Africa-Press – Angola. LAngolan ambassador to Ethiopia, Miguel Bembe, on Friday in Addis Ababa, highlighted the importance of good governance as one of the fundamental pillars for lasting peace, collective security and sustainable development of the continent.
According to a note, the diplomat defended this position during the 1288th Meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council, which focused on the elections in Africa, from January to June 2025.
In his speech, the Angolan diploma added that the holding of credible and transparent elections is a concrete expression of this commitment.
“Good governance promotes legitimate institutions, strengthens citizens” trust in the state and removes the specter of instability”, he said.
Meanwhile, despite the progress that the continent is making, Miguel Bembe said that there are still persistent challenges that compromise the common ideal.
Among these practices, he spoke of the constitutional amendment to extend presidential or other terms, the manipulation of referendums without clear popular legitimacy and the emergence of unconstitutional changes of government, interrupting democratic cycles.
He also highlighted the political exclusion of opposition figures and the weakening of fundamental freedoms, the fragile participation of vulnerable groups, namely women, young people and people with disabilities, in electoral and decision-making processes.
In the face of these challenges, Miguel Bembe recommended the creation of a Continental Code of Conduct on Constitutional Amendments, based on public consultations and objective criteria of democratic necessity.
It also proposed the promotion of the culture of peaceful transition of power, through civic campaigns and political socialization as deliberate efforts to influence the attitudes, values and political behaviors of individuals, through various actors, including political parties, interest groups, government and civil society organizations, including the media.
Ambassador Miguel Bembe also suggested the need to think about the possibility of granting gradual sanctions to leaders who promote manipulation referendums that are unconstitutionally perpetuated in power, in flagrant violation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
The package of recommendations of the Angolan delegation also included the encouragement to member states for a mandatory adoption of public electoral budgets with transparency, ensuring that elections are entirely financed by the national treasury whenever possible, reducing undue external influences.
On the other hand, the diplomat defended the establishment of an African Early Warning Mechanism for Good Governance, to monitor signs of democratic backsliding and send preventive diplomacy missions.
Miguel Bembe reiterated that Angola will continue to privilege the culture of inclusive dialogue, preventive diplomacy and institutional strengthening, as legitimate means to consolidate peace and ensure the development of a prosperous, democratic and resilient Africa.
The occasion served for the Angolan delegation to congratulate the three member states that conducted elections in this period, namely, the Union of the Comoros, the Republic of Burundi and, in particular, the Gabonese Republic, whose effort to restore constitutional order and conduct a peaceful and inclusive electoral process should be widely praised.
These examples demonstrate that, “when there is political will, a spirit of dialogue and commitment to the principles of good governance, it is possible to transform difficult contexts into the frameworks of stability and democratic progress”, he attested.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
