Luanda - The Angolan Ministry of Territory Administration (MAT) will soon rely on Portugal's experience in the field of training staff linked to the institutionalization process of municipal authorities.
The measure is the result of a Cooperation Protocol in the field of Territorial Cohesion, signed this Monday, in Luanda, between the MAT and its counterpart in Portugal, which aims to materialize the Strategic Cooperation Program recently agreed between the two countries.
The Angolan minister of Territory Administration, Dionísio da Fonseca, and by the Minister of Territorial Cohesion of Portugal, Ana Maria Abrunhosa, initialled the Cooperation Protocol, witnessed by the Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, the Secretary of State for municipal authorities, Márcio de Jesus Daniel and the Portuguese ambassador to Angola, Francisco Duarte.
The document embodies the exchange of experience between the two countries in various areas, with emphasis on training the human resources, institutional cooperation and implementation of economic and social cohesion programs.
It also includes the elaboration and implementation of programs on reduction of local asymmetries and balanced development of the territory, valorisation of the inside country, as well as the institutionalization of a forum of territorial cohesion and knowledge centres on municipal and regional development.
Follow-up and monitoring of the administrative decentralization process, the design of governance models for decentralization and common regulation, the definition of public policies for territorial development, promotion of equity and sustainability in local development are also part of the agreement.
According to Dionísio da Fonseca, the main goal of the implementation of the Protocol is to provide for continuous improvement in the living conditions of populations and ensure that citizens have dignity where they live, especially in rural areas.
“We are excited about the experience that Portugal has in enhancing the countryside. We want to ensure that with this sharing it is also possible to apprehend how this country has effectively reduced the rural exodus and ensure that every citizen feels good in the territory in which he resides”, he said.
In turn, Ana Abrunhosa underlined that it was possible to contribute to the institutionalization of municipalities in Angola based on Portugal’s successful experience in this field.
The signing of the protocol takes place a week after the visit to Angola by the Portuguese Prime minister, António Costa, during which 13 cooperation agreements were signed, mainly in the economic and financial fields. .VC/SC/DOJ
