Africa-Press – Angola. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro stated on Monday in Luanda that closer ties between Africa and Europe are essential to boost economic growth, create opportunities and prevent conflicts.
Speaking at a press conference during the 7th AU-EU Summit, Montenegro stressed that global challenges require deeper cooperation between the two continents.
He said there is “a great understanding” between the two blocs in essential areas. He also highlighted multilateralism as a decisive tool for promoting international peace and security, adding that there is still significant room to strengthen political, economic, and strategic ties.
“We leave this summit convinced that strengthening relations between Europe and Africa is crucial to solving real problems of the populations, promoting economic opportunities and moderating migratory flows that often result from the lack of these opportunities,” the Portuguese Premier said.
The Prime Minister stressed that the current global challenges require more cooperation and recalled that Portugal seeks to act as a “bridge” between cultures and regions.
“Portugal has always asserted itself as a country that brings people together. Being in Luanda today, 50 years after Angola’s independence reinforces that message,” said the Prime Minister.
The Portuguese leader added that his country has unique conditions to demonstrate that increased development contributes to preventing many conflicts affecting Africa and Europe.
He defended the need for a strategy based on closer interaction between political and commercial blocs and a more diversified approach to international cooperation.
Regarding the meeting with the Angolan President, João Lourenço, he explained that it enabled to deepen bilateral cooperation, in line with the priority themes of the EU-AU agenda, including the energy transition, environmental sustainability, governance, and peace processes.
When addressing environmental sustainability, he highlighted the “innovative” mechanism of converting debt into environmental investment, already implemented in Cape Verde and in the preparation phase in São Tomé and Príncipe.
“I don’t want to use the expression debt forgiveness, because I don’t intend it to be interpreted that way. I want it to be understood as an investment in humanity, an investment in a common good for all of us, and that is what we are doing,” Montenegro said.
He reiterated the need to reform the functioning of the United Nations, so that the decisions of the General Assembly and the Security Council become more effective in responding to contemporary challenges.
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