Luanda — The leader of the Ruling party (MPLA) João Lourenço highlighted, on Wednesday, in Luanda, the fact that Angola has recently improved its reputation and gained great prestige in the international arena.
Speaking at the opening of the III Extraordinary meeting of the MPLA Central Committee, Lourenço emphasized that this has occurred thanks, not only to his dynamic diplomacy, but above all to the reforms carried out in many areas of the country's political, economic and social life.
According to João Lourenço, the country should be proud of its history and trajectory throughout almost half a century of existence.
He noted that, in all phases of the struggle, the MPLA always knew how to analyze with realism, pragmatism and a critical eye the current situation, the dangers and threats, the correlation of forces, the national and international situation, assertively defining the paths to follow to fulfill the mission of better serving Angola and Angolans.
"Having successfully completed the phases of the struggle for National Independence, for its consolidation and defense of National Sovereignty and after achieving, maintaining and consolidating peace and national reconciliation, our focus must be turned above all to the consolidation of democracy, economic development and the country's social issues", Lourenço said.
The MPLA leader spoke of the need to make all Angolan citizens active participants in the democratization of society and economic and social development.
"It must be our main mission, as a party with the responsibility that the Angolans have given us, of governing the country. All our knowledge, talent and energies must be focused on finding the best solutions to solve the Angolan people's main issues", Lourenço said.
Before the members of the party's Central Committee, he stated that politics is a game "and as in any game or competition, teams win when players or athletes submit to the organization and discipline of the collective and respect the rules of the game and the guidance of the technical team".
He stated that no one starts the game without hearing the referee's whistle, no one starts the athletics race without hearing the starting gun, under penalty of being disqualified and harming the team.
"We are in full competition, and cannot allow ourselves to be distracted by agendas that in no way help us maintain focus on the need to comply with the national development program, with the need to diversify our economy, to increase national production to ensure greater supply of goods and services, to increase exports and the supply of jobs", Lourenço highlighted.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
50 years of independence program
João Lourenço said the government will approve, in the coming days, the broad program for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of National Independence, which will take place in November 2025, with a set of political, cultural, recreational, sporting activities, fairs and exhibitions, openings of infrastructures and economic and social enterprises.
According to the MPLA's leader, Angolan citizens, political parties, churches, civic associations, will be active participants in this great event, "to which Angola calls all its children".
He regretted the fact that some of these "great sons of the country" could no longer give the privilege of their company on that important occasion in the country's history, such as Dom Alexandre Cardinal do Nascimento, who passed away a few days ago due to illness.
"We have just lost one of those great sons of Angola who was buried yesterday, a figure of great prestige, a moral reserve of our society, Dom Alexandre Cardeal do Nascimento", he expressed, and then asked for a minute of silence in memory of the deceased.
The extraordinary meeting of the MPLA Central Committee, made up of 693 members, was called to prepare the extraordinary Congress of the Party to take place in December.
The Congress will reflect on the fifty years of National Independence to be celebrated next year, the path of struggle, victories and glory covered and look ahead to the future of the Party and the Nation.
