The announcement was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after a meeting between the Spanish ambassador Manuel Lejarreta and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça, where regional and multilateral issues were discussed and the Spanish diplomat presented an invitation to the head of state to participate in the conference that will take place between June 30 and July 3.
Quoted in a statement from the ministry, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Angola, Zahira Virani, who also participated in the meeting, highlighted that the presence of João Lourenço, in his capacity as President of the African Union, who will take office this month, "will symbolize his engagement in international issues and in the mobilization of international resources for sustainable development issues" in Africa.
The diplomat considered, on the other hand, that this will be "an opportune platform to prioritize issues of debt relief and ensuring equitable access to financial resources" for the least developed African countries.
The current conflict situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo was also addressed, with Esmeralda Mendonça highlighting the importance of "scrupulously complying with the silencing of weapons" and the "continuous engagement of the Angolan Government in complying with the ceasefire roadmap".
Esmeralda Mendonça also highlighted "the need to mobilize the African Union to unite synergies in order to eradicate the deplorable humanitarian situation across the African continent."
