Tayebwa Calls for Inclusive OACPS-EU Partnership, Greater Youth Representation

What the report says

Deputy Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has urged a more inclusive partnership between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union, saying young people and marginalized communities should have a stronger role in shaping policy. According to Nile Post, Tayebwa spoke in Brussels on Monday in his capacity as OACPS president and co-president of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, alongside EU counterpart Francisco Assis.

He said decisions on climate adaptation, ocean protection, natural resources and related economic opportunities will affect younger generations most directly, and therefore should not be made without their input. Tayebwa also linked the issue to critical raw materials, arguing that countries that produce them should gain more value through local processing, industry development and skilled jobs rather than relying only on exports.

The report says OACPS and EU parliamentarians are meeting in Brussels from Monday to Friday to discuss the future of their partnership and the implementation of the Samoa Agreement. Tayebwa called on governments and parliaments in both blocs to speed up remaining ratification steps needed to fully bring the agreement into force, even though it is already being applied provisionally.

He also framed the relationship as one that should be based on equality, mutual respect, shared responsibility and mutual benefit. The remarks highlight broader debates within the OACPS-EU relationship about governance, development priorities and how resource-producing countries should benefit from cooperation.