Cotonou Agreement Extension

On June 15, 2020, the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states agreed to extend the Cotonou Agreement for six months. The Agreement, which was originally signed in 2000, governs the economic and political ties between the EU and 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

The extension was necessary because negotiations for a new agreement have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The negotiations, which began in 2018, were supposed to be completed by the end of 2020, but have been pushed back to early 2021.

The Cotonou Agreement is an important framework for cooperation between the EU and the ACP countries. It covers a wide range of issues, including trade, development aid, and political dialogue. One of the key objectives of the Agreement is to promote the economic and social development of the ACP countries.

The extension of the Cotonou Agreement is good news for the ACP countries, which have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has disrupted trade and investment flows, and has led to a sharp decline in tourism revenues. The extension will provide some stability and certainty for these countries, and will help to ensure that they continue to receive development aid and other forms of support from the EU.

However, the extension is only a short-term solution, and negotiations for a new agreement will need to be concluded soon. The ACP countries have been pushing for a more comprehensive and balanced agreement, which takes into account their specific needs and challenges. For example, they have called for better access to EU markets for their agricultural products, and for more support for renewable energy and climate change adaptation.

The EU has also indicated that it wants a more ambitious and strategic partnership with the ACP countries, which goes beyond the traditional development aid relationship. Some of the key issues that are likely to be addressed in the new agreement include trade, investment, migration, and security.

Overall, the extension of the Cotonou Agreement is a positive development, as it provides some stability and certainty for the EU and the ACP countries during a challenging time. However, the negotiations for a new agreement will be complex and difficult, and will require a lot of hard work and cooperation from both sides. As a result, it will be interesting to see how these negotiations unfold in the coming months.