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Accra, Sept. 13, GNA \u2013 Mr Josep Borrell, Vice President and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, says Africa and Europe need to deepen their ties and cooperation for mutual benefit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said both continents must work with multiple partners based on mutual respect and international law in accordance with the \u201crules of the 21st<\/sup> century.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAfrica and Europe should continue to prepare the future instead of falling back into the past,\u201d Mr Borrell said in an op-ed he authored ahead of his visit to Mozambique and Kenya.\u00a0<\/p>\n Describing Africa as a vibrant continent preparing its future, Mr Borrell said the continent had grown to become the EU\u2019s most reliable partner.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said a quarter of African trade was with the EU, adding that African exports entered the EU duty-free.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe EU works with African partners on building the continent\u2019s first manufacturing sites for vaccines and we approved at the AU-EU summit a Global Gateway \u20ac150 billion investment package. With the European Peace Facility and our training missions, we help strengthen peace and security,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Borrell expressed concern about the Russia-Ukraine War, which he said, had had devastating impact on food security, energy prices, debt and security issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said Africa was one of the main \u201ccollateral victims\u201d of the war, and rallied the continent to \u201cact to ease the current food crisis.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Borrell said the EU supported a call by President Macky Sall of Senegal for a G20 seat for the African Union.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe must uphold and reinvigorate the multilateral order, to defend the rule of law as we decided jointly at the recent EU-Africa Summit,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Touching on security, Mr Borrell said Africa and the EU must step up their joint work to preserve Africa\u2019s security and safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said the EU had been a reliable partner, supporting African peace efforts in eleven missions across the continent.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLast April, we supported the African Union with a further \u20ac600 million to improve conflict prevention, crisis management and counter-terrorism,\u201d Mr Borrell said.\u00a0<\/p>\n GNA\u00a0<\/p>\nRelated News<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n