Brussels, 08 March 2021/OACPS: The Secretariat of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is deeply saddened to learn of the untimely demise of Dr. Henry Okole on 5 March 2021, former Chief of Staff for the then Secretary-General, Sir John Rumet Kaputin, during the period 2005-2010.

A citizen of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Dr. Okole was appointed to the post of Director for the National Coordination Office for Bougainville Affairs in 2020. A former academic at the University of Papua New Guinea, he was also a senior Research Fellow with the PNG National Research Institute. 

Communication by the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), H. E. Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti on his first year in Office

Brussels, 25 February 2021/OACPS: 150 youngsters from Benin, Romania and Rwanda, the last three regions to host live Youth Conferences, were invited to debate remotely with Members of Parliament at the ACP - EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) Youth Conference on the COVID-19 pandemic. Rosemary Mbabazi, Hon. Minister of Youth Affairs of Rwanda delivered the opening address for the panel which was co-chaired by Polish MEP Jadwiga Wisniewska, JPA EU Vice-President with co-responsibility for youth issues, and Edda Mukabagwiza, JPA member from Rwanda with long-standing experience in youth issues.

Brussels, 25 February 2021/OACPS: The OACPS Research and Innovation (R&I) Programme now has a website to facilitate access to R&I information, knowledge and experience throughout the OACPS member countries.  The website, available in French and English, features information on the Innovation Fund, Policy Support Facility, and shortly the R&I Exchange Platform — all of which will contribute to disseminating the knowledge and information produced by the Programme and by other important R&I initiatives.

Brussels, 19 February 2021/OACPS: H.E. Dr Jesse Jean of the Republic of Haiti and H.E. Ms Tokozile Xasa of the Republic of South Africa, were yesterday presented virtually to the 935^th Session of the Committee of Ambassadors (CoA) of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) by Secretary-General, H.E. Mr Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti.

Brussels, 17 February 2021/OACPS: The Secretary-General (SG) of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), H.E. Mr Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, extended his congratulations to the OACPS candidate, H.E. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on her appointment, on 15 February 2021, as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Brussels, 09 February 2021/OACPS: The ACP Innovation Fund is a key instrument of the Research and Innovation (R&I) Programme implemented by the Secretariat of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) to unlock innovation potential in its Member States and accelerate sustainable development.

The Programme is funded by the European Union (EU) through the 11^th European Development Fund (EDF).

Selected from the ACP Innovation Fund’s 2019 Call for Proposals, the grant beneficiaries (see table below) will spearhead a wide range of projects to advance solutions in several areas:

Brussels, 8 February 2021/OACPS: The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) has high hopes that the new Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EU) will enable the creation of innovative financial instruments to support the OACPS Private Sector.

Brussels, 02 February 2021/OACPS: The hybrid 111th Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States was held on 14, 15 and 17 December 2020. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Prof. Palamagamba John Aidan Mwaluko Kabudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation, United Republic of Tanzania, and President-in-Office of the OACPS Council of Ministers.

Brussels, 01 February 2021/OACPS: As of 1  February 2021, H.E. Dr. Paolelei Luteru, Ambassador of the Independent State of Samoa, will chair the Committee of Ambassadors (CoA) of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) until the end of Samoa’s six-month term in July 2021.  Ambassador Luteru took over from the outgoing chair, Ambassador Jestas Nyamanga of the United Republic of Tanzania during the hybrid Meeting of the Incoming and Outgoing Bureaux of the Committee of Ambassadors of the OACPS on 28 January 2021.