Rosário Bento Pais participated in the international conference on the environment, with the theme “The Planet in Flames: Rights in Extinction”, promoted by Mosaiko - Institute for Citizenship and the Faith and Cooperation Foundation (FEC).
Speaking to the press, the EU ambassador to Angola said that the European Union has several ongoing projects to raise awareness with civil society, in the technical-professional area, related to the recycling and harvesting of plastics.
For next year, the start of the project to protect national parks in the Lobito Corridor area, worth 25 million euros, called “Natural Heritage of Angola: Governance and Ecotourism in Conservation Areas”, which aims to promote experiences of emblematic ecotourism, such as observing the iconic Giant Palanca Negra, and encouraging the protection of birds, among others.
A second project in the blue economy area aims to protect marine biodiversity and the economic and sustainable development of the entire coastal zone of Angola.
The third is related to the circular economy, called “Support for the Modernization of the Solid Waste Management Value Chain and Adoption of a Circular Economic Model”, which aims to support the transition and increase sustainability, attracting private investments and creating green jobs.
The three projects total almost 100 million euros and will begin next year, said Rosário Bento Pais, emphasizing that a project in the professional technical area will also begin in 2025, which also includes the environment and biodiversity protection, for capacity building and training. .
Asked to comment on the situation of the fires in Angola, the EU ambassador in Angola said that it is a global problem, which must involve great awareness among the population, by providing alternatives and more sustainable agricultural practices.
“It goes through a set of measures and we are willing to support the Government of Angola in this capacity building and training”, he declared.
In a speech at the opening of the conference, Rosário Bento Pais said that the EU is committed to the fight against the climate crisis and the defense of human rights.
According to the EU ambassador in Angola, it is imperative to view the climate crisis as an environmental challenge and as a matter of social and economic justice, because those most affected, the vulnerable population, are those who contributed least to this situation.
“This includes indigenous communities, women, children and people in extreme poverty. It is our duty to ensure that their voices are heard and that their rights are protected”, he stressed.
The EU is committed to leading the transition to a sustainable future and Angola, with rich biodiversity and vast natural resources, plays a crucial role in this fight, said Rosário Bento Pais, highlighting that the country's future depends not only on the responsible management of its resources, but also the protection of the rights of their communities and citizens.
Since 2012, Angola and the European Union have had a political agreement called the Joint Path, which has environmental sustainability and climate change as one of the crucial areas of coverage, with the environmental component being intrinsic to all projects financed by the EU and particularly by the delegation in Angola.
