Luanda - Angola and Ukraine on Thursday, in Luanda Province, analysed how to deepen bilateral relations in the most varied areas of diplomatic, economic and commercial life.
The delegations were led by the Angolan Foreign minister, Téte António, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, who is visiting the country.
The two officials analysed the current state of relations between Angola and Ukraine during official talks at the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the occasion, Téte António highlighted the various initiatives promoted by Ukraine with a view to intensifying cooperation between the two countries.
Among the initiatives mentioned was the visit by Olga Trofimtseva, then Ukraine's Deputy Minister for Integration Affairs, who was in Angola in 2017 to lay the foundations for co-operation in key areas such as food safety, veterinary and animal health.
The visit opened the door to closer cooperation, especially in strategic sectors for the development of both countries.
In addition the ongoing projects, the talks highlighted important agreements under negotiation, such as the Agreement to avoid double taxation, the Agreement on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments and the Cooperation protocol between the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine and the ‘Venâncio de Moura’ Diplomatic Academy of Angola.
These legal instruments aim to strengthen institutional ties and create an environment favourable to investment and the exchange of knowledge between the two countries.
At the time, the Angolan minister expressed confidence that this official visit by Andrii Sybiha will contribute to relaunching strategic partnerships between Angola and Ukraine.
As for the prevailing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, he reiterated Angola's position, which since the beginning of the conflict has advocated a peaceful and negotiated solution.
Minister Téte António recalled a recent statement by the Head of State, João Lourenço, in which he defended the urgency of a ceasefire and negotiations that respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter.
In turn, the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed his country's interest in intensifying cooperation ties with Angola in various sectors, especially in the areas of agriculture and staff training.
Ukraine sees Angola as a key actor on the African continent and wants to strengthen political and diplomatic ties, counting on the support of all countries that, like Angola, are in favour of international peace and stability.
Diplomatic relations between Angola and Ukraine were formally established in December 1994. Since then, both countries have worked to strengthen their advances, with improved advancements in several sectors.
An important milestone in bilateral relations was the signing, in 2001, of a Memorandum of Cooperation on Bilateral Political Consultations, which has served as the basis for regular consultations between the Angolan and Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministries.
Over the years, the two countries have consolidated their relations in sectors such as Higher Education, Defence, Agriculture, Fisheries, Science and Technology, and Trade.
Meanwhile, Angola and Ukraine are determined to follow a path of joint prosperity, based on sharing experiences, always with the aim of guaranteeing the development and well-being of their people.
SJ/ART/MRA/jmc
