Grenada joins controversial EU pact amid concerns

Grenada has officially entered the fold of countries signing the contentious trade and aid pact brokered between the European Union (EU) and its former colonies across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. 

This move aligns Grenada with other signatories, including Jamaica, Trinidad, and Antigua.

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell’s concerns

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell had voiced concerns regarding specific clauses within the pact. 

These clauses, some civil society groups claimed, would potentially compel regional governments to make concessions related to same-sex marriages and gay rights. 

Global accord in Samoa

The agreement was signed by more than 100 nations in Samoa on November 15. 

It replaces the Cotonou Agreement that was signed in Benin back in 2000 and will similarly run for 20 years.