The new Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Botswana and SADC Ambassador, Petra Pereyra, says Africa remains a priority for the EU.
Speaking when she paid a courtesy call on Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to Botswana, Brighton Litula, Ambassador Pereyra said Africa had a huge potential of economic growth.
“Thank you for recognizing the EU as an important strategic partner to Zambia and of course this is something that we hope to be to the countries here in the Southern region. It is a priority for the EU that we work in close relation with our African partners across this continent,” she said.
Ms. Pereyra noted that Africa remains a priority for the European Union adding that Africa also has a huge potential both on the international fora and economic growth as well as potential to fight the global challenges being faced.
“Africa is a really important partner, we really hope to work with all of our African countries in partnership in a way that we are there to support and empower our partners on their ambitions towards achieving prosperity and economic growth,” Ambassador Pereyra said.
And Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to Botswana, Brighton Litula, said the EU was one of the long and important strategic development partners for Zambia.
He said the EU has been supporting Zambia in various sectors such as energy, agriculture, public finance, good governance and private sector development, environment and climate change, among others.
“You are very much aware that our development partnership was revolving around the European Development Fund (EDF) framework of which during the 11th EDF, which ran from 2014 to 2022, Zambia was able to benefit EUR 460 million in the form of grants in various sectors of the economy,” he said.
He indicated that the funding for the year 2021 to 2024 is EUR 299 million to Zambia which will go towards green partnership for sustainable recovery, growth and decent jobs.
Mr. Litula appealed to the EU Head of Delegation to consider the possibility of engaging the SADC Secretariat to initiate a project which would resolve the traffic congestion at the Kasumbalesa Border as it is a bottleneck to trade among SADC countries along the North, South transport Corridor.
This is according to a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press at Zambia High Commission in Gaborone, Botswana, Julia Malunga.
it a shame of africa to think when you partner with the west then you are far much better, africa can do it as africa. what is surprising is africa has been partnering with the EU but its haven’t learn anything to grow and been self dependent and you are saying important strategic development partner ah BEANS
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This relationship is about keeping your enemy close to your chest because you can detect some shoots of progress. Africans need to move on and determine our own destiny. There is nothing these people can do for us that they haven’t already done in the last 500 years. We can never be equals in their eyes.
This relationship is about keeping your en3my close to your chest
This relationship is about
Yes Priority for unfettered exploitation.
Why should we continue with a relationship that has failed for many years?
You mean a priority to be shafted in the backside and further exploit our resources. The European are now even getting comfortable because their soft puppet hh is in power
Our foolish leaders are clapping at such utterances ..Africa has never been EU priority and will never be just look at the war in Ukraine, US alone has given that country $40 billion, split relatively evenly between military support and humanitarian aid, according to The New York Times. The only way Africa can prosper is by standing together and distancing themselves from these Western nations…The late Col Thomas Sankara and Gadaffi emphasized on this point I utimately met their death because of these messages and their excutioners were sponsored by the US and EU. The war in Ukraine should be an opportunity for Africa to do business with both Russia and the West on equal terms.
Our fooooolish leaders are clapping at such utterances ..Africa has never been EU priority and will never be just look at the war in Ukraine, US alone has given that country $40 billion, split relatively evenly between military support and humanitarian aid, according to The New York Times. The only way Africa can prosper is by standing together and distancing themselves from these Western nations…The late Col Thomas Sankara and Gadaffi emphasized on this point I utimately met their death because of these messages and their excutioners were sponsored by the US and EU. The war in Ukraine should be an opportunity for Africa to do business with both Russia and the West on equal terms.
. Strategic for LGBT rights??? Please keep the money to yourselves……..Africa will not accept your gay and lesbian campaign. We are africans !
Its comments like this that stop people thinking defect the whole debate …what’s even more ironic is that you are posting from RSA which has LGBT rights.
“Mr. Litula appealed to the EU Head of Delegation to consider the possibility of engaging the SADC Secretariat to initiate a project which would resolve the traffic congestion at the Kasumbalesa Border as it is a bottleneck to trade among SADC countries along the North, South transport Corridor.” It is a shame that after more than 50 yrs of infendence we still have leaders of have not waken up but are shamelessly parading themselves begging. Africa is such a” waste” continent where it’s leaders have no shame whatsoever to parade themselves as beggers. “The EU must be engaged to resolve the congestion at Kasumbalesa!!! Lord what have done to deserve this? The peoe that talk what is seemingly sensible are conmen they have no clue what to do. They are just stooges of the developed…
Is Mr Lutalu aware of the DRC wildness?
Really is that something to ask a foreigner? Its you who experiences the problem so you should look for solutions from your own experiences. Asking everything you need from the colonial master just shows how inadequate as a leader you are? Where are you leadingthe nation to? To Pauperhood
Indeed why ask Europe to ask SADC to initiate? What does he mean?
“consider the possibility of engaging the SADC Secretariat to initiate a project which would resolve the traffic congestion at the Kasumbalesa Border as it is a bottleneck to trade”
I still do not understand how thieves who for rich by swindling their colonies can now claim to be partners without bringing back what they stole or rendering reparations. Never even once makes sense to me. Uko na tu ma partnerships twanu a mambala.
The problem for Africa is not the EU but China…………
China has literally captured any development africa can dream to have by manufacturing everything in China, efficiently.
Only bold steps of banning imports and manufacturing at home will this be balanced out…………
If your relationship has failed for over 500 years, why should one continue?
Why should one continue with a failed relationship?
Uko na EU nyanu.
Africa doesn’t need mazungu people to Develop. These Europeans haven’t changed an inch over millennia.
Their view of Africa/black Africans is terminally racist. They can’t change?. And will never do anything for Africa’s benefit.
Africa remains a priority for exploitation by the EU. Just listen in to one EU member’s intelligence wing
The member I had in mind was France
Copy and paste statements for the Europeans when they smell cooks in africa!! this is because there is much needed resouces in africa they want to scrumble from us just like what they have been doing for the past 500years!! our leaders needs to observe this carefully otherwise we will remain vulnerably poor us we have been for a long time let us play a tit for tat game here. Now that with the availability of internet things are now been exposed left, right, and centre and we are still turning a blind eye on them it’s absurd. Western world have created much of wealth from most of african resources remember that y’all african Amigos, this ppl comes to africa with all different excuse of size and shapes, you get those who comes as investers, those comes as charitable organations, NGOS,…