The Zambian Delegation to the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and  European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), which included Ms  Sefulo, MP (Leader of Delegation), Mr Jeffrey Mulebwa, MP, Mr Binwell Mpundu, MP and Mr Davies Chisopa, MP, has advocated for value addition in developing countries, instead of exporting raw materials. According to the proposed EU Regulation on CRM, presented on 16th March, 2023, the EU seeks to ensure access to secure, and sustainable supply of critical raw materials in view of the EU green and digital transition, aerospace, as well as defence sectors, among others. The Regulation covers 34 Critical Raw Materials including Cobalt, Copper, Magnesium, Nickel, Platinum and Manganese.

Speaking as Chair, when she opened the meeting of the Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade, Ms Sibeso K Sefulo, MP, said that the desire of developing nations is to ensure jobs from OACPS member States are not exported to the EU. She added that there should be technological transfer from the EU to the OACPS, which would facilitate the setting up of manufacturing and processing industries within the OACPS countries. In so doing, the EU would be importing processed products, and not raw materials. As a result, value addition will be occuring at source, within the developing countries. She emphasised that the OACPS-EU partnership would be more beneficial if  mutual cooperation and development are enhanced, for both the OACPS and EU members. 

Meanwhile, the Co-Presidents of the OACPS-EU JPA, Ms Ana Rita Sithole, MP and Mr Carlos Zorrinho, MEP, have proposed to the OACPS-EU Council of Ministers to hold an emergency joint meeting, with the aim of providing a firm deadline to the signing of the New Partnership Agreement between the OACPS and the EU. "We strongly call on the EU to address the challenges blocking the signing of the new OACPS-EU Agreement, with a commitment to indicate a clear roadmap and timelines towards signing the Samoa Agreement."

The 63rd OACPS Parliamentary Assembly and the 43rd OACPS-EU JPA opened on 19th June, 2023 and concluded meetings on 28th June, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. Follow the links #OACPS https://www.europarl.europa.eu/acp/en/home and  https://www.oacps.org/jpa-june-2023/63rd-session-of-the-oacps-parliamentary-assembly/ for more news on the OACPS/ OACPS-EU JPA.