Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Minister of State and National Defence of Cape Verde, Janine Lélis, highlighted this Tuesday, in São Tomé and Príncipe, the strengthening of bonds of trust and cooperation between the countries of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) in the area of defence, during her speech at the 24th Meeting of Ministers of National Defence or Equivalents of the organisation.
“In the area of defence, we have witnessed year after year the strengthening of bonds of trust, exchange of experiences and synergies in the CPLP”, stated Janine Lélis, highlighting the central role of this forum in consolidating cooperation in matters of defence and security between member states.
According to the minister, this cooperation is based on a shared commitment to peace, stability and sustainable development, and has contributed to the construction of a more united and resilient community, guided by the defence of fundamental rights and the principles of multilateralism.
Despite the progress made, Janine Lélis warned of the emergence of new challenges in the area of security, stressing that many of the existing threats now have new dimensions and forms of action, becoming increasingly global and complex.
“Transnational threats, regional instability, cybersecurity, terrorism, climate change and new forms of conflict require increasingly assertive, coordinated, strategic and, above all, supportive policies and responses from us,” she warned.
At the ministerial meeting, the minister reaffirmed Cape Verde’s commitment to national and regional defence and security. In this regard, she highlighted initiatives underway in the archipelago, such as the approval of the new Strategic Concept for National Defence and the ongoing reforms in the Armed Forces, as part of an agenda of modernisation and institutional adaptation.
In addition to her participation in the 24th Meeting of CPLP Defence Ministers, Janine Lélis, who also holds the portfolios of Territorial Cohesion and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Parliamentary Affairs, held high-level meetings as part of her official mission to São Tomé and Príncipe.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the minister, accompanied by the ambassador of Cape Verde in São Tomé and Príncipe, Deotina Andrade, met with the Prime Minister of São Tomé, Américo D’Oliveira dos Ramos, the Minister of Defence and Internal Order, Horácio de Sousa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities, Ilza dos Santos Vaz, and the Minister of Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Women’s Rights, Vera Gomes Cravid.
According to a note from the Ministry of National Defence, these meetings allowed for the strengthening of bilateral ties between Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe and reaffirmed the common commitment of the two countries to the strategic objectives of the CPLP in promoting peace, security and multilateral cooperation.
The 24th Meeting of Ministers of National Defence or Equivalents of the CPLP took place at a particularly important time for the future of regional security, in an international context marked by uncertainty, where coordination and a spirit of solidarity between countries are seen as key elements in responding to current challenges.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
