Africa-Press – Angola. The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, was decorated, Wednesday, by his counterpart Sergio Mattarella, with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the highest awarded in the European country.
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was created in 1951 with the aim of rewarding services rendered in areas such as economics, arts, literature, social activities or public service, among others.
The award took place during an official dinner offered to the Angolan statesman and his delegation by the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella.
On the occasion, João Lourenço, who is in Italy on a two-day state visit, said that the Angolan people are “greatly deserving of this distinction”, for their contribution to the cause of peoples’ liberation, peace and harmony among nations.
Also at the dinner, President João Lourenço awarded his counterpart Sergio Mattarella and the First Lady of Italy, Laura Mattarella, the Agostinho Neto Order, the highest decoration of the Angolan State awarded to foreign entities.
“We did it as a gesture of recognition for the support that the Italian people, through civil society organizations, provided to the national liberation struggle that led us to National Independence”, expressed the Angolan President.
João Lourenço underlined the fact that Italy was the first European country to recognize, in February 1976, Angola as a sovereign State, and knew how to maintain relations of friendship and economic cooperation with the country in the difficult years of the armed conflict until the present date.
In the economic context, the Angolan Head of State informed that the business environment in the country is “quite favorable” to foreign private investment in all areas of the economy.
Therefore, he reinforced the hope that the visit to Italy represents an important milestone in the construction of a strong partnership with reciprocal benefits.
President João Lourenço took the opportunity to express concern about the course of conflicts in the world, having highlighted those existing in Africa, the Middle East, the situation on the Korean peninsula and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
As for the war in Ukraine, President João Lourenço considered it urgent to reach an immediate ceasefire and start talks that would bring lasting peace.
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