Today I participated in an informal video conference for the enhancement of peace, stability and development in the Horn of Africa, held at the initiative of my Finnish counterpart, Pekka Haavisto.
We first exchanged views on the political and socio-economic situation of the countries in the region, which is without question a location of strategic importance for the EU as well as a field of intense geopolitical interest and competition. We sought out ways to achieve better cooperation among the EU, the UN and the African Union, so as to to better address the well-known endemic issues of the region, to respond optimally to social and economic challenges and to manage the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change.
From my part, I highlighted, among other things, the positive prospects for regional stability arising from the improving relations among the countries of the Horn of Africa. I also underlined the importance of security and freedom of navigation, as well as the connection of the situation there to developments in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf as top priorities. In the same vein, I stressed the importance of maintaining the EU naval force operation Atalanta and expressed our country’s intention to continue making an active contribution towards achieving the mission of the operation, which aims at effectively countering piracy and the risks associated with organised crime and terrorism.
July 8, 2020