Africa-Press – Angola. The Cape Verdean community residing in Angola, in the town of Mabuia, commune of Cabiri, municipality of Icolo and Bengo, calls on the authorities of both countries to find ways to facilitate the acquisition of Angolan nationality.
According to the coordinator of the Residents’ Commission, António de Andrade Alves, many Cape Verdeans have been in Angola for more than 60 years and to this day have their personal identification card, the resident card, due to bureaucratic difficulties in processing documents.
The official who spoke, on the sidelines of the visit of the Cape Verdean ambassador to Angola to this location, made it known that the lack of an Angolan identity card has made access to support for the practice of agriculture difficult, since the majority of inhabitants they are peasants.
The town of Mabuia has hundreds of Cape Verdeans, 18 of whom have been in Angola for more than 60 years.
During a meeting with residents, the ambassador of Cape Verde in Angola, Júlio Morais, made it known that the government had opened an extraordinary campaign, granting free Cape Verdean nationality, until December 31, 2023, for those born in Angola and want to obtain both nationalities.
According to the diplomat, at the moment the embassy does not know the exact number of Cape Verdeans in Angola, but it is known that around 25 thousand citizens are registered with the consular section.
“We believe that there are many more if we have to rely on the first, safe and third generations, which is why this campaign has started, which could be extended for longer if necessary, to cover all interested parties”, he said, stating the possibility to reach one hundred thousand.
To this end, there are documentary and procedural issues that have to be resolved, according to the person responsible.
“On the part of our embassy, we are interested and willing to grant nationality to those who so wish, so that they have nationality”, guaranteed the ambassador.
He revealed that, in collaboration with the Angolan authorities, a population census of all Cape Verdeans is being prepared, aiming for their support and protection.
According to the diplomat, the plan envisages empowering the community to integrate it into the processes and dynamics of development in Angola and Cape Verde.
“We are working with the Angolan government to jointly implement agricultural projects, in an area of seven thousand hectares, in the municipality of Quibala, Cuanza Sul province, where it is expected that many Cape Verdeans will be able to work”, he concluded.
He also informed that they are working, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to speed up and facilitate the issuance of all documents for citizens residing in Angola since 2015.
On the occasion, the municipal administrator of Icolo e Bengo, Nelson Funete, assured that some problems presented by the community, such as the lack of transport and conditions for farming, will begin to be resolved from the month of October this year.
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