1.Strongly welcomes the long-awaited signature of the Samoa Agreement and the overarching objectives it lays out on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and adhering to the Paris Agreement; recalls the importance of joining forces with ACP countries in a spirit of co-creation and establishing win-win partnerships of equals in the six priority areas of human rights, democracy and governance, peace and security, human and social development, inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development, environmental sustainability and climate change, and migration and mobility; calls for the swift signature and ratification of the agreement by all parties; recalls that countries that do not sign the agreement will not participate in its political and decision-making bodies and furthermore that the capacity of the European Investment Bank to deliver on Global Gateway projects in these countries will be greatly undermined;

2.Stresses that the new agreement provides for a strengthened, modernised and more ambitious framework for cooperation; reiterates, further, the important political, economic and cultural bonds which have been built over the last few decades between the EU and the ACP states;

3.Calls for the swift and comprehensive implementation of the agreement, as there is an urgent need to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the face of growing geopolitical instability and competition and unprecedented global challenges such as the multiplication of conflicts, the growth of social inequalities in and between countries, the need to address climate change and biodiversity loss, the fight against hunger and the eradication of poverty; points to the geopolitical value of the Samoa Agreement and its objectives, including poverty reduction, sustainable development and the promotion of democracy and human rights; highlights the joint statement of the OACPS and the EU for COP 28, published on 30 November 2023, as a clear example of cooperation on common interests and priorities in multilateral forums; calls on the Parties to strengthen their cooperation in multilateral organisations, to fully support the work of the UN Human Rights Council and to strive to take joint initiatives; encourages the Member States to engage regularly at ministerial level with the OACPS; reiterates its concern that the EU is losing influence and visibility to alternative offers made by China and Russia; stresses the importance for the EU of reinforcing its status as a reliable ally in development cooperation and of demonstrating that the international rules-based system can meet current and future challenges; underlines the importance of the new agreement in this context;

4.Strongly supports the principles set down in the Foundation section of the Partnership Agreement, notably that the Parties must pursue the objectives of the agreement in a spirit of shared responsibility, solidarity, mutual respect and accountability; believes that this is well aligned with the EU’s aim to create partnerships of equals that generate mutually beneficial outcomes on common and intersecting interests and in accordance with shared values;

5.Welcomes the fact that the agreement builds on several international agreements and identifies the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change as overarching guiding frameworks;

6.Reiterates the importance of the parliamentary dimension and of the parliamentary assembly as a forum for the representatives of civil society and aggregators of diversity from across four continents, and of political dialogue as an integral part of the partnership; considers it important that political dialogue should develop in an environment of full respect and equality between countries and calls for political dialogue to be used more effectively and systematically and in a proactive way in order to prevent political crises; welcomes the fact that parliamentary diplomacy is recognised as a pillar of the partnership and is reinforced by the establishment of three regional assemblies that will allow for in-depth debates on shared region-specific matters;

7.Calls for the provisions for responding to violations of the essential elements of the agreement to be used effectively; reiterates that it is necessary for the EU to take a more principled approach with regard to partner countries that are moving in the opposite direction when it comes to central values and principles;

8.Welcomes the inclusion of a specific article dedicated to policy coherence in the agreement, which is needed to enhance the effectiveness of development activities covered by the agreement; strongly presses for the Parties to reaffirm their determination to work towards poverty eradication, in line with Article 208 TFEU;

9.Calls for coherence and synergies to be built between the regional protocols of the Samoa Agreement and the other policy frameworks governing EU relations with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific regions; welcomes in this context the fact that the regional protocol for Africa consistently refers to the African Union (AU); believes, furthermore, that both the continental EU-AU approach and the EU-OACPS framework complement and reinforce one another; calls for close consultations given that the Commission has announced its intention to review the EU partnership with Africa in the first quarter of 2024;

10.Calls for the strengthening of the EU-Caribbean partnership based on the Declaration of the EU-CELAC Summit of July 2023; is concerned about the increase in violence, organised crime and drug trafficking in the Caribbean; calls for a substantial increase in bi-regional cooperation under this agreement to fight against these threats;

11.Highlights the importance of the Pacific region amid regional geostrategic competition; underlines that preserving peace, stability and the freedom of navigation in the Pacific region remains of critical importance to the interests of the EU and its Member States; highlights that resources need to be pooled to effectively enhance the EU’s political footprint and assert the EU as a reliable and strategic partner in the Pacific; calls for strategic coalitions to be built with the Pacific states on a number of global issues, in particular as regards climate change, ocean governance, peace and security; encourages the Member States to engage annually at ministerial level with Pacific island states;

