Africa-Press – Angola. Angola and Rwanda deliberated yesterday on the existing Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding between them, in addition to exploring possible areas of cooperation that include, namely, Justice, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Health, Transport, Tourism, Finance, Education and Vocational Training. , Defense and Security, with emphasis on the Agreement to avoid double taxation.
During the first session of the Permanent Joint Commission on Cooperation, held between Wednesday and yesterday in Kigali, both parties agreed to sign the following legal instruments: Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation; Extradition Agreement; Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; Agreement on Transfer of Convicted Persons; Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Livestock Development; Memorandum of Understanding on Local Administration; Memorandum of Understanding on Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Health; and, Memorandum of Understanding on the National School of Administration and Public Policy (ENAPP) and the Rwanda Institute of Management (RMI).
Ministers Téte António (Foreign Affairs) and Vincent Biruta (Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda) headed the delegations.
On the part of Angola, the legal instruments were signed by ministers Téte António (Foreign Affairs), Francisco Queirós (Justice and Human Rights), Sílvia Lutucuta (Health), António Francisco de Assis (Agriculture and Fisheries), by Secretary of State José Alexandre Barroso (Oil and Gas) and Samuel Pinocas Castro, director of the National School of Administration and Public Policy (ENAPP).
According to the Angolan authorities, the need to establish a framework to monitor and evaluate progress in the implementation of the Agreements and Commitments of the current Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation was reiterated.
The close relationship between Angola and Rwanda is beneficial in promoting the stability and growth of the people, so both Governments remain committed to mutually beneficial programs and strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Angola will host the Second Session of the Permanent Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation in 2024, at a date and place to be agreed by both parties. These meetings aim, among other matters, to evaluate the implementation of the agreements already signed, as well as to design new areas of cooperation in the most varied domains.
New Era Of Cooperation
In his speech, Minister Téte António said that yesterday’s act constitutes an indelible milestone in the establishment of a new era of cooperation between the two countries. According to the official, the presence in Rwanda, at a time when the country marks the 28th anniversary of the tragic events of the Genocide, was for the Angolan delegation “a reason for great emotion”, as it refers “to meditation and serves as a lesson to humanity for may such an event never happen again in any part of the world.”
Téte António reiterated that Angola stands unconditionally alongside the survivors of this “painful episode, as well as the Rwandan brother people in general”, encouraging the current course to continue, which is an example of reconciliation and overcoming for all.
He recalled that the legal basis for bilateral cooperation between Angola and Rwanda was established on 15 May 2014, with the signing of the Framework Agreement for Economic, Technical-Scientific and Cultural Cooperation and the Agreement on the Creation of the Bilateral Commission.
“Thus, this first Session of the Permanent Joint Committee on Cooperation takes place at a particular time when we wish to write a new golden page in our bilateral relations. There is, in fact, a renewed mutual desire for the reinforcement and expansion of cooperation in areas of interest common, taking into account the potential of the two countries, namely, in the Political-Diplomatic domains; Commerce and Industry; Health; Justice; Agriculture and Fisheries; Economy and Finance; Cultural Tourism; Minerals, Oil and Gas”, he said.
For the minister, similar to the spirit of African cooperation and solidarity shown during this period of great challenge (with the pandemic and conflicts), the South-South and intra-African partnership is the one that is intended to be built with Rwanda, considering that it offers a good opportunity and valuable conditions for the continent on the road to prosperity.
He underlined that Angola has been implementing structural reforms, including new policies to facilitate the business environment and make the country more attractive. “Domestically, the country has taken significant steps in the fight against corruption; it has undertaken a comprehensive administrative reform aimed at eliminating bureaucracy; it has worked on improving the granting of visas, including increasing the visa facilitation agreement, as is the case with Rwanda ; carried out the reform of Justice and Law; as well as decided to devote particular attention to the elimination of monopolies, to mention just a few”, he reinforced.
At an international level, he highlighted the judicial cooperation with the main partners, within the scope of recovery processes of illegally diverted assets, the intense diplomatic activity aimed at attracting foreign direct investment and financing for the promotion of the national economy and the creation of jobs.
Téte António said that he hopes that the “working session will allow an approach to the current state of cooperation, as well as the definition of concrete goals to be achieved, in line with the new desired cooperation dynamics” and, above all, that the agreements signed yesterday , are not a “dead letter, but that there are concrete steps towards implementation”.
MESSAGE DELIVERED IN KIGALI
President João Lourenço writes to Paul Kagame
A message from the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, was delivered yesterday afternoon, in Kigali. The letter was delivered to Edouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of Rwanda, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António.
The content of President João Lourenço’s message was not revealed, but, according to MIREX, “it is assumed that it is related to the degree of friendship and cooperation that unites these two countries and peoples”.
The letter from the President of the Republic was delivered in the presence of the ministers Francisco Queirós (Justice and Human Rights), Sílvia Lutucuta (Health), António Francisco de Assis (Agriculture and Fisheries), the Secretaries of State José Alexandre Barroso (Oil and Gas) , Márcio Daniel, (Local Authorities of the Ministry of Territorial Administration) and Eduardo Octávio, Angola’s ambassador to Rwanda.
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