Luanda - Angola reaffirmed on Tuesday, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, its principled position of unequivocal condemnation of any form of unconstitutional change of Government and expressed its concern regarding the return of this evil in some regions of the African continent.
The official statement was made by the permanent representative of Angola to the African Union (AU), Miguel Bembe, during the 1226th meeting of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the continental organization, held in virtual format, whose theme was embodied in Constitutionalism, in Democracy and Governance.
The Angolan diplomat highlighted that the new wave of coups d'état that is plaguing the continent is a reflection of some inability of States to respond to the root causes that motivate conflicts, insecurity and the collapse of their citizens' aspirations.
In this context, he appealed to the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms to reinforce measures aimed at solving the aforementioned issue, creating the necessary conditions for the return to constitutional order as quickly as possible in the affected countries, through the effective and accelerated operationalization of the Early Warning and the action of the respective Sanctions Subcommittees.
He recalled that since 2020 the African Union has sanctioned some Member States for not respecting constitutional norms, democratic values and peaceful coexistence.
Ambassador Miguel Bembe defended that democracy, as a system of governance, is based on the essential principles of popular participation, respect for human rights, transparency and responsibility.
“Furthermore, democratic principles, which are one of the essential vectors of economic and social development, based on good management of resources and public policies more adapted to the needs of the population, guarantee fundamental human rights, limiting inequalities and injustices, and contribute to political stability, through the participation of citizens and the creation of peaceful mechanisms for solving conflicts and transition of power”, he said.
He added that constitutionalism refers to the idea that a country should be governed in accordance with a constitution, which is a set of fundamental rules and principles that define the powers and responsibilities of the Government, as well as the rights and freedoms of citizens.
He pointed out that “once respecting the Constitution, leaders must act within the limits established by it, thus ensuring the rule of law and the protection of individual rights”.
The diplomat concluded that democracy is not a distant ideal for Africa, having highlighted the need to establish transparent and responsible government practices that respect democratic values, under the implementation of legal instruments to combat corruption and excesses of authority, promote citizen participation, guarantee freedom of expression and ensure accountability of leaders.
ART/CF/DOJ
