Tayebwa Urges OACPS Members to Form United Front in EU Negotiations

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has challenged legislators from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to close ranks and engage the European Union as a united 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 essential for securing favorable terms in international trade, investment, climate finance, and sustainable development.

Highlighting Europe’s approach to regional solidarity, Tayebwa pointed out that European nations always speak as a single region rather than individual countries. He urged OACPS delegates to adopt the same mindset during upcoming negotiations under the Samoa Agreement, which serves as the overarching cooperation framework with the EU.

Beyond unity, the Brussels meeting addressed pressing concerns regarding financial sustainability and the slow ratification of the Samoa Agreement across member states. Tayebwa strongly advocated for independent financing mechanisms to reduce reliance on external funding from the EU, a proposal backed by the Pacific Regional Parliamentary Group through the establishment of a common parliamentary fund.

Climate change financing also dominated the discussions, with delegates demanding comprehensive reforms to international financial architecture. Tayebwa pointed out that OACPS nations contribute a minimal fraction of global emissions yet suffer the worst consequences, ranging from severe droughts in Africa to rising sea levels in the Caribbean and Pacific. Lawmakers called for debt-free climate responses and supported initiatives like the Bridgetown Initiative to help vulnerable nations build resilience without compromising economic stability.

Read the full report on the Parliament of Uganda.