MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 1 2 Angola is an African country with different peoples and cultures and a long tradition of being open to the world. It is a factor for peace and freedom in defending its strategic interests and in relations between peoples and nations, based on dignity and respect for everyone’s identity. The current upward trend of African economies means that Angola is one of the ten economies in Africa and the world with the most rapid economic growth, permitting greater international involvement. Angola was a non-permanent member of the Security Council in MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 the period 2003-2004. Its current candidacy has been put forward at a time when the country is enjoying a climate of peace and stability stemming from the process of national reconciliation, an experience it proposes to share. As a credible member of the United Nations it has made timely contributions to the organisation’s regular budget, at the same time making voluntary contributions to UN specialised agencies and subsidiary bodies. Our commitment to the United Nations is strengthened by our continual presence and tangible participation in its work, contributing significantly to the fulfilment of the principles enshrined in its Charter. In recent years Angola has held posts and performed duties in countless institutions of the United Nations system, including the following: vice-president of the General Assembly, the Security Council, president of the Consolidation of Peace Commission, the Human Rights Council, UN-Women, ECOSOC, UNDP-UNFPA, the Commission on Population Development, the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Social Development • WEZA 10 - Jan/Feb 2014 Director: Embaixador Miguel Neto Editor & Proofreading: António Nascimento Photography: CIAM AND Francisco Bernardo Translation: Marga Holness Graphic Design: Kassim Design Copies: 2000 exemplares Printer: Criative Printer Graphic Execution: Press Office of the Embassy Email: [email protected] Website: www.angola.org.uk Address: 22 Dorset Street London W1U 6QY United Kingdom Tel: 020-72999850 Fax: 020-79354960 3 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Angola assumes chairmanship of International Conference on the Great Lakes Region President José Eduardo dos Santos assumed the two-year rotating chairmanship of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Luanda on 15 January. The post was previously held by his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni. This took place at the opening of the fifth summit of the ICGLR in the presence of the heads of state and government of representatives of other member states of the organisation. Apart from Angola and Uganda, other members of the ICGLR are the Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. José Eduardo dos Santos, President of the Republic of Angola Member countries of ICGLR Angola Burundi Congo Brazzaville Democratic Republic of Congo Kenya South Sudan Rwanda Sudan Tanzania uganda Zambia Central African Republic 4 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Summit of International Conference on Great Lakes Region held in Angola The summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region was held in Luanda from 10 to 15 January. Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Heads of State and Government of the Great Lakes Region, in Luanda, Angola T he summit, which culminated in the Luanda Declaration, discussed the causes, means of prevention and solution of conflicts in the region in the presence of the presidents of Angola, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, five of the 12 countries the region comprises. The meeting was marked by the absence of the Central African Republic, which has a new President engaged in forming a government. The Luanda conference started with meetings of exports, who prepared ministerial meetings. The committees of ministers then prepared the recommendations presented to the fifth summit. The meeting took place at a difficult time for the region, with armed conflicts in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the east of the DR Congo. The Great Lakes Region takes its name from the fact that it contains the biggest lakes of the continent. It is also known for its coups d’état, its wars and the resulting poverty affecting most of the population. There are currently humanitarian crises in the Central African Republic and South Sudan and a sharp rise in the number of refugees. The conference opened with a meeting of thaws e heads of intelligence and security services, at which it was agreed that constant dialogue should be used to solve armed conflicts. The Chiefs of Staff of the region also met and discussed the conflicts in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the east of the DR Congo, where armed groups known as ‘negative forces’ had emerged and were involved in destabilising, killing, raping and looting • 5 6 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Angolan diplomacy focussed on respect for international conventions T his year the Republic of Angola will be strengthening its relations with the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, India, Russia, France, Germany, Cuba and Brazil. This was stated by Georges Rebelo Pinto Chicoti, Angolan Minister of External Relations, at the Fifth Annual Meeting of Ambassadors to discuss the diplomatic strategy for implementing the National Development Plan for the period 2012-2017. He said that strategic economic and financial state issues should determine