The financial efforts and missions of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in Africa do not translate into “real political influence”, Portugal’s defence minister, João Gomes Cravinho, argued on Thursday (28 January).
“There is a lack of political commitment, a lack of translation of the financial effort and capabilities that we invest in the African continent, particularly in CSDP missions, into real political influence and a real capacity for dialogue with African political actors who ultimately decide on security and peace on the continent”, Cravinho told a hearing in the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence (EP).