General Geraldo Abreu Muengo "Kamorteiro" dies

 Luanda – Gen. Abreu Muengoa Ukuatchitembo "Kamorteiro", Deputy Chief of General Staff for the Operational Development of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), died on Sunday at the military hospital in Luanda, victim of illness, ANGOP has learnt.

Abreu Muengo Ukwachitembo “Kamorteiro” was one of the co-signatories of the Peace Accords for Angola, signed on April 4, 2002 between the Angolan Government, by Gen. Armando da Cruz Neto, then Chief of Staff of FAA.

Born in 1959, in the central Bié province,  Kamorteiro held, among others, the position of top official in the high command of the Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FALA), then the military branch of UNITA.

After the signature of the Complementary Memorandum of Understanding to the Lusaka Protocol in Luanda, Kamorteiro, who had already joined the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), decided to pursue his studies, having completed a degree in History, and later a Master's in History of Angola, at the Higher Institute of Educational Sciences (ISCED).

Angola calls for OACPS unity

 Luanda - Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António appealed Monday in Brussels, Belgium, for more unity among the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), in view of the current international situation.

Speaking at the 115th Session of the OACPS Council of Ministers, the top diplomat said the organisation must remain united and should not stay outside the conflicts that directly or indirectly affects some member States.

Téte António also voiced concern about the issue related to contributions by State Members, but acknowledged that the covid-19 pandemic induced economic slow down in the world.

OACPS session started Monday, and going until Tuesday, in Brussels, is discussing, among other matters, the state of preparation for the Tenth Summit of Heads of State and Government set on 6 - 10 December, in Luanda.

The works which are being guided by Amery Browne, minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, will also address the partnership with the European Union (EU).

It will also analyse the state of implementation of the revised Georgetown agreement and the 2023 financial year for the functioning of the organisation's Secretariat.

The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States is an international organisation, resulting from the evolution of the ACP Group, which brings together 79 Member States from three continents.

Judo: Angola at Region 5 games ahead of Los Angeles-2028

 Luanda - National Judo Team’s participation in Region 5 Games that started on Monday in Lilongwe, Malawi, is aimed to launch talents ahead of 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (US).

Apart from the young athletes, up to 19 years old, Angola announced the preparation of another team that will seek to qualify for the 2024 edition, in France.

Speaking to ANGOP, shortly before their departure to the  competition stage, the national coach, Alexandre Martins, said that they are athletes aged between 15 and 16 years old, with talent and a Great evolution path.

The men’s team comprises Cláudio Francisco (50kg), Joaquim Luís (55kg), Leonardo Rabaçal, Leonardo Barros (60kg), Augusto Dala, Renato Cesar (66kg), Leonardo Domingo (73kg), Santos Sebastião (81kg) and David Caterça (-90 kg), are the one listed.

Women feature Vânia Kessua (44kg), Vânia Gabriel (48kg), Eldima Segunda (48kg), Belmara Manuel (52kg) and Gresnela Alberto (57kg), Rosa Luamba (63kg), Maria Jaime (-70kg) and Odeth Pedro (-78 kg).

In addition to judo, the national delegation to the event includes adapted athletics, basketball (men and women), soccer, swimming, tennis and Taekwando.

In the last edition, Angola ranked third in the overall ranking.

IMF foresees 15% average inflation for Angola

 Luanda - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) foresees for Angola an average annual inflation of around 21%, in 2022, and 15%, for 2023, said Monday, in Luanda, its resident representative, Marcos Rietti Souto.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony of the IMF report on regional economic prospects for Sub-Saharan Africa, he underlined that, in the latest projections for Angola, which appear in the report released in October, the Fund also forecasts growth of 2.9% for that year and 3.4% 2023.

“The projections are encouraging, but it is important that they remain vigilant regarding economic policy, considering an external scenario of great uncertainty that we are all experiencing”, he said.

He said that agriculture is a natural sector, where "Angola was once a major producer of crops such as coffee, but there is room for the growth of telecommunications, communications, financial services and also for the manufacturing industry".

The IMF representative recognised the efforts of the Angolan Executive to reduce the public debt.

Angola takes over vice-presidency of World Peace Council for Africa

 Luanda – Due to the election of the Angolan Elisa Salvador, Angola assumed this week, in Hanoi (Vietnam), the vice-presidency of the World Peace Council (WPC) for the African region.

