Honourable Minister for the Council of Ministers,
Honourable Assistant Secretary-General of the Council of Europe,
Honourable President of the National Youth Council,
Honourable Ambassador of Angola,
Honourable Representatives of the European and African Youth Associations
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am particularly pleased to take part in this opening ceremony of the African-European Youth Summit, held just a few days prior to the II Summit of Heads of State and of Government between the European Union and Africa.

I commence by greeting the youths present here today, as well as all those that contributed for this important event to take place. With them I share the wish and the determination to promote the strengthening of the relations between the European Union and Africa and, particularly, the meetings, the interchange and the cooperation between the youths of the two Continents.

Portugal never gave up raising African issues within the European and international frameworks, assuming without complexes and with pride the role of privileged intermediary of Africa in Europe. We equally never gave up stressing the importance of the relations between Europe and Africa, a relationship that the geographical proximity and the complementariness of interests have for long been compelling. A relationship that, without rejecting the past, would enable writing a History with a future.

We live a time of extraordinary importance for the future of the relations between our two continents.

This is a strongly symbolic year, both for Europe as for Africa.

Europe celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which marked the beginning of the great adventure of European integration. An adventure with a success which is well reflected in enlargement to new members and in the expectations of the people as to the role of the European Union to the challenges of our times.

This year, on December 13, will witness the signature of the Treaty of Lisbon, which aims to create the conditions for the European Union to become institutionally adapted to the new configuration which resulted from the enlargement, and that may more effectively answer the anxieties of the people of the 27 States which it now comprises.

Africa, in its turn, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the independence procedures, a particularly significant date not only for Africans, but also for the whole international community.

An increase is taking place in the African continent of cases where good governance, peace, stability and democracy combine with the existence of a largely youthful population and, in some cases, important natural resources, to create favourable conditions for production and investment that will lead to significant improvements in the indices of economic and social development.

In parallel, the African Union has been asserting itself as the relevant interpreter for the whole region, thus allowing Africa to assume increased visibility and weight in the international stage.

When institutionalizing the European-African political dialogue, the Cairo Summit, which took place during the Portuguese EU Presidency in the year 2000, permitted a significant advance between both regions. Europe, Africa and the world were meanwhile the stage of great changes, thus now requiring the need to adjust the objectives and the instruments of our relations in terms that may determine a real strategic partnership.

And this is precisely what the II EU-Africa Summit proposes with the adoption of a “Joint Strategy”.

For the very first time in the History of the relations between our two continents, we are aiming at a strategy prepared in effective partnership, which reflects, on an equal footing, the concerns and priorities of Europe and Africa regarding the challenges which we are facing.

What is in question is not just an updating of general principles, but the building of a future partnership with a future to it. A partnership based on mutual respect and on common values and interests. A partnership capable of becoming a vector for the promotion of a fairer international order and of a more equitable and sustainable worldwide economic and social development.

In this framework, the central relevance attributed to values such as the respect for Human Rights, freedom, democracy, equality, justice and solidarity is particularly significant.

If the strength of a partnership does not dispense with the agglutination of values, its success is intimately related with the capability of producing palpable results, with a positive impact recognized by the people.

This is what is required with the definite measures contained in the 2008-2010 “Action Plan” accompanying the “EU-Africa Joint Strategy”, which contains such relevant issues as the promotion of peace and security, the defence of Human Rights and of good governance, or yet the support of the regional integration agenda and the improvement of Africa’s access to world markets. And which also contemplates the materialization of the Millennium Development Objectives, such as cooperation in the issues of energy, science and the information society, and the fight against illegal immigration and climate change.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Facing, as is the case, a largely youthful audience, I would like to emphasize one of the more interesting aspects of the future “EU-Africa Joint Strategy”. I refer to the participation of non-State players in the materialization of the objectives drawn up.

It is indispensable to recognize and encourage an increased participation of the civil society in the materialization of the strategies and processes of development in Africa and Europe. And it is here that youth is called upon to accomplish a central role.

We know that peace and security are indispensable requisites for economic and social development. Women, children and youths are the groups that best tend to benefit from this development, since these are the most vulnerable and who are most penalized by war.

The same is true in climate change and migrations. In accordance with estimates, Africa will be the continent which will suffer the worst effects of climate change. And here, as well, it will be the younger generation which has more to lose if an environmentally friendly strategy for development is not followed – in Europe, in Africa, in the world – which will allow the situation to be inverted.

Equally, in the population group with active age, clandestine immigration, with all its negative consequences, affects the younger people with particular seriousness. Active policies for the promotion of qualifications and creation of local employment are crucial in any development strategy, and, more importantly yet, in the fight against the scourge of illegal immigration.

The achievement of the Millennium Objectives – particularly the eradication of hunger and extreme poverty and the promotion of an international commitment on education and health for all – is equally related to the situations where current lack of action will affect the coming generations to a greater degree.

On the other hand, the future of our partnership will largely depend on a better mutual acquaintance, specifically amongst the younger people. The information and knowledge society of our times offers extraordinary opportunities in this regard. It is thus urgent to promote organized mobility and circulation of youngsters between Europe and Africa, developing interchange and cooperation programmes directed at them.

In short, youths are amongst those who will have more to gain with the success of a European-African partnership. For this reason they are expected to be the factor for the mustering of wills and demanding of results.


This is the very special significance of the African-European Youth Summit. Not just the sense of active participation it generates, but also the entrepreneurial capability of youth associations and their stressing of the will to build a future such as they are capable of dreaming.

Establishing solid relations between Euro-African youth, coupled with the strategy which will determine the youth policies in the European-African relations during the next decade, is certainly a very positive sign for its longstanding success.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to congratulate, here, the organizational and mustering capabilities that made this Youth Summit possible, and which involved a complex procedure of regional and national consultations in both Continents.

To the youths present here, to the National Youth Council, to the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and to the European and African youth movements I address my wishes for success. I have the firm hope that European and African youths will know how to find the space for dialogue and conviviality and for working together to overcome inequalities and eradicate from the world the serious problems which impede the full development of the societies in which they live.

We are writing the pages of a new chapter in the History of the relations between Europe and Africa. A chapter in which Summits play a central role as forums of assessment and decision, but also a chapter which does not limit itself to Summits. A chapter whose success depends upon the continued involvement of all and each one of us. When all the farewell speeches have been delivered and all decisions have been announced, what our fellow citizens expect is that words and intentions are transformed into concrete actions which may be the basis for a renewed hope for a better future.

Thank you very much.