The political and diplomatic relations between Angola and Italy were stressed during the week that ends this Saturday, among the political news from ANGOP.

The relationship was strengthened during a two-day state visit that the President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço, made to the European country, having met the most distinguished national entities, with stress to his counterpart Sergio Mattarella.

As part of the visit, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, the two states signed several cooperation agreements, focusing on oil, transport, finance, health and education.

In the Italian Parliament, João Lourenço met with the President of the Senate, Ignacio La Russa, and the President of this sovereign body, Lorenzo Fontana.

On Wednesday evening, President Sergio Mattarella awarded him the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and, on the same occasion, the Angolan statesman decorated with the Order Agostinho Neto, his counterpart and the Italian First Lady, Laura Mattarella.

On the last day of the visit, he participated in the Italy-Angola Economic Forum, organized by the business association Confindustria Assafrica in collaboration with the Agency for the Promotion of Private Investments and Exports (AIPEX).

Also during the week that ends this Saturday, the Angolan authorities reaffirmed their interest in continuing to develop their efforts to strengthen and deepen political-diplomatic relations and economic cooperation with the United States of America (USA). .

This commitment was made by the Angolan Head of State, in a message on the occasion of 30 years of diplomatic relations between Angola and the United States, celebrated on the 19th of this month.

In his letter, João Lourenço defended the deepening of relations with the United States based on respect, reciprocity and mutual benefits for the benefit of both countries and peoples.

Still within the framework of the presidential agenda, the question of peace, security and development in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was studied on Monday, during an audience the head of the Angolan State, João Lourenço, granted to the President of the Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP-CIRGL), Jemma Nunu Kumba.

The week was also marked by the approval, by the National Assembly (AN), as a whole, of the bill on freedom of assembly and demonstration, with 172 votes in favour, none against and as many abstentions.

This is the first legislative initiative of the opposition generally approved by the Parliament, prepared by the UNITA parliamentary group and about which the MPLA has expressed total openness to its discussion.

Also in the Chamber of Laws, last week, the general labor law proposal was approved, with 172 votes in favor, two against and none abstentions.

The General Labor Law essentially aims to restore a set of standards that were repealed with Law No. 2/2000, of February 11, in order to create a better balance in the defense of the interests of workers and employers and to strengthen the harmony in the working relationship.

The bill reintroduces as a general rule the employment contract of indefinite duration, and unequivocally assumes the employment contract as the only form of constitution of legal and labor relations.

ANGOP also highlighted the statements of the Speaker of the National Assembly (AN), Carolina Cerqueira, who reiterated, on Tuesday, the Angolan State’s commitment to the promotion of democracy, good governance, defense human rights and the achievement of lasting peace and security in the Great Lakes region.

Speaking during a round table on the “foreign policy of the Republic of Angola in the Great Lakes region”, promoted by the AN, Carolina Cerqueira said that it is necessary for everyone to take up the challenge of transforming the Great Lakes region into a space of political and social stability, of shared growth and development.

In the week just ending this Saturday, Africans also celebrated May 25, Africa Day, and in a note alluding to the date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “the continent continues the struggle to eradicate poverty, illiteracy, various endemics and hunger”, caused by cyclical food crises”.

It adds that, 60 years later, countless challenges remain for the full realization of the objectives proposed by the founding fathers of the OAU.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)