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São Tomé and Príncipe: Angolan Authorities Wish for Peaceful, Civilised Polls
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Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
11 March 2008
Posted to the web 11 March 2008
Sao Tome
Angolan authorities wished that the legislative elections of September this year go in a peaceful environment and with a high level of patriotism from all intervening parties.
This was said Tuesday in Principe city, by the speaker of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Angola, Roberto de Almeida.
The Parliament leader, who was speaking in the Sao Tomese Parliament during the welcoming session dedicated to him, stressed that the preparation of the legislative elections announced by the head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, has a chief importance in the whole process of change in the country.
Roberto de Almeida also said that following the approval, by Angolan Parliament, of the Electoral Legislative Package, the first phase of registering voters was carried out successfully.
"In this initial phase, a total of 8.039,000 voters were registered, something that demanded a great effort in sensitising and mobilising the human, material and financial resources", he explained.
The Angolan parliament speaker announced for April and May the opening of a new registration period, designed for the registration of citizens who will turn 18 years until polling dates.
The Angolan top parliamentarian also stressed the history of the long course taken by Angola and Sao Tome and Principe in the struggle to free their respective peoples.
To him, the history of the two peoples imposed the need to fight for a common goal, achievement of peace, thereby building, in the heat of the struggle, a solid spirit of solidarity and inter-assistance, which lasts until these days.
The Angolan official also spoke about the main goals, in which the government is currently engaged for their implementation, after three decades of armed conflicts that took several lives and consumed a vast amount of resources.
Among these objectives, he indicated the consolidation of peace, strengthening of democracy and the lawful state and respect for human rights, as well as the promotion of good governance.
The gradual and sustained reduction of the direct intervention of the State in the economy, fight against poverty, foment and promotion of the equal and fair distribution of wealth and the national revenues are also part of the goals.
In the framework of the same challenges, the Parliament official said that these also include the training of human resources, creation of infrastructures for development and the promotion of regional and international political and economic relations that guarantee the stability and development of Angola.
According to the top Angolan parliamentarian, these objectives are summarised in the national reconciliation and reconstruction of infrastructures that enable development, as necessary factors for the re-establishment of the constitutional normality, which requires the regular holding of legislative and presidential elections, in the best conditions possible.
In the light of his visit to the archipelago, which will end on Friday this week, the speaker of the Angolan National Assembly holds Tuesday work meetings with the speaker of the Sao Tomese Parliament, the first specialised commission and with the Sao Tome and Principe-Angola Parliamentary friendship group, before attending an official dinner that will be hosted by his counterpart.
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The Angolan delegation's agenda includes, for Wednesday, meetings with the President of Sao Tome and Principe, Fradique de Menezes, the prime minister and with the leader of the main opposition party.
A trip, on Thursday, to the "Ilhéu das Rosas" tourism site is also part of the programme of the activities of Roberto de Almeida's visit, which is expected to end Friday with the signing of a joint declaration.
In this trip to Sao Tome, the Angolan Parliament speaker is being accompanied by the MPs Jacques Matos Gala, Albertina Teresa José and Henriques Afonso Raimundo.
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