It is a great honour to take the floor in this majestic Hall of multilateral diplomacy on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Joao Manuel Gongalves Lourengo, President of the Republic of Angola, who wished to be here in person to address the Assembly but was unable to do so, owing to the general elections of 24 August and to his swearing-in ceremony. However, His Excellency the President has entrusted me to greet all those present, especially His Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi, and to congratulate him on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session and assure him of the support of the Republic of Angola during his presidency.
This session, held under the theme “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”, is taking place at a unique and sensitive international moment in our modern history, where we face complex challenges that call for joint solutions. The world faces persistent and cyclical challenges, which have been exacerbated in recent years by the international health situation brought about by the coronavirus disease pandemic, the emergence of growing threats to the economy, peace and global security, and the impacts of climate change.
The Republic of Angola has championed at international forums the importance of multilateralism and international cooperation, which are mutually advantageous and beneficial to relations between States, be they large or small, developed or developing, because in our understanding that is how we can effectively contribute to the search for consensus solutions in resolving political, economic, social and cultural crises. World peace, which we all aim to achieve, will come about only through peacebuilding efforts in every country. In that regard, the Republic of Angola continues to make important efforts to contribute to peace and stability on the African continent and in its subregion in particular.
In its role presiding over the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Republic of Angola has spared no effort to contribute to peace and stability in the region, especially with respect to the conflict in the Central African Republic, but also with regard to the border dispute between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as between Uganda and Rwanda, where we have modestly tried to do our best, since, as we know, the solution always and above all depends on the political will of the parties directly involved, as His Excellency the President of the Republic of Angola, Mr. Joao Manuel Gongalves Lourengo, recently reminded us.
Angola’s peacebuilding efforts on the African continent have earned it the special recognition of the African Union, which designated the President of the Republic of Angola, Mr. Joao Manuel Gongalves
Lourengo, an African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation at the Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of Governments in Africa, which demonstrates our country’s commitment to mediation and consensus in resolving political crises in Africa and around the world.
Those efforts have been galvanized by the support we have received from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Angola will continue to work closely with the United Nations and the African Union in peacebuilding and consensus-building efforts in order to resolve conflicts, with a view to achieving a culture of peace, security and stability, in the Southern African Development Community, the Economic Community of Central African States and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, as well as in the Gulf of Guinea Commission and other regional organizations.
The Republic of Angola continues to uphold the inalienable rights of all States to strengthen their own defence capabilities against external threats, equipping their armed forces with personnel, weapons and equipment that meet national needs. In that regard, we reiterate here our call for the lifting of the arms embargo imposed on the Central African Republic.
History has taught us that we must discourage the use of force to resolve conflicts between sovereign nations, as the consequences for humankind are immeasurable. Based on the principle of non-alignment enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Angola, our country advocates for conflict resolution through dialogue and respect for international law.
The political-military conflicts and the existing and persistent disparities in the economic and technological development spheres among world regions and geographic blocs represent a permanent threat and, at the same time, an opportunity for all humankind to join forces for their peaceful resolution. Angola once again urges the end of the economic embargo against Cuba and the removal of unilateral measures and sanctions against the Cuban people, which impede their country’s harmonious economic, social and technical-scientific development.
In general, Angola favours the lifting of all unilateral sanctions or coercive measures imposed against the peoples of Zimbabwe and Venezuela, among others, without a mandate from the Security Council. Such politically motivated measures have proven to be counterproductive to efforts to eradicate poverty and to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, and violate the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international public and humanitarian law.
Negotiations for reforming the Security Council still have not produced the results that the overwhelming majority of Member States expects. The Republic of Angola joins other voices in championing such reform towards an equitable representation that reflects the current configuration of the United Nations. The Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration represent a viable option for restoring the rights and legitimate aspirations of the African continent and correcting the historical injustices that the region is experiencing with its absence from the decision-making centre of one of the main statutory bodies in matters of international peace and security created by the Charter of the United Nations.
Angola held its fifth general elections on 24 August characterized by an environment of peace, harmony and transparency, thereby consolidating the construction of a democratic State and the rule of law with a view towards the country’s socioeconomic development. The newly elected Government intends to continue to work on ongoing reforms as one of the priorities of its mandate.
The Republic of Angola is aligned with the international consensus on sustainable development, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063 on the environment. It has approved a national strategy on climate change and environmental education and plans to achieve the target of 70 per cent energy from non-polluting sources by 2025, favouring clean hydroelectric and solar energy.
To that end, many substantial investments have been made in economic and social infrastructure in order to mitigate the effects of the prolonged drought that has affected the southern region of Angola, with special emphasis on the inauguration in 2022 of an aqueduct in the province of Cunene, which will provide access to water for 350,000 citizens over a span of 160 kilometres, ensuring a water supply for people, cattle and irrigation.
In conclusion, I would like to announce that the Republic of Angola will host the tenth summit of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in Luanda from 6 to 10 December 2022, at a time when the challenges that the international community faces are increasingly complex and require the engagement and solidarity of everyone in order to overcome them. Our purpose in convening the summit is to spare no effort to ensure that the OACPS, which is now a full-fledged international organization, can play its role in the concert of nations. Therefore, we hope we can count on the attendance and participation of all OACPS member States.