Ekaterina Zaharieva announced an EU EUR 15 million security package for southern part of the African continent. "The European Union has two major programmes in the pipeline for southern Africa within the European Development Fund: one is dedicated to peace and security, and the other one – to migration. I would like to announce that this week the EU approved a EUR 15 million package for the peace and security programme that hopefully we will be able to launch sooner rather than later." These were the opening words of Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva at the ministerial meeting in Pretoria between the EU and the Southern African Development Community. The first Bulgarian diplomat is co-chairing the ministerial meeting in the framework of the political dialogue between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Mrs. Zaharieva leads the European delegation in her capacity as foreign minister of the rotating presidency of the EU Council. In Pretoria Zaharieva is accompanied by senior diplomats from the European External Action Service, from the European Commission, as well as by EC Delegations from several countries in the region. "We need an innovative and bold approach to help us meet the challenges of modernity," Zaharieva argued. "I am glad to be here, in the Republic of South Africa in this historic year when we honour the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's birth and the legacy he bequeathed us."
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria
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