The Portuguese secretary of state for foreign affairs and cooperation, João Gomes Cravinho, will participate, as representative of the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council, in the conference on «Peace and Security in Western Africa - What is the role of the EU-Africa Common Strategy?», to be held today, 12 November, in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). This conference will have the participation of representatives from the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), from the African Union and from the European Commission.

Besides top officials from international organisations, the ministers for foreign affairs from Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Senegal, Liberia, Niger, Ghana and Mali will also be present, as well as those from Burkina Faso and Austria, countries that jointly promote this conference, in collaboration with the European and African Conflict Prevention Centre (CREAF).

Included in the issues to be addressed are good neighbourhood policies, the fight against the proliferation of light weapons, good governance, rule of law, migrations, job creation for young people and the fight against hunger. This conference's conclusions will represent another contribution for the next EU-Africa Summit, scheduled for the 8 and 9 December, in Lisbon.