Africa-Press – Angola. Angola is a country with immense potential, and the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, is a leader that the world needs right now, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) System, Zahira Virani, stated Thursday, in Luanda.
She was speaking to the press after an audience granted to her by the Head of State, to whom she bid farewell after completing a five-year United Nations mission in Angola.
The official, a Canadian citizen, highlighted the joint progress achieved during her term and took the opportunity to thank President João Lourenço, as well as the Angolan people, for their hospitality and collaboration.
“Thank you very much. This was my farewell, because after five years in this beautiful country, my mission has come to an end,” she said, emphasizing that five years are not enough to achieve all the goals, but “we did a lot.”
“I want to personally thank President João Lourenço and through him, the Angolan people”, she declared.
Zahira Virani advocated cooperation with the private sector and the strengthening of governance and transparency, reiterating the UN’s commitment to regional peace and stability.
“Angola went through difficult years of conflict, but managed to achieve peace and stability. Now it is time to redouble efforts to fulfill the 2030 Agenda. Angola’s lessons related to peace, stability and democracy must resonate not only here, but throughout the region, the continent, and the world”, she stressed.
The UN official was appointed by the organization’s Secretary-General and after being recognized by the Angolan government, took office in 2020, at a critical time for global sustainable development.
During her term, she coordinated the Angola-UN Cooperation Framework for the 2020-2022 period and laid the foundations for the 2024-2028 cycle, focusing on updating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Throughout her mission, Zahira Virani led actions in the areas of public health, education, social protection, water and sanitation, including vaccination campaigns, combating outbreaks, and strengthening primary health systems.
Her support for the drought response in the south of the country, with humanitarian projects valued at millions of dollars, also stands out.
However, Zahira Virani concludes her mission, which is considered to be marked by multilateral diplomacy, strategic cooperation and a commitment to the sustainable development of Angola.
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