Luanda: Angolan Foreign Affairs Minister Téte António on Thursday called for greater commitment by African states to ensure the success of regional organisations as drivers of development. The minister made the remarks during a meeting in Luanda with a delegation of ambassadors who are members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Economic Community of Central African States (COREP-ECCAS), based in Libreville, Gabon. According to Angola Press News Agency, Téte António stressed the need for joint reflection among African regional organisations. During the meeting, he also shared a summary of the main outcomes of the Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), held in Durban, South Africa. The minister underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation between SADC and ECCAS in order to establish mechanisms capable of making both organisations more effective and resilient. In this context, he referred to Angola's intention to host a meeting in the near future unde r the Lobito Corridor initiative, which could benefit both Southern and Central Africa. On the domestic front, Téte António outlined Angola's strategic development priorities, with particular reference to the National Development Plan (NDP). The discussions also covered the free movement of people, goods and services within the ECCAS region, as well as matters related to the Community Treaty. The Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREP) is one of the institutional bodies of ECCAS and brings together ambassadors of member states accredited to the Community Commission. The permanent representatives play an important role in preparing the work of the Community's decision-making bodies, monitoring issues of regional interest and facilitating dialogue between member states and the ECCAS Commission. For the retreat held in Angola, COREP-ECCAS selected the theme: 'Strengthening COREP's performance in the service of regional integration: institutional capacities, ownership of the ECCAS strategic vision and pr omotion of the Community in the Republic of Angola and other member states.'
