Portuguese MNEs visit Nigeria, Rwanda and the African Union to discuss bilateral and regional relations

The Portuguese diplomatic chief will travel to Africa starting Friday, visiting Nigeria and Rwanda to discuss bilateral and regional issues, as well as Ethiopia, where he will meet African counterparts at an African Union meeting, the government said.

According to a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE), João Gomes Craviño will be in Nigeria on Friday, accompanied by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Ana Fontoura Gouveia, for “an unprecedented visit by the head of Portuguese diplomacy.” to this country, with a particular focus on the green transition as an area of ​​bilateral cooperation.”

Portuguese government officials are scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar and Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas) Obongem Ekperikpe Ekpo.

Leaders of Portuguese and Nigerian diplomacy should take stock of bilateral relations and consider the regional situation, including in the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea, as Nigeria holds the rotating presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, which includes Lusophone Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde ).

According to MNE, other topics will be the main topics on the international agenda and the participation of both countries in the G20.

Also on Friday, the Portuguese minister will be received in Abuja by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Turay, with whom he will discuss the situation in several countries in West Africa and the region, especially in the context of peace and security, and cooperation between Portugal and this regional organization.

Back in the capital of Nigeria, João Gomes Cravinho will meet with Portuguese businessmen working in this country.

The minister then heads to Rwanda, where he will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Vincent Biruta on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation, “which is growing in areas such as energy, investment and trade or even security and defence,” according to the same note.

Regional and international issues such as the Central African Republic, where Portugal has military personnel in United Nations and European Union missions, the Great Lakes and the situation in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, the site of rebel attacks and the location of Rwanda sending troops as part of the Development Community mission Southern African Counter-Terrorism (SADC)

Also on Monday, Minister João Gomes Cravinho will also hold meetings with other authorities in the country and visit projects supported by the European Union under the Global Gateway and involving the participation of Portuguese companies.

Gomes Craviño’s tour ends in Ethiopia, the country where the African Union (AU) is headquartered.

Portugal has been invited by the Comoros authorities, who are currently assuming the chairmanship, to participate in the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Ocean Governance and the Blue Economy within the framework of the 44th AU Executive Council.

The head of Portuguese diplomacy will be a speaker at this event, organized jointly by Comoros, Seychelles, Portugal and the Africa-Europe Foundation with the support of the African Union Commission and which “will seek to strengthen the partnership between Africa and Europe on this topic in which the two continents have common interests and great potential for benefit,” the note from Palacio das Necessidades said.

As part of this meeting, which brings together the heads of AU diplomacy, the Portuguese minister also meets in Addis Ababa with several of his colleagues, as well as the new executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). ), Claver Gatete; with the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, Bankole Adoye, and with the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Environment, the Angolan Josepha Sako.

“This will therefore be an opportunity to reaffirm Portugal’s commitment to cooperation with the African Union in these areas, as well as in relation to the promotion of the Portuguese language,” emphasizes the MNE.