It has been six decades since a German head of state was officially in Senegal. Frank-Walter Steinmeier is here now. There are great expectations of Europeans on the African continent.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called on Europe and Africa to work more closely together. “Despite all the differences that exist, we have to find the way to a closer, fruitful partnership,” he said in Dakar after talks with Senegal’s President Macky Sall.
Senegal plays a “really key role” as a solid democracy and anchor of stability in the entire region. With his visit he wanted to “give a new impetus” to the long-standing close partnership between Germany and Senegal.
Steinmeier was greeted with military honors by Sall at the start of his three-day visit. This is only the second time that a Federal President has paid an official visit to the West African country. Heinrich Lübke was there exactly 60 years ago. The visit now is also interesting because the country is currently chairing the African Union, which includes all the states on the continent.
For Steinmeier, it is the first long journey since the beginning of the corona pandemic. In the past two years, with the exception of a state visit to Israel in the summer of last year, he has only been to Europe. His last trip before the outbreak of the pandemic also took him to Africa in February 2020. At that time he visited Kenya and Sudan.
In Dakar, Steinmeier pointed out that the security situation in the Sahel region had become more difficult after the military coup in Mali. “The security risks in neighboring countries have increased in recent months.” He assured his host that the debate in Germany about continued participation in international military missions in Mali was being conducted “with very responsible seriousness”. Sall made it clear that he would like the Bundeswehr to continue to be present in Mali.
Biontech in Senegal
Steinmeier welcomed the planned establishment of vaccine production in Senegal with the help of the German company Biontech. This makes it realistic for the first time “that vaccines are produced in Africa for Africa”. So far, almost 100 percent of these have come from outside. Senegal’s President Sall emphasized that the aim was not simply to receive vaccine gifts, but to produce vaccines themselves.
Steinmeier wants to take a look this Tuesday at where Biontech would like to set up a plant for vaccine production in the near future. The German company, which developed and produces the first vaccine approved in the EU, just a few days ago presented a two-module plant that will be built in Senegal, Rwanda and possibly South Africa in the future.
In Africa only around 12 percent of the population is vaccinated, while in the EU it is more than 70 percent. The temporary release of vaccine patents is controversial between the African Union and the European Union. Africa demands this, but Europe, including Germany, refuses. According to experts, the patent release could boost vaccine production in Africa.
Source: Stern
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