This afternoon the Prime Minister, Janez Janša, concluded his participation at the 2nd EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon, where Heads of State and Government focused on five major topics: governance and human rights, peace and security, migration, energy and climate change, and trade, infrastructures and development. These are issues that interest both Africa and Europe.

 

Participants of the EU-Africa Summit were received by the President of Portugal, Aníbal Cavaco Silva (Photo: Bobo)

 

Yesterday, the Slovenian PM stressed that this meeting had been necessary. The foundations that were built will enable relations between the two continents to evolve into partnership. PM Janez Janša said that human rights were indivisible, while respect for them was a fundamental principle of any humane society. Differences that arise in this field between countries must be confronted in open dialogue, while partnership commits us all to the cause.

 

In his speech at the plenary meeting, PM Janez Janša remembered the Africa's Missing Billions report which estimates the cost of conflicts in Africa since 1990 at over $300 billion, and quoted the President of Liberia as saying that this was money Africa can hardly afford to lose. The PM welcomed the progress made in constructing Africa's peace and security infrastructure, pointing to migration as a specific challenge for European-African partnership. "We must not grow accustomed to images of desperate and exhausted emigrants frequently beached on the Mediterranean shoreline. Such images tell of different kinds of partnerships – those based on exploiting the misfortune of others. The African and European sides need to establish effective dialogue so that they can tackle both: such partnerships and the causes of their dangerous attraction."

 

In the PM's view, the joint challenge is to find a way for the largest share of value, which is created by the world's largest and growing players in Africa, to stay or return there. This is also the way towards Africa becoming Europe's equal partner in co-shaping global processes. As the next in line to take over the EU Presidency, Slovenia, with European and African partners, will make every effort to see that commitments given would be implemented. Strengthening the ties between the EU and Africa is therefore vital. 

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

Against the backdrop of the Summit, PM Janez Janša met the President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar'Adua, to discuss, among other things, cooperation during Slovenia's EU presidency. The Nigerian President wished Slovenia great success, while the Slovenian side much appreciated his views on major security challenges in Africa in the coming period. The Slovenian PM stressed the importance of Nigeria's constructive role as a leading regional power, and commended the country's progress and contribution to stability in the region.

 

Both the Nigerian President and the Slovenian PM confirmed their mutual readiness for collaboration in the implementation of agreements reached at the Lisbon Summit. They also discussed the positive trend of Africa's assuming responsibility for peace and stability in the region, and related problems the continent is facing. They focused particularly on bilateral cooperation, and expressed the wish for it to strengthen through visit exchanges and the establishment of a stronger legal basis.

 

After the closing ceremony, the PM travelled to Ostrava to attend a meeting of Prime Ministers of the Visegrád Group (V4), and as a special guest to present the priorities of Slovenia's EU Presidency in 2008.