Luis Amado in Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso

The Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs Luís Amado will visit Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations with these countries, February 3 -5, following his participation in the 14th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

In Chad, Luís Amado will meet UN Secretary-General Special Representative (SRSG) Vítor Ângelo, at the MINURCAT headquarters, the UN peacekeeping force in Eastern Chad, whose military component replaced the EUFOR Chad (the EU ESDP mission in which Portugal was present with 30 Air Force personnel) ensuring area security operations, where the refugee camps are located.

On the second day of his visit to Chad, the MFA will visit the Goz Beida refugee camp and the MINURCAT military camp.

Chad has in the meantime expressed to the UN Security Council its wish to see the mission’s extension approved. This mission is led by Vítor Ângelo and is due to expire next March.

MINURCAT, which has 17 Portuguese soldiers in a total of 2500 odd troops from 34 countries, including 15 African nations, has been instrumental in the training of the Chadian police unit, with over 700 officers, ensuring the law enforcement in refugee camps and making the delivery of humanitarian assistance easier.

In his meeting with Moussa Faki, Luís Amado will discuss bilateral relations, at political and cooperation levels, particularly in the aviation sector considering OGMA’s role in the Chadian Air Force aircraft maintenance; Chad-EU relations, particularly the implementation assessment of the Action Plan following the EU-AU Summit and regional issues, including Darfur and CEMAC.

Luís Amado’s visit will also include an audience with President Idriss Deby, where these issues may be discussed.

In Bamako, Luís Amado will discuss bilateral relations with his counterpart Moctar Ouane, having in mind the activation of agreements already signed between the two countries (Cooperation and Tourism); Mali-EU relations and issues of regional integration, being Mali a member of ECOWAS.
Luís Amado will also have an audience with Mali’s President Amadou Toumani Touré.

In Burkina Faso, whose ECOWAS presidency has just come to an end, the MFA will meet with his counterpart Youssouf Ouédraogo, in Ouagadougou. The strengthening of bilateral relations, EU-Burkina Faso relations and regional integration issues are on the meeting’s agenda.

Luís Amado is also scheduled to meet with President Compaoré.