Luanda – Angola wants to expand its peacemaking efforts to all areas of the African continent where situations of insecurity and conflict persist, the Vice-President of the Republic Esperança Costa on Thursday.
Esperança Costa stressed the country’s commitment to the peace when delivering her speech at the opening of the 1st International Women's Forum for Peace and Democracy, being held in Luanda.
She said with the peace initiatives, still restricted to the Great Lakes Region, Angola wants to expand its efforts to all tension zones on the African continent.
“Angola is a country of peace, with a leader of peace”, therefore, we want to continue to contribute to the pacification of Africa and a reconciled and democratic world, stressed the Vice President.
Esperança Costa said that in the relentless pursuit of these values, the Angolan Head of State, as champion of the African Union for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa, is developing initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue and inclusive political processes, which lead to conflict resolution in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan and other regions.
In her speech, she said to hope that the meeting will make a broad reflection on the role of women in building peace and harmony between peoples and nations.
She said the event contributes to the deepening of the debate around the construction of a society of equity, where the participation of women can play a leading role in resolving the socio-economic and political problems that the continent still faces.
Esperança Costa considered the peace and democracy pillars for the development of women, affected, in many regions of the world and the continent, by climate change, conflicts, poverty, lack of access to land, food insecurity, lack of resilient communities and training that enables full participation in social transformations.
According to the Vice-President, 21 years ago Angola witnessed the silencing of arms and continuously seeks to consolidate peace, development, national reconstruction and in this process the Angolan woman has played a central role, providing support for the development of promotion policies of female participation.
The objective, she added, is to achieve, in the short term, a parity of 50% or close in politics, economy and social life, which will only be possible if women continue to constitute themselves as a foundation of strategies aimed at development.
Important figures such as the former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson, former Vice-President of Costa Rica, Epsy Cambell Barr, representatives of the United Nations and diplomats will address the five thematic panels under discussion at the event that runs until Friday.
“The challenges of globalization in the process of gender empowerment”, “Technological innovation and education to achieve gender equality”, “Formalization as a mechanism for social and financial inclusion”, “Challenges of food security and climate change on the African continent ” and the “Role of women in consolidating peace and preserving conflicts”, are the subjects scheduled for debate at the international meeting.
The forum will target women leaders of African regional organizations, Women Leaders, heads of government and members of the Palops, CPLP and OEACP, International and National Organizations, Representatives of Diplomatic Missions, representatives of public sector entities, public companies and private companies and private sector entities.
