Concept Note

Public panel debate: Enhancing Denmark’s partnerships with African

countries on 25 January at 15.30 at University of Addis Ababa.

Building on the Danish government’s ambition to enhance Danish partnerships with and within
African countries, H.E. Dan Jørgensen, Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation and
Global Climate Policy, has the pleasure to host a public panel debate on 25 January 2024 at the
University of Addis Ababa. The purpose will be to outline the current vision for Danish
partnerships and gather perspectives on what Denmark should be doing to become an even
more valued and trusted partner to African countries. The panel debate will focus on the following
overall themes 1) the path towards a just and green transition in Africa, 2) African solutions for
peace and security – How can EU and Denmark best support African efforts, and 3) Global
governance – a stronger voice for Africa.

Denmark’s Foreign and Security Policy Strategy 2023 advances the ambition to build
targeted, equal and trustworthy partnerships based on shared interests. The Danish
government wishes to formulate a strategy of enhanced engagement with Africa to guide and
strengthen bilateral and European relations with the continent. On 25 January 2024 in Addis
Ababa, Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, H.E. Dan
Jørgensen, has the pleasure to convene an informal public panel debate on the partnerships
between Denmark and African countries.

Finding solutions for global challenges within areas such as peace and security, climate, food
security and trade and technology, transversally speak to much closer ties between Africa
and Europe across all sectors. The debate will seek to elaborate where and how Denmark and
Europe can work with African countries more broadly to build win-win partnerships.

Accompanied by all the Danish Ambassadors to the African continent, the Minister will set out
his overall thinking on how Denmark could become an even more valued and trusted partner
bilaterally and through the EU. After the keynote by the minister, a panel discussion will
follow with an open floor for comments and questions from the audience to enrich Danish
thinking about shared challenges, common values and overlapping interests with African
countries.

The panel will be composed of the following:

 Mr. Fonteh Akum, Director of ISS, Moderator

 H.E. Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy
 H.E. Hanna Tetteh, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General to the Horn of Africa
 H.E. Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union
Commission.
 Ms Chido Mpemba, Youth Envoy of the African Union Commission