Highlights:

This agreement between the EU and its Member States and the Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States succeeds the Cotonou Agreement and will be known as the “Samoa Agreement”. It will serve as an overarching legal framework for their relations for the next twenty years. The agreement covers subjects such as sustainable development and growth, human rights and peace and security.

Focus on food related issues

Article 30: Food security and improved nutrition

1. The Parties recognise that achieving food security and improved nutrition constitutes a major global challenge in the fight against poverty and growing inequality and therefore agree to address the structural causes thereof, which include conflicts, crises, natural resource degradation and climate change.

2. The Parties shall promote resilient livelihoods, secure access to land, water and other resources, and promote inclusive and sustainable growth in agricultural production and productivity, and efficient value chains.

3. The Parties shall promote actions on adaptation to climate change and variability throughout the food production value chains.

4. The Parties shall aim to provide access for all to affordable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food, to increase the capacity for diversified food production, and to develop food security and nutrition policies and social protection mechanisms for food security and improved nutrition that enhance the resilience of the most vulnerable, particularly in countries facing recurrent crises.

5. The Parties shall strengthen coordinated, accelerated and cross-sectoral efforts to end hunger, address all forms of malnutrition and ensure that famine be avoided in all circumstances.

Article 54 - 4: Environmental sustainability and climate change

The Parties, in promoting environmental sustainability, tackling climate change and natural disasters, shall take into account:

1. the vulnerability of SIDS, LDCs, landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and coastal populations including their efforts to adapt, especially to the threat posed by climate change and the depletion of natural resources;

2. the exposure and vulnerability of countries to worsening droughts, floods, coastal erosion, water scarcity, land and forest degradation, biodiversity loss, deforestation and desertification problems;

3. the need to minimise, avert and address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including slow onset events such as sea-level rise;

4. the links between climate change strategies and disaster risk reduction, resilience and food security;

5. the crucial role of natural ecosystems for ensuring food security and nutrition, and fighting climate change;

6. the nexus between environmental degradation and climate change with displacement and migration; and

7. the negative impact of climate change and environmental degradation on peace and security.

Article 56 – 4: Ocean governance

The Parties shall promote the sustainable development of a blue economy with the aim of securing the oceans' contribution to food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, creating job opportunities, and ensuring social equity and cultural well-being for current and future generations.

Agroecology

The role of agroecology to preserve biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, and improve livelihoods is also highlighted in the Africa and Pacific Regional Protocols of the new partnership agreement.