View source for Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States

{{Short description|Intergovernmental organization on sustainable development and poverty reduction}}
{{Infobox Geopolitical organization
|conventional_long_name = Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
|native_name                 =  ''Organisation des États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique''
|linking_name                =  OACPS
|image_flag                  =  File:African-Caribbean-And-Pacific-Group-Of-States-ACP-Flag.svg
|alt_flag                    =
|symbol_type                 =
|image_symbol                =
|alt_symbol                  =
|symbol_width                = 150px
|image_map                   = File:African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States member nations map.svg
|established                 = 6 June 1975
|membership_type             =
|membership                  =
|admin_center_type           = [[Secretariat (administrative office)|Secretariat]]
|admin_center                = {{nowrap|[[Brussels]], {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Belgium]]}}
|languages_type              = [[Official language]]s
|languages                   = {{unbulleted list |[[English language|English]]|[[French language|French]]}}
|leader_title1               = [[Secretary General]]
|leader_name1                = {{nowrap|[[Georges Chikoti]]}}
|leader_title2               =
|leader_name2                =
|leader_title3               =
|leader_name3                =
|established_event1          =
|established_date1           =
|established_event2          =
|established_date2           =
|area_rank                   =
|area_km2                    =
|area_sq_mi                  =
|population_estimate         =
|population_estimate_rank    =
|population_estimate_year    =
|population_density_km2      =
|population_density_sq_mi =
|population_density_rank     =
|GDP_PPP                     =
|GDP_PPP_rank                =
|GDP_PPP_year                =
|GDP_PPP_per_capita          =
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank     =
|GDP_nominal                 =
|GDP_nominal_rank            =
|GDP_nominal_year            =
|GDP_nominal_per_capita      =
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank =
|Gini_year                   =
|Gini_change                 = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
|Gini                        = <!--number only-->
|Gini_ref                    =
|Gini_rank                   =
|HDI_year                    =
|HDI_change                  = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
|HDI                         = <!--number only-->
|HDI_ref                     =
|HDI_rank                    =
|currency                    =
|time_zone                   =
|utc_offset                  =
|official_website            = {{URL|www.oacps.org}}
}}
[[File:ACP EPA Groups.svg|300px|thumb| {{legend|#00ff00|Caribbean group}} {{legend|#ff0000|East and South Africa group}} {{legend|#ffff00|Pacific group}} {{legend|#007f00|West African group}} {{legend|#0000ff|Southern African group}} {{legend|#ff7f80|Central African group}} {{legend|#ff00ff|East Africa group}}]]
The '''Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States''' ('''OACPS''', [[French language|French]]: ''Organisation des États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique'')  is a group of [[countries of the world|countries]] in [[Africa]], the [[Caribbean]], and the [[Pacific Islands|Pacific]] that was created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975.<ref name="UIA">{{Cite web |url=https://uia.org/s/or/en/1100027396 |url-access= |title=Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) |author1=Staff writer |year=2024 |department=UIA Global Civil Society Database |website=uia.org |publisher=[[Union of International Associations]] |agency=Yearbook of International Organizations Online |location=Brussels, Belgium |format= |arxiv= |asin= |bibcode= |doi= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |access-date=12 January 2025 |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |quote= |trans-quote= }}</ref> Formerly known as '''African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States''' ('''ACP'''),  the organisation's main objectives are sustainable development and [[poverty reduction]] within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world's economy. All of the member states, except [[Cuba]], are signatories to the [[Cotonou Agreement]] with the [[European Union]].
The [[Cotonou Agreement]] (signed in [[Cotonou]], [[Benin]], in June 2000) is the successor to the [[Lomé Convention]]s. One of the major differences from the Lomé Convention is that the partnership is extended to new actors such as civil society, private sector, trade unions and local authorities. These will be involved in consultations and planning of national development strategies, provided with access to financial resources and involved in the implementation of programmes.
