Nouakchott - The secretary of State for International Cooperation and Angolan Communities, Domingos Vieira Lopes, on Tuesday in the city of Nouakchott, underlined the “good level” of political and diplomatic relations between Angola and Mauritania.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a meeting with the Angolan community in that country, the diplomat said that the presence of the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa, at the inauguration of the re-elected President of Mauritania, is a clear sign of the importance of these relations.
Esperança da Costa will represent the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, at the inauguration ceremony, which will take place Thursday in the Mauritanian capital, which will also be attended by dozens of African leaders.
“Mauritania has potential, it is an important country for Angola, which is why we are trying to get closer to the country, seeking a more equitable relationship”, the secretary of state emphasised.
Domingos Vieira Lopes emphasised that Angola and Mauritania would soon be signing four legal cooperation instruments, as well as political consultations and defining the terms of the Joint Commission.
“We are going to try to prioritise the areas we need to develop, in the most varied fields, and work on a joint commission”, he said.
He revealed that Mauritanian businesspeople are interested to see a direct connection between the two countries with the flights of the Angolan Airlines TAAG with the aim of strengthening cooperation.
In turn, the Angolan ambassador to Mauritania, Adão Pinto, considered excellent the cooperation between the two countries taking into account the number of Mauritanian citizens who work in Angola.
He called on Angolan businesspeople to invest in Mauritania, as part of economic diplomacy.
With regard to the Angolan community in Mauritania, the diplomat said that the concerns expressed had been heard and would be resolved, namely the issues related to the double registration of Angolan schoolchildren, due to mixed marriages and the fusion of cultures.
He clarified that there are 150 Angolans registered in Mauritania, most of them female.
According to Adão Pinto, Mauritanian businesspeople are grateful that Angola has opened doors for them to continue working in the country.
The spokeswoman for the Angolan community in Mauritania, Joana Soares, said that the biggest concern is the lack of a consulate in the country to facilitate the renewal of documents, especially passports, because anyone who wants to do so has to travel to Senegal, where the diplomatic mission is located.
“Travelling to Senegal costs a lot of money and that is why we need to open a consulate in Mauritania”, he explained.
The official also pointed to the Mauritanian government's imposition of double registration on children, who cannot take their mother's name, as a constraint.
“We call on our authorities to reach a consensus to resolve these situations”, she emphasised.
Joana Soares said that it is easy for Angolans to work in Mauritania and emphasised that relations between Angola and Mauritania are considered good.
The cooperation between the two countries began on 2 December 1987 and has made significant progress since 2007, as a result of the mission carried out by Ambassador Hermínio Escórcio, which culminated in meetings with the Mauritanian authorities.
The Islamic Republic of Mauritania supports Angola's candidacy for the presidency of the African Union.
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