Cuba to pay tribute to Agostinho Neto

 Luanda - Angola’s first president and the Nation founding Father, António Agostinho Neto, is among the figures that Cuba says will pay tribute this month (September 2022).

This was announced by the deputy president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, (ICAP), Víctor Gaute López.

According to him, the thought, convictions and politic action of Agostinho Neto marked decisively the history of Angola before and after the country’s independence achieved on 11 November, 1975. 

In turn, Tamara Velázquez López, director of ICAP’s Communication and  Historical Documentary Heritage, announced plans for the organisations of solidarity to join the activities in Cuba aimed to honour the first President of Angola.   

The officials at the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples also said that the initiative aims to reiterate the Cuban revolution’s commitment to respect the sovereignty of the countries, as well as promote the solidarity of peoples. 

The honorees include Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam, Salvador Allende (Chile) as well as the young Italian tourist Fabio Di Celmo, victim of a terrorist attack in Havana in September 1997, and the American Rev. Lucius Walker. 

The list covers the martyrs of the Cuban airline plane, crashed in Barbados, as the result of a terrorist attack in 1976, and the 154th anniversary of the Cry of Lares, in support for the decolonisation of Puerto Rico. 

António Agostinho Neto was born on September 17, 1922, in Kaxicane, Icolo and Bengo, and died on September 10, 1979. 

As Angola's first President, he proclaimed the country's independence from the then Portuguese colonial yoke, on November 11, 1975. 

He is a reference of national culture, having written several works translated into various languages, with stress to "Four Poems of Agostinho Neto", in 1957, " Sagrada Esperança" (1974) and "Renuncia impossível" (1982). 

Elections 2022: US senator slams anti-democratic rhetoric

 Washington - The chairperson of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights Karen Bass Friday urged the Angolan political leaders to refrain from anti-democratic rhetoric.

In a statement, the Congressmember advised that all protests should be peaceful, regardless of affiliation with political parties or the outcome of any court decisions related to the general elections.

Karen Bass congratulated the Angolan people on holding the elections on 24 August, in which voters registered their preferences and had the opportunity to be heard.

She stressed the victory of the incumbent President João Lourenço in the presidential race for the country, adding that a second term for President Lourenço is an opportunity to continue to improve relations with the United States, especially with regard to growing US trade and public-private investment in Angola.

With an abstention rate of 55.18 percent, the highest in the country's electoral history, the vote on 24 August stood at 6.4 million (44.82%) of the more than 14 million of registered voters.

Data released by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) put the MPLA at 51.17 percent, accounted for 3. 2 million votes, which allowed it to get 124 parliamentary seats.

The country’s major opposition UNITA garnered 2. 7 million votes and 90 MPs.

Benedito Daniel's Social Renewal Party (PRS) came in third with 71,351 votes (1.14%) and two seats, regaining the place of third political party in the country, it lost in 2012 to CASA-CE.

Also the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) led by Simi a Nimbi, and the Humanist Party of Angola (PHA), by Florbela Catarina Malaquias, both with two MPs.

The National Patriotic Alliance (APN) and the Nationalist Party for Justice in Angola (P-NJANGO) did not win any seats in the National Assembly.

The last two are exposed to extinction by the Constitutional Court, as they were below 0.5 percent as the minimum percentage value imposed by the law to ensure their continuity.

Angola held its first elections in 1992, before returning to the polls successively in 2008, 2012 and 2017.

Elections2022: Constitutional Court checks complaints filed by UNITA, CASA-CE

 Luanda - The Constitutional Court (TC) started Friday checking the complaints filed by UNITA and CASA-CE on the results of the August 24 general elections won by the MPLA.

This was confirmed at a press conference on Friday in Luanda meant to clarify on the steps to be taken by the judicial body after having received the requests from the two political parties which participated in the 24 August elections.

The verification process is underway to confirm the legitimacy of the appellants, the Court’s competence and the observance of the legal deadlines, the director of the Technical Advisory and Jurisprudence Office of TC, Aida Gonçalves, told a press conference.

She also said that, in the formal verification, the requests must contain the reasons of fact and of law, before presenting the conclusions and formulating the request to be considered by the judicial body.

Upon admission, the Court will immediately notify the National Electoral Commission (CNE) to present its counter-allegations, within 72 hours, with the same elements required in the applicants' requests, she added.

