Luanda — Finance ministers from Angola and Portugal on Wednesday signed a protocol of cooperation in the areas of public finances, combat money laundering and financing of terrorism.

The ministers of Finance Vera Daves of Angola and Fernando Medina (Portugal) signed the document, aimed to boost cooperation between the two countries.

The cooperation protocol between Angola and Portugal also aims to contribute to capacity building of services and technical staff, making use of the expertise that Portugal will offer in the public finance management field.

Angola and Portugal are countries with strong historical ties of cooperation that have evolved in several areas such as health, education, training, agriculture, environment, energy, water, justice, security and defence.

Debt paid to companies

According to the Finance minister, Angola has already paid off in full the certified debt incurred to Portuguese companies operating in the country.

Vera Daves de Sousa, who was accompanied by her Portuguese counterpart, was speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the reconstruction work in Vila da Muxima in Luanda, on Tuesday.

Without disclosing the number of companies and the amount paid, Daves de Sousa said that there are other uncertified debts delivered to the General Inspection of the State Administration (IGAE) for due investigation and later remittance of the file to the Finance Department.

The minister also warned, the settlement of these possible new debts will depend on the new existing agreements, and may be paid before or after more recent processes, depending on the priority given to each one.

Portugal's finance minister, Fernando Medina, has been in Luanda since Sunday, 2 April, where he will remain until Thursday.

Fernando Medina was received Wednesday in audience by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço. NE/PPA