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The official launch of the 7th Meeting of Ministers in charge of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) scheduled to take place from 5th to 8th April, 2022 in Accra takes place today at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The 7th OACPS Meeting is geared towards addressing activities that threaten our oceans and the environment including illegal fishing and plastic pollution.
The Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is an organization created by the George Town Agreement in 1975 comprising 79 States from three (3) Regional Blocs namely Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific.
Formerly known as African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the organization’s main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as, their greater integration into the world’s economy.
OACP Member States except Cuba are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement also known as OACPS – European Union Partnership Agreement which binds them to the European Union.
The Agreement enables OACP Member States and the twenty-seven (27) European Union (EU) Member States to cooperate in many development sectors including fisheries to ensure mutual benefit that will lead to improvement in the quality of life of people.
The Cotonou Agreement (signed in Cotonou, Benin in June 2000) is the successor to the Lomé Conventions.
The African OACP member States negotiates in five (5) Economic Partnership Agreement Groups namely the West Africa Group (ECOWAS), the East African Community (EAC), the Eastern and Sothern Africa (COMESA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Ghana is a member of the West Africa Group.
By: Daniel Akwasi Nuako
