Luanda — The minister of Social Welfare, João Baptista Kussumua, Tuesday in Luanda, stressed the importance of the National Policy for the Elderly, for "recognizing the social contribution" in favor of this fringe of society.

According to the government official, who was speaking during a seminar on "The inclusion of the issues of aging in the Media", he also recognizes cultural, economic and political contribution of this population group and their participation in the development of society.

He said, moreover, that he recognizes the need to reduce poverty among the elderly, particularly in relation to gender and aging preferred in the family and community.

According to the minister, the instrument establishing the guidelines for action for the different Ministerial Departments in promoting active aging and a better living quality of the elderly in Angola, combining universality and positively differentiating the diversity of situations and needs of the individual, "so it is oriented according to the specific, to ensure their rights of citizenship," he continued.

He opined that the elder must be the main agent and the recipient of the transformations to be carried out through this policy, enabling fundamentally reverse the economic, social and regional differences between the rural and the urban, and must be observed at all levels of implementation.

Having all these aspects as references, the Ministry of Social Welfare intends that the initiatives to celebrate the Day of the Elderly in Angola have as core the discussion the Active Ageing in a multidimensional perspective," said the minister.

It will be celebrated on November 30, Older Persons Day in Angola, established under an Executive Decree of 10 January, by the Council of Ministers.

Data from 2011 estimated that four percent of the Angolan population is over 60 years old, or are in the age group considered elderly.