In a speech delivered in parliament in Luanda, at the end of the three-day official visit to the country with Queen Letizia, her first to sub-Saharan Africa, Felipe VI stated that "this war, absolutely unjustified, seriously affects all continents", for which all countries must "join forces to uphold the basic principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations".
For the Spanish monarch, the war unleashed by Russia a year ago reaffirmed the need for joint work to preserve world peace and security, without which "no effort or project can be successful", said Felipe VI.
Felipe VI added that the war in Ukraine is having a serious impact worldwide and, in particular, in Africa, due to the food crisis, which has aggravated the already complicated humanitarian situation on the continent.
Therefore, he insisted, "today, more than ever, friendly countries must preserve a fair international order, based on rules that have as their cornerstone respect for national sovereignty and the territorial integrity of all States."
Africa is one of the regions where Russia has sought to gain geopolitical influence in recent years.
Luanda has maintained a good diplomatic relationship with Moscow since the Soviet support it received after independence from Portugal in 1975, although its President, João Lourenço, has urged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
Felipe VI recalled that Africa also suffers from serious conflicts due to terrorism, organized crime and humanitarian emergencies, which threaten the stability and development of regions such as the Sahel, the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa.
By contrast, he noted, the cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia "opens a window of hope".
The King stressed that Spain "is committed to the security, stability and progress" of these regions, as well as to the fight against maritime piracy off the African coasts, manifested in its cooperation policies in different areas.
In the case of Angola, the monarch recognized, in Portuguese, João Lourenço's efforts to contribute to the stability of the continent through his mediation in some of these conflicts.
As in other speeches during his stay in Luanda, the monarch underlined that Angola is a priority country for Spain, due to its political and social stability, its resources and good economic prospects, and an active diplomacy at regional and multilateral.
"Angola is today a land of opportunities", he said in parliament, where the president of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, and 220 Angolan deputies gave him a standing ovation.
From parliament, Felipe VI and Queen Letizia went to the Futungo Palace in Luanda, where they were welcomed by President João Lourenço and his wife, Ana Dias Lourenço.
