site.btaBulgaria Participates in EU-Africa Summit in Luanda

On November 24–25, Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolay Berievski took part in the 7th African Union - European Union Summit, his Ministry reported on Wednesday. The meeting was held in the Angolan capital Luanda under the joint chairmanship of the rotating African Union Chair, President of Angola Joao Lourenco, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. Among the participants were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Koop, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and other leaders, as well as numerous foreign ministers and deputy ministers.

Deputy Minister Berievski joined the discussion on migration and mobility. In his remarks, he expressed strong support for deepening the EU’s ties with African partners and emphasized the need for close cooperation in addressing instability, terrorism, and irregular migration. He welcomed the expansion of legal pathways for African workers to access the European labor market, but also stressed the importance of circular migration and policies that encourage returning acquired skills and knowledge to local communities, to avoid negative effects of mobility policies on countries of origin. He highlighted the potential of youth mobility to strengthen partnerships.

The summit marked the 25th anniversary of the EU-AU partnership and coincided with the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence, concluding with the adoption of a Joint Declaration.

During his visit to Angola, Deputy Minister Berievski held bilateral meetings with Botswana’s Minister of International Relations, Pelon Butale, and Angola’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendosa. The discussions expressed a mutual desire to resume political dialogue and deepen sectoral cooperation, particularly in agriculture, economy, defense, and education.

In Luanda, Deputy Minister Berievski also met with representatives of the Bulgarian community and the association of Angolan citizens who graduated in Bulgaria.