馃嚚馃嚠Abidjan.net路9 hours ago
Sidi Tour茅 and Alexandra Heldt advocate for an Africa-Europe partnership based on mobility and development
Sidi Tour茅, Vice-President of Liberal International and Minister of Animal and Fishery Resources, and Alexandra Heldt, West Africa Regional Director for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation FNF, have called for a new approach to the Africa-Europe partnership regarding migration. Speaking at the Liberal Forum for Political Dialogue in Abidjan, held from July 15-16, 2026, under the theme "Migration, security and development: rethinking the Africa-Europe partnership," they emphasized that migration should be viewed as a matter of freedom rather than solely a problem. Sidi Tour茅 highlighted UN data indicating that migrants constitute 3.7% of the global population, with over 96% of people living in their birth countries, and noted that 70% of African migration occurs within the continent. He stressed the importance of preserving free movement, despite political divergences, particularly concerning the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS. Alexandra Heldt condemned xenophobic rhetoric in both Africa and Europe, citing violence against migrants in South Africa since 2008. She pointed out the paradox in Europe, where labor needs coexist with anti-immigration sentiment, and argued that migration fosters exchange, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Both advocated for a balanced Africa-Europe partnership founded on mobility, shared responsibility, and liberal values, urging decision-makers to focus on trust and cooperation over fear and rejection. Sidi Tour茅 concluded by s