Summit of Heads of State and Government

Overview / Role

• • The Summit defines the general policy orientation of the OACPS.
  • It is the supreme organ: its decisions provide the broad strategic direction for the organization.

Composition / Structure

• • Comprises the Heads of State or Government of all Member States.
  • The Summit Bureau: includes the President-in-Office (host), the outgoing President, and the incoming President.

Meetings / Frequency

• • Heads of State and Government have met “regularly” since 1997.
  • The chair/presidency shifts based on the host country and the regional rotation (via the Bureau).

Powers / Decisions

• • Lays down broad policy guidelines for OACPS.
  • Gives instructions to the Council of Ministers for the implementation of its policy orientations.

Key Historical Notes / Milestones

• • 1st Summit: Libreville, Gabon (Nov 1997) — first time Heads of State / Government met under this structure.
  • 9th Summit: Nairobi, Kenya (Dec 2019) — the revised Georgetown Agreement was approved; the name changed from “ACP Group” to “OACPS”.
  • 10th Summit: Luanda, Angola (Dec 2022) — under the theme “3 Continents, 3 Oceans, 1 Common Destiny …”

Contact / Secretariat

• • Secretariat supports the Summit via the OACPS Secretariat (HQ: Brussels), which services all organs.
  • Secretariat address: Place Charles Rogier 16, 1210 Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels, Belgium.