Portuguese Prime Minister highlights commitments undertaken at the EU-Africa Summit

The Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa highlighted the fact that a "concise, with less words and more commitments" joint declaration and with "a very precise implementation schedule" was adopted at the EU-Africa Summit.

António Costa was speaking at the press conference at the end of the two-day summit that brought together in Brussels the European Union and African Union Member States.

This is a much more concise declaration with less words and more commitments" with an annex that identifies in a precise manner the projects that are to be funded under the new investment package for Africa to a total of 150 billion euros for energy, enhancing natural resources, digital connectivity, the creation of strategic transport corridors, and support to entrepreneurship.

António Costa also said that "this entire investment mechanism will be monitored" and that the Heads of State agreed on holding annual meetings between the European Commission and the African Union Commission in the Spring for a status report on the project implementation.

EU is to "explore" diplomatic means with Russia "to the limit"

Regarding the situation on the Uranian border, the Prime Minister said that the EU must "explore diplomatic means with Russia to the limit", where European sanctions on Mosco are seen as "a borderline situation":

"The essential outcome of this meeting is not the threat of sanctions, rather the EU’s investment in exploring diplomatic means, through dialogue, to the limit" with Russia, he noted.

António Costa also claimed that "dialogue, dialogue, dialogue" with Moscow is necessary, as are "diplomatic efforts", namely bilaterally, between the United States and Russia.

"We don’t want to arrive at a borderline situation where we have to apply sanctions", he added.