Babiš shared his government’s aim to focus on export diplomacy outside Europe. “Based on meetings with several African leaders at the Forum, our administration is going to prepare Ministerial missions to different countries,” said Babiš, adding that he will work on a strategy for non-European territories together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry.
Digitalization, innovations and showcasing of African start-ups were on the agenda at the Forum. Dozens of high-level politicians representing the EU member states and African countries met with hundreds of businessmen from the two continents.
In Africa, the Czech Republic is focusing on the most populous countries such as Nigeria, Egypt and Ethiopia. PM Babiš met with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame among others.
The Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz vowed a substantial increase of European investments to the continent. We must not leave Africa to China, he added. Currently, the EU is lagging in both investments and trade not only behind China but Japan as well.
In this regard, Babiš called for a common coordinated action, reminding one of the main disadvantages of the EU against China. “We need to agree on a common strategy,” he said.
Even though migration wasn’t officially part of the agenda, Babiš mentioned that it was impossible to avoid a discussion on the topic.
As Africa is expected to account for more than half of the global population by 2100, for us the aim should be to help African countries especially in terms of education, investments and economic cooperation, the Czech PM said.
