Africa no longer continent of conflicts, disasters, says Czech ambassador

Zdeněk Krejčí, ambassador of the Czech Republic to Nigeria, says Africa is no longer a continent of conflicts and humanitarian disasters.

Krejčí spoke at a dialogue organised by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), on Friday.

The dialogue — attended by embassy officials, academia, media practitioners and government officials — was titled “Africa in the International Arena and the Search for Relevance”.

During the event, stakeholders spoke about the importance of Africa in the international scene and the need for the continent to form a united front.

In his speech, Krejčí said the Czech Republic is aware of the importance of Africa in the international scene, adding that the country’s policies reflect the continent’s importance.

The Czech ambassador said the embassy is monitoring how Nigeria is developing in the political and social spheres.

“Czechoslovakia was among the first countries which recognised the independent Nigerian state and developed extensive cooperation in economic, educational and cultural areas,” he said.

“Also the Czech Republic, established in 1993, is well aware of the importance of Africa for our foreign policy, and this cooperation efforts are growing more and more.

“This is reflected in the fact that our government approved a new strategy for the Czech Republic’s activities in Africa.

“We are well aware that Africa is no longer just a continent of conflicts and humanitarian disasters.

“It is a dynamic region with the fastest growing population in the world and represents opportunities for economic cooperation.

“This is doubly true in Nigeria. At the same time, however, it is important to monitor the direction in which Nigeria is developing in the political and social spheres.”