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This article has been translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The news agency is not responsible for the content of the translated article. The original was published by Lusa.

EU approves the appointment of Gomes Cravinho as special representative for Sahel

by AI | 14.Nov 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The Sahel is an extensive area that traverses longitudinally Africa, from Senegal to Eritrea, but the EU’s focus will be on Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger, with three of them having experienced coups in recent years (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger), and special attention should also be given to the countries of the Atlantic coast.

Tensions in the Sahel

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The Council of the European Union (EU) approved on Wednesday the appointment of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, as special representative for the Sahel, highlighting the “strategic importance” of the region in terms of security and stability.

“Today, the Council reached an agreement on the appointment of a new EU special representative for the Sahel,” announced the current Hungarian presidency of the Council, in a publication on the X social network (formerly Twitter).

A community source connected to the process confirmed to the Lusa agency that it was João Gomes Cravinho, who had been appointed in mid-October for this position as EU special representative for the Sahel, which he will occupy from December 1st of this year to August 2026.

The same source explained that this approval still needs to be formalized, which should happen at the meeting of European foreign ministers next Monday in Brussels.

In the X publication, the Hungarian presidency of the Council emphasizes that “the relationship with the Sahel region is of strategic importance to the EU in terms of security and stability, international commitments in climate and sustainable development, and migration routes linked to Europe.”

In mid-October, in statements to Lusa, João Gomes Cravinho stated that Europe is the only one capable of “taking care of that region.”

“I will not lack work, and the strategic importance of the region for Europe also will not; if we do not take care of this, and no one else will, because the United States views the Sahel as a problem that affects Europe, NATO also does not have the instruments nor the vocation to work here, therefore it is the European Union that has to use its instruments to generate a different dynamic in the region,” said the former governor at the time.

Speaking about his future role, João Gomes Cravinho said: “My job is to create conditions so that we can put into practice some of the advantages we have in terms of humanitarian aid, development cooperation, creating conditions to support institutions and support for training security forces, which are some of the many instruments that are not being used because the form of dialogue and synergy development most appropriate for the region could not be found.”

The Sahel is an extensive area that traverses Africa longitudinally from Senegal to Eritrea, but the EU’s focus will be on Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger, with coups having taken place in three of them in recent years (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger), and special attention should also be given to the Atlantic coast countries.

From a strategic point of view, this region is very important for Europe, not only due to the instability it undergoes but also because of the problems it can bring to the ‘old Continent’, according to Gomes Cravinho.

Still in mid-October, the Portuguese Government welcomed the choice of the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, regarding the name of João Gomes Cravinho, stating that this position “prestiges Portugal” as it is a “very important mission.”

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