Fiji’s Ambassador in Brussels, Ambassador Deo Saran, has formally executed Fiji’s commitment to the Revised Georgetown Agreement which is the fundamental charter of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) of which Fiji has been a member since 1975.
In signing this Revised Agreement on behalf of the Fijian Government, Ambassador Deo Saran was able to convey Fiji’s commitment to the values of the OACPS to its Secretary General, H.E Ambassador Georges Chikoti.
At a ceremony held this week at the OACPS Headquarters in Brussels to mark the occasion, Ambassador Saran, conveyed to Ambassador Chikoti the well wishes of the people and government of Fiji. He highlighted Fiji’s own commitment to the values and principles of the Agreement which provides the rules and cooperation between the 79-member OACP States and its development partners, in particular, the European Union.
The Georgetown Agreement was signed by OACP States in 1975 and formally established the OACPS which was then known as the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP). In 2019, Heads of States and Governments agreed to revise the Agreement to reflect the dynamic changes in the global landscape and the emerging global challenges facing the OACP States including environment and climate change, peace and security, gender and private sector development. The Revised Agreement is also in direct recognition of the important role that multilateral institutions play in addressing these global challenges.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Saran highlighted the importance of the Revised Agreement in prioritising key global issues that impacts Fiji and the wider Pacific region.
“This Revised Agreement, positions the OACPS to place emphasis on fundamental issues like the environment and climate change. We need all 79 member states to make a collective stand on these issues. The Revised Agreement provides us that opportunity to work closely amongst each other, and with our partners in achieving these goals”, Ambassador Saran said.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Ambassador Saran and H.E Ambassador Chikoti held bilateral discussions on Fiji’s engagement with the Organisation. At this meeting, Ambassador Chikoti said that Fiji’s membership in the OACPS was valued especially in the first half of this year as the Regional Coordinator for the Pacific in Brussels.
The Head of the OACPS Secretariat highlighted the key role that the Pacific plays in strengthening the objectives of the OACPS especially in the area of environment and climate change.