According to the portuguese diplomat, the new donations are the result of an "effort" that Portugal has been making with Angola and with the African Countries of Portuguese Official Language (PALOP) for the immunization of the respective populations, particularizing the angolan population.
"Because giving is always good, giving is always good, donating what is needed is still a nobler gesture, we hope to soon reach 3 million vaccines donated to the angolan people, hoping that they are really well applied", stated Pessoa e Costa.
For the diplomat, who was speaking at the end of his visit to the Portuguese Navy's hydro-oceanographic vessel "D. Carlos I", moored in Luanda since Monday, it is important for the Angolan population to know that vaccination is the best way forward. effective in combating the scourge of covid-19.
"And we will all be safe when we are vaccinated, so I ask angolans to get vaccinated," he urged.
The cumulative number of people vaccinated in Angola with one dose is more than 6.9 million people, which corresponds to a coverage of 44.27 percent of the target population, and those who received the full dose were more than 3,2 million corresponding to a coverage of 20.80 percent, according to data from the Angolan authorities until the weekend.
Angola has recorded, since March 2020, more than 65 thousand positive cases of covid-19.
Asked about the level of acceptance of Angolan digital certificates in Portugal, Pedro Pessoa e Costa said that the embassy, in Luanda, "is not aware of major problems", noting that these "depend a lot on the type of vaccines contained in them".
"We are working towards a recognition between the two countries of digital certificates, we know that in some cases the certificates refer to vaccines that are not yet recognized in the European Union (EU)", he pointed out.
The portuguese ambassador also stated "that there has been no sign of problems with digital certificates", recalling that, in many cases, what is requested is the presentation of a negative pre-shipment test "as it is also done very well in Angola".
"And that's why there is sometimes confusion between situations in which digital certificates are required or also situations in which, in addition to the digital certificate, a negative test is required, I believe this happened occasionally, but the embassy is not aware of major problems", assured.
Regarding the suspension of air connections from Europe to some African countries, due to the new Ómicron variant, Pessoa e Costa considered it to be a matter of public health and safety and not a lack of solidarity with the affected states.
"There is no lack of solidarity in this situation, what each Member State does is protection for public health and safety, Angola also took this decision, I believe it was a decision taken at the right time, to protect itself by limiting connections to a few countries," he noted.
Pedro Pessoa e Costa also referred that "any State has the obligation to protect itself and its citizens with these decisions that are taken" and "it is always expected that they are temporary in relation to some countries or citizens".
"This is what Angola has done, this is what several countries do whenever there is a situation that could become serious in terms of public health", concluded the diplomat.
