Lisbon, ANGOLA, November 23 - The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, last Thursday in Lisbon, Portugal, said that the present time demands from Angola a focus on the new challenges, for a country that has been experiencing effective peace in the past sixteen years.,

João Lourenço was delivering as speech in the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic (Parliament), having also stressed that the “new Angola of transparency” considers Portugal an important partner.

 

This is a partnership based on a solid and lasting relationship and that needs to be reiterated and nurtured with gestures and attitudes from both sides.  

 

On his intervention in the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, the Angolan President explained the objectives of the economic diversification process happening in Angola.

 

João Lourenço said the aim is to develop the non-oil sector, reduce imports of essential goods and increase the amount and supply of goods produced in Angola.

 

He went on to explain that the Angolan government also intends to boost exports, the yielding of foreign exchanges and employment offer.           

In the area of socio-political moralisation, the Head of State said corruption is a cancer that corrodes any society, reason why his Executive has been implementing measures to tackle the issue and strengthen state institutions, so as to make the country safer and more attractive for tourism and private investment, among other aims.

 

President Lourenço also spoke about the challenge of implementing in Angola, for the first time, the local governments, whose legislative package (draft-laws) is already being analysed by the National Assembly (Angolan Parliament).   

 

As regards the bilateral co-operation, the Angolan Head of State stressed that the ties that connect Angola and Portugal, as well as the respective peoples, have been strengthened on the basis of respect for the sovereignty and independence of both countries and in the interest of a mutually advantageous co-operation.    

 

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