Africa-Press – Angola. The President of the European Council, António Costa, stated Tuesday, in Luanda, that Europe’s contemporary approach towards Africa is not based on a colonialist perspective, with the aim of obtaining access to specific resources or advantages.
“On the contrary, the focus lies on establishing a genuine and equitable partnership”, António Costa declared at the press conference that marked the closing of the African Union and European Union Summit, held in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
The President of the European Council believes that trust, built over many years, especially in the last 25 years, since the beginning of this strategic partnership between the two continents, is the solid basis for success.
For António Costa, this trust, based on concrete projects, offers the necessary guarantee for cooperation.
According to him, Europe recognizes African human capital, its talent and its youth, as the most valuable resource, reinforcing that, in the coming years, approximately 800 million people will enter the African job market, representing an exceptional opportunity for the continent’s development.
He added that Africa will not only develop based on its natural resources, essential for the energy and digital transitions, but will attract investments for industrialization and the transformation of these resources in its own territory.
For him, this will boost the generation and retention of added value and the creation of jobs in Africa, retaining local talent.
“This vision is shared by the European Union with the African Union and by European States with African States”, said António Costa at the press conference in which he was flanked by the host President and current leader of the African Union, João Lourenço.
European investment in Africa
In front of national and international journalists who covered the Summit, the Portuguese politician assured that European companies are already the biggest investors in Africa.
In this regard, he augured that the African Continental Free Trade Area will further boost development and investments.
He recalled that the Global Gateway initiatives, which cover essential infrastructure for the development of corridors, professional training and investments in critical industrial areas, such as vaccine production, are fundamental to ensuring that this partnership develops to mutual benefit, moving away from the extractive logic that marked previous decades.
Defense of multilateralism
In his approach, António Costa stressed that Europe’s position in relation to Africa is based on shared values and a commitment to a multilateral order based on international law.
The President of the European Council noted that both continents defend the values enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
“We declare that, guided by these principles and norms, we withdraw our support for any solution that is not just, comprehensive and lasting for peace in Ukraine, the occupied Palestinian territory, Southeast Asia, South and Southeast Asia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sahel, Somalia and other conflicts around the world”, he maintained.
He considered that there are no longer merely local or regional conflicts, noting that all these conflicts, in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza or Ukraine, go beyond their original borders, constituting violations of humanitarian law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.
According to the President of the European Council, allowing a State, regardless of its nature, to disrespect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders of other countries is opening the way for others to act in the same way.
He said there was no alternative to the multilateral order based on international law.
“The alternative is chaos, and we need to avoid it. It is essential to reaffirm our support for the international order, in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, Sudan and other areas of conflict”, he stressed.
He reiterated, on the occasion, that the two blocs will continue to work for peace and prosperity through multiple efforts.
The 7th AU–EU Summit ended in Luanda with calls for strengthening economic, energy and security cooperation, as well as respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter in dealing with global crises.
The event, which took place in the year in which the two regional blocs reached the 25th anniversary of their formal cooperation, took place under the general theme “Promoting Peace and Prosperity through Effective Multilateralism”.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Angolan and African Union President, João Lourenço, and the President of the European Council, António Costa.
28 Heads of State and Government and 18 representatives from African countries participated in the Summit, as well as 14 European leaders and representatives from 12 Member States of the European Union.
Source: ANGOP
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