In turn, the director of the Office for Political Parties of the TC, Mauro Alexandre, explained that neither of the two processes that were filed refers to the annulment of the elections.

As for the deadline and the counting of votes, Mauro Alexandre stated that this operation is not a "genuine competence" of the Constitutional Court but of the CNE.

He said that the Constitutional Court may, in honour of the principle of electoral truth and in an exceptional situation, carry out an eventual recount based on the summary minutes presented by the competing parties  in the contentious appeal.

He made clear that the deadlines of the electoral process are continuous, without any interruption.

On Thursday, the Constitutional Court received two appeals from the UNITA party and the CASA-CE coalition, competing for the general elections of last August 24, initiating an electoral dispute.

Gabon hosts summit on illegal wildlife trade

 Libreville – Libreville city (Gabon) hosts from 2 to 4 September, the 19th and 15th sessions of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Experts in biodiversity will analyse  issues such as the illegal exploitation and trade of wild fauna and flora, consequences, strategy to contain such acts and investments.

The African Commissioner, Josefa Sacko, who was speaking at the second meeting of African negotiators, said that Africa is the continent of the future for harboring exceptional biological diversity, although it is the second lung of the planet in terms of carbon absorption.

Josefa Sacko said that, although, with environmental assets, namely the Congo Basin forestry block, and with a younger world population on the planet, Africa has the obligation to better manage natural resources with a view to sustainable development, in order to bequeath to future generations a rich heritage.

She explained that many African countries live on this dividend and that the socio-economic development of communities in rural and urban areas are highly dependent on the use of wild fauna and flora.

According to diplomat, the loss of African fauna and flora directly and indirectly affects people's livelihoods, in addition, the illicit trade in Africa's natural resources deprives its states of revenue, hampering economic growth.

“The African Union remains aware of the unsustainable use of wild fauna and flora and the strong growth of illegal trade in recent years, holding back sustainable development, peace, security, rule of law and good governance,” she stressed.

The Commissioner stressed that in order to contain this evil, the AU adopted, at the twenty-fifth and twenty-seventh ordinary sessions of the Executive Council of the African Union, respectively, the development of an African strategy on the fight against illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild fauna and flora, as well as endorsing the Brazzaville Declaration of the International Conference on this phenomenon.

“To achieve the essential goals of Agenda 2063 and the sustainability of our continent, we need to be united and speak with one voice to the world. We must, therefore, encourage the spirit of consensus to reach a common position”, defended the head of agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment, who is fulfilling her second term in the African organisation.

The diplomat recalled that international agreements are closely intertwined and have an impact on the well-being of indigenous peoples and communities on the continent, because “these peoples are witnesses to the preservation of our environment”.

Spanish businessmen interested in anthropological tourism

 Mbanza Kongo - Spanish businessman Joan Riera on Thursday in Mbanza Kongo, northern Zaire Province, expressed interest in boosting anthropological cultural tourism in the region.

Talking to the press, Joan Riera, who is also a tour guide, promised to put Mbanza Kongo in the popular imagination of the foreign tourists and bring experts in reviving cultural action, an area in which he has worked for 25 years.

 

The Spanish businessman wants also to bring to Mbanza Kongo foreign tourists wth investor capacity and other businesspeople to boost touristic activities.

 

To him, Mbanza Kongo´s intangible cultural heritage is what can attract more foreign tourists, highlighting that the old buildings, temples and churches do not express anymore a novelty for European travellers and others.

 

In this context, he highlighted the region´s indigineous language (Kikongo), tradition, the arts and other local traditional rituals as fundamental elements for the development of the anthropological cultural tourism segment.

 

The Spaniard, who has been living in Angola for four years, considers the ancestral habits and customs of the regions as a leverage to promote the tourism sector in order to make the most of this potential with the engagement of the private business community.

 

“Here there is an unknown treasure, an enormous potential. There is a need to engage private companies, the traditional authorities and other agents to boost this potential”, he stressed.

 

He advised residents to continue preserving the material and immaterial cultural heritage, which he compared to a treasure that includes places of memory and historical sites, music, language, rituals, dance and traditional gastronomy, amongst others.

 

The Spanish businessman, owner of a tourist agency based in Luanda, was accompanied by three other Spanish specialists and professors of anthropology in Spain.

