President Iohannis: Romania, to further promote consistent actions for supporting Africa-Europe Alliance

President Klaus Iohannis stated on Tuesday that Romania will continue to promote consistent actions in view of supporting the Africa-Europe Alliance, mentioning the granting of scholarships to the African youth. 

"We are at a crucial moment of the relations between Europe and Africa: a moment when the two continents have the opportunity to lay the foundations of a truly beneficial partnership for both sides. This Forum is proof of Europe's commitment to a new alliance with Africa, as President Juncker underscored a few months ago. As the future Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Romania will continue to promote consistent actions in view of supporting this innovative and constructive alliance between our continents, through a close cooperation with the future Egyptian presidency of the African Union," Iohannis affirmed at the meeting of the heads of state and government on the sidelines of the High-Level Forum Africa-Europe. 

He highlighted that assistance needs to be gradually replaced by trade exchange, both the traditional and the electronic one. 

"Europe's high-tech sector is becoming one of the strongest growth, innovation and job creation engines. Romania is becoming a significant part of this dynamic, with one of the strongest IT community in Europe, with efficient innovation hubs, digital platforms and one of the fastest internet networks in the world. Success in the future depends on the European Union's Single Digital Market, which could benefit from a digital extension across the Mediterranean," Iohannis showed. 

Romania's president maintained Romania will continue to grant scholarships to the African students and promote new cooperation initiatives aimed at innovation and digitisation development in Africa. 

President Iohannis voiced his conviction that the High-Level Forum Africa-Europe will smooth the way for a new alliance, based on trade exchanges, sustainable growth and innovation. 

"As regards Romania, you will find in our presidency of the EU Council a very active partner in view of achieving this target," the president concluded.