The Samoa Agreement has become one of the most talked about national issues in the country after Atiku Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning, confirmed the signing of the deal.
The controversy surrounding the agreement was the alleged claim that it contained LGBTQ clauses.
The federal government has, however, denied that such a claim existed in the agreement.
This article listed the ten important things to know about the Samoa Agreement as reported by The Punch.
1. The Samoa Agreement is a vital legal framework for cooperation between the European Union and members of OACPS on the other.
2. It’s called the ‘Samoa Agreement’ because its signing took place on the Island of Samoa.
3. Nigeria and other members of the OACPS signed the agreement based on six key priorities to tackle the main challenges over the next two decades.
4. As reported by @PressACP, the Nigerian ambassador to Belgium, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the EU, Obinna Onowu, signed the agreement at the OACPS secretariat in Brussels on June 28, 2024.
5. Human rights, democracy and governance; peace and security; human and social development; inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development; environmental sustainability and climate change; and mobility/migration are priorities of the agreement
6. An important principle of the agreement is that ‘’the Parties shall make decisions and undertake actions at the most appropriate domestic, regional or multi-country level’’.
7. There are no Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) clause in the agreement.
8. The EU and all its member states signed the agreement on November 15, 2023. 74 OACPS members, including Nigeria, signed before the deadline of June 30, 2024.
9. The Samoa Agreement is a veritable instrument for Nigeria’s development cooperation with the EU beyond aid. The OACPS–EU Partnership is one of the most diverse and multifaceted development pacts in the international system.
10. The Federal Executive Council, National Economic Council, and the National Assembly will approve the agreement.
