President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for more trade and investment deals among member countries of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
President Kenyatta, who is the current President-in-Office of the Summit of OACPS Heads of State and Government, said the over one billion people that make up the 79-member multilateral body provides a huge potential for intra-OACPS trade and investments.
President Kenyatta spoke Thursday night at State House, Nairobi when he delivered the opening statement during a virtual townhall meeting of the OACPS.
The revised Georgetown Agreement, which came into force on 5th April 2020, was adopted during the OACPS 9th summit held in Nairobi in December 2019 and introduced several reforms among them, the renaming of the bloc from ACP Group of States to OACPS.
In his statement, President Kenyatta outlined his vision for the multilateral institution saying he envisions a transitionary OACPS that is united and progressive. Underlying the establishment of the ACP Group was our desire to promote unity and solidarity of the ACP States,” the President said.
President Kenyatta also spoke about the impact of Covid-19 on OACPS countries saying member states need to “use creativity and innovation to recover together and build back better”.
On financing of development in OACPS, President Kenyatta called for a multi-pronged approach to resource mobilization and welcomed the various debt relief mechanisms.
Once again, President Kenyatta thanked the OACPS for backing Kenya’s successful bid for the non-permanent UN Security Council seat and assured that Kenya will articulate the bloc’s agenda during its tenure.
Mr Chikoti said the OACPS Secretariat fully supports the COVAX Covid-19 vaccine sharing platform, adding that the organization will soon roll-out a five-year strategic plan, 2021 to 2025, to bring on board the provisions of the revised Georgetown Agreement as well as the new OACPS-EU agreement.
