This Wednesday, the President of the European Commission announced a strategy to bring the 27 countries closer to Africa and said that the Union must demonstrate the same unity in the fight against geopolitical instability on this continent that it demonstrated in the case of Ukraine.
“We need to demonstrate the same unity of purpose towards Africa that we demonstrated towards Ukraine. We need to focus on cooperation with legitimate governments and regional organizations,” Ursula von der Leyen spoke during the State of the Union debate in the European Parliament (PE) in Strasbourg (France).
Von der Leyen recalled that over the past two years, the African Sahel region has undergone a series of military coups, and today it is one of the most geopolitically unstable regions on the planet, despite the fact that it is one of the regions with the highest demographic growth.
“That is why, together with the High Representative [da UE para os Negócios Estrangeiros] Josep Borrell, we will work on a new strategic approach that will lead to the next EU-African Union summit,” he said.
The Commission President warned of the need to do this quickly as Russia is “both influencing and benefiting from the chaos” in Africa, while the region has “become fertile ground for the rise of terrorism.”
Von der Leyen said that every day, amid conflict, climate change and instability, there are people who “seek refuge elsewhere”, including the European Union.
“Unity within the Union is necessary,” he warned.
And for the President of the European Commission this can only be demonstrated through the Pact on Migration and Asylum: “When we took office it seemed impossible to find consensus on the horizon, but with the Pact we are creating a new balance between sovereignty and solidarity, between protecting borders and protecting people , between safety and humanity.”
The Commission Chairperson took stock of all that had been achieved during her mandate, such as “unity against the hybrid attack launched by Belarus, working closely with the Western Balkans” to reduce irregular flows and signing an agreement with Tunisia that brings “mutual benefits beyond migration : from energy and education to skills and security.”
“We have improved border security,” he concluded.