Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid tribute to the first President of Angola António Agostinho Neto Friday (25) after laying a wreath on the sarcophagus of the Memorial adjacent to the Republic Square in Luanda.
Lula da Silva highlighted, in the institution’s honour book, the vision and work of Agostinho Neto, describing him “as an outstanding politician, poet and national hero of Angola”.
Accompanied by Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António and senior officials of his Government, Lula da Silva said he shared Agostinho’s idea that freedom entails social justice (…)”.
The first President of Angola was born on September 17, 1922, in Kaxicane, Icolo e Bengo region, in the province of Luanda.
He died on September 10, 1979, in Moscow (former USSR), due to illness.
Lula da Silva has been in the country since Thursday for a State visit, where he will remain until Sunday (27).
After the visit the Brazilian president will travel to São Tomé and Príncipe for the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of the Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
The two Heads of State meet Friday at the Presidential Palace, followed by the signing of agreements.
In the pipeline are 11 cooperation agreements aimed essentially at the fields of agriculture, health, inclusive education, transport, the creation of small and medium-sized companies and the processing, treatment and transfer of public administration data.
In the afternoon, the Brazilian Head of State spoke in a special solemn session in his honor in the National assembly.
In the early evening, Lula da Silva and João Lourenço participated in the closing session of the Angola-Brazil Economic Forum.
Cooperation between Angola and Brazil began to take shape on June 11, 1980, with the signing of the Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement.
Under this agreement, the two countries develop bilateral cooperation in the areas of health, culture, public administration, professional training, education, environment, sports, statistics and agriculture.
Brazil was the first country in the world to recognize Angola’s independence, proclaimed on November 11, 1975, by then President António Agostinho Neto
Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)
