OACPS Ministers push reform agenda as Council hears call for unity and action

The Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Moussa Batraki, has presented his report to the 120th Session of the OACPS Council of Ministers, outlining key activities, initiatives and reforms since the last ordinary session.

The report set out the Organisation’s strategic priorities, including advancing reform and modernisation, strengthening financial viability, improving governance and performance, and consolidating intra-OACPS and external partnerships.

Against a backdrop of global instability, the report reaffirmed the need for the OACPS to demonstrate its value through clearer, more efficient and more decisive action in support of its Member States.

Opening the Council, President of the OACPS Council of Ministers and Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka outlined the path ahead, saying the Organisation’s future requires “vision, political resolve, and strategic clarity.”

He stressed that in an uncertain global environment, the OACPS’ greatest strength remains unity and solidarity, which he described as the foundations of the Organisation.

Agovaka urged ministers to move forward with renewed conviction, guided by the belief that a stronger, more coherent and more influential OACPS is achievable.

During the session, ministers observed a minute of silence in memory of victims of recent natural disasters worldwide.

The tribute was dedicated particularly to those affected by Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, especially Jamaica, and to communities impacted by Cyclone Senyar in Southeast Asia, notably Indonesia.

The OACPS expressed deep solidarity with the affected populations and reaffirmed its support for the Member States concerned.

On the margins of the Council, Secretary-General Batraki held a bilateral meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita, a special guest at the session.

The discussions underscored strong alignment between the OACPS and UNFPA on a people-centred development approach, with a focus on women and youth. Both sides agreed that strengthening structured partnerships, in line with the Samoa Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, is critical to advancing development priorities across OACPS Member States.

In congratulating Keita on her recent appointment, Batraki called for stronger multilateral cooperation to support shared priorities as part of the OACPS renewal agenda.