European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, met with leaders from the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) in Tonga to discuss the future of the Pacific protocol under the Samoa Agreement. This agreement, signed in November 2023, outlines the framework for the EU’s collaboration with 79 countries from the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States.
The protocol aims to foster on-the-ground collaboration that supports the blue economy and enhances environmental protection and climate resilience. Commissioner Urpilainen emphasized the current geopolitical tensions and the importance of robust partnerships to safeguard shared interests, particularly in climate action and a rules-based international order.
She noted, “The 40-year cooperation between Pacific Island countries and the European Union exemplifies such a partnership,” and highlighted the need to strengthen relations for greater impact through the Pacific protocol.
Urpilainen stated that this protocol, supported by the Global Gateway investment strategy, focuses on driving sustainable development, climate action, and prosperity. She also mentioned that the EU and Pacific Island nations collaborate in international forums to address global issues, including climate change and ocean governance. The recent signing of the Samoa Agreement in Apia has reinforced this partnership, aiming for a more equitable and environmentally sustainable world.
During her visit to Tonga, the Commissioner held talks with high-level representatives from partner nations and development partners to outline cooperation priorities and explore how the EU Global Gateway strategy can enhance sustainable growth in the region.
Urpilainen made several key announcements for a sustainable future in the Pacific, including a final disbursement of €1.2 million to Vanuatu to support climate-resilient rural development, a €1 million Technical Assistance program for Tonga’s Ministry of Energy, and a €3.1 million budget support disbursement for water resilience and climate change adaptation in Samoa. Additionally, €2.5 million will be allocated to Kiribati for feasibility studies of a Multi-Purpose port on Kiritimati Island to provide economic opportunities.
The Commissioner visited the EU-funded Climate and WASH Resilience Community Project aimed at helping vulnerable households prepare for climate risks. She also interacted with local youth and civil society, promoting youth involvement in policymaking and highlighting the launch of the EU Youth Empowerment Fund and the upcoming establishment of the EU Youth Sounding Board for the Pacific.
With her background as a schoolteacher and youth advocate, Urpilainen remains dedicated to championing youth rights, empowerment, and quality education, encouraging ongoing engagement from young people to elevate their voices in policy discussions.
The Samoa Agreement, which encompasses 106 nations and roughly 1.5 billion individuals, represents a comprehensive partnership between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). It creates a strategic partnership focusing on pressing priorities such as environmental sustainability, climate change, and inclusive economic development, aligning closely with the goals of the PIF 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.