Spain to meet EU, AU countries

 Luanda - Spain has announced a High Level Meeting with the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) countries for December 2023 to discuss industrial investments in Africa that generate jobs.

This was announced by the Spanish ambassador to Angola Manuel Lejarreta, while speaking to the press on Wednesday at the end of a meeting with the MPs of the third commission of the National Assembly.

The diplomat, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, hopes that Angola will have an active participation in this high-level meeting.

He considered the event crucial for Africa, because it fits in the vision of the 2063 agenda of the African Union (AU).

Among other goals, the AU Agenda 2063 aspires for Africa to have a strong culture of human rights, democracy, gender equality, inclusion and peace.

The agenda also aspires for Africa to have prosperity, protection and security for all its citizens, mechanisms for the promotion and defence of the continent's collective interests, as well as continental integration.

In his speech, the diplomat praised the relations between Angola and Spain, adding that they (ties) are recommended and "are in very good health", having been strengthened with the visit to Angola of the King of Spain, Felipe VI, in February this year.

Both countries’ relations are governed by the General Cooperation Agreement, signed on May 20, 1987. The two countries established diplomatic relations on October 19, 1977.

Cooperation between the two countries has intensified in the business sector. There are more than 60 companies operating in the country in different sectors.

While, trade balance between Angola and Spain recorded, from 2020 to 2022, a surplus situation for Angola, in which the main imported products were machinery, mechanical devices and instruments, motor vehicles, tractors and other land vehicles, in addition to electrical materials.

Among the most exported products include fuels, minerals, mineral oils and products from their distillation, bituminous materials, mineral waxes, fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates, salt, sulphur, earth and stones, plaster, lime and cement, machines, devices and mechanical instruments, as well as coffee and teas and spices. DC/AL/ADR/NIC