Luanda – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tete António, said Sunday that President João Lourenço’s distinction as “Champion of Reconciliation and Peace in Africa” is a result of his contribution to the continent’s interests.
Speaking to the press in Malabo, after the results of the high-level AU Extraordinary Summits held on 27 and 28 in Equatorial Guinea, the minister said the distinction of João Lourenço was “a victory of diplomacy and of all the Angolan people.
On Saturday, at the end of the work of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, dedicated to terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government in Africa, the continental organisation awarded the Angolan President, João Lourenço, with the title of “Champion of Reconciliation and Peace in Africa.
“This is the result of all the work of the Angolan President in the interests of peace, security and stability on the continent,” he said.
The title is the result of the efforts that Angola has been undertaking, with João Lourenço at the head of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), in the search for peace, dialogue and stability in several countries of the African continent.
The ICGLR was created following the role played by the countries of the region in ending conflicts, in 1994, which culminated in the recognition of their dimension and the need for a concentrated effort aimed at promoting peace and development in the area.
Results of the summits
Tete António considered the results of the two Summits “positive”, for analysing issues of importance for the well-being and development of the continent.
On the humanitarian side, the Angolan head of diplomacy said that the African leaders identified the causes and consequences of this phenomenon, food security and displaced people.
Regarding terrorism and unconstitutional changes of governments, the minister explained that the leaders identified the causes of these practices that create instability.
Still on the issue of terrorism, the Summit analysed the existing mechanisms for the activation of the African Union’s Standby Force, embodied in the strengthening of its capacity, including the operationalisation of the capacity of specialised units for counter-terrorism.
The leaders, according to Tete António, also talked about the financing of the AU and the means to face the fight against terrorism that has created obstacles in the socio-economic development of the continent.
Source: Angola Press News Agency
