According to a statement from the Presidency of the Republic, to which VerAngola had access, João Lourenço is already in Ethiopia, where he landed in the middle of the afternoon this Wednesday, in Addis Ababa.
To receive the head of state, at Bole International Airport was the President of Ethiopia, Taye Atske-Selassie Amde.
One of the highlights of his agenda takes place this Thursday. "As president of the African Union, João Lourenço will witness the formal start of the functions of the Union Commission, the body responsible for managing the continental bloc in its daily dynamics", whose ceremony will be held at the AU headquarters.
His second day of work in Ethiopia will be filled with a visit to the Africa CDC.
"On Friday, as leader of the African Union, President João Lourenço will visit the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), an entity created on the initiative of the African Union with the aim of strengthening health security on the continent, responding to pandemics and developing capacities in the field of public health", says the Presidency's note.
Leaving the role of President of the AU and assuming that of President of the Republic, João Lourenço will also meet with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
"As President of the Republic of Angola, the official program includes a working meeting with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali. The meeting will serve to strengthen relations between the Republic of Angola and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia," the note reads.
It is worth noting that at the handover ceremony, which will take place in the Nelson Mandela Hall, Mahmoud Yussuf will take office, replacing the outgoing president Mussa Faki Mahamat, as well as Selma Malika Haddadi, as vice-president of the commission.
The Commissioners for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment; Infrastructure and Energy; Political Affairs, Peace and Security; and Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development will also be sworn in. These commissioners were recently elected at a summit held in February, with the commissioners for Economic Development, Commerce, Tourism, Industry and Minerals and for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation still to be elected due to the lack of requirements of the candidates, says Angop.
