Ambassador of Angola, Octavio Barber, delivering his Speech.
The Embassy of Angola yesterday evening celebrated National Independence Day under the Theme: “National Unity, Production and Sustainable Development”. Were present at the ceremony Dr “Luisa Maria Alves Grilo” – Minister of Education of the Republic of Angola; General James Kabarebe, Minister of State in charge of Regional Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Diplomatic corps accredited in Kigali and Invited Guests.
General Kabarebe appreciated excellent cooperation between Angola and Rwanda in many sectors like peace and security, health, transport, education. Ambassador of Angola in Rwanda, Octavio Barber delivered an important speech focused on good relations between Angola and Rwanda. Read his Speech below:
Allow me, on my behalf and on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Angola, to welcome you all to this ceremony, on the Celebrations of the 49th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Angola, on November 11th, under the theme: “national unity, production and sustainable development”.
General James Kabarebe, Minister of State in charge of Regional Cooperation addressing Guests.
For me, it is a great honor and a deep sense of patriotic duty to address your Excellences on the day that the Angolan People gained freedom from Portuguese colonial rule.
Today, on this important day to all Angolans, beyond reflecting on Angola’s historical journey, the most important thing here is to highlight the role of political-diplomatic relations between our two countries, Angola and Rwanda.
Twenty-two years (22) have passed since the official start of political-diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Angola and the Republic of Rwanda in 2002. Angola continues to promote an atmosphere of peace and good cooperation in its relations with other states, always suggesting peaceful solutions to conflicts, as stated by his Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the President of the Republic of Angola, in his last state of the nation address on 16th October 2024, delivered in the Angolan Parliament.
Ambassador Octavio of Angola, Dr Luisa Maria Alves Grilo, Minister of Education of the Republic of Angola; and Ambassador of EU, Belen Calvo Uyarra.
Therefore, within the framework of the mandate given to him by the African Union to seek peace in the Eastern region of DRC and normalize relations between the DRC and Rwanda. On 5th November 2024, in Goma, his Excellency Ambassador “Tete António” – Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Angola, in the company of honorable Ambassador “Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe” – Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, and honorable Ms. Thérese Kayikwamba Wagner, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, carried out the official launch of the reinforced ad-hoc verification mechanism for the Eastern region of DRC, whose main mission is to verify the implementation of peace in the Provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
On the other hand, economic diplomacy for the Republic of Angola continues to be a central element of its diplomatic policy with a view to attract direct foreign investment, and it is within this framework that we are offering the distinguished people present at this ceremony a book from Angola’s National Mineral Resources Agency with terms of reference for investment opportunities in the minerals sector, which is open to all interested investors, including businesspeople from Rwanda and your Excellencies’ respective countries that are interested.
Guests at the reception
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
It is true and fair to say that significant progress has been made in bilateral relations between the republic of Angola and the republic of Rwanda. from 13th to 15th April 2022, the first bilateral meeting was held in Kigali, attended by ministers, secretaries of state, diplomats and senior experts, which resulted in the signing of nine (9) legal instruments, (5) agreements and (4) MoU’s, with highlights in the fields of justice and human rights, health, local administration, agriculture, oil and gas, among others, which are being implemented.
A major development is that on 9th October 2024, the final draft of the air services agreement (ASA), which allows the Airlines of Angola (TAAG) and Rwanda (Rwandair) to operate unlimited weekly services, was negotiated, concluded and signed in Luanda/Angola, to operate unlimited weekly passenger and cargo services with any type of aircraft, and to exercise the fifth freedom at intra-African points without any restrictions, thus making the direct air connection between Angola and Rwanda a reality and facilitating travel for business people, tourists and the population in general.
In order to legitimize this fruitful relationship, the second bilateral meeting and the second Angola-Rwanda business forum are being scheduled for the first quarter of 2025, during which it is expected to conclude the negotiation and signing of nine (9) more legal instruments (agreements and MoU’s), with emphasis on the fields of trade and investment, tourism, labor and social security, general education and between the universities of Angola and Rwanda and the diplomatic academies, and in the field of enforcement – public security and correctional services of the two countries.
Excellencies,
In conclusion, allow me to reiterate on behalf of the Angolan Government, our commitment to continue working to promote peace and contribute to further strengthening the healthy and productive political-diplomatic and cooperative relations between the Republic of Angola and the Republic of Rwanda, always with the certainty that united we are stronger, and that together we can work towards a bright future, where stability, economic development and prosperity are a reality for the happiness of our two peoples and countries, Angola and Rwanda. Thank you very much! (End)