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Africa’s voice matters too, says Guinea-Bissau’s leader

As Umaro Sissoco Embalo emphasized, peace "is not only an issue for Europe, but also for Africa"

PARIS, November 11. /TASS/. African nations have their own views on global events, and their opinions should be listened to, Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who is also Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said at the Paris Peace Forum on Friday.

"It is important to listen to the African voice," the Guinea-Bissau leader said.

"I do not agree when I am told, ‘You must think like us," he said.

"It does not work anymore. The world order has changed," Sissoco Embalo said, referring to the Western line.

According to the president, it is crucial to take the opinion of BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) into account.

"Such countries as Algeria, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia are willing to join BRICS, and maybe Guinea-Bissau will do the same if we have oil and gas in the future," Sissoco Embalo said. "However, it is of paramount importance that we have respect for each other," he added

As the president emphasized, peace "is not only an issue for Europe, but also for Africa."

"Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, everyone has forgotten about the coronavirus pandemic, but it has not gone yet," he underlined.

"I believe that we must work on a solution together. That is impossible to do without Russia, which is also crucial for Europe’s security as well," Sissoco Embalo told participants of the Paris Peace Forum.

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