The President of Guinea-Bissau and the Alliance of African Leaders Against Malaria (ALMA) on Saturday asked the Portuguese Prime Minister to be Africa’s spokesperson on the disease before the European Union, the United States and the United Nations.
At an ALMA award ceremony in Addis Ababa, Umaro Sissoco Embaló praised António Costa and emphasized that Africa needs strong partners to fight the disease.
“I promise to continue with this agenda in mobilizing resources with a view to accelerating progress: the elimination of malaria in our continent,” said Embaló, admitting that the eradication goal for 2030 “is far from being achieved.”
This Saturday, he added, “Africa continues to be the region with the highest incidence of malaria, with 98% of deaths worldwide”, and it is “imperative to change the paradigm”, but, for this, “adequate resources are needed “. , sharing efforts and political will”.
“We know what malaria is. That’s why we have to talk to our European partners,” he explained, addressing the Portuguese Prime Minister, present at the ceremony: “Today we ask the Portuguese Prime Minister to be with us and be our spokesman for the community international law, the European Union and the United Nations”.
“Let him be our ambassador for malaria”, concluded the Guinean head of state, making António Costa smile.
For his part, in his speech -before Embaló’s speech-, the President of the Portuguese Government considered that it is “very important that all of society and all countries join this common fight”.
“Portugal, fortunately, does not suffer from malaria, but we are strongly committed, from the point of view of research and financial support, in the fight against malaria,” he said.
António Costa gave the example of Portuguese institutions that “are focused on finding the best way to deal with malaria and trying to synthesize a vaccine that, in the future, can free humanity from this terrible disease.”
In addition, there is a “commitment, both within the European Union and bilaterally, to cooperate in the fight against malaria.”
“Investment in health is the best investment for the development of all communities, and in particular of your continent”, added António Costa.
The heads of state and government of the African Union will meet today and on Sunday in Addis Ababa on the occasion of the 36th summit of the African Union, in which the Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, will participate as a guest.
Source: TSF
