Month: February 2023

Luanda – Angola is attending since Monday (27) the annual high-level panel discussion as part of the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

To attend hybrid meeting, running until Thursday (March 2 ), the Angolan delegation is led by minister of Justice and Human Rights, Marcy Lopes, who will address on Tuesday.

In addition to minister Marcy Lopes, the Angolan delegation includes, among other entities, the Permanent Representative of Angola to the UN, in Geneva, Margarida Izata.

In its press release, the Press Office of the Permanent Mission of Angola to the UN, in Geneva, states that the opening session took place this morning, attended by the President of the General Assembly Václav Bálek and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

ANGOP learnt of the presence of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, and the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis, as representative of the host country.

The 52nd session of the HRC is the first of the year, and more than 121 dignitaries are taking part in the event, including the Head of State of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi.

The high-level segment consists of the general debate around national and international current affairs on the promotion and protection of human rights, multilateralism and international cooperation in this field.

The segment’s agenda includes the annual discussion related to the integration of human rights, devoted to the theme “A reflection on five years of UN youth 2030: Mapping, a plan for the next steps”.

The biennial panel on the death penalty, the meeting on the right to development and the panel on the voluntary fund for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) complete the agenda.

At the level of the general segment, the HRC intends to analyse 85 reports on different issues as part of the civil, political, economic, social, cultural rights, as well as human rights situations. AL

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Chief of the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) Altino dos Santos congratulated Monday the National Police (PN) on their 47th anniversary of creation celebrated 28 Feb.

In a note reached ANGOP on Monday (27), Altino dos Santos congratulates all the staff and expressed his appreciation for the dedication, spirit of mission and high professionalism demonstrated in the guarantee of public order and tranquility throughout the national territory.

He stressed that throughout their existence the police conquered own merit and recognition of the whole of society due to the role in preventing and combating all kind of crimes.

As in the past, he added that the FAA will remain available to strengthen cooperation with the National Police in efforts to maintain order, public tranquility and social peace, fundamental conditions to promote the country’s sustainable development.

National Police (PN) were created on February 28, 1976, previously under the designation of People’s Police Corps of Angola (CPPA) and then Police Corps of Angola (CPA).

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Some 300 students from Luanda municipality, the country’s capital, benefit from the social public transport voucher “GiraMais” (spins more), on an experimental basis, with 60 free trips.

This is an initiative of the Angolan Executive, which is carried out from the National System of Integrated Ticketing (SNBI).

The measure covers initially the students aged up to 15 and belonging to some schools such as Ngola Kanine, Ngola Kiluanje, Primeiro de Maio and Comercial school.

In this first phase, they are working only on buses. The next stage will include trains and catamarans.

However, the nine public transport operators in Luanda and the five in the province of Huíla have already installed the GiraMais card reader equipment, synchronized with the national Integrated Ticketing System.

Pascoal Fernando, in charge of the National Integrated Ticketing Company (SNBI), said by the end of next June the process will be in full operation and announced plans to extend the vouchers to other groups, such as the elderly, former combatants and people with special needs.

Along with the provinces of Luanda and Huíla, it is also carrying out the experimental test of the social transport pass, says the manager.

He admitted existing a delay in the publication of the joint guiding diploma of the Ministries of Finance and Transport, which is expected to be published in the Official Gazette in the second quarter of this year, the period in which the effective functioning of this service will begin.

The goal, adds the official, is to reach about three million potential beneficiaries in Luanda alone, with young people being the largest category, representing more than 60% of the target population.

Social access will cost Kz 4,500 (Kz) or Kz 2,500 when purchasing the ticket and Kz 2,000 more for activation in the ticketing system. They are renewable every three years.

However, there is also the youth social voucher category, which covers citizens ranging from 16 to 35 years old and which have a 50% bonus on the normal public transport fare.

Likewise, other categories of social passes benefit the elderly, from 60 years old, people with disabilities and veterans of the country, all of whom will be entitled to 20 free trips per month plus a 50% bonus for each top-up on the card. OPF/ PPA

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The National Institute of Support for Small and Medium Enterprises (INAPEM) has certified, since 2022 to date, more than 37,000 enterprises, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, said the institution’s manager, Bráulio Augusto.

The certified companies, according to the manager, are mostly linked to the production and provision of goods and services.

Bráulio Augusto, who was speaking during the first Methodological Meeting on the Drafting Project for the National Entrepreneurship Strategy, stressed that such data prove the existence, today, of greater interest of civil society, especially young people, in entrepreneurship.

He stated that there has been a positive dynamic, because every day new entrepreneurs have been born, leaving the country with an increase of around seven to eight percent, in terms of growth among small and medium investments in the entrepreneurship segment.

The meeting results from the implementation of the Joint Programme of the European Union and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (EU/UNCTAD), known as “Train for trade II”, which includes six (6) other components mainly aimed at strengthening the activity business in Angola. JAM/PPA

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Talatona – Angola’s former minister of Foreign Affairs Venâncio de Moura was a diplomat who stood out for his profile as a good negotiator and for perseverance in dealing with the missions entrusted to him.

