United Nations Under-Secretary-General for African Affairs defended that sustainable financing must be at the center of the continental agenda. For Cristina Duarte, special advisor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the main impact of the pandemic on Africa will be economic. Therefore, States need fiscal space and long-term financing strategies to be able to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the second conference «Africa XXI», the President of IPDAL, Paulo Neves, argued that “the African continent is decisive for all of us, mainly due to its opportunities, but also due to its risks. That is why IPDAL insists that we must, together – African, European, and Latin American and Caribbean countries – find an agenda of common interests”.

On December 3rd, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation assured that her diplomatic priority in relation to the African continent is to focus on human development, particularly in the areas of education and health. Teresa Ribeiro highlighted that the relationship with Africa is and has always been a fundamental pillar of Portuguese foreign policy and this continent is a partner from which Europe cannot alienate itself.

Josefa Sacko, the African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture explained how the development of an agribusiness industry responds, at the same time, to a short-term need and a strategic vision of economic growth.

The second conference «Africa XXI» had as a guest country the Kingdom of Morocco, represented by the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation, the Institut Royal des Études Stratégiques , main think tank of the country, by BMCE Bank of Africa and by the Ambassador in Lisbon, Othmane Bahnini. Another focus of the initiative was the bi-regional agenda of the next European Union – African Union summit. The conference took place online, but was hosted by the European University, represented by the rector Tawfiq Rkibi, and also included the participation of Filipe Nascimento, President of the Regional Government of Príncipe, João Ribeiro de Almeida, President of Camões – Institute of Cooperation and language, and Maria Celeste Hagatong, President of COSEC .

The second “Africa XXI” conference was supported by IRES, BMCE Bank of Africa, COSEC and Grupo Azevedos.