Luanda - Angolan President João Lourenço on Saturday congratulated his Uruguayan counterpart Yamandú Orsi on his election as president of that Latin American country, expressing his desire to strengthen diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The congratulations were expressed in a letter sent by Ambassador Azevedo Xavier Francisco, who represented Angolan President João Lourenço at the swearing-in ceremony of Uruguay's new head of state in Montevideo's Independence Square.

In the letter, the Angolan President stresses the importance of expanding economic relations, with a focus on the agri-food sector, and reaffirms Angola's openness to foreign private investment.

In handing over the letter, Angolan diplomat Azevedo Xavier Francisco reiterated Angola's willingness to strengthen cooperation in various areas, particularly trade and food security.

Yamandú Orsi was elected president of Uruguay on 24 November,2024, defeating Álvaro Delgado, the conservative candidate backed by outgoing president Luis Lacalle Pou.

A former governor of the department of Canelones and a history professor, Orsi was supported during the campaign by former president José "Pepe" Mujica.

 The current president's priorities include environmental issues, support for small producers and social inclusion.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several heads of state and government, including the King of Spain, Felipe VI, and the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, underlining the importance of the event on the international political stage.FMA/MAG/AMP