Cabinda — The defence and security operative bodies of Angola and the Republic of Congo (DRC) agreed Saturday, in the northern province of Cabinda, to strengthen joint migratory measures .

According to the final joint communiqué of the Angola and Republic of Congo bilateral meeting, which took place in the city of Cabinda, the parties approved that, as of July 10 of this year, it is suspended the visa on diplomatic and service passports.

It was also recommended to the border authorities of the province of Cabinda (Angola) and the Congolese provinces of Kouilou and Niari to hold continuous meetings and cooperate, permanently, with a view to intensifying actions against the flow of migrants to reduce cross-border crimes along the border.

The ministers approved the reports of 2015 related to checking the maritime, land and river borders, as well as the list of equipment and means with the objective of continuing field work and border patrols.

Four subcommittees of experts, namely Defence, Security, State Security and Land, sea, and river border management, have been created to better act, ensure security, and combat the various cross-border crimes that occur along these dividing lines.

The Angolan delegation is made up of the Angolan Foreign Affair minister, Téte António, the minister of National Defence and Homeland Veterans, João Ernesto "Liberdade", and the minister of the Interior, Eugénio Laborinho, as well as the secretary of State for Local Authorities, Márcio Daniel, secretary of State for the Interior, José da Silva and the secretary of State for National Defence and Homeland Veterans, Domingos André Tchicanha.

The Congolese side was represented by the minister of the Interior, Decentralization and Local Development, Raimond Severin Mbolo, the minister of Defence, Richard Mondjo, and the secretary general of Foreign Affairs, André Poh.

General and senior officers from different defence and security branches of the two countries' military regions were also present. PL/AC/MRA/jmc