Luanda - Angola remains committed to implementing the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, reaffirmed Wednesday, in New York, United States of America (USA), ambassador Mateus Luemba.
Speaking on behalf of Angola's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, the diplomat said the country only recognizes the use of light weapons and small caliber weapons as a sovereign right of States to guarantee their self-defense and national security.
The Angolan diplomat, who was addressing the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, which debated the topic on "Disarmament and International Security", said this type of illicit trade and its uncontrolled spread in many regions of the world, especially in Africa, have deep destabilizing effects, fueling conflicts, violent crimes and terrorism.
Nuke weapons
The ambassador emphasized that Angola defends the international principle of complete nuclear disarmament as a condition for maintaining peace and international security.
The ambassador reported that Angola has adhered to two important international instruments that aim to promote nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in all regions of the world, namely the Pelindaba Treaty, which reaffirms Africa's status as a Free Zone of Nuclear Weapons (NWFZ) and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
Angola is a peacemaking, peace-building and peace-loving country, the ambassador said, highlighting that its Foreign Policy is based on the principle of peaceful resolution of disputes and the promotion of international peace and security.
In recognition of this fact, in particular the engagement in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts as well as the promotion of a culture of peace, the ambassador said the African Union designated the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, as Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa, during the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of States and Government held in May 2022, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. VIC/CF/AMP
