2024 started with a hard to swallow truth. While almost half of the 79 African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries did not sign the EU-ACP Agreement during the signing ceremony on 15 November 2023, by the time it was January 2024, most of those initially-refusing countries also signed; including Uganda and Malawi. While those two countries in particular had been quite vocal against the Agreement, the EU was able to convince them to sign by promising that they had the chance to make reservations within the first year after signing. The EU even appointed CCI's close friend and vocal opponent of the Agreement, Uganda’s Deputy Speaker Hon. Tayebwa, to represent East Africa in the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). Luckily, Nigeria did not sign yet, partly thanks to the World Press Conference held by CCI's close allies in collaboration with CCI.
CCI will continue working with the National Parliaments of the ACP countries to help their governments (through a resolution) to request for an Amendment to the Agreement in relation to the violations against life, family and freedom.
One way in which CCI aims to strengthen its presence on the African continent is by hiring 1-2 interns to support in setting up a Pan-African Network of CCI allies in each African country in order to level up the lobbying and advocacy activities across the continent.
The newly hired intern(s) will be introduced in the next newsletter.
Video: African Values are not to be exchanged for European Funding- Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament