The meeting, hosted by Algeria for the first time, is under the theme of “strengthening dialogue on the basis of common values”
The work of the 20th session of the ministerial meeting between African countries and the Nordic countries began late Tuesday morning in Algiers, in the presence of representatives of 30 states, including 20 foreign ministers. The first meeting of its kind in Algeria, the informal meeting which will continue throughout the day today, will see the participation of five Nordic countries, namely Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden to “strengthen the dialogue on the basis of common values” (theme of the meeting), with African countries.
This record participation, as the organizers point out, “is a witness to the interest that Africa and the countries of northern Europe place in this new format of dialogue.” The 19th session, which was held in June 2022 in Helsinki, remember, saw the participation of only four Nordic ministers and seven African ministers. The other 10 participating countries were represented by vice ministers or other senior officials from their foreign affairs departments. For this new session, two countries which are under sanction from the African Union (AU) for non-constitutional change are not invited, namely Mali and Niger.
The Kingdom of Morocco, whose relations with Algeria have been severed since 2021, will not also be present.
Set up in 2001, at the initiative of the former Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, the late Anna Lindh, this meeting is being held for the first time in a North African country. Participants will discuss, over these two days, three main areas: peace and security, economic partnership and multilateral cooperation, as well as the education of young people in Africa.
The first objective of this meeting concerns the promotion of cooperation between African countries and Nordic countries at the level of UN bodies, in order to strengthen multilateralism, but also in order to work together to provide the necessary means to address current challenges, such as climate change, the migration phenomenon, and cross-border terrorism.
Examining ways and means of promoting economic and commercial cooperation and going beyond the granting of humanitarian aid, although essential for the fight against extreme poverty which is rife in certain countries, particularly in the Sahel, is also on the menu for this meeting.
