COVID-19: ANGOLA WITH 309 RECOVERIES, 182 INFECTIONS

Luanda – Angolan health authorities reported on Monday 309 recoveries, 182 new cases and 6 deaths.

Releasing the statistics at the usual data update session, the secretary of state for public health, Franco Mufinda, said as many as 296 patients were recovered in Luanda, followed by Huíla with 8 and 2 in Cuanza Sul.

The provinces of Cunene, Cuanza Norte and Benguela with one recovery each.

As for the new cases, Franco Mufinda said that 134 were detected in Luanda, 20 in Huambo, 20 in Cunene, 3 in Huíla, 3 in Zaire, 1 in Benguela and 1 in Uíge, aged from 1 month to 84 years.

The official also announced three deaths in Luanda, two in Huambo and one in Cabinda.

Angola has a total of 32,623 positive cases, 731 deaths, 27,087 recoveries and 4,805 active patients.

ATTORNEY GENERAL´S OFFICE CLARIFIES DETENTION OF FAA GENERAL OFFICERS

Luanda - Attorney General´s Office (PGR) announced Monday the detention of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA)’s officers pertaining to the Security Affairs’ Office of the President of Republic.

In a statement reached Angop on Monday, PGR states that the detention of FAA officers followed the suspicions of embezzlement, possession of banknotes and criminal association.

The source does not disclose the number of suspects, but mentions monetary values in cash kept in boxes and suitcases containing US dollars, Euro and kwanzas banknotes, in addition to residences and vehicles.

According to the Attorney General´s Office, the practice of the facts at the base for opening of the said proceeding No. 1060/021-C, date backs to a long time.

The source added that the process, in pre-trial phase, follows normal procedure aimed to determine all goods and values in the hand of those involved, as well as other offenses and relevant circumstances.

 

A video circulating on social media shows one of those implicated in the case - major Pedro Lussaty in charge of finance in the Music Band of the Security Affairs Office to the President of the Republic – as having been detained last week when he tried to leave the country with suitcases containing several millions in US dollars and euro banknotes.

 

PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA HOSTS PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE ON STATE VISIT, 28 MAY

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 28 May 2021, host His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron of the Republic of France on a State Visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

President Macron’s first visit to South Africa is at the invitation of President Ramaphosa.
 
The visit is aimed at strengthening the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, which is substantiated by a number of bilateral agreements in various areas of cooperation.
 
The two countries are committed to advocating for world peace and security, strengthening multilateral and regional cooperation and responding to climate change.
 
The visit will focus on issues pertaining to the global response to Covid-19 and the economic, health, research and manufacturing responses to the current pandemic and beyond. 
 
The leaders will also discuss the expansion of mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities.  South Africa is France’s largest trading partner in Africa while France is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner within the European Union (EU) trading bloc.  Approximately 400 French companies are represented in South Africa.  During the 2019 South Africa Investment Conference, French companies pledged R20 billion of investment into South Africa.

PRESIDENT JOÃO LOURENÇO FIRES GENERAL OFFICERS

Luanda - Angolan head of State João Lourenço Monday fired six general officers, after hearing the National Security Council, according to a press release from the President’s Civil Affairs’ Office.

The president fired Lieutenants General Ernesto Guerra Pires and Angelino Domingos Vieira, respectively from the position of consultant to the Minister of State and Head of the Security Affairs Office to the President of the Republic and secretary for the Personnel and Staff of the Security Affairs to the President of the Republic.

Also sacked Lieutenants-General José Manuel Felipe Fernandes and João Francisco Cristóvão from the positions of Secretary General of the Security Affairs Office to the President of the Republic and Director of the Office of the Minister of State and Head of the Security Affairs Office to the President of the Republic, respectively.

The Secretary for Logistics and Infrastructure of the Security Affairs Office to the President of the Republic, Lieutenant-General Paulo Maria Bravo da Costa, the main assistant of the Secretariat for the Affairs of the Intelligence and State Security Organs of the Security Affairs Office to the President of the Republic, Brigadier José Barroso Nicolau, were also fired.