12.Calls on the EU and its Member States to turn to the outermost regions (ORs) and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) in order to strengthen relations and implement cooperation projects with OACPS member countries; calls for OR and OCT involvement in the regional cooperation processes and dialogue mechanisms provided for in the Samoa Agreement to be encouraged;

13.Believes that the six strategic joint priorities identified in the general part of the agreement remain extremely relevant despite the changing geopolitical context; stresses the importance of addressing these areas of challenges and opportunities in a joint approach;

14.Welcomes the commitment to protect, promote and fulfil human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic principles and to strengthen the rule of law and good governance, notably when considering the declining trend for democracy and good governance in the world and the persistent threats to human rights globally; reiterates in this context that the EU’s external action in support of democracy must adjust to a new geopolitical reality marked by competing governance models in order to better prevent and respond to democratic backsliding; further welcomes the commitment to promote universal human rights without discrimination based on any grounds; regrets, however, the fact that the agreement fails to mention explicitly that discrimination could be based on sexual orientation or on gender identity; urges the Parties to avoid any discrimination based on sexual orientation and to put an end to the criminalisation and punishment of LGBTI people, including the use of the death penalty;

15.Insists on the need to give greater prominence to the human and social development aspects of the agreement, including to improve access to quality education and vocational training, in order to enable ACP countries to unlock the human capital potential of their young people and to boost human development, economic growth and employment in their countries; stresses, furthermore, the need to improve resources for humanitarian aid and to guarantee effective channels of access to its implementation;

16.Stresses that the operationalisation of the ‘EU Global Health Strategy’ in ACP countries, especially regarding the transfer of technology and skills to boost the manufacturing of vaccines in ACP countries, should be tailored to local needs with the full participation of local and regional administrations, local professionals and experts, in order to ensure effective cooperation aimed at improving the quality of healthcare and health services in ACP countries;

17.Underlines that particular attention should be paid to the provisions on food security and improved nutrition, given the global rise in food insecurity, malnutrition and hunger, which have been particularly exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; reiterates that EU support in this area should be in line with its policy coherence for development commitments and contribute to the building of sustainable agri-food systems, notably with a focus on small-scale farmers, as they play a crucial role in food security in many ACP countries, bearing in mind the specificities of the three regions;

18.Welcomes the inclusion of a specific article on youth and recalls that the active participation of young people in policies affecting them should be strongly encouraged; underlines in this respect the importance of seizing the opportunities offered by the youth action plan in external action to enhance meaningful youth participation and empowerment in the EU’s external action policies; underlines that children face the greatest risk of violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect; urges the Parties to strengthen their efforts and cooperation aimed at protecting children’s basic rights and well-being, and ensuring access to education and justice;

19.Welcomes the fact that gender equality and women’s economic empowerment are recognised as key drivers for sustainable development and stresses that, as such, they must be mainstreamed throughout the implementation of the Samoa Agreement; further welcomes the fact that the Parties agree that they must adopt and strengthen enforceable legislation, legal frameworks and sound policies, programmes and mechanisms to ensure girls’ and women’s equal access to, equal control over, equal opportunities and full and equal participation in, all spheres of life; supports the commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the context of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the ICPD and the outcomes of their review conference, in line with SDG 5; reiterates the importance of maintaining and strengthening gender-sensitive development cooperation programmes in order to achieve the commitments set out in the agreement, in particular to combat all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, such as female genital mutilation; calls for the EU institutions to speed up the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III in ACP countries;

20.Calls on the Commission to ensure that the agreement is a basis for strengthening economic relations between the Parties in a mutually beneficial way, increasing the global market share of both EU and OACPS businesses and strengthening the role of local entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises; stresses that the mutual relationship between the EU and the OACPS should be based on common values and that economic relations must develop on a partnership basis; strongly supports the objective to mobilise investment, support trade and foster private sector development, with a view to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and creating decent jobs for all; stresses, in this context, that a strong link will have to be established between the agreement and the Global Gateway initiative with the participation of local civil society and private sector actors, notably through the Global Gateway Civil Society and Local Authorities Dialogue Platform and the Business Advisory Group, in both the selection and implementation phases of Global Gateway projects in ACP countries; underlines the potential of the EU Global Gateway initiative; takes note of the EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Global Gateway investment agenda and the EU-Africa Global Gateway investment package; stresses that massive investments are required in both hard and soft infrastructure in ACP countries, from digital, transport and energy networks to health, education and food systems, and that these investments should be aligned with the targets of the SDGs; believes the Global Gateway initiative could be a response to this, aiming to provide a viable and attractive alternative for partner countries that delivers lasting benefits for local communities;

