Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that African countries account for nearly one-third of the total number of members of the United Nations, so it is not difficult to see that the influence of this region on the international arena has been growingly expanded.
While emphasising the political and economic importance of African countries in the current context, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that Nordic countries need to strengthen partnerships with African countries at all levels.
According to the Danish Foreign Minister, the promotion of trade and investment cooperation is one of the keys to building an equal partnership.
Some African economies are growing rapidly, which provides a good opportunity for the two sides to promote cooperation in this field. This is also the reason that for the first time, delegations attending the NAFM included business representatives.
At NAFM, Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederick Shava affirmed that the foundation of relations between African and Nordic countries has contributed to the maintenance of bilateral cooperation in many fields, such as ensuring peace and security and promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
According to Shava, small and medium-sized enterprises are growing rapidly, so it is a golden time for the African economy to receive appropriate and accessible financial packages, which provides an opportunity for Nordic countries.
Helping Nordic businesses gain a better understanding the investment environment in Africa also needs to be focused on to eliminate stereotypes about risks when investing in this region.
In addition, African countries also call on Nordic countries to take advantage of the opportunity to invest in the young human resources of the Europe.
Tanzanian Foreign Minister January Makamba said ensuring that Africa's young generation is equipped with the proper knowledge and skills will contribute to the development of the continent and the countries that support this effort.
Not only does NAFM contribute to strengthening relations between the two regions, it is also an opportunity for Nordic and African countries to promote bilateral cooperation.
While attending the conference, representatives of Sweden and Kenya signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on political consultation between the two countries.
Under the MoU, the two sides affirmed their appreciation for common values, committed to promoting multilateralism and respect for international law, and agreed to coordinate to ensure peace in the region and the world.
In addition, Sweden expressed its hope to support Kenya in developing the electric vehicle market, including infrastructure construction.
At the meeting in Copenhagen, representatives from Liberia clearly stated the country's economic growth and sustainable development goals, and expressed the aspiration to promote cooperation with Denmark in areas such as trade and investment, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism.
Strategic location and abundant natural resources are advantages owned by Liberia when cooperating with Denmark.
Meanwhile, the Danish side affirmed its support for Liberia's development goals and is ready for substantive dialogue to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
As commented by the Danish Foreign Minister and representatives of African countries at NAFM, although the complicated international situation has caused serious concerns, this can also open new opportunities for new partnerships. This can be seen in the fact that a growing number of African countries have shown increasing interest and participation in NAFM.
In the context of multilateralism is facing challenges, diplomatic officials of Nordic and African countries emphasised the importance of partnership between the two sides, and called for efforts to achieve common goals and solve global challenges.
