Marcelo considers that Portugal and Angola form “a very strong axis” in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries – Observer
The Portuguese head of State considers that Portugal and Angola live an “exceptional relationship, in all domains”, and internationally they form “a very strong axis” in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and beyond.
In conversation with the President of Angola, João Lourenço, by videoconference, broadcast this Friday at the fourth edition of the Euro-Africa Forum, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa praised “the excellent relations between States”, which in his opinion “only improved over the last few years”.
We have the same understanding about the urgency of overcoming the pandemic and we have the same understanding about the urgency of economic and social recovery. Angola is facing this fast. Portugal also expects appreciable growth this year, turning a page and determined for the coming years, which are a unique opportunity to take qualitative leaps. If we can take the qualitative leaps together, that is formidable”, he says.
At the international level, the Portuguese President highlighted the Angola’s “Leading role” on the African continent and on the part of Portugal “the rapport with European countries” that also have a relationship with Angola – which currently presides over the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).
“Therefore, we have a total puzzle in which we form a very strong axis, Angola and Portugal, even in CPLP, with a lot of importance in CPLP, but outside CPLP. And this axis has other groups, all helped by personal relationships, and above all by what brings our peoples together, who understand each other very well, get along very well: the Portuguese who live in Angola and the Angolans who live in Portugal”, he considered .
As Angola is exercising the rotating presidency of the CPLP, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa referred to João Lourenço as “the President of all CPLP citizens”, explaining: “It is a pleasure to have my President João Lourenço in this conversation”.
In bilateral terms, according to the Portuguese head of state, there is a “Exceptional relationship, in all domains”, with “exceptional at all levels” personal relationships, for which he attributed “fundamental merit” to his Angolan counterpart.
João Lourenço, then, greeted: “Condemned to live eternally embraced, nothing can shake the relations that we always want to be good between our two countries. Portugal can count on Angola at all times, in all cases, just as Angola counts on Portugal at all times and in all situations”.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted a recent “ministerial summit between Portugal and Angola”, which in his sense took place “in an exceptional climate” and “showed the good moment” of bilateral relations.
Covid-19 has caused more than four million and 900,000 deaths worldwide, among more than 241 million infections by the new coronavirus registered since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the latest report by the news agency France-Presse.
In Portugal, since March 2020, more than 18 thousand people have died with Covid-19 and so far more than one million cases of infractions have been registered, according to the Directorate-General of Health (DGS).
O Euro-Africa Forum is organized by the Portuguese Diaspora Council, a non-profit association found in December 2012, with the high sponsorship of the former President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, aimed at institutionalizing a network of contacts between Portuguese and Portuguese descendants residing without foreigners, with prominent positions .
This association has as honorary president the President of the Republic and as honorary vice president the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva. Former Portuguese Prime Minister Durão Barroso presides over the Board of the Diaspora Council.