Angolan minister of National Defence, Former Combatants and Homeland Veterans João Ernesto dos Santos said Tuesday in Luanda that Angola enjoys an effective and irreversible peace, having as challenges the deepening of democracy and the economic and social development of the country.
Speaking at the opening session of the 22th Meeting of Defence of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), the official added that Angola is experiencing an environment of perfect reconciliation and reconstruction of its main infrastructures.
He stated that Angola has been creating the necessary conditions to attract foreign investment that might contribute to development of the all sectors of the society.
João Ernesto dos Santos spoke of the investments in the energetic field, such as Laúca and Caculo-Cabaça dams, due to end in 2026, the largest in the country and the third in Africa, behind Nigeria and Egypt.
Military cooperation in CPLP
The Angolan minister praised the progressive, common and advantaged cooperation with counterparts that contributed to the strengthening of the action and consolidation of the community project.
He said that the creation of the CPLP on 17 July, 1996 and the strengthening of military cooperation allowed the exchange of different experiences through military training in several military fields.
The minister stressed Angola’s role in supporting the reform of the military sector for Angolan military mission in Guinea Bissau (MISSANG) and in Mozambique, when it was ravaged by the cyclone IDAI and the contribution to peace process of Cabo Delgado (Mozambique).
He asserted that the issues of defence aim to promote world peace and security which must serve as a standard for the present and the future.
He expressed satisfaction at the decoration Aparecido de Oliveira of the CPLP, awarded to the Angolan President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), João Lourenço, in recognition of his role in the community, with emphasis on the promotion of the mobility agreement.
The minister added, among the contributions of the Angolan statesman, the creation of new general objectives of the CPLP for economic cooperation and the integration of the principles of representativeness and gender equality in the statutes of the organisation.
The ambassadors of the member countries witnessed the opening ceremony of the meeting of defence ministers of the Community.
Created in July 1996, the institution comprises Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, and East Timor are the members of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.
Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)