Funchal — The Angolan general-consul in Lisbon, Portugal, Cecília Baptista, held a meeting last Friday in Funchal with about a dozen businesspeople from the Industrial and Commercial Association of Funchal (ACIF), with whom he discussed the current reality in Angola.

During the meeting, the Angolan diplomat informed his interlocutors about the country's political, economic, social and cultural trajectory, with highlight to the end of the armed conflict, economic growth, reconstruction and development process, as well as last September's legislative elections.

According to a press note from the Embassy in Portugal that reached ANGOP on Sunday, Cecícila Baptista also spoke about the government's new programme and State Budget for the 2009-2012 period, both being two important documents in the action of governance.

She emphasised that for the ongoing reconstruction process, the Angolan government need interchange in several domains, especially in areas like tourism and staff training.

The gathering also served to exchange point of views regarding the co-operation between the Angolan government and the Industrial and Commercial Association of Funchal in programmes of socio-economic and scientific development in Angola.