His Excellency, Ambassador Domingos Custódio Vieira Lopes, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Angolan Communities; • Honorable Ambassador Maria Filomena do Rosário Neto António, General Director of the Institute of Angolan Communities and Consular Services (ICAESC); • Honorable Ambassador Bento Salazar André (Morgado), Consul-General of Angola in Dubai; • Dear Speakers and Moderators; • Dear colleagues, delegates and participants of the Seminar; • Ladies and Gentlemen. It is an honor for me to have been appointed to give the closing speech of this important event, whose objectives relate to the professional and continuous training of consular agents and the like, and I do so with great pleasure. The topics covered in this training action constitute essential elements for better positioning of our consular action with regard to Consular Procedures and Acts in their different aspects, particularly regarding 1).Vessels bound for Angola, 2). the Constitution of the Republic and Angola’s Relations with the World, as well as 3). Law on the Legal Regime of Foreigners in the Republic of Angola, adding 4). Migratory Acts and warnings about the crimes of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. It is also worth emphasizing in the discussions that took place, the Nationality Law, Civil Registration and Notary Acts, as well as the Organic Statute of ICAESC. Therefore, the fruitful form and conciseness of the topics presented by highly experienced speakers, coming from the Executive Bodies of our Government (to whom I pay my greatest respect), accompanied by the excellent moderators, gave shine to the different approaches, which is why I consider it to be there was a good exercise. It is understood, therefore, that the technical-professional training of diplomatic agents is part of the strategy of our portfolio, is a permanent concern of His Excellency Minister of Foreign Affairs and constitutes an essential basis for boosting economic cooperation relations in the countries in which we are believed. Diplomatic and Consular Missions from the Middle East, Asia and Africa region are represented here, and this action certainly resulted in the fulfillment of the recommended objectives and the satisfaction of the expectations of everyone involved, which means that the participants were able to absorb and in other cases refresh on knowledge that will become true tools for the full exercise of their functions, always safeguarding the National interest.
For this reason, from this platform and in the powers assigned to me, allow me, Excellency Secretary of State, to warmly welcome everyone’s participation in this event of great importance, which served as another element in the chain of dynamizing the mechanism of improvements, contributing to the different agents in different missions being able to work in line with the principles and rules defined in the laws in force in the Republic of Angola In line with the seminar’s conception, the Diplomatic and Consular Missions carry out transversal acts on behalf of the State, with us (the State’s public agents), that is, the main executors and applicators of related policies responsible for implementing the Government’s programs and policies. in the context of International Relations. In this sense, I would like to highlight the recent launch by the Institute of Administrative Modernization (IMA) of the Integrated Consular Management System (SIGGEC), which aims to guarantee the security of information produced by Diplomatic and Consular Missions (MDC), in order to standardize procedures , as well as the standardization of MDC institutional portals, as a guarantee of greater dynamism in the provision of public services for all Angolan citizens abroad. SIGGEC is part of the Angolan Executive’s initiatives in the Agenda for the Digital Transition of Public Administration “GOVERNO.AO”, in order to modernize public services, promote the interoperability of public administration systems, simplify procedures and improve quality and provision of public services. MY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN His Excellency Secretary of State for the Diplomatic and Consular representation of Angola in the UAE, work with the resident Angolan Community, as defined by our country’s government strategy, is a priority and this essential assumption follows from continuous and coordinated actions within the scope the promotion of national sentiment, in defense of the values of our Angolan homeland, and the mobilization of all national citizens, without ….) as true ambassadors of our Angola.
As already highlighted here, the number of citizens residing in Dubai and other Emirates is around 200 Angolans. This number could soon increase due to the business opportunities that this country offers. Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Angola and the United Arab Emirates were established in January 1997. In 2004, the Consulate General of Angola was opened in the Emirate of Dubai, being the first institution of the Angolan State to be opened in this beautiful country and four years later (2008) the Embassy of the Republic of Angola was opened in Abu Dhabi. In the last two years, there has clearly been a strengthening of political-diplomatic relations between the two countries with a large increase in official and working visits to this beautiful country carried out by His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola. The most recent proof of good relations between the two States was the award for “Excellence” awarded to the Embassy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, within the scope of the Government Excellence Program in recognition of the Mission’s efforts and this makes us very proud and encourages the improvement and strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries. Overall, the two countries have already signed a considerable set of legal instruments that constitute the legal basis for cooperation in various areas, although many draft Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding are still in the negotiation phase, with emphasis on the Visa exemption, a beneficial instrument for the mobility of citizens of both countries. However, it is imperative to continue working towards increasingly strengthening bilateral relations with these countries, especially in the field of economic diplomacy. MY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN The Republic of Angola and the UAE enjoy active economic cooperation, for example, in June 2020 it reached US$ 1.6 million in exports and imports, with the UAE being the destination for 90% of the gross production of Angolan diamonds . The two countries cooperate equally in the sectors of Oil and Gas, Mines, Trade and Investment, Energy, Defense, Transport, Agriculture, Fisheries, Health, Banking, Telecommunications and Finance.
MY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Finally, let us hope that you have enjoyed the charms of this Persian Gulf country, particularly the Millennium City Dubai (It was not in vain that my dear Consul General, Ambassador Morgado) chose the Milénio Hotel and appreciated its postcard as the Burj Khalifa, considered the tallest building in the world, the Museum of the Future, as well as other attractions. May the hospitality they have given you serve as a memory and strong memories! May the union between consular agents in the region be strengthened. May the results resulting from this seminar be a fact in each Mission represented here. We thank you for your pleasant and indispensable company. To everyone, I wish you a good return to your posts. With these words, and with the due permission of His Excellency the Secretary of State, we close the Regional Seminar on Professional and Continuing Training for MDC Agents in the Middle East Region. Long live Angola, Long live the Anglian People. Thank you for your attention.
