The goal was launched by the São Tomé minister of Justice, who assumed this Tuesday the presidency of the Conference of Ministers of Justice of Portuguese-speaking Countries during the 18th meeting of this structure, which took place in São Tomé, under the motto “the strengthening of the notary for the reliability and legal security of documents in the CPLP".
Ilza Amado Vaz defended a reflection on “the crucial role that the notary plays as guardian of authenticity, legal security, reliability, integrity of legal documents”, highlighting its contribution to “the integration of people, to the improvement of the business environment, trade and investment relations”.
“We will also have to value the role of the notary in the process of preventing and combating document falsification, good governance and transparency, preventing corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing”, added the São Tomé minister.
São Tomé and Príncipe assumed the 'pro tempore' presidency of the CPLP last year, when the implementation of the mobility agreement in the Portuguese-speaking space came to fruition, “resulting in a greater flow of citizens' circulation” with emphasis on the “movement of young people in search of of better opportunities”, he stated.
“This new reality imposes on us the need to analyze legal and judicial aspects in the civil and commercial area, with the aim of facilitating access to and respect for fundamental rights, facilitating business, contracts, acts and legal facts of particular interest, the circulation of documents aimed at faster and more efficient integration of citizens in host countries and promoting sustainable business economic activities in our community”, said Ilza Amado Vaz.
For the São Tomé governor, these actions are “essential to strengthen the CPLP and guarantee the well-being of citizens in the Portuguese-speaking space”.
The executive secretary of the CPLP, Zacarias da Costa, praised the theme chosen for this conference, considering it to be “so pertinent and current, in line with the organization's agenda”.
“By focusing on the reliability of documents, this conference adds its contribution to the effort to build conditions for the mobility of citizens, which greatly benefited [from] the entry into force of the agreement signed in 2021, but which still faces distinct limitations , including the security of travel documents”, said Zacarias da Costa.
In this 18th Conference of CPLP Ministers of Justice, Angola passed the presidency to São Tomé and Príncipe, after two years of leadership with the theme “legal and judicial cooperation in combating crimes that affect the environment, especially crimes against wildlife.”
Participating in the event were the Ministers of Justice of Angola, Marcy Cláudio Lopes, and of Timor-Leste, Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai, and the Ministers of Justice of Cape Verde, Joana Gomes Rosa Amado, of Guinea-Bissau, Maria do Céu Silva Monteiro, and from Mozambique, Helena Mateus Kida, as well as Ilza Amado Vaz.
Brazil is represented by the Secretary of State and Portugal by the Ambassador accredited in São Tomé and Príncipe.
The meeting was also attended by the secretary general of the Legal and Judicial Cooperation Network of Portuguese Speaking Countries, representative of the LEGISPALOP + East Timor Project, the president of the Notaries of the Canary Islands.
