Media Statement
05 October 2021
Minister Pandor to lead a South African delegation during an Extra-Ordinary virtual SADC Council of Ministers, 6 October 2021
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, will lead the South African delegation during an Extra-Ordinary virtual SADC Council of Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled to take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 06 October 2021.
The meeting will discuss specific areas of concern in the initialled Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) – European Union (EU) Post-Cotonou Agreement and the European Union’s Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI).
This follows a decision of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of States and Government held in the Republic of Malawi on 18 August 2021 which noted the risks and challenges associated with the proposed new approach through the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)-European Union (EU) Partnership Agreement and the Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI).
The Summit acknowledged that these new instruments have the potential to fragment the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States countries; weaken Regional Economic Communities and shift agenda-setting powers from Member States to other parties. The Summit directed the Secretariat to clearly identify areas that require attention in these instruments and propose concrete ways of addressing SADC Member States’ concerns.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union (EU) have a long-term cooperation partnership that has over the years been implemented through the Cotonou Partnership Agreement that was signed in June 2000 to facilitate development cooperation and gradual integration of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries into the global economy.
The Cotonou Partnership Agreement which ended in December 2020 has mainly been financed through the European Development Fund (EDF).
NDICI, the new European Union (EU) financial instrument was approved by the European Parliament in June 2021.
The Extra-Ordinary SADC Council of Ministers’ Meeting is preceded by a Meeting of Senior Officials held on Monday, 4 October 2021.
Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
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