LUANDA, Angola (Chatnewstv.com) — Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday stressed the strategic importance of Africa to Europe and advocated for deepening the economic partnership between the continents, saying it is an “important goal for Finland’s export sectors.”
Orpo represented Finland at the seventh EU-African Union (AU) Summit in Luanda, Angola, on Nov. 24 and 25, where leaders from both continents reaffirmed their commitment to partnership and cooperation.
In his address at the summit, Orpo highlighted Africa’s growing geopolitical and commercial significance to Europe.
“Africa is an important, close neighbour to Europe and its strategic, geopolitical and commercial importance continues to grow,” Orpo said. “The EU is Africa’s most important trading partner and its largest source of direct foreign investment. Establishing a trade agreement between the EU and Africa is an important future goal.”
The prime minister also used his speech to underscore the threat posed by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, linking it to Finland’s own history.
“Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine reminds us Finns of our own history,” he stated. “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a threat to peace and security, not just in Europe but worldwide.”
Orpo called on the international community to uphold core principles of international law. “It is our duty to see that aggression and suffering do not become the new norm. Respect for the UN Charter and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is in our common interest,” he added.
Finland’s premier also voiced support for African countries seeking two permanent seats on the UN Security Council.
On the summit’s sidelines, Orpo held bilateral meetings with several leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto and Mozambican Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Delfina Levi. He also met with key European counterparts, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a tangible sign of cooperation, the Finnish development financier and impact investor Finnfund and the European Commission announced the EU Finnfund Global Guarantee program during the meeting. The program aims to mobilize 2 billion euros in investments for the digital sector in Africa.
The Luanda summit celebrated the 25th anniversary of EU-Africa relations. Attendees adopted a joint declaration on partnership and cooperation and reaffirmed support for the Joint Vision for 2030 declaration adopted in 2022.