According to a press release that ANGOP received Saturday, the official who is also the Chairwoman of the Angolan League of Friendship and Solidarity with the Peoples (ALFSP), was elected as the vice-president of this international body at the end of the 22nd Assembly of the World Peace Council which took place from 21 to 26 November, in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

 

Representing the Angolan government at the event, Elisa Salvador, considered necessary the action of the World Peace Council in the preservation of a better world without conflicts.

 

Angola is against military conflicts, coups d'Etat and rebel movements, but develops an active international action in search of solutions and unity of the peoples that must always be based on dialogue and the pacification and stability of the countries.

 

At the time, Ms Elisa Salvador highlighted the role of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, who is committed to seeking unity with Africans, thus distinguishing himself as a champion of peace, a title that demonstrates the work and efforts of the President of Angola to ensure peace.

 

In addition to this, she also mentioned that Angola´s internal plan also stands out for the preservation of people's rights, especially the children and youth.

 

The 22nd Assembly of the World Peace Council, organized by the United Nations (UN) had as its objective the “strengthening of the anti-imperialist struggle and solidarity for a world of peace and social justice.

Rise In Measles And Polio Overshadowed By Covid-19

The rise in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and polio in African countries has been attributed to the slow uptake of childhood vaccines at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A report by the Tony Blair Institute shows that the Covid-19 put some health systems under immense pressure and stretched others beyond their capacity.

For instance, when lockdowns were imposed to slow the spread of the virus, parents and guardians were not able to take their children to hospitals for their routine vaccination schedules.

According to the World Health Organization, almost 17,500 cases of measles were recorded in Africa between January and March this year – marking a 400% increase compared with the same period in 2021.

The cases were from 20 African countries.

In February, Malawi reported a case of wild polio in a three-year-old girl – the first of its kind in Africa for more than five years.

Mozambique also reported a case in May. Wild polio is endemic in only Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The continent has also witnessed outbreaks of anthrax, cholera, yellow fever, chikungunya, meningitis, and other infectious diseases which account for more than 80% of reported health events.

The authors of the report want governments to prioritize public-health spending and recruiting more health workers so as to deal with increasing outbreaks.

Source: BBC

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Nigeria: Election Violence – UK Threatens Visa Sanction Against Nigerian Politicians, Security Officials

 “We will also be watching closely any individual who acts violently or incites people through the social media; we do have the possibility of using our Visas as sanction by removing Peoples rights to visit the UK.”

The United Kingdom (UK) says it is watching closely all political parties, security agents or individuals that act violently or incite people through social media in the 2023 general election in Nigeria.

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, stated this when she led a team to a meeting with the National Working Committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ms Laing said that the 2023 election is very important to Africa and the world, hence the spotlight would be on Nigeria and the UK will be watching closely.

She said the UK had been really concerned about the recent events, including 52 election violence related issues in 22 states, including an attack on the PDP convoy in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“That is a real concern and we want to exchange our thoughts on what you can do as a political party to ensure that the election is as peaceful as possible.

“When people feel intimidated, they can’t get out to vote. The election itself will not be credible that is why the violence is of great concern.

“On the issue of electoral violence, you can make a statement about the last election, as well as we do have positive support, since we do have sanctions in the form of our Visa programme.

“We will also be watching closely any individual who acts violently or incites people through social media; we do have the possibility of using our Visas as sanction by removing Peoples rights to visit the UK.

“We will be watching closely, these apply to all the political parties, not just the parties, but security officials and anybody who might be in that position.

“The important thing is to get the votes out, whatever political party you are, the election will be credible, if the votes are high. It was low last time, around 35 per cent,” Ms Laing said.

She said that the UK government was not supporting any political party, but interested in allowing Nigerians to decide who would lead them at the level of government.

Ms Laing said it was in that spirit that the UK delegation had been meeting all stakeholders, including INEC, Civil Society Organisations and political parties for credible and peaceful elections.

She commended Nigerian youth for coming out to register during registration, and expressed the hope that they would turn out to vote on the day of election.

In his remarks, PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, expressed optimism that PDP would return to power in 2023, saying Nigerians are waiting for the PDP.

Mr Anyanwu said the PDP believed that with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) introduced by INEC, the 2023 general election would not be business as usual.

“That is why we keep praying for INEC to maintain what they have promised Nigerians and when that is done we will find out that our party is in top gear.”

Mr Anyanwu, while expressing PDP’s commitment to issue-based and peaceful campaign, decried recent attacks on PDP rallies in Kaduna and Borno States.

By Agency Report

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