Day: June 22, 2023

Angolan President, João Lourenço, left Luanda on Thursday morning for the northern Uíge Province, for a two-day working visit to that region of the country.

At the Luanda military air base, Lourenço was bid farewell by the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa, and members of government.

According to the programme of the visit, João Lourenço will lead a meeting of the Local Governance Council, with the participation of governors of the country’s 18 provinces and heads of ministerial departments.

The meeting will be held in two sessions, the first Thursday afternoon and the second Friday morning.

The Local Governance Council is the auxiliary body of the President of the Republic in the formulation and monitoring of the execution of governance policies of the State Administration at local level.

The president’s schedule includes meetings with local authorities and a visit to the Agriculture and Livestock Fair, which will showcase the region’s economic potential.

The Head of State is scheduled to return to the capital Friday afternoon. AL/ADR/Amp/jmc

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

João Lourenço is presiding over the Local Governance Council (CGL) meeting taking place in the northern Uige Province, as part of a two-day working visit to that region.

During his arrival at Manuel Quarta Punza Airport, João Lourenço was welcomed by the provincial governor, José Carvalho da Rocha, members of the Executive, traditional and religious authorities and groups of citizens.

The meeting to be held in two sessions, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, is being attended by the governors of the country’s 18 provinces and the heads of ministerial departments.

Uige governor, José Carvalho da Rocha, is expected to present the balance sheet and prospects of social impact projects of the province to the Head of State.

Local Governance Council is the auxiliary body of the President in the formulation and monitoring of the implementation of governance policies of the State Administration at local level.

Created by Presidential Legislative Decree, the body meets every six months. It comprises the Ministers of State, Ministers, Provincial Governors, Presidential Aides, Secretary of the Cabinet Council, among other entities connected to local governance issues.

The President’s schedule includes a meeting with local authorities and a visit to the Agricultural Fair, which will showcase the region’s potential in this economic sector.

With over a million inhabitants, Uige province has 16 municipalities, namely Ambuila, Bembe, Buengas, Bungo, Damba, Alto Cauale, Maquela do Zombo, Milunga, Mucaba, Negage, Puri, Quimbele, Quitexe, Sanza Pombo, Songo and Uíge.

Agriculture and trade are the main sectors of activity in Uige, which was once considered the top coffee producer in Angola.

Uige’s climate is hot, which is why it is good for growing coffee, cassava, peanuts, sweet potatoes, beans, cocoa, sisal and others on a smaller scale.

The President’s last trip to Uige took place in October 2021, when he led a meeting of the Local Governance Council. DC/AL/JAR/ADR/Amp/jmc

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Angola’s engagement in search for peaceful solutions to various crises on the continent, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC), was highlighted on Wednesday.

The country’s commitment was expressed by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Esmeralda Mendonça in New York, during a meeting with the Permanent Representative of the DRC to the UN, Georges Nzogola Ntalaja.

Angolan official called for the need to comply with the Luanda Roadmap and the Nairobi Process to find peaceful solutions as quickly as possible to put an end to the instability in the DRC.

In her speech, which mainly focused on the situation in the eastern region of the DRC, which is experiencing outbreaks of instability due to armed actions by the M23 forces, Esmeralda Mendonça expressed Angola’s continued willingness to support the pacification process.

ANGOP learnt that the Congolese diplomat recognised Angola’s key role as a mediator in the different conflicts in the region, particularly in his country.

Georges Nzogola Ntalaja praised the work of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, as acting president of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and Champion of the African Union for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa.

On March 17th of the current year, the Angolan Parliament unanimously approved the sending of a contingent of 500 soldiers to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The aim is to secure the cantonment areas of the M23 elements and protect the members of the “ad hoc” verification mechanism.

Also on Wednesday, Esmeralda Mendonça held a meeting with the Minister of Justice of Portugal, Catarina Castro, with whom she discussed aspects related to the presidency of Angola in the CPLP, as well as the promotion of the Portuguese language on the international scene.

