Deputy Minister Maria Angelieva participates in the celebration of Africa Day
27 May 2024 News
On May 26, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Angelieva participated in the event on the occasion of the Day of Africa (May 25), which was held in the Ceremonial Hall of the Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’.
In her welcoming speech, Maria Angelieva thanked the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco and Dean of the African Ambassadors Group, Ms Zakia El Midaoui, for the invitation extended to her. ‘This day is an opportunity to reflect on the past, the present and the future. Bulgaria is a long-standing friend and partner of many African countries, including on their path to independence and democracy. Bulgaria has supported liberation movements in countries such as Zimbabwe, South Africa, Algeria, Angola and Mozambique’, Deputy Minister Maria Angelieva said, noting that our country has also provided scholarships for African students graduated from Bulgarian academic institutions. In her words, in recent years there has been a growing interest among African young people to study in Bulgaria. ‘This was the reason for the opening of a Study in Bulgaria information centre in the Kingdom of Morocco in January this year, as well as the upcoming opening of a Study in Morocco information centre in Sofia later this year. I am aware that work is continuing to expand the network of information centres in other countries, which will further extend the tradition of educational exchange with Africa’, Angelieva added.
The deputy minister stressed that relations with Africa are key on the EU's foreign policy agenda. ‘The EU is Africa's main partner in terms of investment, trade, development cooperation and security. It is a partnership built on mutual interests and shared responsibility’, Maria Angelieva said and expressed her conviction that, building on the strong partnership between the EU and Africa, Bulgaria and Africa can together find new ways forward and strengthen their relations, contributing to guaranteeing peace.