Africa? It is necessary to implement a "collaborative process"
The President of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Diaspora Council told Lusa today that more than defining cooperation strategies between Europe and Africa, it is important to implement cooperation and trade.
© Lusa
![Notícias ao Minuto](https://cdn.noticiasaominuto.com/img/equipa/pessoa/lusa.png)
País António Calçada de Sá
Speaking to Lusa about the seventh edition of the Eurafrican Forum, which will bring together several European and African leaders and ministers on 15 and 16 July, in addition to the President of the Republic and an African counterpart, Calçada de Sá argued that "if Europe has its path set in terms of technology, social security and the welfare state".
"When we look at Africa, we see that the continent is young, has natural resources, but also human resources, and Europe and Africa can sponsor a great alliance", he said.
For this alliance to be successful, the executive director of the Repsol Foundation also stressed that it is not enough for Portuguese and European companies to take their technology and knowledge to Africa, it is essential that there be a true partnership between equals.
"We cannot think that it is just a matter of taking resources to Africa and everything will happen by magic, it has to be a collaborative process, with programmes understood bilaterally, it is about giving and receiving, and Europe and Portugal are very well positioned, we must have a common agenda that touches on these sectors, and there must be full institutional support in order for us to move forward", said Calçada e Sá.
"If we do that, everything that is in the strategy will happen, and if we do it well, then it will happen faster", he said.
The theme of this year's Eurafrican Forum is "Africa, the next chapter: partnerships for growth", and it will take place from 15 to 16 July in Carcavelos, aiming to "promote Portugal as an international platform for networking".
Among the topics that will be debated by the 500 daily participants expected by the organisation in this edition are investment for development, energy and mining, education, agribusiness, digitalisation, geopolitics, infrastructure and urban planning, sports and health.
The event will be attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Read Also: ARCOlisboa wants to "expand its vision of Africa" to other latitudes (Portuguese version)
Descarregue a nossa App gratuita.
Oitavo ano consecutivo Escolha do Consumidor para Imprensa Online e eleito o produto do ano 2024.
* Estudo da e Netsonda, nov. e dez. 2023 produtodoano- pt.com