These two organizations have been selected and have received funding under the project concept “Lithuania’s support for the implementation of measures to combat migration in the countries of origin for migrants from West Africa” that was published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.
“By providing bilateral development cooperation support for Mali and Nigeria, Lithuania, firstly, seeks to stand in solidarity with and to contribute to the efforts of the EU and the international community to address increasing challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa, and, especially, to curb the increasing flow of illegal immigrants from the countries of this region,” said the Vice-Minister Neris Germanas when presenting Lithuania’s development cooperation projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition, Lithuania’s Foreign Vice-Minister noted that for Lithuania, the country which seeks to expand and strengthen relationships with the nations in the region, bilateral development cooperation support could, at the same time, open the way for mutually beneficial exchanges with the nations of the region in the fields of culture, tourism, investment and trade.
Aleksandras Stulginskis University will implement a project in Mali “Would-be entrepreneurs for Mali’s rural economy” and the research and consultancy centre AfriKo will implement a project in Nigeria “Lithuania’s support for the implementation of measures to combat migration in the countries of origin for migrants from West Africa”. Both projects aim to improve professional skills for youth and, thus, increase their employment opportunities in their own countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, aiming to raise public awareness about Africa in Lithuania, to promote intercultural cooperation and tolerance, each year organizes a series of Africa Day events on the occasion of the international Africa Day. On 24 May of this year, for the second year in a row, an international business conference “ICT4D - FinTech for Financial Inclusion in Africa” will be held at Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry. From 22 May in Vilnius, events presenting African cultures will be held for one week.
