First ever meeting in a 2+2 format in an African country brings together Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers in Accra

Portuguese MFA marks the reopening of the Portuguese Embassy in Abidjan

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, visits three West African countries. Bilateral relations, security and defense issues, and the reopening of the Portuguese Embassy in Abidjan, over 20 years after its closing, will set the agenda. The trip begins on Monday in Ghana, and will continue to the Côte d'Ivoire, concluding on Thursday in Burkina Faso.

A meeting in the 2+2 format will take place for the first time in an African country, bringing together the Foreign and Defence Ministers of Portugal and Ghana. Minister João Gomes Cravinho and Minister Helena Carreiras meet with their Ghanaian counterparts, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and Dominic Nitiwul - an opportunity to discuss the situation in both the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea, as well as to debate regional and international cooperation, namely at bilateral level, but also within the European Union and the United Nations.

On the occasion of the Portuguese Navy vessel NRP Setubal stop-over in Ghana as part of the Open Sea mission, the two Ministers will be joining a reception on board the vessel. This mission is an example of the Portuguese contribution towards the promotion of maritime safety in the region.

The trip to Ghana - that includes a visit to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) - also serves as preparation for the State visit of the President of the Ghanaian Republic to Portugal, scheduled for July. President Nana Akufo-Addo will welcome the Ministers during their stay in Accra.

The head of Portuguese diplomacy continues his trip with an official visit to the Côte d'Ivoire. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to meet his Ivorian counterpart, Kandia Camara, and will be welcomed by the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara. The meetings aim to strengthen bilateral ties, by intensifying political dialogue, increasing economic and commercial dynamics, as well as deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation. A further visit to the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny will also take place to assess the efforts to promote the Portuguese language in Ivorian higher education.

In Abidjan, the MFA is to signal the reopening of the Portuguese Embassy with members of the Portuguese community, who can now benefit from closer assistance from the Portuguese diplomatic network.

Given the country's economic potential, Minister João Gomes Cravinho will be in contact with Portuguese entrepreneurs and visit ongoing business projects in Côte d'Ivoire ( as well as in Ghana). Another key moment on the Ivorian agenda will be a visit to the African Development Bank (AfDB), where the implementation of the Lusophone Compact launched by Portugal in partnership with this institution will be one of the topics highlighted.

This African tour ends in Burkina Faso where, on Thursday afternoon, the MFA will meet with his counterpart Olivia Rouamba. After visiting two coastal countries, where maritime and land insecurity threaten the stability of the region, the head of Portuguese diplomacy will be in Ouagadougou for a dialogue with the country's authorities on the current dynamics in the Sahel, and particularly in that country.

Lisbon, July 1st 2023

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