The sixth edition of the EurAfrican Forum was held on the 18th and 19th of July at Nova SBE, in Cascais, where the theme “EU-Africa Alliance: Opportunities for Growth” was discussed.

The event brought together political leaders, entrepreneurs and experts in the most diverse fields, from the European and African continent, with the aim of promoting a current and inclusive debate, supported by ideas, proposals, realities and projects of mutual interest.

The debate held over the two day event was divided into seven panel discussions, which focused on the main topics of our time: green and digital transformation; education and research; health and innovation; investment; internationalisation; transport and infrastructure.

The Chairman of the EurAfrican Forum, José Manuel Durão Barroso, opened the first day of the event, together with António Calçada de Sá, President of the Board of the Portuguese Diaspora Council, Miguel Pinto Luz, Vice-President of the Cascais City Council and Cátia Batista, Vice-Dean and President of the Pedagogical Council of Nova SBE.

The first panel – Digital Transformation: Greater Integration in a Global Digital Ecosystem – was marked by the intervention of the Minister of Economy and the Sea of Portugal, Mr António Costa Silva.

The second panel – Green Transformation: Necessity and Economic Opportunity for Bringing Europe and Africa Closer – took place in the morning, with the participation of the Honourable Duarte Cordeiro, Minister of Environment and Climate Action of Portugal, and Abraão Vicente, Honourable Minister of Culture and Creative Industries and Minister of the Sea of Cape Verde.

The third panel – Quality Education through Research and Innovation – had the special contribution of HE the Minister of Education of Ghana, Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Founder and Director of Leading Light Initiative, Vivian Onano. The fourth and final panel of the day – Strengthening Health Systems: Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies – was marked by the addresses of H.E. Silvia Lutucuta, Minister of Health of Angola, and Maria da Graça Carvalho, Portuguese Member of the European Parliament.

The day ended with a closing speech by Pedro Reis, President of the Portuguese Diaspora Advisory Council.

The President of the Board of the Portuguese Diaspora Council opened the second day of the EurAfrican Forum, followed by the panel – Supporting Sustainable Financing for Growth – which included interventions by Filipe Santos Costa, President of AICEP, and Frannie Léautier, CEO of Southbridge Investments Tanzania.

The sixth panel – Opportunities and Challenges of Internationalisation and Cross-Border Trade between the EU and Africa – featured a special contribution from Rita Laranjinha, Director General for Africa of the European Service, involved in the EurAfrican Forum project since its beginning, and Sérgio Pimenta, Vice-President of the International Finance Corporation for Africa and Portugal’s Counsellor in the World.

The seventh and final panel – Connecting Africa and Europe through Sustainable Infrastructure and Transport – featured a presentation by Paulo Gomes, Founder of Orango Investment Corporation. Before the closing speech of the event given by the President of the Portuguese Diaspora Board, António Calçada de Sá, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Honorary Vice-President of the Portuguese Diaspora Council, João Gomes Cravinho, delivered a speech on the importance of Portugal in the Eurafrican relationship and the opportunities this represents for our nation and, consequently, for the world.

The event came to a close with a conversation between His Excellencies the President of the Portuguese Republic and Honorary President of the Portuguese Diaspora Council, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The inspiring dialogue between the two heads of state represents a strengthening of diplomatic relations between the two nations – Portugal and Ghana.

For more information about the EurAfrican Forum, please visit the event’s official website.