Angolans celebrate 44th independence anniversary in Ghana
The Embassy of the Republic of Angola Tuesday organised a colourful event to climax the celebration of the country’s 44th independence anniversary in Accra.
The event brought together citizens of the country living in Ghana as well as other ambassadors, high commissioners, government’s officials, diplomats and representatives of foreign missions in the country.
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Independence anniversary
Speaking at the event, the Angolan Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Augusto da Silva Cunha, lauded Ghana’s contributions toward the Angolan independence.
“Angolan people in general have long benefited the solidarity of many countries, particularly the Ghanaian people, during the period of liberation struggles against the colonial powers until our independence was achieved,” he said.
Angola, a Southern African nation with about 29.78 million people, gained its independence from Portugal on November 11, 1975.
The wife of the Angolan Ambassador, Mrs Jane Cunha as part of the 44th Independence anniversary donated assorted items to the Osu Children’s Home on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.
Mr Cunha said both Angola and Ghana were experiencing a new era of revitalisation of diplomatic and cooperation relations, explaining that the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding in the field of education between President Akufo-Addo and President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço were testament to the renewed and strengthened bilateral cooperation and relations between the two countries.
Investment
He said the objective of Angola in the coming years “is to see the result of the strengthening of Angola-Ghana bilateral cooperation relations”, expressing the hope that the upcoming 6th session of the Permanent Joint Commission for co-operation which was to be held in Ghana would serve as the legal framework for addressing the trade and investment concerns of the two countries.
He, therefore, invited Ghanaian investors to invest in Angola, as the country had created the enabling environment for foreign investment, saying “Ghanaian investors are invited to invest in Angola in a range of numerous and different business opportunities.”
Mr Cunha said some Angolans were already in the country, investing in energy, construction and telecommunications sectors.
He said investors from both countries would have greater access to their markets and consequently to the African continental market of about 1.2 billion people.
The Ambassador added the building of a market economy as well as the diversification of the country’s (Angolan) economy had created a business environment “that is attractive to private investment.”
He said the Angolan government was working seriously to streamline the process of transforming the country’s national economy.
"Let me point out that a plan for the diversification of the Angolan economy is underway, which has created a vast business space and secure conditions to accommodate foreign investment in the energy sector, the mineral sector, agriculture and agro-industry, the equipment industry, telecommunications and others,” Mr Cunha explained.
Development plan
He said although Angola was faced with several challenges, the Angolan government was focused on good governance, transparency in public acts as well as to fight against corruption, nepotism and impunity.
He said the Angolan President Mr Lourenço was determined in materialising the country’s national development plan of 2018 – 2022, which was aimed at promoting the socio-economic and territorial development of Angola.
He said the Angolan development plan was intended to improving family wellbeing and quality life, reducing inequalities and poverty, sustainable and inclusive valorisation of the country's endogenous resources, development of population support infrastructure and economic activities.
Mr Cunha further said the Angolan development would also improve public management as well as stimulating active citizenship and participation in democratic life of Angola on the continent and in the world.
He pledged his full and continued commitment to strengthen political and diplomatic relations between the country and Angola.
Strong ties
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, who represented the government of Ghana at the event, said the visit of President Akufo-Addo to Angola reaffirmed the strong ties of co-operation and the bond of friendship that existed between the country and Angola.
He explained that Ghana-Angola relations date back many years before the establishment of formal, diplomatic relations, saying “long before the independence of Angola, Ghanaian fishing communities had settled in Angola and were engaging the people of Angola.”
He said the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the first President of Angola, Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto, were also united by a common struggle to free the African continent from colonialism.
Mr Atta Akyea during the protracted fight against colonialism in Angola which culminated in civil strife and war, the country stood by Angola to the very end of the struggle, pointing out that “Ghana was among the very first countries to recognise Angola after its independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975.”
Commendation
He noted that “Ghana is determined to join hands with Angola towards the transformation of our economies from dependence on the production and export of raw materials into value-adding industrial economies” to help bring progress and prosperity to the citizenry of the two countries.
He also commended the government of Angola for making the conscious effort to diversify its economy from over dependence on hydrocarbons into a sustainable and robust agro-processing, energy and technology industries.
