In a note of condolence sent to the Lusa agency, the Angolan ambassador to Portugal, Maria de Jesus Ferreira, expressed regret at the death of França Van-Dúnem, a victim of illness, whom she considered "a tireless and unbreakable defender of the best nationalist values and well-being of the people".
França Van-Dúnem, born on August 24, 1934, was the country's prime minister twice, between 1991 and 1992 and from 1996 to 1999, deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of Justice.
The former deputy of the MPLA parliamentary group, he presided over the National Assembly from 1992 to 1996.
Between 1982 and 1986 he was Angola's ambassador to Portugal and Spain, after having carried out these functions, between 1979 and 1982, in Belgium, the Netherlands and the European Economic Community.
He was also vice-president of the African Union and member of the African Parliament and professor of Law at the Faculty of Law of the Catholic University of Angola.
Addressing condolences to the family, Maria de Jesus Ferreira stressed that França Van-Dúnem's legacy "will forever remain alive" in their memories and will serve as an example "for younger generations to remain committed to working to make Angola an increasingly better country".
