Luanda — The adhesion of Angola to the Convention on People with Disability shows the Government commitment to the social reintegration policies and also serves as an incentive to the practice of adapted sports.

This was said Saturday in Luanda by the chairman of the African Paralympics Committee, Leonel da Rocha Pinto.

Speaking to Angop, Leonel Pinto said that the adhesion of Angola to the Convention whose resolution was approved Thursday by the National Assembly, will help overcome the loopholes concerning matters like the access to wheelchair, ramps in public buildings and transports.

The chairman of the African Paralympics Committee said that this will give a major visibility to the Government and increase its credibility before the United Nations Organisation (UNO) as a State that all along worked for the elimination of any kinds of barriers for people with specific needs.

"The UN Convention on Rights of People with Disability is an instrument that will enable a major openness to matters that have to do with overcoming all kinds of barriers, despite the recognition that the Angolan State has been fulfilling its role regarding this issue," he said.

Leonel Pinto recalled that the ratification of the UN document follows the work carried out by a commission appointed this year by the Angolan head of State, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, led by the minister of Social Welfare, João Baptista Kussumua, with the help of the Angolan and African Paralympics Committees.

Leonel Pinto added that with the signing, Angola leaves the list of more than 40 countries (13 Africans) that were still to join the Convention, out of a total of 194 member states.

He said that in his capacity as chairman of the African Olympics Committee, he is tasked with supervising the implementation of the UN recommendations, for which he will start visits to countries of the continent in the first quarter of 2013.

In his Africa trip, Leonel Pinto will be accompanied by the UN secretary general's advisor for sports and peace, Wilfried Lemke.

Wilfried Lemke was in the country in May this year, on the occasion of the African Paralympics Committee Development Conference and General Assembly. Angolan Paralympics racer, Jose Sayovo is also expected to be in the team.