)

Honorable Speaker Tagesse Chaffo has expressed Ethiopia’s unwavering stance in playing its part in strengthening the institutional capacity of OACPS to make it fit for purpose, efficient, independent and a visible actor in the multilateral fora.

Honorable speaker Tagesse Chaffo. Credit: The Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels Ethiopia as a founding member of the Organization of Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), which has 78 member countries, has been taking part in the OACPS-European Union Parliamentary Assembly, which was established under the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between OACPS and European Union. The Joint Parliamentary Assembly is a platform to exchange views on global political, economic, social, and environmental issues between members of Parliament of OACPS on the one hand and OACPS-EU assemblies on the other.

This year, the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly was held for the 60th time from 29 to 31 March 2022, followed by the 41st session of the OACPS-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly held between 01-03 April 2022, in Strasbourg, France. This meeting has been the first in-person Session of the Assemblies since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Ethiopia participated in those Assemblies with a high-level delegation led by the Speaker of the House of Peoples Representatives, Honorable Tagesse Chaffo.

The Assemblies were preceded by three meetings of the OACPS Committees, i.e., Committee on the Political Affairs, Committee on the Economic Development, Finance, and Trade, and the Committee on Social and Environmental Affairs, held between 29-30 March 2022. The Committees’ meetings discussed issues related to the challenges of peace and security, trade barriers as well as climate change among Members of the OACPS.

The 60th OACPS Parliamentary Assembly

The 60th session of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly started its meeting by deliberating on the outcomes of the various committee meetings that dwelt on the status of peace and security issues in the region, ways and means to collaborate in managing the adverse impacts of the COVID pandemic and strengthening the stature of the OACPS to make it fit for purpose to the current global reality.

Based on the reports presented by the Committee on the Economic Development, Finance and Trade, and the Committee on Social and Environmental Affairs, Participants noted that the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) will put pressure on exporters to the EU, to decarbonize the production of certain goods and that many exporters and producers in the least Developed Countries (LDCs) and other developing countries such as those members of the OACPS will face difficulties to finance necessary investments. They also discussed trade issues guaranteeing access to the European Market for producers in the framework of new regulations arising from the green pact for Europe.

The OACPS members also discussed the EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions and the list of high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime. Members requested that a study be carried out on the impact of the list on their countries.

Around-table discussion of Speakers and Deputy Speakers of National Assemblies also took place under the title “OACPS: Innovation and Resilience” and Honorable Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Secretary-General of OACPS called on Members to support the work of the OACPS, enhance the visibility of the OACPS and its work in their respective countries and the international arena, and invited them to commemorate key OACPS days in their national assemblies. During this discussion, Honorable Speaker Tagesse Chaffo has expressed Ethiopia’s unwavering stance in playing its part in strengthening the institutional capacity of OACPS to make it fit for purpose, efficient, independent and a visible actor in the multilateral fora. He also pointed out important items that would enrich the Rules of Procedure of the OACPS-EU joint parliamentary assembly under revision.

The meeting has also deliberated on issues that will be discussed at the 41st session of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and the tabling of the current Ukraine-Russia Crisis as the JPA agenda of an urgent debate was hotly debated among members of the OACPS reflecting different views.

The 41st OACPS-EU JPA

On the 1st of April, the 41st Session Joint Parliamentary Assembly was opened by the statement of the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, the French State Minister for European Affairs H.E. Clement Beaune, the Co-Presidents of the OACPS-EU Parliamentary Assembly Honorable Carlos Zorrinho and Honorable Peter Kenilorea, the Secretary-General for OACPS Honorable Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti and the Mayor of Strasbourg City Jeanne Barseghian. In her opening remarks, Honorable Metsola underlined that the parliamentary cooperation between Europe and the OACPS, which is based on mutual respect, democracy promotion and rule of law will further continue under the new Post-Cotonou Partnership Agreement. The European side also raised issues like democracy rule of law, mutual respect, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They particularly emphasized the Ukraine-Russia crisis and its impacts on food security and called for the Assembly to stand with Ukraine and condemned the aggression. In this regard, the representative of the current EU presidency, the French State Minister Beaune underlined that his country is ready to support the agricultural activities of the developing countries in their struggle to achieve food security.

The OACPS side, on the other hand, stated the need to cooperate to address the impacts of climate change, particularly emphasizing the importance of strengthening the dialogue for achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

Honorable Tagesse Chaffo, in addition to taking part in the opening ceremony, has delivered an intervention on the need to expedite the ratification of the Post-Cotonou Agreement. He also further stated the importance of creating a consultation mechanism in the implementation phase of the agreement to ascertain ownership, and common understanding. The Members of the OACPS and the EU have clearly stated their support for EU-OACPS collaboration on key issues such as economic recovery and investment, the fight against global warming, environmental protection, and ensuring universal health coverage and access to COVID-19 vaccines for all. The assembly adopted a resolution.

A special session was held to celebrate the JPA 20 years of existence, during which the many accomplishments and achievements of the JPA were highlighted particularly the establishment of a solid basis for constructive dialogue and international political cooperation with a focus on multilateral solutions. The importance of the parliamentary dimension of the OACPS-EU partnership was another key message of the commemoration. The Cotonu and Post-Cotonu agreements were discussed at length following the statement of Madam Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner of the International Partnership, and her team. The session also featured young leaders from the OACPS Members who expressed their views on the Post-Cotonou agreement. Speakers highlighted the need to engage young people by establishing a youth forum under the revised Georgetown Agreement. Among the Panelists, the 2021, Jutta Urpilainen’s Special Advisor on Youth from Ethiopia Bitania Lulu underlined that the Post-Cotonou agreement should consider demography and focus on youth, particularly on youth education and capacity building, job creation, and youth empowerment, and it has got wide acceptance among the participants.

The participation of the Ethiopian delegation that included sideline engagement with the OACPS and EU members of Parliament had made it possible to forge common positions on mutual interests with the OACPSEU member countries. It has also helped a balanced reflection on the current situation in Ethiopia.

The next session of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly is agreed to take place in Mozambique.

Prior to the full Assembly session, Honorable Dima Nego (Ph.D.), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Standing Committee of the House of Representatives has taken the opportunity to explain to members of the Political

Honorable Dima Nego (PhD). Credit: The Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels