Montevideo: Angola and Uruguay on Tuesday agreed on the necessity of organizing the II Session of the Angola-Uruguay Bilateral Commission, a vital mechanism for consultation, monitoring, and evaluation of cooperation actions between the two nations.
According to Angola Press News Agency, this understanding was reached during a meeting between Uruguay's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mario Lubetkin, and the Angolan ambassador to Uruguay. The discussions focused on reviewing the current state of bilateral relations and exploring ways to deepen them further. Both parties expressed their interest in enhancing political, economic, educational, and cultural cooperation.
The Angolan ambassador conveyed Angola's intention to strengthen ties of friendship, solidarity, and cooperation with Uruguay. An official visit by Angola's Minister of Foreign Affairs to Uruguay is planned for this year, which is expected to bolster bilateral political dialogue and identify new areas of cooperation.
In economic discussions, Azevedo Xavier Francisco emphasized Angola's interest in attracting investments in strategic sectors, particularly food processing, energy transport, agriculture, education, and cultural exchange. The meeting also addressed Angola's ongoing process of resizing diplomatic missions abroad, which includes suspending Angolan consular services in Uruguay to rationalize public spending.
Uruguay's Mario Lubetkin affirmed the strong relations between the two countries, noting that their cooperation is rooted in mutual respect, solidarity, and a shared desire to deepen bilateral ties. He highlighted the significant contributions of Uruguayan citizens and experts in initiatives supporting Angola's development, underscoring the legacy as a foundation for strengthening relations.
Lubetkin also conveyed Uruguay's interest in expanding cooperation with Angola in areas crucial for sustainable development, such as food security, alternative energies, education, and culture. He emphasized Uruguay's experience and technical capabilities, which could be shared through exchange programs, technical assistance, human resources training, and joint project development.
Regarding the suspension of Angolan consular services, Lubetkin acknowledged the rationale behind resizing diplomatic missions but expressed confidence that the measure would not affect the strong bilateral relations or the political will of both governments to enhance cooperation between their peoples and states.