Many small island developing states are OACPS states; the fourth Lomé Convention was revised in 1995 in [[Mauritius]] and gives special attention to island countries in this agreement. Combined the EU and the members of the OACPS represent over 1.5 billion people and more than half of the seats at the United Nations.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |author-link1= |last2= |first2= |author-link2= |date=17 April 2021 |title=Gomes welcomes new agreement |url=https://www.nationnews.com/2021/04/17/gomes-welcomes-new-agreement/ |url-status= |format= |editor1-last= |editor1-first= |editor1-link= |department= |work= |publisher=[[The Daily Nation (Barbados)|The Daily Nation]] |publication-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=8 June 2021 |url-access= |quote=Together, the EU and the members of the OACPS represent over 1.5 billion people and more than half of the nations at the United Nations.  Gomes, who stepped down as secretary general of the 79-member grouping in February this year, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the initialed text will now go to all the member states and can be treated as a public document to await a signing ceremony, possibly before the end of this year as the life of the Cotonou Agreement has been extended to December 31, 2021.}}</ref>
{{-}}
== Member states ==
=== Africa ===
The African OACPS countries negotiate in five [[Economic Partnership Agreements]] groups<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/bilateral/regions/acp/regneg_en.htm EPA Groups]</ref> (West Africa, [[Economic Community of Central African States|Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa]], [[Southern Africa Development Community]], [[East African Community]], Eastern and Southern Africa) with the [[European Union|EU]].
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%"
|"West Africa group" ([[ECOWAS]] plus Mauritania)
*{{BEN}}
*{{BFA}}
*{{CPV}}
*{{GAM}}
*{{GHA}}
*{{GUI}}
*{{GBS}}
*{{CIV}}
*{{LBR}}
*{{MLI}}
*{{MTN}}
*{{NIG}}
*{{NGA}}
*{{SEN}}
*{{SLE}}
*{{TOG}}
<br />
"[[Economic Community of Central African States|CEMAC]] plus São Tomé and Príncipe, DR Congo group" ([[Economic Community of Central African States|ECCAS]] related)
*{{CMR}}
*{{CAF}}
*{{CHA}}
*{{COD}}
*{{COG}}
*{{EQG}}
*{{GAB}}
*{{STP}}
|[[East African Community|EAC]] group
*{{BDI}}
*{{KEN}}
*{{RWA}}
*{{SSD}} <ref>{{Cite book|title=Economic and technical cooperation : agreement between the United States of America and South Sudan, signed at Juba, September 11, 2012. |date=c. 2012|publisher=U.S. Dept. of State|oclc=815531434}}</ref>
*{{TAN}}
*{{UGA}}
"Eastern and Southern Africa group" ([[Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa|COMESA]] related)
*{{COM}}
*{{DJI}}
*{{ERI}}
*{{ETH}}
*{{MAD}}
*{{MWI}}
*{{MRI}}
*{{SEY}}
*{{SOM}}
*{{SUD}}
*{{ZAM}}
*{{ZIM}}
<br />
[[Southern Africa Development Community|SADC]] group
*{{AGO}}
*{{BOT}}
*{{SWZ}}
*{{LES}}
*{{MOZ}}
*{{NAM}}
*{{RSA}}
|}
=== Caribbean ===
All countries of the [[Caribbean Community]] plus [[Dominican Republic]] group negotiate in the [[CARIFORUM]] [[Economic Partnership Agreement]] (EPA) with the [[European Union]] (EU).
The Caribbean-bloc is sometimes co-represented at [[EU-LAC]]  (Latin America and the Caribbean).
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%"
|
* {{ATG}}
* {{BHS}}
* {{BAR}}
* {{BLZ}}
* {{CUB}}
* {{DMA}}
* {{DOM}}
* {{GRD}}
|
* {{GUY}}
* {{HAI}}
* {{JAM}}
* {{SKN}}
* {{LCA}}
* {{VIN}}
* {{SUR}}
* {{TRI}}
|}
=== Pacific ===
All developing member states of the [[Pacific Islands Forum]] group<ref>That is: all member states except [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]].</ref> and [[Timor-Leste]] negotiate in the Pacific EPA with the EU.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%"
|
* {{FIJ}}
* {{COK}}
* {{KIR}}
* {{MHL}}
* {{FSM}}
* {{NRU}}
* {{NIU}}
* {{PLW}}
|
* {{PNG}}
* {{SAM}}
* {{SOL}}
* {{TLS}}
* {{TGA}}
* {{TUV}}
* {{VAN}}
|}
=== North Atlantic EU OCTs ===
In this region are located the [[Special member state territories and the European Union#Overseas countries and territories|EU overseas countries and territories]] (OCTs) of [[Greenland]] and [[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]], but there are no OACPS states.<ref name="OCT">[http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/regionscountriesocts_en.cfm OCT regional groups] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924003257/http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/regionscountriesocts_en.cfm |date=September 24, 2009 }}</ref>
=== South Atlantic dependent territories ===
In this region are located the U.K. overseas territories of [[Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha]] and [[Falkland Islands]], but there are no OACPS states.<ref name="OCT"/> Nevertheless, Saint Helena is developing links with the SADC EPA group.<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/countries/country_profile.cfm?cid=sh&type=short&lng=en Saint Helena] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704005723/http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/countries/country_profile.cfm?cid=sh&type=short&lng=en |date=July 4, 2010 }}</ref>
=== Uninhabited territories ===
The uninhabited EU OCT does not participate in regional integration and does not receive development funding from the EU.