 

On his turn, the Spanish anthropologist Luís Font, defended the need to preserve and protect the oral tradition of the old Kongo Kingdom and its transmission from generation to generation.

 

He explained that the perpetuation of this oral tradition involves valuing those who have knowledge of the ancestral culture and who keep intact the customs, traditions and other elements that constitute the intangible heritage of the Kongo people.

 

According to the anthropologist, what is at stake is the ancestral culture rooted in the Kongo people themselves, before the arrival of Christianity and the colonial occupation of the territory that shaped the Kongo Kingdom.

 

“Tourism is the first step towards the valuing of a country”, he stressed, recalling that with good investment this sector can generate wealth, income and countless jobs posts.

 

The historic centre of Mbanza Kongo, capital of the former Kingdom of Kongo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2017.

Angola, US analyse Atlantic Basin partnership

 Luanda - Angola and the United States discussed Tuesday in Luanda the launch of the Atlantic Basin partnership, scheduled for the first half of September in Lisbon, Portugal, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX).

In its press note, MIREX states that the issue was discussed during an audience the minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António granted to the US ambassador to Angola, Tulinabo Mushingi.

Atlantic Basin aims to implement all other existing initiatives related to the “management and preservation of the North, Central and South Atlantic”. 

The two interlocutors also reviewed the matters linked to the bilateral interest and the regional forum”.

Angola is the United States’ third largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, with stress to  oil exports.

Serena Williams Stuns Second Seed Anett Kontaveit To Reach US Open Third Round

 Serena Williams’ farewell tour took on a different complexion as she stunned second seed Anett Kontaveit to reach the third round of the US Open.

This was a sparkling performance from the diamond-clad veteran, who produced her best tennis since reaching the Australian Open semi-finals last January to win 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-2.

The dream ending – a record-equalling 24th grand slam singles title in her final tournament – is still a long way away, but this performance showed that it might just be a possibility.

Tiger Woods was among the famous faces cheering on Williams, who revealed in the Vogue essay announcing her “evolution” away from tennis that the golfing great had given her advice on whether to have one final crack.

“It’s no rush here,” she said. “I’m loving this crowd. There’s still a little left in me. We’ll see. I’m a pretty good player, this is what I do best. I love a challenge and I’m rising to the challenge.

Williams rallied to beat Estonian Kontaveit 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 in Flushing Meadows, New York

“I haven’t played many matches, but I’ve been practising really well. The last couple of matches it’s come together. After I lost the second set I thought, ‘I’ve got to give my best effort because this could be it’.

“I’m just looking at it as a bonus. I don’t have anything to lose. I’ve had an X on my back since 1999. I really enjoy just coming out and enjoying it.”

There was not quite the same electricity as there had been on Monday night and a few more empty seats as once again the tournament played a montage declaring Williams the greatest of all time before she walked out on court.

Like Danka Kovinic before her, Kontaveit was left to busy herself on court, the second seed but very much the supporting act on tennis’ biggest stage.

Support from the stands was, of course, virtually entirely for Williams. The crowd may have come more in hope than expectation but it quickly became clear the 40-year-old was here to play.

Williams had moved well against Kovinic and it was the same here, while her strokes showed conviction and her serve, the best in the history of the women’s game, was firing.

Williams will retire from the sport after this year’s US Open

Arthur Ashe Stadium erupted when Williams broke serve to lead 5-4 and, although she could not serve out the set, she held her nerve in the tie-break.

The celebration was understated for the job was only half done, and Kontaveit, who, despite her ranking, has struggled since contracting Covid-19 earlier this year, responded well at the start of the second set, upping her aggression and going on to level the match.

That made the early stages of the decider crucial and, to the delight of the crowd, it was Williams who stepped up again, producing her best tennis of the match to move into a 4-1 lead.

And, in a concerning sign for the rest of the field, Williams was ice cool in sight of victory, celebrating in an understated fashion that indicates she feels she has some way to go yet.

Elsewhere, third seed Maria Sakkari, beaten by Emma Raducanu in the semi-finals 12 months ago, also went out, losing 3-6 7-5 7-5 to young Chinese left-hander Wang Xiyu.

American stars Madison Keys and Coco Gauff set up a tasty third-round tie while fifth seed Ons Jabeur claimed a 7-5 6-2 victory over Elizabeth Mandlik, daughter of four-time grand slam singles champion Hana Mandlikova.

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