Luanda – The Angolan Foreign minister, Téte António on Wednesday in Kampala, Republic of Uganda, defended the strengthening of the multilateral cooperation of the Member States of the Non-Aligned Movement, in order to create a united front which can press for reform of global governance and the international financial system.
Speaking at the ministerial meeting in the scope of the preparations for the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, the head of the Angolan diplomacy defended also the reinforcement related to the cohesion and unity of the fundamental principles of the movement with the aim to promote peaceful and friendly relations among the member states and peaceful conflict resolution.
At the meeting being held at the Munyonyo Conference Centre to prepare all the documents to be submitted to the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, which will bring together the organisation's Heads of State and Government on January 19th to 20th, Téte António proposed the creation of an action plan with priority areas of common interest that could be cooperated on in the medium and long term.
At the meeting chaired by the Vice-President of Uganda, Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, the Angolan Foreign minister called for the creation of a mechanism to monitor the implementation of decisions taken by the heads of state and government at summits of this kind, as well as strengthening cooperation on peace, security, climate change, migration, sustainable development and economic growth, adding that global challenge have crossed borders, thus affecting the states in different domains, particularly in the political, economic, social and multilateral fields.
In this regard, Téte António highlighted that no country can exist on its own, taking into account the growing interdependence among states and said that international cooperation has become one of the main tools to develop initiatives for a greater sharing of the world's wealth.
Regarding the summit happening under the slogan"Deepening cooperation for shared global affluence", the Angolan Foreign minister considered it pertinent, as it invites everyone to strengthen cooperation and define proactive strategies to achieve this goal, which he believes there can be no development and economic growth without peace and cooperation.
He said that international cooperation promotes social and economic development, the free movement of people and goods and facilitates interaction between states, allowing experiences to be shared in areas of common interest.
After highlighting the factors that contribute to a peaceful world atmosphere and the values of solidarity, the head of Angolan diplomacy warned of the need for action by the Non-Aligned Movement in a determined commitment to put an end to conflicts in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, arguing that the right to self-determination must remain the central principle of action.
"Our minds are occupied with the suffering of the Palestinian people. We need the immediate implementation of the numerous resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, taking into account the principle of two states, Palestine and Israel, to live peacefully side by side", he emphasised.
On the other hand, Téte António, on behalf of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, took the opportunity to congratulate the President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, for assuming the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and also expressed Angola's support during his mandate.
Strengthening South-South cooperation in the face of current challenges
The minister informed that Angola advocates the strengthening of the South-South cooperation South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) for the challenges the world is facing, particularly conflicts, pandemics, climate changes, rapid demographic change, social and economic, as well as technological transformations.
"It is essential to define appropriate policies to achieve results for all of us. In the same way, we need to educate, prepare and sensitise the next generation to the challenges that arise in the current context of international cooperation, educating them to prioritise peace and stability as the keys to development and the sharing of global wealth, in collaboration with the work of the member states," he stressed.
He stressed that cooperation requires member states to facilitate this process, including industrial and infrastructure development, integrated and quality networks, accessible services, the promotion and facilitation of trade and the establishment of economic partnerships.
Integration
On the contribution to regional integration, giving a short presentation of the Angolan government's challenges in terms of creating infrastructures, the Foreign minister highlighted the recent inauguration of the New Luanda International Airport named "Dr. António Agostinho Neto", with capacity to transport 15 million passengers and a cargo volume of 130,000 tonnes per year, pointing out that it will serve Angola and the world.
He informed that the Angolan government created the conditions to contribute to the regional integration of the African continent, with the Lobito Corridor as the platform that will connect Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with an extension to Zambia, which will boost intra-African exports which, for the time being, representing only 14% of the total to the rest of the world.
"This project is an important multi-vector geopolitical and geo-economic milestone for the region and the continent. It covers the mining areas of the DRC and Zambia," he said.
The minister also reminded those present of the launch of the ANGOSAT-2 satellite, a technological project that will guarantee total coverage of the national territory and also serve some countries in the southern regions of Africa and southern Europe, as well as improving exchanges and providing high-quality telecommunications services.
FMA/VC/MRA/jmc
