10 IPRIS Lusophone Countries Bulletin AUGUST 2010 as far as describing both Portuguese- the more influence it will have in the Portugal and speaking Southern African countries African continent in general. More- as the “spinal column of the relation- over, as it was pointed out by Foreign South Africa: ship (of Portugal) with the African Minister Luís Amado last January, continent”. Portugal will become more relevant Matching words Portugal’s interest in Southern Africa in the EU if it is able to be influent in is multilayered. Not only is there a other regions such as Southern Af- with deeds significant community of Portuguese rica. Also, Portugal could perform the expatriates, but the Portuguese lan- role of bridge builder between the EU guage itself is important in the re- and the SADC, thus reinforcing its in- PAULO GORJÃO gion. Indeed, it is the official language fluence in both chessboards. Researcher, IPRIS in Angola and Mozambique, as well as The development of a bilateral rela- one of the working languages of the tionship between Lisbon and Preto- Southern African Development Com- ria is crucial if indeed Portugal really Portuguese Foreign Minister Luís munity (SADC) and the African Union wishes to match words with deeds Amado has emphasized on several (AU). when it says that Southern Africa is a occasions over the last few years, Moreover, while a few years ago the strategic region. An increasingly im- namely last February in Addis Ababa interest of Portuguese companies – portant relationship with South Africa on the sidelines of the 14th African such as Banif, BPI, Cimpor, CGD, Es- will give Portugal additional power Union Summit, that Southern Africa com, Galp, Martifer, Mota Engil, MSF, vis-à-vis Angola and Mozambique, is nowadays the most important re- Portugal Telecom, Sonae, Teixeira while at the same time working as an gion in the world as far as Lisbon’s Duarte, among others – was centered access platform regarding Southern diplomacy is concerned. Following mainly on Angola and Mozambique, Africa. The South African market is, the same logic, Portuguese President nowadays their focus is spreading to by far, the most developed in Sub-Sa- Aníbal Cavaco Silva emphasized while the entire region. Indeed, diversifying haran Africa. It would not be unreal- visiting Luanda last July that Angola exporting markets beyond European istic to explore possible business op- could be an access platform for Por- countries has become an imperative portunities in South Africa, bearing in tugal regarding Southern Africa. for the Portuguese economy, which is mind the large Portuguese commu- The rhetoric on the importance of now looking not only to Portuguese- nity in the country – around 200 thou- Southern Africa to Portugal’s foreign speaking countries with renewed in- sand – and their capacity to establish policy is not surprising, consider- terest, but also to the whole of South- bridges between the two countries. ing that one of Portuguese diplo- ern Africa. Until quite recently, the Portuguese macy’s main pillars is centered on Last but not the least, Portugal also foreign policy approach towards South Portuguese-speaking countries, two has a political interest in the region. Africa was managed mainly through of them – Angola and Mozambique – Southern Africa is a central part of the European Union. This state of af- being located precisely in the region. Lisbon’s strategy towards the African fairs seems to be changing with this Last year, Portuguese Secretary of continent, as well as regarding the Eu- renewed bilateral focus, even if the State for Foreign Affairs and Coop- ropean Union (EU). The more relevant process is incomplete at this stage. eration João Gomes Cravinho went Portugal becomes in Southern Africa, Last April, Graça Machel, the third IPRIS Lusophone Countries Bulletin | 2 wife of Nelson Mandela and widow of embassy in Lisbon has been waiting January 11th 2008. Sidna, an al-Qaeda late Mozambican President Samora almost a year for a new ambassador, in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) as- Machel came to Lisbon. As chairper- while the post remains vacant. sociate who is responsible for killing son of the Mozambican Whatana In- Reversing this mutual political ne- four French tourists in Mauritania in vestment Group, she was invited by glect will benefit both countries. Por- December 2007, was arrested in Bis- the Portuguese Business Develop- tugal in particular must bear in mind sau after traveling through Senegal ment Agency (AICEP) to participate in that South Africa is the key player in and Gambia. Others were detained a conference about the overall South- Southern Africa. It is the pivotal state, as well, namely a Mauritanian living ern African market. This AICEP ini- i.e. the “hot spot that could not only in Guinea-Bissau for several years tiative confirmed that South Africa is determine the fate of its region but and accused of aiding Sidna. The ar- nowadays a priority to the