EU-PAP Partnership: Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker, Kalu Seeks Stronger Ties under Samoa Agreement
Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called for enhanced cooperation between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) under the Samoa Agreement.
Speaking during a meeting with the Desk Officer in the Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific Unit of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, Dr. Djamila Chikhi on Thursday, Kalu who led the Monetary and Financial Affairs Committee of PAP emphasized the need for effective implementation of the agreement.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the EU-PAP partnership and ensure impactful collaborations, promoting sustainable development, democracy, and peace.
Kalu highlighted the importance of committee-to-committee engagement, suggesting regular dialogue between the AU PAP’s Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs and relevant EU Parliament committees.
The Deputy Speaker also underscored the need for better communication and coordination between the two secretariats.
He suggested establishing a direct and regular channel of communication to align agendas, share preparatory documents, and coordinate follow-up actions.
Kalu also sought procedural advice on formally proposing and organizing joint committee hearings or workshops and ensuring that parliamentary dialogue outcomes influence EU policy.
He said: “Our objective today is to discuss how we can improve the operational effectiveness of our joint parliamentary work and ensure our collaborations are impactful and results-oriented.
“While the formal plenary sessions of the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly are important, we believe the real work happens at the committee level. We want to make these interactions more dynamic and substantive.
“We propose establishing a more structured and regular dialogue between the AU PAP’s Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs and its relevant counterparts in the European Parliament (e.g., ECON, DEVE, AFET). This could include joint thematic workshops, joint fact-finding missions, improving information flow and coordination.
“Sometimes, there is a disconnect in information flow and preparatory work between our two secretariats, which can limit the effectiveness of our meetings.
“We would like to explore establishing a more direct and regular channel of communication between our committee’s secretariat and your unit.
This would help in aligning agendas for upcoming meetings, sharing preparatory documents and research in advance, coordinating follow-up actions after meetings to ensure resolutions are implemented”.
Regarding the Samoa Agreement, Kalu requested guidance on navigating its framework.
The Samoa Agreement is a new partnership agreement between the
European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), signed on November 15, 2023, in Samoa, replacing the previous Cotonou Agreement.
The agreement focuses on six key priorities of human rights, democracy and governance; peace and security; human and social development; inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development; environmental sustainability; and climate change, migration and mobility.
“We would like to navigate the structures of the new Samoa Agreement to maximise the impact of the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly.
“We aim to build a robust, effective, and action-oriented partnership between
our parliaments. We believe that by strengthening the operational links
between our secretariats, we can achieve this. We see you as a key partner in this endeavour and look forward to working closely with you”, Kalu said.