On 20 May 2026, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended Africa Day 2026 as Guest of Honor, at the Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok. The event was organized by the Group of the African Heads of Mission in Thailand, comprising the Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Republic of South Africa, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Kenya, as well as Chargés d’Affaires a.i. of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the State of Libya. In attendance were also Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin, Director-General of Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs, and Mr. Chulvat Narinthrangura, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), and other representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
The Deputy Prime Minister extended his congratulations to the African Ambassador Group on the occasion of the 63rd Anniversary of the African Union and reaffirmed the Thai Government’s vision to elevate Africa as a strategic partner for the future under the Thailand - Africa Initiative (TAI) through four key pillars: (1) deepening political and institutional engagement with regional organizations in Africa; (2) expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation to promote trade, investment, and supply chain diversification; (3) strengthening development cooperation to empower people, build long-term capacity, and enhance local resilience; and (4) fostering a stronger strategic partnership with Africa on global issues, including food security, climate change, online scams, and the reform of global institutions.
The Deputy Prime Minister also underscored Thailand’s commitment to building on the current momentum to translate the TAI into concrete outcomes that deliver tangible benefits to the peoples in both regions.