Africa-Press – Angola. The President of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves, highlighted on Saturday the excellent bilateral relations with Angola and congratulated president, João Lourenço, for his leadership of the African Union over the past year.
Speaking to the press, at the end of a meeting with the Angolan President, on the sidelines of the 39th Summit of Heads of State and Government, the Cape Verdean statesman stated that the meeting allowed them to discuss the state of relations between the two countries, as well as the political and security situation on the African continent and in the world.
José Maria Neves said that the conversation also focused on the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) and the challenges facing Africa, with particular emphasis on the conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, instability in West Africa, terrorism and constitutional breakdowns.
He defended the joint effort of African states to prioritize negotiated solutions to conflicts, discourage coups d’état, and strengthen respect for constitutional order, multilateralism, and international law.
Regarding the African Union’s performance, the President of Cape Verde considered that, despite the challenges related to peace and security, the organization has made significant progress, especially in the institutional reform process and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He reiterated the importance of deepening African integration and strengthening collective crisis response mechanisms, stressing that cooperation between states remains essential to ensure stability and sustainable development on the continent.
Strengthening the partnership with Tanzania
Also at the African Union headquarters, João Lourenço met Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Angola and Tanzania are strengthening their strategic partnership by focusing on bilateral agreements in defense, security, trade and investment within the framework of their historical relations, which date back to 1976.
Cooperation also covers agriculture, energy, transport and civil protection with the aim of boosting trade and promoting joint development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Strategic cooperation with Botswana
The Angolan president also met with his counterpart from Botswana, Duma Boko.
Established in 1976 and reinforced by a General Agreement signed in 2006, cooperation between Angola and Botswana focuses on strategic sectors such as diamond production, agriculture, health — particularly vaccine production — tourism, and education.
The two countries have expressed interest in deepening partnership within the SADC, particularly with regard to mining and sharing experiences in areas that are key to economic growth.
Meeting with the President of the Pan-African Parliament
As part of his diplomatic agenda, João Lourenço received the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Fortune Zephania Charumbira, in audience. They discussed ways to strengthen the role of continental institutions and consolidate African integration.
