The Executive Secretary of the CPLP said today in Luanda that, in the short term, there will be “greater facilitation in the circulation” of the citizens in the Lusophone space, emphasizing that everyone is working in this direction.
[dropcap type=”background”]F[/dropcap]rancisco Ribeiro Telles, who arrived in Angola today for a two-day visit, recalled that last week there was a meeting in Cape Verde of the Interior Ministers of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Peoples (CPLP) in which mobility was the main issue to be analyzed.
“This is what we are working on, that is what Cape Verde is working on as the Presidency, and Angola, as the future Presidency as well, will work in this direction, “said the Portuguese diplomat.
Ribeiro Telles, who spoke briefly to journalists after a meeting with the Angolan diplomat, Manuel Augusto, said that the priority focus of the CPLP is the approach to citizens, noting that the main projects have to do with mobility, “especially students, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens. ”
“The projects are mainly about mobility, that is, the possibility of CPLP citizens moving better in the CPLP space. This has to do with student mobility, with the mobility of entrepreneurs, has to do with the mobility of citizens It is an ambitious project that will certainly bear fruit. And it comes in the sense of what I was referring to bringing the CPLP closer to its citizens, “he said.
Asked about whether the project defended on 24 October by Cape Verde, which defends the 30-day visa waiver and short-term visas for professionals, researchers, teachers, and residence permits, Ribeiro Telles indicated that it was of “the one under discussion“.
“There are several dimensions of this proposal that are under discussion: this is one of them, there will be others and we will see.” Last week [the CPLP ministers meeting] discussed the matter. July, in Cape Verde, in order to be able to consolidate an agreement that will serve as a basis for this mobility, “he said.
Francisco Ribeiro Telles, who made his first official visit as the executive secretary of the organization in Angola, where he assumed, lived “many good years“, stressed that the CPLP “is highly valued” internationally, particularly in the political and diplomatic, indicating that there are also a growing number of countries that want to be associated with observer status.
“Today, the CPLP is highly valued at the international level, there are more and more countries wanting to be members of the CPLP Group. We are nine member states and 18 associated observers, but there is a growing number to want to belong to the CPLP, that is, there is a growing international interest for the CPLP, especially in the political and diplomatic field, “he said.
“Now, we have to bring the CPLP closer to the people. People have to feel concretely the importance of the CPLP and in this sense, we are working on a series of projects, which I think will have very positive developments in the coming times,” he concluded.
Manuel Augusto, for his part, did not make any statements to the press and closed the questions.
The Executive Secretary of the CPLP arrived in Luanda today and, later this afternoon will have a meeting with the Portuguese-speaking ambassadors in Luanda, which will take place behind closed doors.
Tuesday morning, Ribeiro Telles will be received in audience by the Angolan National Assembly president, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos (“Nandó“), and in the afternoon by the Angolan head of State, João Lourenço.
In the middle, he will participate in a lecture about the CPLP in the Angolan Foreign Ministry, leaving at night to return to Lisbon.
According to a statement from the Angolan Foreign Ministry, Ribeiro Telles is in Luanda for working meetings with the Angolan authorities.
The CPLP comprises nine member states: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste.
