João Lourenço spoke at the official banquet hosted by the President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-Yeol, as part of his two-day visit to that Asian country.
“It is time for us to mobilize at the international community level to face these problems head on and with the courage to find solutions to them, in order to prevent them from lasting or worsening, to the point of degenerating into conflicts of a global dimension”, he stressed.
The head of state told his counterpart that all efforts being made by South Korea to “relieve the tension that hangs over the Korean peninsula must be encouraged”, considering that “only the path of dialogue and understanding between peoples and nations will, in fact, contribute to the end of conflicts, however intricate they may be”.
According to João Lourenço, this perspective must be considered when approaching the disputes that currently persist, a context that includes the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which deserves a solution that safeguards the integrity of the Ukrainian nation.
“We have been watching with concern the serious conflict taking place in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine, which has had broad regional repercussions, with the risk of escalating into a worrying confrontation between several countries in that area, which in fact is already beginning to happen with the direct military intervention of other actors, which must be the object of very special attention and concern on the part of the entire international community, in order to act so that Israel and Iran maintain the maximum possible containment”, he said.
For João Lourenço, there will be no solution to the Middle East problem if the interests of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination and the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State are not taken into account.
Regarding the African continent, the President said that the fight against unconstitutional changes of power and terrorism in some countries, such as the Sahel region and West and Central Africa, continues.
“The situation in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo appears to be quite worrying judging by the high number of deaths, injuries, internally displaced people and refugees they create, the great destruction of infrastructure and the theft of mineral resources and other national wealth”, he stressed. .
According to João Lourenço, efforts have been made to help these countries find paths for dialogue, to achieve lasting peace and to be able to dedicate themselves to the economic and social development of their respective countries and the regional communities in which they are located.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, the head of state stressed that there have been 31 years of exchanges and exchanges at all levels, but even though cooperation actions have been carried out during this period “with appreciable relevance”, it is still “far short” of everything it can be done, taking into account the potential that both countries have.
João Lourenço said that the trip to that Asian country aimed to absorb the dynamics that boosted the development of Korea and to be able to count on the collaboration of the Korean Government, in order to help Angola “to take firm and safe steps in building a solid economy”.
The Angolan and Korean Governments signed four agreements this Tuesday in the areas of trade, health, public order and diplomacy.
The head of state confirmed Angola's participation in the Korea-Africa summit, scheduled for June, in the city of Seoul.
