Angola's President gives first National Assembly speech since re-election

Angolan President Joao Lourenço deliverered his first speech before the National Assembly since his re-election admitting to devoting all his strength and attention to the search for the best conditions for the population.

Angola's President gives first National Assembly speech since re-election -0
Source: ITN

According to www.africanews.com, the speech comes a few weeks after his re-election for his second term.

"I will devote all my strength and attention to finding the best conditions for the people. The main problems of the country, as we all know in the last five years, our country has experienced enormous turbulence, including two crises that have created difficulties in the lives of all families, businesses and state institutions," said President Joao Lourenço.

Angola, one of Africa’s largest oil producers is also grappling with higher public debts.

Higher oil prices in 2022 have helped Angola reduce public debt to 56.5% of gross domestic product in 2022, down from 79.7% in 2021 and 123.8% in 2020.

"The indicators of the country's debt finances show that this year we will also have a positive balance with the economic reforms we have carried out, which was also possible in the trajectory of the increase in public debt," said President Joao Lourenço.

The return of the ruling formerly Marxist Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has been met by opposition. To some, the country needs to address pressing matters like education reforms and other infrastructure.

"It is a very important speech, long, compact, and full of perspectives that the country needs. The social space, education, health, road and maritime infrastructures, and the president compiled all this," said Don Afonso Nunes,a  pastor at Toicoiste church.

The formerly Marxist Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) won a wafer-thin majority of 51.17 percent of the vote, handing President Joao Lourenco, the 68-year-old former general, the second term in power

Economy

Da Nang strengthens cooperative ties with Thai localities
Economy

Da Nang strengthens cooperative ties with Thai localities

Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of the central city of Da Nang Nguyen Thi Anh Thi on September 26 hosted a Thai delegation led by Thai Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Wiraka Moodhitaporn, and Khon Kaen Deputy Governor Siriwat Pinijpanich, who are in the city to attend the "Meet Thailand in Da Nang" conference.

UN Special Rapporteur highly values Vietnam's progress
Economy

UN Special Rapporteur highly values Vietnam's progress

United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the right to development Surya Deva had a dialogue in Geneva on September 18 with countries on his activities over the past year, during which he highly valued the Vietnamese Government's multidimensional poverty reduction approach.

Australian plums to be available in Vietnam
Economy

Australian plums to be available in Vietnam

Australian plums will soon be on shelves in Vietnam under the two-way agricultural market access agreement between the two countries that brings Australian plums to Vietnam and Vietnamese passion fruit to Australia, according to the Australian Government.

Vinamarine prohibits profiteering in emergency situations
Economy

Vinamarine prohibits profiteering in emergency situations

The Vietnam Maritime Administration (Vinamarine) under the Ministry of Transport strictly prohibits all acts of taking advantage of emergency situations, storms and floods to raise service prices inconsistent with fluctuations in total costs compared to normal conditions for profiteering.