Luanda - Angolan President João Lourenço was distinguished by the African Union on Friday with the Recognition Award of the Heads of State and Government, whose countries have ratified the Agreement for the Creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This was during a ceremony that took place on Friday (February 26), at the headquarters of the continental organisation.
The award was delivered to the Permanent Representative of Angola to the African Union and ambassador to Ethiopia, Francisco José da Cruz, on behalf of the Angolan statesman.
AfCFTA entered into force on 1 January 2021, with Angola joining the more than 30 countries that have already ratified the Agreement, after having made the said deposit with the African Union Commission on 4 November 2020.
President João Lourenço was among the first African leaders who signed the Agreement, in the framework of the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union, on 21 March 2018, in Rwanda, dedicated to the formal launch of the AfCFTA.
Among the 55 countries that make up the AU, only Eritrea has not signed the Agreement.
