On 1 February 2024, the Pacific Day in the EU took place in the European Parliament. The event was organised jointly by the Pacific Island country Embassies in Brussels, the European External Action Service and the European Parliament.

As the first event of its kind, Pacific Day in the EU brought together high-level representatives from the European Union and the Pacific ACP States (PACPS)These include Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, as well as representatives from civil society and business.

This meeting followed the signing of the Samoa Agreement in November 2023. This new framework agreement covers the political, economic, and cooperative relations between the EU and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States for the next two decades. The agreement – and its new Pacific protocol – is seen as a new promising milestone to bring EU-Pacific cooperation to the next level.

Follow the link to learn more about the Samoa Agreement.

The discussions highlighted the growing partnership between the two regions, as well as pointed to shared challenges, future prospects, and opportunities for strengthened cooperation.

Many speakers emphasized the joint challenges we face - and the shared values of the EU and the Pacific Island countries (PICs). Participants also emphasised the devastating effects of climate change in the Pacific. The EU, as a leader in green transition, is therefore an important partner for the Pacific, not only in terms of knowledge sharing but also in terms of investments. As a driver of innovation, trade can facilitate green transition, long-term development, and resilience.

The event ended with a reception and an exhibition of the Pacific countries’ photos, which showcased the beauty and challenges of the “Blue continent”. Overall, participants and organisers welcomed the event and signalled interest for future editions of the Pacific Day in the EU.

Live-stream and photos of the Pacific Day in the EU can be found on the Multimedia website of the European Parliament.

• Follow the link to download the full program.