The recognition was voiced by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça, who said that Venâncio de Moura’s legacy was not restricted to the activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX).

The official said the patriotic sense of the former minister contributed substantially to the affirmation of the country in the concert of nations, and is still a reference in different dimensions of the country’s decision-making process.

Speaking at the opening of the third edition of the celebration of the Patron’s Day of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Venâncio de Moura”, held Friday in Luanda, Mendonça said that the date is celebrated with joy on the reference to the life and deeds of a man whose name was attributed, on his own merit, to the MIREX academic wing.

The official described the former Foreign minister as one of the men of high caliber who never die, as the deeds and examples live in the memory, not only of the national staff but also in the memory of several foreign individuals who interacted with them on diplomacy’s context of the Republic of Angola.

Venâncio de Moura was Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1992 and 1999 (the year of his death).

He was one of the signatories of the Lusaka Protocol, by the Angolan government, in November 1994.

He dedicated 23 years to diplomacy, one as ambassador to Italy and 22 as deputy and minister of foreign affairs.

Today, the Diplomatic Academy has as its patron the minister Venâncio da Silva Moura, whose tribute is paid on February 25, the day of his birth.

During the opening ceremony of the celebrations, a monument was inaugurated in Minister Venâncio de Moura’s honuor, patron of the MIREX Diplomatic Academy. KAM.MAG

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – National Fuel Society of Angola (Sonangol) decided to give up production operations in two oil fields in Iraq and other services in Venezuela, alleging high risks and difficulties of access.

Sonangol CEO, Gaspar Martins, announced so on Friday, but he would not reveal the investments made in both countries.

“Whatever has to be refunded will be refunded from what was invested, taking into account the operating conditions”, Gaspar Martins told a press conference to mark the 47th anniversary of the national oil company.

According to CEO, even in logistical terms there are also difficulties operating in those locations and “as a result of what happened we decided to leave”.

This is exploration in the Qiayrah field, in northern Iraq, where production has reached 35,000 barrels/day (KPD), according to data shared by the national oil company, in 2021, and in the onshore Block (land) in Najmah, near Mosul, hitherto affected by armed conflicts.

In this country, Sonangol signed, with the Iranian Government (in 2009), two contracts with risk, in which the operator is paid according to production.

In Venezuela, under an oil exploration ban (embargo), the Angolan oil company also gives up the activation and maintenance of wells and fields.

To oil and gas specialist José Oliveira, Sonangol’s decision was well made , for whom “in my point of view Sonangol should not have even gone to Iraq and Venezuela”.

According to the specialist, who was speaking to ANGOP, on the sidelines of the aforementioned press conference, the idea of expanding the national oil company to these countries “was not good”.

In the case of Iraq, he suggests that Sonangol “should not leave hastily ”, as it needs to try to recover the investments made in that country.

“…Although it is producing, the situation is very complicated, but I believe that there will be companies interested in acquiring Sonangol’s interests in Iraq”.

The specialist fears that the investment made will be recovered in full, but due to the increase in the price of a barrel of oil on the international market, he believes that almost the entire amount may be recovered.

In the case of Venezuela, he said that there will not be much difficulty in leaving, since investments are very few and “even if there is something to lose, the company should not lose too much time for this exit”.

Sonangol has operations in the countries such as Cuba, where exploration work are in progress, Brazil, Sao Tome and Principe.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola’s Ombudswoman Florbela Araújo reaffirmed Friday in Luanda the reinforcement of cooperation with counterpart of Cabo Verde, in what she said the move aims at ensuring a greater awareness of the competent authorities in their countries for the defence of human rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens.

The Ombudswoman said so during a meeting she held with the Cabo Verde ambassador in Angola, Jorge Figueiredo, from whom she received farewell greetings.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Florbela Araújo highlighted the importance of cooperation with the Cabo Verde’s Ombudsman, especially in the materialisation and implementation of the agreements signed on September 7, 2021.

The two institutions share agreements in several areas, such as sharing experiences and good practices, procedures, intervention strategies, as well as facilitating access for citizens of each of the states to present complaints to the Ombudsmen of Justice of both countries about the violation of their rights, freedoms and guarantees by public entities.

In turn, Cabo Verdean diplomat, who has carried out his mission in Angola over the past 6 years, highlighted the good relations and friendship ties existing between the Embassy of Cabo Verde and the Ombudsman’s Office, as part of agreements, carrying good memories of the institution.

In an interview with the press, the diplomat underlined that the work of the Ombudswoman has shown visible results and hoped that, in the term of office of the next Ambassador of Cabo Verde in Angola, this strategic partnership will be further deepened.

The Ombuds-Office of the two countries work closely with the Network of Ombudsmen of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), chaired by Angola, since April 2022.

Bound through language, Angola and Cape Verde achieved their independence in 1975, having established diplomatic ties two years later, on August 30, 1977.

Source: Angola Press News Agency