21.Is of the opinion that the Samoa Agreement may contribute positively to free, fair and open trade for achieving sustainable growth and development; stresses that the agreement’s trade and investment provisions must be tailored to benefit all Parties in order to ensure an equal and mutually beneficial partnership; underlines that the Samoa Agreement will not change trading arrangements between the EU and OACPS countries, whose partnership will continue to be based on separate trade agreements and instruments, notably regional economic partnership agreements (EPAs) and the generalised system of preferences scheme (GSP); calls on the Commission to ensure that all its trade instruments targeting OACPS countries such as EPAs, the GSP and Aid for Trade are mutually reinforcing and consistent with the principle of policy coherence for development and its development cooperation objective of eradicating poverty and contributing to the achievement of the SDGs; highlights that the agreement contains a chapter on trade cooperation that reaffirms the commitment to implement and strengthen EPAs and establishes common priorities and dispositions; stresses that the key role of EPAs between the EU and African countries should be promoting long-term sustainable development, reducing poverty and boosting regional integration; acknowledges the diverging views on EPAs and calls on the Commission to address them by building trust and mutual understanding about the benefits of and concerns about EPAs; reiterates its request for an in-depth analysis of the impact of EPAs on local economies, regional integration and economic diversification, and their compliance with the SDGs and the principle of policy coherence for development;

22.Takes note of the fact that one of the aims of the agreement is to support the integration of ACP countries into the global economy; insists that the trade related provisions of the new Partnership Agreement should contribute to stimulating and increasing sustainable investments that deliver benefits for local populations, create jobs, foster private sector development, notably for SMEs, and enhance inclusive economic and sustainable trade cooperation; welcomes references to social, environmental and labour standards, corporate social responsibility, responsible business conduct and respect for the right to regulate throughout the agreement; believes that a positive link should be established between trade, the eradication of poverty, the fight against inequalities and support for sustainable development; stresses that sustainability provisions should be anchored in goals and commitments on which both Parties have agreed; acknowledges that Parties to the agreement may have differing interpretations of sustainability and is mindful of the Parties’ respective levels of development and policy priorities; calls on the Commission to uphold the political, financial, technical and policy assistance provided to OACPS countries according to their assessed needs, including to its African partners, for the smooth implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, with a view to promoting intra-African trade;

23.Reiterates its call on the Commission to implement measures such as a prohibition on the importation of products related to severe human rights violations, such as forced labour or the worst forms of child labour; stresses the importance of including the objective of combating forced labour and child labour in the trade and sustainable development chapters of EU trade agreements;

24.Recalls Parliament’s commitment to the European Green Deal and welcomes trade initiatives that contribute to achieving its objectives, including but not limited to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the legislative proposal on mandatory due diligence; insists that the Commission carefully monitor the impact of these initiatives on EU-OACPS trade and present accompanying measures to mitigate any short-term disruption; is convinced that in the long term, these legislative initiatives will result in more resilient and sustainable global value chains, benefiting citizens and businesses in the EU and the OACPS;

25.Welcomes the commitment to cooperate in order to strengthen energy security and increase access to energy in ACP countries, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, notably by accelerating progress on SDG 7 and the Paris Agreement, with respect for the rights of all, including indigenous peoples, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and local communities; stresses that the agreement must contribute fully to the electrification of developing countries in order to ensure that people’s basic needs are met and productive activities are established; stresses notably the need to support African partner countries by harnessing the continent’s great untapped renewable energy potential, which has the potential to boost economic growth, job creation and social development; welcomes the inclusion of a specific article dedicated to energy in the Africa regional protocol; notes further that the energy sector is identified as one of the investment priorities of the Global Gateway initiative, which should be aligned with the objectives of the SDGs;

26.Stresses the urgency of tackling global environmental challenges and of focusing on the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, especially by strengthening cooperation on resilience in the face of natural disasters and adaptation to climate change and contributing to the Loss and Damage Fund; highlights the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2022 report, according to which global warming will progressively weaken soil health and ecosystem services, undermining food productivity in many regions on land and in the oceans; welcomes the fact that the Samoa Agreement, in contrast to the Cotonou Agreement, includes much more detailed provisions on environmental sustainability and climate change; notes that provisions on environmental sustainability, oceans, seas and marine resources, as well as climate change and natural disasters, are covered both in the Foundation section and the three regional protocols; calls for the EU and OACPS member countries to support cooperation projects designed to address shared challenges; highlights in particular the Great Green Wall project in Africa and the Blue Belt initiative for a global network for cooperation on protected marine areas and ocean governance;

