Luanda – Angolan president João Lourenço paid homage Tuesday morning in Ankara (Turkey) to Kamel Ataturk, considered "father of Modern Turkey", by laying wreath in the mausoleum in his honour.
This was the first activity conducted by Angolan statesman as part of his visit to that country, where he has been since Monday.
João Lourenço is in Turkey to discuss, with the local authorities, strategies for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Ataturk, called Mustafa Kemal Pascha until 1934, is revered as the creator of modern Turkey ("Ataturk" means, in Turkish, "father of Turkey").
He began his political career in 1905 by founding a secret military organisation, the embryo of the Young Turk Movement, whose leadership he assumed in 1908.
He became President of the Turkish Republic in 1923 and made significant reforms (judicial system inspired by those of European countries, monogamy, Latin alphabet, Western dress and religious restrictions), as well as the establishment of a unitary state.
However, this Tuesday, the Angolan Head of State has planned a meeting with the President of Turkey and will witness the opening of official talks between delegations from the two countries and the signing of several agreements between the respective countries .
Agreements will be signed in several branches, with emphasis on trade, economy and mineral resources, in addition to consular and diplomatic aspects.
The two countries delegations will also sign an agreement in the field of transport, particularly aimed at the opening of a Turkys Airlines flight to Luanda.
Turkish authorities intend to open the Luanda/Ankara route, with regular weekly flights between the two capital cities.
The official programme includes, for this Tuesday, a press conference of the two Presidents, at the end of the talks, as well as an official dinner offered by the Turkish statesman.
For Wednesday, the central point of the agenda will be the holding of an economic forum in Ankara, which will bring together businessmen from both States, in search of formalizing new strategic partnerships, mutually advantageous.
It is expected that the Angolan President will take advantage of the meeting to speak to the Turkish business community about the changes that have taken place in Angola, aimed at improving the business environment.
Diplomatic relations between Angola and Turkey date back to 1980. The two countries already have cooperation agreements in the areas of trade, agriculture, education, culture, defence, justice and sport.
In Angola, Turkey has investments in the provinces of Luanda and Uíge, in the areas of industry, commerce, education and civil construction.