The group of ambassadors of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) accredited in Senegal Thursday carried out several actions with the Senegalese authorities and the academic community.
The initiative is intended to boost political, economic, cultural, social and friendship relations.
The actions focused on promoting the Portuguese language in Senegal, where figures stands at more than 47,000 students learning Portuguese.
The diplomatic engagement counted on the Executive Secretary of the CPLP Zacarias da Costa and the permanent representative of Angola in this organisation, ambassador Francisco Oliveira Encoge.
The diplomats held, among other meetings, an audience with the Senegalese Foreign Affairs minister, Aissata Tall Sall, who praised the growth of ties with the CPLP countries, according to a note released by the Angolan Embassy in Senegal and reached ANGOP Saturday.
According to the statement, the minister Aissata Tall Sall highlighted the historical relationship of her country with Brazil, Portugal, as well as the strong dynamics of cooperation and friendship that Senegal maintains with Angola in different areas, including the sector of oil and its by-products.
The Senegalese minister, who also mentioned the importance of Cabo Verde and Guinea-Bissau, said that Angola, along with other countries, is an example to follow, especially due to its experience in oil exploration.
In turn, the Executive Secretary of the CPLP, Zacarias da Costa, said the meeting was fruitful, especially due to the importance of deepening relations between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the CPLP.
“We talked a lot about initiatives within ECOWAS and the CPLP, especially how we can deepen the economic relationship in other areas,” Costa said, stressing the strategic importance that Senegal has in the West African region, as well as its status as an observer member of the CPLP.
The permanent representative of Angola in the CPLP, Ambassador Francisco Oliveira Encoge, said the meeting held with Senegalese authorities will certainly help to generate new momentum to the recognised dynamic cooperation between the CPLP and Senegal.
“Several aspects were discussed at the meeting that could mark, in the short and medium term, cooperation between the CPLP and ECOWAS, recalling that we have two members that are also members of this organisation, in this case Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde,” Encoge said.
This is the first official visit of an executive secretary of the CPLP to Senegal, and was marked by meetings with the Minister of National Education, Cheikh Oumar Anne, and the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Moussa Baldé.
The Executive Secretary of CPLP also held a working meeting with the ambassadors of the Member States of the CPLP in Senegal and visited the Cheikh Anta Diop University.
The visit was part of the commemorations of World Day of Portuguese Language, celebrated on May 5.
The CPLP comprises Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and East Timor.
Since 2008, Senegal has been an Associated Observer of the CPLP, making it one of the first countries to obtain the status.
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Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)