PM Fiala to address EU–African Union Summit

Outgoing Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala will deliver a speech on security and mutual cooperation at the EU–African Union summit due to open in Luanda, Angola on Monday. Speaking to journalists ahead of his departure for the summit, Fiala said Africa represents a major business and investment opportunity for Europe, and specifically Czechia, and is also important for securing supplies of strategic raw materials. He said that it is in Europe’s vested interest to deepen partnerships with African states also in view of European security. Poverty and conflicts, he noted, generate migration pressures that Europe is working to reduce. “A key pillar of our partnership must be stronger cooperation on returning illegal migrants and a joint fight against smuggling networks,” Fiala said.

The meeting, marking 25 years of EU–African Union partnership, will focus mainly on security, trade and investment, and migration.