30 years of partnership: EU and PALOP-TL countries strengthen cooperation at extraordinary ministerial meeting

Today, an extraordinary ministerial meeting was held between the EU and Ministers from Portuguese-speaking African Countries:  Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste (PALOP-TL) to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the PALOP partnership with the EU. The meeting’s  conclusions underline the EU and PALOP-TL’s countries commitment to strengthening their partnership and continued cooperation.

European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said

“We are proud to continue strengthening EU’S cooperation with PALOP- TL following 30 years of successful partnership. Today, PALOP-TL and the EU are already collaborating on both national and regional Global Gateway initiatives in the areas of digital, climate, energy, health, transport, education, and research. The Financing Agreement we are signing today, within the context of Global Gateway, EU’s positive and sustainable offer to partners, on Economic Governance will continue supporting public institutions in PALOP-TL countries”.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and cooperation of Mozambique, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, said:

“As we all know, the current moment is marked by an evolution of the European cooperation. It is our wish that the new instrument reinforces the valuable achievements of the past and responds to the global challenges of the present embedded in key international commitments and targets, including: (i) the Sustainable development goals; (ii) Agenda 2030; (iii) and the Paris Agreement”.

The meeting was marked by the signature of a Financing Agreement for the new programme 'PALOP-TL Regional Economic Governance Programme – Boosting PFMS and Budget Oversight', which aims to promote efficient public finance management, fiscal transparency and economic governance in the 6 countries. It is financed by the European Union for a total amount of €8 million, and will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

In terms of current affairs, the meeting discussed a presentation on the 'Mandate of Mozambique as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and implications for the PALOP-TL/EU partnership'. All parties committed to continue  their political dialogues to help strengthening not only their relations, but also their collaboration on international matters  and multilateralism.

In terms of cooperation and support, PALOP-TL countries and the European Union appreciated the impact and results achieved by the programme 'Support to the consolidation of the rule of law in the PALOP and Timor-Leste' (PACED), which concluded in 30 June 2022. This programme was financed by the European Union and and Instituto Camões for an amount of €8.4 million.

The positive development of two other ongoing programmes was also noted:

• 'Employment promotion and income-generating activities in the cultural sector', supported with €19.2 million from the European Union and Instituto Camões
•  'Consolidation of economic governance and public financial management systems in the PALOP-TL', with €8.39 million support from the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme

In the context of the celebrations of the 30 years of the PALOP-TL/EU Programme, the Ministers of PALOP-TL made interventions. The importance of this cooperation was reaffirmed and the Programme was referred to as an innovative example of South-South and triangular cooperation.