Litia Cava 
[Source: Fiji Government/Facebook]
The Pacific risks losing its priorities within the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States if its voice is not safeguarded.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told regional leaders that the bloc’s secretariat has shown weaknesses, and any new arrangements must be resilient, transparent and forward-looking.
He said the Samoa Agreement offers a chance to reset the Pacific’s place in the partnership with the European Union, but only if the region pushes for mechanisms that are fit for purpose.
Rabuka warned that structures must be streamlined, inclusive, and able to respond to the fast-changing nature of Pacific–EU relations.
Rabuka reminded leaders that the European Union has been a foundation partner since the Lomé and Cotonou agreements and now through Samoa.
He said the new deal aligns with the 2050 Strategy and must deliver on climate action, sustainable growth and wider development goals.
Fiji is moving through its own ratification process with national consultations underway to ensure full ownership.
Rabuka said predictable funding from the European Union will be vital especially for small and vulnerable Pacific states.
He stressed that collective action is the only way to ensure the Samoa Agreement strengthens the region’s priorities and secures its future.
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