According to the deputy of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo, the main opposition party in Mozambique), among the challenges common to both Portuguese-speaking countries are those of “maintaining peace”, because they have “a similar history”.
“We have the challenge of maintaining peace, the challenge of ensuring that institutions are strong, that institutions can be respectful of the dictates of the law and Constitutions of our countries,” she told journalists.
Speaking on the sidelines of the International Conference on Peace, Security and Development, where she was one of the speakers invited by the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Ivone Soares also highlighted the multi-party system of the Angolan parliament.
For the writer and member of the Renamo National Council, Angola and Mozambique still face challenges in ensuring that “popular participation, in political terms”, is a reality for youth and women, as well as for “all those who have a say, especially minority groups, and also ensuring that they have representation in State institutions”.
The guest from Renamo, who at this conference addressed “The role of civil society, youth and women in countries in the process of consolidating democracy”, highlighted the “interesting” peace process in Angola and the creation of the multi-party parliament.
“I think it is an interesting process, because you have a multi-party parliament where Angolans have the possibility of expressing their concerns, presenting views on various aspects of governance”, she highlighted.
The conference, held as part of the celebrations of the 42nd anniversary of the International Day of Peace, addressed the role of parliament in consolidating democracy and political accountability, the church's social doctrine for sustainable development, the role of political actors in ensuring peace, stability and development, among other topics.
Members of the leadership of UNITA, the United Patriotic Front, the diplomatic corps accredited in Angola, civil society, representatives of ministerial departments and religious authorities participated in the conference, which featured Angolan and foreign speakers.
