"The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) awards the 6th edition of the 'José Aparecido de Oliveira Prize' to Angolan citizen João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço", reads a statement, which Lusa had access to.
The head of state is distinguished for the "unique contribution to the international projection of the CPLP, especially for the implementation of the Agreement on Mobility between the Member States of the CPLP" and "the creation of the new general objective of the CPLP, of economic cooperation", it works.
The jury also recognized João Lourenço's contribution to "integrating the principles of representativeness and gender equality into the organization's statutes" and also praised "his professional career in the defense of public causes and leadership of regional processes on the African continent" , of the President.
This distinction was decided by acclamation by the jury, made up of the permanent representatives of the nine Member States of the organization to the CPLP, meeting on the 15th of May.
The award will be given to the President of Angola, "in a public and solemn ceremony, held on the sidelines of the XIV Conference of Heads of State and Government of the CPLP, scheduled to take place on August 27, 2023, in São Tomé and Príncipe", he adds. the communiqué, thus admitting that the new date for the meeting will be August 27th and not August 8th, as scheduled.
Established in 2011, and biennial in nature, the José Aparecido de Oliveira Award promotes the attribution of a diploma of merit and a pecuniary contribution, intending to recognize and honor personalities and institutions that distinguish themselves in the defense, appreciation and promotion of the principles, values and CPLP's objectives, as well as carrying out studies and research work within this scope.
Candidates for the José Aparecido de Oliveira Prize are proposed by Member States, by CPLP associate observers and consultative observers.
Those awarded this distinction in previous editions were Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic (2021), António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), in 2018, and Jorge Sampaio, former Portuguese President, Carlos Lopes , former executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and Lauro Moreira, a career diplomat from Brazil and the first permanent representative to the CPLP ('ex-aequo'), in 2016.
In 2014 the winners were Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, former President of Timor-Leste and the Timorese Catholic Church - Episcopal Center of Timor-Leste (‘ex-aequo’), and in 2012 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, current President of Brazil.
João Lourenço wins the award in the second and last year that Angola assumes the rotating presidency of the CPLP.
