Luanda – The National Assembly (AN) Speaker Carolina Cerqueira reiterated Tuesday in Luanda the engagement of the Angolan state to promote democracy, good governance, defence of human rights and achievement of lasting peace and security in the Great Lakes region.
Speaking at a round table on the "foreign policy of the Republic of Angola in the Great Lakes region," organised by the AN, the Speaker spoke of the need for everyone to take up the challenge to transform the Great Lakes region into a political and social stability area, with growth and shared development.
The politician added that it is crucial to guarantee the political, economic, social and humanitarian stability through political channels "of our countries and of the region.
Cerquira said to achieve these common objectives the states should show solidarity in all circumstances, acting on the basis of the values and best customs of African culture and respect for differences.
"Unfortunately our region is still, in a way, considered the least stable in the continent due to emerging and prevailing conflicts recorded in some states and belligerent groups that, in a certain way, contribute to the creation of several constraints that jeopardize the development of our countries," the Angolan politician said.
The Angolan Speaker emphasised that these conflicts have delayed the implementation of the goals set in the framework of the sustainable development objectives and other relevant challenges for the region such as regional integration, with a focus on the free movement of people and free trade between states.
Cerqueira added that the holding of the roundtable, with the participation of the South Sudan Parliament Speaker and president-in-office of the Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP-ICGLR) and other African entities, "is a good example for the definition of common solutions in a concerted manner.
The Speaker of the Sudan Legislative Assembly and acting president of the Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR-RR), Jemma Nunu Kumba, praised the Angolans for having achieved sustainable peace and the leadership of President Lourenço, "after going through difficult times.
Kumba added that South Sudan was also going through the same experience "and that once in Angola, his country could learn from Angola and its people, having defended the need for Africans to work together to solve their problems, always using the African approach.
On the conflict that emerged in Sudan on 16 April this year, and which has already displaced some seven million people, Kuma called on the warring parties to immediately cease all forms of violence and respect the ceasefire.
"It is our responsibility, as the region, to act and call on the parties in conflict to reach a ceasefire and stop the destruction that has been taking place and give an opportunity for dialogue to resolve the problem," Kuma said.
The South Sudan politician also advocated an inclusive participatory dialogue to end the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and thanked member states that have contributed to Peacekeeping contingents to the region, including Angola and South Sudan.
Women's Empowerment
The acting president of the FP-CIRGL praised President João Lourenço's policy on the empowerment of women and having considered inclusive gender balance in the Angolan government, including in the judiciary. Underlining that "This is what is looked for in the Great Lakes region."
The roundtable that attended by the president of the Kenyan Senate, the representative of the Zambian Parliament, among other individuals, aimed to sensitise African parliaments of the Great Lakes in particular to contribute to building peace based on solid pillars in that region.