Angola’s diplomatic agenda through the establishment of strategic partnerships with reciprocal advantages. The Minister went on to say that priority was given to relations with China, India and Japan, which had granted Angola credit lines to support national reconstruction and increase the volume of trade. With regard to the American continent, he said that Angola was going to continue diversifying cooperation with Brazil, Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela and other countries. Angolan diplomacy geared to promoting the country’s image abroad The Minister went on to say that priority was given to relations with China, India and Japan, which had granted Angola credit lines to support national reconstruction and increase the volume of trade. Georges Chicoti, Angola’s Minister of External Relations Relations with the United States, he said, had warranted special attention and were evolving in accordance with a strategic partnership agreement signed in Washington in July 2010. The agreement established a diplomatic mechanism for constant dialogue on such issues as democracy, development, security, global energy, peace and regional stability. Referring to relations with Europe, the Minister spoke highly of cooperation with the European Union, which he described as good, and made special mention of Russia. He also said great attention will be paid to Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The Advisory Council is the Ministry’s consultative body in which its domestic and foreign activity is set out, its goals determined and ongoing processes are examined. One of the most important challenges facing Angola’s diplomacy is promoting Angola’s image abroad, which means continuing to act within the international and regional organisation s to which it belongs • 7 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Miguel Gaspar Fernandes Neto, Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Brito Sozinho, Ambassador to Sweden Florêncio de Almeida, Ambassador to Italy Josefina Pitra Diakite, Ambassador to South Africa Ana Maria Carreira, Ambassador to Gana Balbina da Silva, Ambassador to Zambia Arcanjo do Nascimento, Ambassador to Ethiopia and African Union Agostinho Tavares, Ambassador to Canada Hendrick Vaal Neto, Ambassador to Zimbabwe Domingos Culolo, Ambassador to Poland João Manuel Bernardo, Ambassador to Vietnam Alberto Correia Neto, Ambassador to Germany Ismael Martins, Ambassador to United Nations Alberto do Carmo Bento Ribeiro, Ambassador to United State Nelson Cosme, Ambassador to Brazil João Garcia Bires, Ambassador to China Herminio Escórcio, Ambassador to Algeria Miguel Costa, Ambassador to Franca José Marcos Barrica, Ambassador to Portugal Victor Manuel Rita da Fonseca Lima, Ambassador to Spain Toko Diakenga Serão, Embaixador to Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Macedonia Josefa Coelho da Cruz, Ambassador to Cape-Verde Isaías Jaime Vilinga, Ambassador to Mozambique José Alves Primo, Ambassador to Turkey 8 REVISTA EMBAIXADA DEANGOLA ANGOLA2014 2014--N. N.10 13 MAGAZINE OFDA THE EMBASSY OF Continued support for Angola’s candidacy for UN Security Council seat M PHOTO: Yann anuel Domingos Augusto, Secretary of State for External Relations, said in London that Angola is continuing to receive substantial support for its candidacy for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. Taking advantage of the presence of a number of world leaders at the First International Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, he spoke of Angolan government policies and emphasised its Candidacy for non-Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council for the period 2015-2016. Manuel Augusto said Angola’s campaign was going well and that it was gaining sympathy and support owing to the consistency of its political positions and its fidelity to the principles and goals of the United Nations Charter. During bilateral meetings with delegations from Australia, Japan and Vietnam and with Mark Simmonds, Under-Secretary at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Manuel Augusto said that Angola had experiences working and cooperating with the Security Council in seeking negotiated and sustainable settlements. The campaign for Angola’s candidacy is mobilising all diplomatic channels. The Ministry of External Relations is seeking to convince the international community of the democratic transitions that has taken place in the country as a result of peace and national reconciliation • 9 MAGAZINE THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA - N. 10 REVISTA DAOF EMBAIXADA DE ANGOLA 2014 2014 - N. 13 Ban-ki-Moon, Secretary General of the UN Manuel Augusto, Angolan Secretary of State for External Relations The country is gaining sympathy and support, owing to its commitment, the consistency of its political positions and its fidelity to the principles and goals of the United Nations Charter 10 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 13 10 Angola stresses the importance of fighting the illegal wildlife trade The Angolan government is deeply concerned about the progressive growth of the networks of people and the money involved in the wildlife trade and related organised crime. Prince Charles, the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth II William Hague, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 11 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 13 10 T his was stated in London by Manuel Augusto, Secretary of State in the Ministry of External Relations, who headed the Angolan delegation to the first international Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade. Manuel Augusto said he was aware that organised criminal groups involved in contraband and the illegal sale of wildlife meat were growing, owing to the reduced capacity to enforce legislation, the large profit margins and the very light penalties imposed. Statistics of the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) indicate that the number of African elephants killed by poachers has doubled in ten years and reached the figure of 22,000 in 2012. Another worrying situation evoked by the Angolan government is the rhinoceros, animal sacrificed every eleven hours. According to Manuel Augusto, the Ian Khama, President of Botswana wildlife trade has become a business worth US$10 billion a year, sustained by the growing demand for ivory in Asia. Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son, said this activity was becoming a dangerous threat to the survival of the rarest species in the world and to the economic and political stability of many parts of the world. Presidents Ian Khama of Botswana, Idriss Deby of Chad, Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon and Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania emphasised that organised criminal groups were poaching and slaughtering elephants, rhinoceroses and other animals on an unprecedented scale, bringing some species to the verge of extinction. Delegates were told that elephant hunting had never been so serious in Africa. In only ten years, 62% of them had been exterminated for their ivory. Ivory is highly valued in Asia, where the trade is concentrated, despite the international ban in force since 1989 • Idriss Deby, President of Chad Ali Bongo Ondimbo, President of Gabon Jakaya Kikwete, President of Tanzania Manuel Augusto, Angolan Secretary of State for External Relations Miguel Gaspar Fernandes Neto, Angola’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland 12 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Angola to attend European Union and Africa summit in Brussels A ngola has been invited to attend the fourth European Union and Africa summit to be held in Brussels in April. This was announced in Luanda by Koen Vervaek, the European Union director for Southern and East Africa and the Indian Ocean, after a meeting with Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, President of the National Assembly of Angola. He said that Angola should attend the summit of the two continents because of its growth, development and economic weight in Africa. The summit will discuss, among other things, issues related to security and strengthening economic cooperation. The first European Union and Africa summit was held in Cairo, Egypt, in 2000, a time when both parties expressed a wish to create conditions for a new dimension of relations between the two continents. The second, held in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2007, made it possible to balance relations between Africa and Europe and start a system of economic partnership to face the challenges and opportunities of economic globalisation. Angola should attend the Summit of the two continents because of its growth, development and economic weight in Africa Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, President of the Angolan National Assembly Koen Vervaek, European Union Director for Southern and East Africa and the Indian Ocean 13 CURTAS MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Georges Chicoti, Angola’s Minister of External Relations Angola and the United Kingdom to ease visa requirements Angola and the United Kingdom will shortly sign agreements on eliminating visas for diplomatic passports and facilitating the issue of visas for business people from both countries. According to Georges Rebelo Pinto Chicoti, Minister of External Relations, the agreements were proposed by the British and welcomed by Angola. He explained that they would be mutually beneficial, since a large number of British nationals were currently working in Angola and many Angolans travelled and were very interested in the United Kingdom. Augusto da Silva Tomás, Angola’s Minister of Transport Angola and the World Maritime University sign agreement Angola and the World Maritime University recently signed an agreement in London related to the training of Angolan personnel in maritime affairs, particularly the maritime fleet, management, security, navigation technologies, the environment, pollution, protection and risks. The agreement was signed by Augusto da Silva Tomás, Angola’s Minister of Transport, and Bjorn Kjerfve, director of the World Maritime University on the sidelines of the 38th General Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation held in London. The agreement provides for Angola to send scholarship students annually to the World Maritime University, which was created by the International Maritime Organisation in Malmo, Sweden, for post-graduate and specialised courses, masters degrees, doctorates and research. 14 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Free birth registration and identity cards until 2016 T he Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has extended the period for the registration of births and issue of identity cards for all Angolan nationals. Following a presidential decree aimed at ensuring that all Angolans have access to registration and identity card services, this process will be free of charge everywhere in the country until 31 December 2016. Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Rui Mangueira, said that this would be free of charge for all nationals, while warning personnel in the registration and civil identification services to watch out for attempts by foreign nationals to use the services to obtain Angolan nationality. The services will not be free for people wishing to renew or get copies of documents, certificates or identity cards. Free issue of Angolan identity cards until 2016 Angolan authorities watch out for manoeuvres by foreign nationls Rui Mangueira, Angolan Minister of Justice and Human Rights MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Angola attends World Education Forum 15 A delegation from Angola’s Ministry of Higher Education headed by Minister Adão do Nascimento attended the World Education Forum held in London recently. Among the issues discussed were “new apprenticeship pedagogy”, “advanced education for emerging leaders” and “the education system in the United Kingdom”. The World Education Forum, which is part of the World Social Forum started in 2001, is an occasion for democratic debate on ideas, the formulation of proposals and the exchange of experiences. Adão do Nascimento took the opportunity in London to meet members of Angola’s university student community with whom he discussed the national personnel training plan. The World Education Forum, which is part of the World Social Forum started in 2001, is an occasion for democratic debate on ideas, the formulation of proposals and the exchange of experiences. Adão do Nascimento, Angola’s Minister of Higher Education University of Westminster, London 16 T MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 New Luanda international he 2012-2017 National Development Plan provisions for air transport included the construction of a new Luanda international airport and completing the reorganisation of TAAG, Angola Airlines. The new international airport is being built near kilometre 38, commune of Bom Jesus, municipality of Icolo e Bengo, 40 kilometres from the centre of Luanda. It covers an area of 1,324 hectares and it will have two dual runways on which the largest commercial aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380. The runway to the north, which has already been completed, is 3,800 metres long and 50 metres wide, while the one to the south will be 4,000 metres long and 75 metres wide. The new undertaking includes a flight area, two terminals, three air traffic control centres and four supplementary support buildings. According to the CIF representa- tive in Angola, 1.5 million people are expected to use the airport annually. ENANA, a Ministry of Transport company, has been carrying out a programme for the rehabilitation of airports all over the country since 2009. With regard to roads, the National Development Plan will carry out a programme of reorganising the transport system throughout the country, promoting the establishment of a network of road workshops • MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 17 airport nearing completion President José Eduardo dos Santos on one of his field visits 18 Angolans doing well in British schools T he British education system includes a means of encouraging students. At the end of every school year the most varied teaching establishments hold prize giving ceremonies to award those who have done best academically and in terms of hard work, behaviour and punctuality. This year was no different in this respect and many Angolan students or children of Angolans sere among the best students at MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 Angolan students win awards at school prize giving ceremonies various institutions and colleges. Our patriots were rewarded at these ceremonies owing to the results they achieved, their behaviour and dedication. The aim of prize giving is to make students feel responsible for their education and to reward their efforts. The Angolan Embassy in the United Kingdom has stressed the importance of prize giving as a means of encouraging excellence and recognising the students with noteworthy cognitive, cul- tural, personal and social achievements. António Nascimento, the Press and Cultural Attaché at the Embassy said the work incentive and commitment of students was important, individually recognised, as the major means of ensuring student cultural and social development. The prize giving ceremony is an important event in the lives of students It reflects daily, systematic and committed effort, dedication, work and study • Angolan students show good behaviour, hard work, punctuality and modesty in British schools MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 13 10 Angola to attend world basketball championships in Spain The groups are as follows: Group A (Granada): Spain, Egypt, Iran, France, Serbia and Brazil. Group B (Seville): Argentina, Senegal, Philippines, Croatia, Puerto Rico and Greece. 19 Angola’s men’s basketball team will compete in the world basketball championships in group D, according to the arrangements made in Barcelona, Spain. Other members of the group are Lithuania, Slovenia, South Korea, Mexico and Australia. The championships will be taking place in a number of Spanish cities from 30 August to 14 September this year. Meanwhile, the Angolan Basketball Federation plans to organised tournaments to prepare the national team for the world championships. Group C (Bilbao): United States, Finland, New Zealand, Ukraine, Dominican Republic and Turkey. Group D (Las Palmas): Lithuania, Angola, South Korea, Slovenia, Mexico and Australia. 20 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 MAGAZINE OF THE EMBASSY OF ANGOLA 2014 - N. 10 21