27.Welcomes the recognition by both Parties of the essential role of the ocean for life on earth, sustainable development and food security, and their commitment to promote a blue economy and systemic, integrated and ambitious international ocean governance, notably in the context of ongoing global negotiations; insists on the importance of stepping up cooperation between the EU and OACPS countries on key growing challenges related to seabed mining, marine pollution (microplastics, pollution from military munitions dumped at sea, etc.), illegal fishing, the transition towards more sustainable management of fisheries resources and the decarbonisation of maritime transport;

28.Welcomes the Parties’ commitment to enhancing cooperation on migration and mobility, including addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacements, for example due to conflict, instability and the consequences of climate change, as well as to facilitate legal pathways for migration in full respect of international law and in accordance with the Parties’ respective competences, as well as being in line with the objectives of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe;

29.Welcomes the fact that cooperation on peace and security is expected to be scaled up under the new agreement as that it is clearly an area of mutual interest; notes that the agreement has the potential to further cooperation in new areas ranging from piracy or the financing of terrorism, to cybercrime; calls for an integrated approach to conflicts and crises linking humanitarian, development, peace and security efforts at all stages; insists on the importance of implementing properly the humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach across all crisis affected and fragile ACP countries; recalls, in this context, the need for clear policy orientations in order to bridge the gaps between the individual policy areas, while ensuring that the distinct legal character and principles of humanitarian aid are respected; reiterates that there cannot be sustainable development without peace and security, and that without inclusive development there cannot be sustainable peace and security; expresses concern over the increased footprint and presence of foreign actors including private military companies and/or state-sponsored proxies, such as the Wagner Group, in the Sahel, which undermines the security and the stability of the countries concerned and which has profound regional and international consequences;

30.Welcomes the budgetisation of the European Development Fund (EDF) in the Union’s budget implemented as of 2021, which was a long-standing demand of the European Parliament; considers that this allows for better democratic scrutiny and for enhanced accountability and visibility of EU development financing;

31.Stresses the importance of ensuring development effectiveness and results; believes that the implementation of the agreement requires substantial and sustainable mobilisation of financial resources; welcomes, therefore, the recognition that the means of cooperation should be diversified, encompassing a range of policies and instruments from all available sources and actors following the triple nexus approach; recognises the important role of the private sector in generating financing for development;

32.Recalls that the mobilisation of domestic resources through taxation is one of the most important sources of revenue for financing sustainable development; urges the EU and the OACPS to show strong political will and determination in combating illicit financial flows, tax evasion and corruption; stresses the importance of supporting ACP partner countries’ efforts to build robust domestic resource mobilisation systems in order to secure increased domestic funding for development and unlock the potential of ACP countries’ economic development; recognises that corruption in public finance management is an obstacle to domestic resource mobilisation; supports, therefore, the Council conclusions of 4 May 2023 on corruption as an obstacle to development;

33.Welcomes the commitment of the Parties to the Samoa Agreement to address debt and work towards debt sustainability, as this underpins the achievement of the SDGs;

34.Insists on the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in the strengthening of the political dialogue between the EU and the members of the OACPS;

35.Calls for democratic accountability to be ensured at all levels of the agreement;

36.Recognises the contribution that the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) has played in the past and will continue to play in the future; recalls that the JPA provides a platform for members to hold exchanges on policies and issues that are of mutual relevance to the EU and the OACPS;

37.Welcomes the setting up of the three regional assemblies that will further strengthen the parliamentary dimension and will allow for in-depth parliamentary debates on issues of a more regional nature;

38.Welcomes the commitment to promote a multi-stakeholder approach, enabling the active engagement of a wide variety of actors, including parliaments, local authorities, local civil society, women and young people, and the private sector; calls for this commitment to be rapidly translated into practice, which will necessitate the creation of an open and transparent mechanism for structured consultation in order to ensure the effective participation of stakeholders;

39.Is concerned, however, in view of the shrinking space for civil society, that the Parties have committed to increasing the participation of stakeholders only ‘where appropriate’, which might impose limitations on their effective participation; recalls the need to recognise and promote the multiple roles and contributions of civil society organisations and calls for the EU to enhance the participation of EU and ACP countries’ civil society actors in the implementation of the agreement;

40.Welcomes the provisions on global alliances and international cooperation included in the new agreement, with commitments to the rules-based international order and to promoting international dialogue and seeking multilateral solutions to drive global action forward, promoting peace and development and accelerating progress on SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals; calls on the EU and OACPS member countries to back the roadmap for the Paris Pact for People and the Planet, in particular in the fight against poverty and regarding climate change adaptation;

41.Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to strengthen strategic communication on the EU’s activities within the partnership framework;

42.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European Investment Bank and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States Council of Ministers.