Samoa Agreement: Propose amendment, withdraw if EU rejects, CBCN tells FG

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged the Federal Government to propose amendments to the Samoa Agreement or withdraw from the pact if the European Union (EU) rejects the changes.

This is contained in a statement signed by its President, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, and issued by Rev. Fr. Michael Umoh, the National Director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Samoa Agreement signed on June 28, 2024, is an economic partnership between the European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries.

It addresses democracy, human rights, economic growth, climate change, social development, peace, security, and migration.

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However, the CBCN argues that the agreement includes “post-modern secularistic ideologies” that undermine Nigeria’s moral, cultural, and religious beliefs.

The Agreement reflects the deep commitment of the Catholic Church in Nigeria to uphold the nation’s moral, cultural, and religious values.

The bishops raised concerns about the Agreement’s potential threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty and values, particularly regarding the language used around sexual orientation, gender identity, and reproductive health rights.

“The Agreement’s nuanced language poses a significant threat to our national sovereignty and values.

“We call on our government to urgently propose amendments or withdraw from the Agreement,” the statement says.

The bishops highlighted that the Agreement’s references to gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, and rights lack clear definitions, which could lead to interpretations supporting controversial issues such as abortion and comprehensive sexuality education.

These terms, according to the CBCN, contradicted Nigerian cultural and religious Values.

“Notably, Article 2.5 of the Samoa Agreement promotes gender equality across all policies, while Articles 40.1 and 40.2 of the African Regional Protocol commit Nigeria to gender-responsive education.”

The CBCN warned that these provisions could be interpreted to include multiple gender identities, conflicting with Nigerian societal norms.

The bishops also criticised the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), as articulated in Article 29.5, which called for universal access to reproductive health services and education.

They argue that this could lead to the promotion of value-free sex education and access to SRHR commodities among children and youth.

Additionally, the CBCN expressed concern over provisions in the Agreement that could compromise Nigeria’s ability to maintain its positions in international fora.

Articles 79.1 and 88.4 mandate joint actions and coordinated positions with the EU, potentially weakening Nigeria’s leadership in defending African values.

To address these issues, the CBCN recommends inserting a clause in the Agreement and its protocols to ensure no obligations regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, comprehensive sexuality education, abortion, contraception, legalization of prostitution, same-sex marriage, or sexual rights for children were included.

They believe that if Nigeria leads in proposing these amendments, other ACP countries would follow suit.

“If the EU rejects the proposed Amendment, Nigeria should withdraw from the Samoa Agreement,” the CBCN advised, citing South Africa’s precedent of withdrawing from the Cotonou Agreement in 2023.