Mali wants Angola's help to settle crisis

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER FERNANDO DA PIEDADE (RIGHT) WELCOMES THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MALI ASSEMBLY

The visiting foreign MP was speaking at the end of an audience granted to him by the Angolan National Assembly speaker, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos.

He on the occasion recalled that the relations between the two Houses date back to several years and must be reinforced.

"I am the bearer to a message from the Malian National Assembly speaker to his Angolan counterpart, within the framework of the parliamentary diplomacy, with a view to more support, following the developments that occurred on May 17 and 21 in Maly,”   the MP said.

Clashes took place on May 17-21 in Mali’s northern region of Kidal between rebel groups and the State’s Armed Forces, killing and injuring several people.

Two mayors and four assistant mayors were among those believed to have been killed by elements of three local rebel gangs.

The Malian MP recalled that diplomats from his country participated in the peace process in Angola, which brought the parliaments from the two countries closer.

He spoke of the existence of an Angola-Mali Friendship Group in his country and announced that the cooperation will be boosted in the coming days through a programme of exchange of visits between MPs from both countries.

On the other hand, the ambassador of Equatorial Guinea to Angola,José Esono Ekeng, Thursday in Luanda analysed the increment of bilateral cooperation with the Angolan Parliament.

He on the occasion said that the two parliaments have a line of intense cooperation that need to be further reinforced and improved.

The diplomat also asked for the Angolan Parliament’s assistance to boost its process of adhesion to the Portuguese Speaking Community (CPLP).

Meanwhile, the Angolan Parliament speaker, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, received in audience Wednesday in Luanda the chairmen and deputy chairmen of the African Parliamentary Union (APU), with whom he discussed matters concerning the organisation.

At the end of the audience, the APU chairman, Donatille Mukabalisa, said that during the meeting, they expressed to the National Assembly speaker their satisfaction with the arrangements for the 64th session of the organisation’s Executive Committee held in the Angolan capital.