Luanda - Angola's permanent representative to the United Nations, Francisco da Cruz, said Thursday in New York that his country is building its foreign policy on peace and security on the basis of its own experience and commitment to permanent national reconciliation promotion and strengthened democracy and the rule of law.
The Angolan diplomat made the statement at the UN Security Council's high-level debate on “Consolidating and Sustaining Peace: The New Agenda for Peace - Addressing Global, Regional and National Aspects of Conflict Prevention”.
Francisco da Cruz emphasized the fact that the Head of State, João Lourenço, as Champion of the African Union for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa and chairman of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, is involved in various diplomatic initiatives towards peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region.
The diplomat recalled that, as part of the African Union's mandate, President João Lourenço has mediated political tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, which resulted in the signing of a ceasefire on August 4, 2024 as part of the Luanda process.
Francisco da Cruz announced the results of the 3rd ministerial meeting between the DRC and Rwanda held in Luanda on August 20 and 21, which analyzed a proposal for a lasting peace agreement submitted by the Angolan president to his DRC and Rwanda counterparts, Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame respectively.
The diplomat said the ministers have decided to hold a meeting of experts on August 29 and 30, to discuss specific aspects of the Agreement and meet again on September 9 and 10 in Luanda, to finalize discussions and create diplomatic conditions for a Summit between the DRC and Rwanda presidents in the near future.
According to the diplomat, as a country that has endured decades of internal conflict, Angola values the strategic importance of a culture of peace,” said a press release that reached ANGOP Friday.
He recalled that Angola has hosted the “Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace - Luanda Biennial” every two years, in collaboration with the African Union and UNESCO, to strengthen the pan-African movement for a culture of peace and non-violence to contribute to the realization of an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa.
In his speech, Angola's permanent representative to the United Nations said conflict prevention is the cornerstone that secures peace, stability and sustainable development on the continent, in the light of the African Union's Agenda 2063.
The diplomat underscored that Angola welcomes the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2746 of August 6, which authorizes MONUSCO to support SAMIDRC in order to contribute to peace efforts in the east of the DRC, as well as resolution 2719 of December 21 for the financing of African Union (AU) peace support operations.
The two-day UN Security Council's open debate recorded more than 60 interventions. Sierra Leone is the body's president for the month of August. DC/TED/AMP
