21 Dec 2023
Namibia has signed a new economic partnership agreement with the European Union on 18 December 2023 after it had initially said a month ago it would not sign.
Namibia's director general of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Obeth Kandjoze signed the agreement in Brussels.
This followed after recent consultations between the EU and Windhoek.
The new agreement with the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) was originally signed on 15 November in Samoa at the end of the 46th session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, which took place just the signature ceremony, also in Samoa.
The agreement deals with sustainable development and economic growth, human rights, peace and security for the next twenty years. It succeeds the Cotonou agreement (2000 - 2023), which ends now. The new deal will be known as the “Samoa Agreement”.
Over thirty OACPS countries have not signed in November due to reservations about some of the clauses.
Namibia initially said some of the clauses contained in the document of over 180 pages were not in line with the country's constitution. Another factor was that the agreement does not condone legal ivory trade. Namibia has a big stockpile of ivory it wants to auction off and use the income for the protection of its elephants and rhinos.
The EU Ambassador to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins congratulated Namibia saying the Samoa agreement “provides a solid foundation and continuity to our longstanding partnership. We look forward to enhancing our cooperation in areas of common interest, from the global fight against climate change and political and security to the promotion of inclusive green growth.”
The new accord is regarded as the largest and most comprehensive global one, partnering nations across four continents – Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific regions.
Brigitte Weidlich
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