EPISODE · Jun 11, 2026 · 26 MIN
Beyond the White Saviour: what real partnership looks like with Rui Santos
from European Liberal Forum · host European Liberal Forum
What does real partnership between Europe and Africa actually look like in 2026? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre is joined by Rui Santos, CEO of CESO Development Consultants, a Portuguese firm celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and one of the most experienced implementers of European Commission projects across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The conversation unpacks how EU cooperation has shifted away from the old donor-beneficiary model towards genuine, shoulder-to-shoulder collaboration. They discuss the EU's strategic partnership programmes with countries like Angola, the Global Gateway initiative, and PROCULTURA PALOP-TL/UE, a cultural ecosystem-building project across Portuguese-speaking African countries and East Timor. Along the way, Rui reflects on what 35 years in international development have taught him about reputation, patience, and the long-distance run that meaningful cross-border work demands. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
What this episode covers
What does real partnership between Europe and Africa actually look like in 2026? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre is joined by Rui Santos, CEO of CESO Development Consultants, a Portuguese firm celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and one of the most experienced implementers of European Commission projects across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The conversation unpacks how EU cooperation has shifted away from the old donor-beneficiary model towards genuine, shoulder-to-shoulder collaboration. They discuss the EU's strategic partnership programmes with countries like Angola, the Global Gateway initiative, and PROCULTURA PALOP-TL/UE, a cultural ecosystem-building project across Portuguese-speaking African countries and East Timor. Along the way, Rui reflects on what 35 years in international development have taught him about reputation, patience, and the long-distance run that meaningful cross-border work demands. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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Beyond the White Saviour: what real partnership looks like with Rui Santos
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