The Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States H.E Mr. Moussa S. Batraki learnt with deep sadness of the passing of Honourable Joseph Hyacinthe Owona Kono, former President of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly and Co-President of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. Hon. Owona Kono passed away on the evening of Friday, March 14, 2025.

Hon. Owona Kono, a dedicated Member of Parliament from the Republic of Cameroon, served as the President of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly and Co-President of the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly from 2017 to 2020. He served with distinction and will fondly be remembered as a forward-thinking leader who strongly advocated for multilateralism and parliamentary governance.

Secretary-General Batraki pays tribute to the late Hon. Owona Kono for his unwavering commitment to work of the Assembly where he strongly advocated for retaining the parliamentary dimension within the Samoa Agreement. Even after his tenure as President, Hon. Owona Kono remained deeply engaged in parliamentary affairs and continued to champion economic initiatives across Members of the OACPS. Notably, his instrumental role in supporting the banana sector, particularly through securing vital resources under the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) which not only strengthened the competitiveness and sustainability of the OACPS banana industry but also paved the way for economic diversification.

The Secretary General expresses his deepest condolences to the immediate family as well as to the Government and the People of the Republic of Cameroon and indeed Members of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly in mourning this untimely loss.