Muscat - The official dinner hosted by the Sultan of Oman, Haitian Bin Tarik Al Said, in honor of President João Lourenço's state visit to that country, closed the Angolan statesman's first day of work in Omani lands.
The moment was marked by the exchange of gifts that celebrates the friendship between the two peoples.
João Lourenço received a sword from Haitian Bim Tarik Al Said, a traditional symbol of Oman.
In return, the Head of State offered a work of art, which values Angolan culture.
The President of the Republic arrived in Oman Thursday at around 9:00 am.
In the middle of the afternoon on Thursday, President João Lourenço's state visit to the Sultanate of Oman formally began, with the holding of the protocol reception ceremony at the Al Alam Royal Palace.
After greeting the Angolan Head of State, upon arrival, Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik Al Said, next to President João Lourenço, they listened to the playing of the National Anthem of the Republic of Angola, at the same time as 21 cannon salutes were fired.
Afterwards, the two Heads of State met the delegations that accompanied them, then went on to an extended meeting that gave way to a more restricted one.
In both moments, the strengthening of cooperation relations between the two nations was the motto.
Haitham Bin Tarik and João Lourenço highlighted how cooperation between Oman and Angola is developing, with effective and high-impact actions being carried out without delay or obstacles.
They highlighted, among other examples, the entry of Oman into the activity of diamond production in Angola (Catoca and Luele) and the authorization, by the Angolan authorities, to open a bank in Angola of the sultanate, in order to make business between the two countries fluid.
The two countries initialled four legal instruments to strengthen cooperation.
This is the memorandum of understanding between the Angolan Ministry of Finance and the Investment Bank of Oman that establishes the framework for strategic cooperation to strengthen economic and financial ties between the two countries.
They signed the Agreement for the Acquisition of Stakes in the Catoca and Luele diamond mines in Angola and the Partnership Agreement between the Angolan company Endiama and Maden Investment Group, a subsidiary of the Omani Sovereign Wealth Fund.
In addition to the results that this mission to the Middle East produced, the signing of the memorandum of understanding for the Exploration of Cooperation Opportunities in the Energy sectors between the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas of Angola and the Massadr Energy Group.
On the second and last day of the visit (Friday), the agenda reserves the visit of the Angolan State Chete to the National Museum of Oman, the last activity of his visit to the sultanate.
The National Museum is Oman's main cultural institution, displaying the sultanate's heritage from the earliest evidence of human occupation on the Oman Peninsula to the present day.
Bilateral cooperation
In May of this year, as part of the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, the two States signed, in Luanda, three cooperation agreements in the financial, agricultural and manufacturing fields, which signaled the start of cooperation.
It was the first visit of an official delegation from the Sultanate of Oman to Angola, generating expectations regarding closer relations of friendship and cooperation between the two States in the signed areas and in other fields of mutual interest. ART/DOJ
