From 26 to 29 February 2024, GOPA PACE flawlessly managed the logistics for the significant 20th OCTs-EU Forum in Brussels, Belgium. This annual event brings together authorities from Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), representatives of Member States and the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Investment Bank (EIB), and representatives of the Outermost Regions.The OCTs-EU Forum is a pivotal platform for dialogue, fitting seamlessly into the framework of the Global Gateway strategy. This partnership promotes regional initiatives that offer mutual benefits for the OCTs, Outermost Regions, and partner countries outside the EU. Thirteen OCTs, spanning from the Arctic to the Antarctic and from the Caribbean to the Pacific, are associated with the European Union under Part Four of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Each OCT’s relationship with its Member State (Denmark, France, the Kingdom of the Netherlands) is unique, founded on specific constitutional and political arrangements.
During the 20th OCTs-EU Forum, the European Union reaffirmed its robust partnership with the OCTs. Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen signed five new cooperation agreements totaling €58.2 million. These agreements aim to enhance digitalization, water and sanitation, preservation of marine ecosystems, sustainable tourism, and intra-regional cooperation.
The forum not only underscored the EU’s commitment to supporting the OCTs but also highlighted the essential role of these regions in advancing the Global Gateway priorities. The event marked a significant step forward in fostering regional and global partnerships.
The OCTs are part of the European family and the EU’s geostrategic agenda. We are Partners in Change with common values. Through effective partnerships centred around the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy, we will continue to make progress on many common priorities.
Jutta Urpilainen
