The European Union and the Pacific share a long and rich history; our long-standing tradition of cooperation and partnership dates back to 1975. Today we have grown into strong allies, working side by side on the challenges of our time, such as climate change and mitigating its effects, energy transition,  promoting economic prosperity, gender equality, peace and security to name a few. Our partnership has achieved great progress in terms of our shared interests and development cooperation.

During my mandate as Ambassador of the EU to the Pacific, my priority is to strengthen all dimensions of the multifaceted relationship between the European Union and the Pacific. On the political level, this relationship is based upon our shared values of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, multilateralism and a rules-based international order. Economically, the European Union offers significant business and trade opportunities, especially through the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

The European Union and the Pacific pursue common priorities, particularly with respect to climate change, ocean governance, and sustainable development. The programming of the 2021-2027 European Union development cooperation, with a “Blue-Green Alliance with the Pacific”, is the basis for translating the shared ambition of the European Union and the Pacific into concrete actions in the years to come, aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and I am excited to be part of this joint effort.

The new Partnership Agreement between the EU and the OACPS (Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific Countries), to be signed in Samoa in November 2023, is a major milestone in our region-to-region relations. The Agreement contains a specific Protocol for the comprehensive Pacific-EU relations defining priority areas of our cooperation and putting in place an institutional framework for our relations. This will enable us to respond better to the needs of the Pacific partners and develop a common agenda based on shared priorities.

We are faced with many challenges on a global scale, but we can overcome these challenges if we tackle them jointly. I look forward to exploring many opportunities for cooperation in the years to come.

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