Angola to host IPU meeting

 Luanda - Angola is to host the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in October, an event that brings together over 1,000 parliamentarians from across the world.

The information was disclosed to the press on Monday by the president of this international organism, the Portuguese Duarte Pacheco, following a meeting with Angola National Assembly Speaker, Carolina Cerqueira.

 

 

"At the moment there are only logistical issues to resolve, the political will of the authorities has been demonstrated and the decision of the IPU has been taken. All that remains to be done is to arrange the opening ceremony, which is always attended by the Head of State of the organising country", Pacheco said.

 

Duarte Pacheco informed that the IPU meeting can have, as a rule, 160 delegations from all over the world, involving more than a thousand parliamentarians with many of these delegations led by the respective parliament’s speakers.

 

The Portuguese politician added that he was pleased to hold one of the IPU Assemblies (they take place twice a year) in a Portuguese-speaking country. The last time this happened was more than 50 years ago.

 

The IPU is an international organization of parliaments of sovereign states, whose purpose is to mediate multilateral contacts of parliamentarians.

 

King Philip VI of Spain may visit Angola

 

King Philip VI of Spain may visit Angola in February of this year, said on Monday the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of that European country to Angola, Manuel Lajarreta Lobo.

 

The Spanish diplomat was speaking to the press at the end of a meeting with the National Assembly Speaker, Carolina Cerqueira, adding that the state visit of King Philip VI of Spain, the first to a sub-Saharan African country, will boost relations at the highest level.

 

Cooperation relations between Angola and the Kingdom of Spain are based on the General Cooperation Agreement signed May 20, 1987, and the Additional Agreement to the General Agreement signed in November 1987.

 

Cooperation between the two countries has intensified in the business sector. Spain has over 60 companies operating in Angola in various sectors, such as energy, banking, construction and agriculture.