Constitutional Court rejects impugnation of MPLA's Congress

 Luanda - The Constitutional Court (CC) has rejected the appeal lodged by party supporter António Venâncio, who was seeking to annul the 8th Ordinary Congress of MPLA, alleging violation of the party's statutes and the country's constitution. 

In the appeal, Venâncio was contesting the previous order of the CC's panel of judges denying admission of the injunction requesting annulment of the preparatory process for the MPLA's 8th Ordinary Congress. 

The appeal was based on the fact that Venancio had not been admitted as a candidate for MPLA leadership at the December 2021 Congress. 

With the decision, expressed in ruling 731/2022, the Constitutional Court said that the instance was exhausted and, if he wished, Venâncio "could only appeal to international bodies. 

Angola announces Luanda/Madrid flights

 

Luanda – Angola airlines TAAG-SA will soon carry out a weekly direct flight from Luanda to Madrid, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António announced Thursday in Luanda.

The minister disclosed the information at the end of an audience with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Angola, Manuel Larrera.

"Angola and Spain expressed Thursday satisfaction with the announcement of the opening, soon, of TAAG-SA flights directly to Madrid". said a press release that has reached ANGOP.

According to the head of Angolan diplomacy, the opening of direct flights between the two capitals represents an added value for Angola and Spain, since the air link benefits both countries and facilitates the handling of passengers and goods with the South American countries. 

The audience also served for the two diplomats to talk about the deepening of bilateral relations, forecast of holding an economic forum, as well as the exchange program of visits at the highest level. 

Spain seeks to become the European Union reference country for the African continent. The "Focus Africa 2023" plan will channel institutional support for Spanish companies' investments in Africa.

Draft Laws go to final global vote by April 21

 

Luanda – Draft Laws amending to the Criminal Procedure Code and another that approves the Administrative Litigation Procedure Code will go to the final global vote on April 21.

The MPs will also vote for Draft Laws on Public Appropriation and on the General Regime for Administrative Offenses.

According to National Assembly’s spokesman Raúl Lima, the decision stemmed from the conference of the leaders of the Parliamentary Groups, held Thursday.

The meeting  was intended to prepare the fourth Ordinary Plenary Meeting of the IV Legislative Session, scheduled for 21 April.

Lima said that the plenary will also discuss, in general, the proposed laws that amend to the Press Law, the Law on the Exercise of Broadcasting Activity and the Law on Polls and Opinion Surveys.

The session will also analyse the proposal for a Law on Merchant Marine, Ports and Related Activities , as well as the draft resolution, aimed at ratifying Angola's African Statistical Charter.

The plenary meeting will also include the appointment and election of the members for the Superior Council of the Judiciary of Public Prosecutor Office.

Sonangol sells stake held in eight blocks

Luanda - Sonangol has sold its participating interests in eight oil blocks in production and exploration to Somoil, Sirus, Afentra and Namcor, Sequa and Petrolog, as part of the public tender for partial sale. 

 According to a statement sent to ANGOP, Sonangol, after evaluating the proposals submitted by a total of 10 companies, selected Afentra for Block 3/05, which held 20 percent, Namcor, Sequa and Petrolog for Block 15/06, with 10 percent, and Somoil and Sirus for Block 18, with 8.5 percent, all blocks in production. 

In Block 31, which is in production, Somoil and Sirus again joined forces to buy Sonangol's 10% participating interest. 

For the blocks in exploration, Namcor, Sequa and Petrolog also formed a joint venture as operator for Block 23, holding 40% and Afentra 40%. 

In the same model of "Joint Venture", appear the interested parties of Block 27, Namcor, Sequa and Petrolog buying 35% and the other 25% were acquired by Somoil and Sirius. 

"The transmission act culminated with the establishment of those whose values were closest to those established in the sale conditions defined by Sonangol,"reads the note.  

Akufo-Addo meets British PM Boris Johnson at Downing Street

Akufo-Addo meets British PM Boris Johnson at Downing Street. 

The British PM, welcomed the strength and depth of the partnership between the UK and Ghana, stretching across defence, trade and cultural ties.

Recognizing the growing security threats in West Africa, Mr Johnson and President Akufo-Addo committed to strengthening our defence and security partnership, including intelligence sharing and naval capabilities.

The leaders were united in condemnation of Russia’s hostile invasion and attempted subjugation of Ukraine, agreeing on the importance of continued support to the Ukrainian people and diplomatic and economic pressure on the Kremlin.

They looked forward to further strengthening the cooperation between our two countries, and to meeting again in person at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

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Thomas Sankara murder: Ex-Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaoré found guilty

Thomas Sankara murder: Ex-Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaoré found guilty

Burkina Faso’s former president Blaise Compaoré has received a life sentence in absentia for his role in the assassination of his revolutionary predecessor, Thomas Sankara.

Sankara, 37, was gunned down along with 12 others during the 1987 coup d’état that brought Compaoré to power.

The pair had been close friends and had jointly seized power in 1983.

Sankara remains a hero for many across Africa because of his anti-imperialist stance and austere lifestyle.

Compaoré has lived in exile in Ivory Coast since he was removed from office following mass protests in 2014, and has taken up Ivorian nationality.

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Thirteen others were also found guilty, including Compaoré’s security chief Haycinthe Kafando, who was accused of leading the hit squad that killed Sankara.

He too was tried in absentia and received a life sentence.

They had both denied the charges.

Gilbert Diendéré, one of the commanders of the army during the 1987 coup and the main defendant who was actually present at the trial, was also sentenced to life.

He is already serving a 20-year sentence for a 2015 coup attempt.

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Lithuania Cuts off Russian Gas Imports, Urges EU to Do Same

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania says it has cut itself off entirely of gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Union’s 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence upon Moscow.

“Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russia’s energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas,” Lithuania’s energy ministry said in a statement late Saturday, adding that the measure took effect in the beginning of April.

Lithuania managed to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero on Saturday, a move seen a milestone in achieving energy independence in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million, the ministry said.

“We are the first EU country among Gazprom’s supply countries to gain independence from Russian gas supplies, and this is the result of a multi-year coherent energy policy and timely infrastructure decisions,” Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys said.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted an upbeat tweet on his account and urged other European nations to do the same.

“From this month on — no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!” Nauseda tweeted.

In 2015, nearly 100% of Lithuania’s gas supplies derived from imports of Russian gas but the situation has changed drastically over the past years after the country built an off-shore LNG import terminal, launched in 2014, in the port city of Klaipeda.

The energy ministry said from now on all gas for Lithuania’s domestic consumption would be imported via Klaipeda’s LNG terminal.

Last year, some 26% of Lithuania’s gas supplies derived from deliveries from a Russian gas pipeline while 62% came via Klaipeda’s LNG terminal and the remaining 12% were imported from a gas storage in neighboring Latvia.

Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia are also heavily dependent on Russian gas but the operator of Latvia’s natural gas storage said none of the three Baltic states were importing Russian gas as of April 2.

Uldis Bariss, the CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid, told Latvian media on Saturday that the Baltic gas market was currently being served by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia.

Last month, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said Klaipeda’s LNG terminal wouldn’t have enough capacity to provide gas for all the three Baltic countries.

As a solution, Estonia’s government has proposed building a LNG terminal jointly with Latvia and Nordic neighbor Finland in the Estonian port town of Paldiski, which is not far from the capital, Tallinn.

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