Latifa Akharbach: Bulgaria, Africa Have Many Opportunities to Seize Together

Africa as a continent has a total surface area of 30.2 million square kilometers - bigger than China, India, Europe and the United States combined. And yet too many people associate it only with poverty, conflicts and - more recently - Ebola.

Latifa Akharbach, ambassador of Kingdom of Morocco and Dean of the Group of African Ambassadors to Bulgaria, is now adamant this stereotype has to change for the well-being of Bulgaria, Europe and the world alike. With the Africa Day (May 25) celebrations prepared by the Group in Bulgaria's capital Sofia, Mrs Akharbach and the other 12 envoys believe this is the right moment to put Africa in the spotlight.

In her opinion, Africa deserves more visibility in the diplomatic agenda and cultural landscape here in Bulgaria, because "you don't have enough Africa even if you're part of the EU." Africa, secondly, is not a just a land of problems, but also of opportunities, contributing to the world's prosperity and growth. Bulgaria could benefit from this just as the continent could use its expertise, but "a tremendous effort" is needed to make things work.

Here in Bulgaria, Mrs Akharbach can speak for 12 countries that have representatives here: six of them with ambassadors and the rest with honorary consuls.

This is the summary of what Latifa Akharbach, ambassador of Kingdom of Morocco and Dean of the Group of African Ambassadors to Bulgaria, has told Novinite ahead of the Africa Day celebrations in May 25, for which an event is being organized in Bulgaria's capital Sofia.

On May 25, the Africa Day is celebrated all over the world, Mrs Akharbach is convinced that in Bulgaria it could have a particular meaning.

"Our main message for Bulgaria is that...