Portuguese also affect international stability”. rest was perceived as another sign of government. Indeed, under the same In order to be successful, the Portu- AQIM moving South as well as a con- strategic goal, the AICEP will orga- guese diplomatic strategy towards sequence of the region’s debilities. As nize in a few months an investment Southern Africa must not ignore a result, the threat level in West Africa forum in South Africa. South Africa. Thus, Lisbon must es- has escalated. In the last decade, the South Afri- tablish a clear regional partnership Last June, then Executive Director of can market has consistently lost rel- with Pretoria by emphasizing that the United Nations Office on Drugs evance within the Portuguese overall unlike China or India, it will not pose and Crime (UNODC) Antonio Maria exports ranking. In 2009, South Africa a threat to South Africa’s strategic Costa, voiced his concern over AQ- was Portugal’s 42nd exporting market, interests in Southern Africa. Rather IM’s involvement in drug trafficking while in 2000 it was the 31st, falling 11 than an adversary or a rival, Portugal towards Europe. Costa pointed out places in just one decade. However, could be an useful partner, not only that drugs are being used to finance the AICEP’s focus on Southern Africa in Angola and Mozambique, but also terrorism, adding that Latin Ameri- and South Africa in particular, to- in Botswana, Namibia, or Zimbabwe. can cocaine trafficking routes cross gether with the renewed interest from territories which are, to some extent, Portuguese companies in the region under the control or characterized by seems to indicate that bilateral trade the presence of AQIM. relations will improve in the forth- Organized crime has been a problem coming years. in West Africa for some time. In 2005, Yet, Portugal must also invest more AQIM and West the UNODC acknowledged that drug fully in the political and diplomatic and human trafficking, diamond and relationship with South Africa. The Africa: Can tobacco smuggling, forgery, illegal most high-level bilateral interaction manufacture and trafficking of fire- between the two countries since the arms, among other illicit activities end of apartheid in 1994 took place Guinea-Bissau conducted by transnational criminal in March 2006, when former South organizations, were a growing con- African President Thabo Mbeki vis- become a cern in the region. In fact, according ited Lisbon to attend the inauguration to the UN, nearly 60% of the drugs of President Cavaco Silva (President narco-terrorist sold in Europe pass through West Af- Mbeki also participated in the EU-Af- rica. rica Summit held in Lisbon in Decem- platform? Although the alert signaled by An- ber 2007). In turn, former Portuguese tónio Maria Costa should be taken President Jorge Sampaio attended DIOGO NOIVO very seriously, the connection be- the inauguration of President Mbe- tween AQIM and illicit trafficking is Researcher, IPRIS ki in June 1999. Surprisingly, there not exactly surprising. The Algerian were no state visits to report. Presi- Salafist Group for Preaching and dent Cavaco Silva, Prime Minister Combat (GSPC), considered to be the José Sócrates and Foreign Minister Guinea-Bissau has been spotlighted predecessor of AQIM, was involved Luís Amado did not visit South Africa by the media due to its political insta- in all sorts of illegal smuggling – so once since they occupied their posts. bility and mounting involvement with much so that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a The same is true regarding South Af- drug trafficking – two aspects which former GSPC member and currently rica: neither President Jacob Zuma are often connected. Although al- one of AQIM’s most noteworthy com- nor Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana- ready disturbing, concerns about the manders, also goes by the nickname Mashabane visited Portugal a single country’s situation deepened with the of ‘Mr. Marlboro’. Moreover, recourse time. Moreover, the South African arrest of Sidi Ould Sidna in Bissau on to document forgery and drug traf- IPRIS Lusophone Countries Bulletin | 3 ficking by jihadist cells in Europe lians arrested in Ghana with conspir- AQIM’s associates in Guinea-Bissau – many of which acting on behalf of acy to commit acts of narco-terrorism is not connected to drug trafficking. AQIM – is well known. and to support terrorist organizations. However, if we add the influence that Therefore, the connection between According to a joint statement by the drug cartels now have in Bissau to Islamist terrorism and drug traffick- US District Attorney and the Drug En- AQIM’s shift towards the South and ing or smuggling in general is not forcement Agency (DEA), in a series its involvement with drug running in new. And, as mentioned above, the of telephone calls and meetings with West Africa, we have a mixture that presence of criminal organizations two confidential sources working with certainly deserves attention.