* [[French Southern and Antarctic Territories]], located in the Indian Ocean<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/countries/country_profile.cfm?cid=tf&type=short&lng=en TAAF] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928111948/http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/countries/country_profile.cfm?cid=tf&type=short&lng=en |date=September 28, 2008 }} The islands of the TAAF are located in the southern Indian Ocean and thus if applicable would be associated with the SADC EPA group. The antarctic territory is also located near the south-eastern edge of the Indian Ocean</ref>
The uninhabited U.K. overseas territories are not OACPS states and do not receive development funding from the EU.
* [[British Indian Ocean Territory]], located in the Indian Ocean
* [[South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands]], located in the South Atlantic
== Special designations ==
The Cotonou agreement recognises the specific challenges faced by less developed countries, land-locked countries, and islands in their economic development. Therefore, those countries are granted a more favourable treatment than other OACPS member countries. The text of the Cotonou agreement has been updated in 2005 and 2010, but the lists have not, despite the fact that the actual list of LDCs as defined by the United Nations has changed: [[Cape Verde]] has graduated from LDC status in December 2007, while [[Senegal]] has acquired the status in 2001 and [[East Timor|Timor-Leste]] in 2003. The following lists should thus not be considered as the actual lists of OACPS LDCs and islands (a few islands are also not listed).
Annex VI of the Cotonou agreement lists the following designations:<!-- For the following headlines, if ACP is actually part of the name of these categories, include them. If not, do not. -->
=== Least-developed OACPS states ===
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia.
The Least developed OCTs are the following: Anguilla, Mayotte, Montserrat, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands, Wallis and Futuna, Saint Pierre and Miquelon.<ref>[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2001:314:0001:0077:EN:PDF Overseas Association Decision, Annex I B]</ref>
=== Landlocked OACPS states ===
Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
=== Island OACPS states ===
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Kiribati, Madagascar, Mauritius, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
== Organs ==
* [[ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly]]
* [[ACP–EU development cooperation]]
* [[European Centre for Development Policy Management]]
* [[Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA)]]
=== Trade and legal framework ===
* EU-ACP  [[Economic Partnership Agreements]] (EPA) with the ACP countries
== See also ==
{{portal|Africa|Caribbean|European Union|Economics|Oceania}}
* [[The Courier (ACP-EU)]] : The magazine of Africa-Caribbean-Pacific and European Union cooperation and relations
* [[Everything but Arms]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commonscat|ACP countries}}
*[http://www.acp.int/ Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States]
*[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/10_01/default_en.htm ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928032720/http://www.euforic.org/detail_page.phtml?&page=acp_cooperation ACP-EU cooperation dossier of Euforic]
*[http://practicalaction.org/?id=africanvoices African Voices: About EC Aid to Africa]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080105113827/http://www.acp-eucourier.info/ The Courier - The Magazine of Africa, Caribbean, Pacific and European Union cooperation and relations]
*[http://spore.cta.int/en/  CTA's magazine on agriculture in ACP countries], [[Spore (agricultural publication)|''Spore'']]
*[http://www.acp-programming.eu/ Website on EU cooperation for ACP countries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211205644/http://www.acp-programming.eu/ |date=2009-12-11 }}
{{South-South}}
{{Foreign relations of the European Union}}
{{Reach of the European Union|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States}}
[[Category:Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States| ]]
[[Category:ACP–European Union relations|.]]
[[Category:International organizations based in Africa]]
[[Category:International organizations based in Oceania]]
[[Category:International organizations based in the Caribbean]]
[[Category:International economic organizations]]
[[Category:International trade organizations]]
[[Category:Trade blocs]]
[[Category:Economy of Africa]]
[[Category:Economy of Oceania]]
[[Category:Economy of the Caribbean]]
[[Category:Foreign relations of the Caribbean]]
[[Category:Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1975]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in Oceania]]
[[Category:1970s establishments in the Caribbean]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in North America]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in South America]]
[[Category:Politics of Africa]]
[[Category:Politics of Oceania]]
[[Category:Politics of the Caribbean]]
[[Category:United Nations General Assembly observers]]