OCTA members adopt the Association’s new strategy for 2021-2027

On Wednesday, 1^st December, 12 delegations from the Overseas Countries and Territories met for an extraordinary OCTA Ministerial Conference, chaired by OCTA President Mr. Louis Mapou (see picture), President of the Government of New Caledonia, to adopt the Association’s new strategy for 2021-2027.

This was the first meeting of OCTA under its new configuration, after the resignation of the British territories in June 2021, given the effects of Brexit. Therefore, 13 delegations were invited to participate in this virtual meeting.

It is in the context of the effects of the health crisis in the OCTs and with the desire to carry even higher the values of solidarity and cooperation that define OCTA, that its members have developed a new strategic plan that will be the roadmap of the Association for the next 6 years, with contributions from Member States linked to the OCTs, the European institutions and other external partners.

This strategy is structured around three priorities: 1) political and strategic dialogue, coupled with the priority of sound and inclusive governance of the association; 2) communication and learning, aiming to raise awareness and capacities of OCTs and European stakeholders to participate in and contribute to the EU-OCT partnership; and 3) cooperation in strategic areas, which will focus specifically on OCTs’ niche areas, needs and priorities, aligning them with the Green Pact and blue growth, regional cooperation and integration, and youth, education and culture.

The new strategy will contribute to the discussions to be held with the European Commission on the continuation of the EU operational grant from 2022 (a grant the Association has been receiving since 2018).

In addition to the unanimous adoption of the new strategy, the delegations adopted the revision of the annual membership fees to maintain a budget commensurate with the ambitions of the new strategy and to show the political commitment of the OCTs.

Mr. Mapou, President of OCTA, underlined the excellent work done in designing the new strategic plan 2021-2027 “which will allow us to consolidate our relationship with the European Commission but also to give new perspectives of exchanges with the EU member countries in favor of the Development of all the archipelagos and populations of the OCTs”.

It is expected that the next OCTA ministerial meeting will be held in New Caledonia in the first half of 2022, in conjunction with the next annual EU-OCT forum.

See the Summary OCTA Strategy 2021-2027

For more information, please contact Mr. Pablo Lopez-Herrerias, Coordinator of the OCTA Secretariat: pablo@overseas-association.eu