At the courtesy meeting, the two entities also addressed issues related to bilateral cooperation, on the sidelines of the Third United Nations High Level Conference on Combating Terrorism.

Angola took over the rotating presidency of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) during the organisation’s XIII Conference of Heads of State and Government, which took place from 12 to 17 July 2021, in Luanda. AL/NIC

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

MPLA has considered the protests a privilege that should be staged in a civic and orderly manner but condemned the acts causing any social chaos.

The ruling party’s stance was expressed Wednesday in Luanda by its Vice President, Luísa Damião, who said that the demonstration is a citizen’s right, enshrined in the country’s Constitution.

The politician said the freedom and responsibility should walk hand in hand, as the citizen has the right to demonstrate.

The leader warned the citizens of the way this right should be exercised, urging for civility, responsibility and order, without disrupting the peace and political stability of the country.

Addressing the press on the sidelines of the Conference on “Strategy of gender integration in the legislative, political and governance processes”, MPLA vice president discouraged the masterminds of these protests and condemned the hooligan committed by the demonstrators.

“I don’t think it is on the right track. We mean that they are political wolves in sheep’s clothing, who in fact are not contributing to the consolidation of peace and the stability of our country,” stressed Luísa Damião, who praised the event sponsored by Angola Women Network.

As example, the politician mentioned the case of the central Huambo province, where the protests escalated into unrests rather than real demonstrations. As result, there were reports of deaths due to incitement to violence.

“We are in a democratic and Rule of Law State. We must abide by the Constitution and the laws. And citizens should be the first to comply with their rights and duties, and use the rights that are embodied in the Constitution of Republic of Angola in a civic and orderly manner,” the vice president of the ruling MPLA party stressed.

“All of us must contribute to consolidate peace and stability. Therefore, each must be a promoter of peace and social stability in Angola”, MPLA leader said, alluding to demonstration staged on Saturday (June 17) in some provinces of the country, allegedly due to the rise in the prices of gasoline and Basic Basket products. ECC/MDS/AL/DAN/NIC

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

National Assembly Speaker Carolina Cerqueira Thursday urged MPs to refrain from the events or actions likely to violate the fundamentals of the rule of law.

The appeal is expressed in a message addressed to the 7th Ordinary Plenary Meeting of the 1st Legislative Session of the V Legislature.

Carolina Cerqueira urged the representatives of the people to deny taking part, voluntarily or involuntarily, in actions that violate the law.

According to Carolina Cerqueira, it is crucial that MPs condemn all actions that disrupt social harmony.

“I appeal to all members, regardless of their opinion and freedom of expression – rights granted by democracy – not to take part in the acts or demonstrations that violate laws or adopt behaviours that violate social peace”, she expressed.

The Speaker also recommended the MPs to avoid uttering statements that incite civil disobedience and public disorder, vandalism of public and private property, as well as behaviour likely to disturb social cohesion and stability.

The MP added that the strength of the ideas and convictions, freedom of expression, in terms of democratic and legal principles, must always match the legitimacy that stems from the democratic mandate.

According to Carolina Cerqueira, political action, based on insulting and offending people and institutions, no longer represents democracy, but a “virus that destroys the essence of democracy”.

She requested, therefore, that the deputies live up to the responsibilities inherited from peacemakers, guaranteeing the maintenance of stability and social cohesion.

The Speaker also said that the Parliament, in the constitutional system, constitutes an organ of central sovereignty of democracy and concomitantly of the rule of law.

The parliamentary session discussed three diplomas and approved that authorising the President of the Republic, as holder of the Executive Power, to legislate on the alteration of the Tax Regime for the Concession of Blocks 30, 44 and 45, as well as the final global vote on the Draft Law of the Labor Procedure Code.

The session also discussed the citizens’ rights and freedoms versus acts of public disorder. VM/NIC

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)