Mbanza Kongo — The Dutch ambassador, Tsjeard Hoekstra, said Tuesday in Mbanza Kongo municipality of the northern Zaire Province, that his country wishes to participate in the publicity of the region's cultural potential.

Speaking to the press, the diplomat reiterated the interest in deepening historic relations between the Netherlands and the former capital of the Kingdom of Kongo (Mbanza Kongo), which is part of UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list.

He recalled that diplomatic relations between his country and the former Kingdom of Kongo date back to the early 17th century, when Kongo sovereigns appointed an ambassador to the European country.

Tsjeard Hoekstra was speaking to journalists after an audience granted to him by the Zaire Province vice governor for political, social and economic affairs, Afonso Nzolameso, as part of his 48-hour working visit to the region that began on Monday.

He said it was important to inform the new generation of Dutch people about the exceptional history and culture of Mbanza Kongo, thus contributing to attracting more tourists from his country and others to visit Mbanza Congo, the capital city of Zaire Province.

"We want to help drive the diversification of the Angolan economy, with such intention", said the ambassador stressing that training human resources in archaeology and history, including scientific research, is also part of the plan.

On his turn, the coordinator of the Committee for Participatory Management of the Historic Centre of Mbanza Kongo, Biluka Nsakala Nsenga, said that the contribution would be valuable in the work of continuing archaeological research in the Historic Centre of Mbanza Kongo.

The Historic Centre of Mbanza Kongo was inscribed on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list on 08 July 2017, during a summit of this United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, held in Krakow city in southern Poland.