The 14th summit of the Community of Portuguese-Language Countries (CPLP) marks on Sunday the passing of the baton from the Angolan presidency to Sao Tome and Príncipe, which has chosen youth and sustainability as its political priorities.
At a time when the countries are beginning to feel the effects of the mobility agreement – which facilitates national visas and began in January this year – and after Angola’s commitment to the economic pillar, it is Sao Tome’s turn to bring youth policies and the fight against climate change into the organisation’s focus.
With a total of seven heads of state and three prime ministers present – only Mozambique and Timor-Leste are not represented at the highest level – the summit will approve Paraguay’s entry as an associated observer country and will choose who will hold the next presidency.
So far, only Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau have shown their willingness to host the CPLP presidency.
For the Malabo government, this would be the conclusion of a process of integration into the community that it considers to have been effective and adequate, despite the fact that several analysts insist on the problems of human rights and the lack of democracy.
Portugal will be represented by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister António Costa, and the minister for foreign affairs, João Gomes Cravto these eventsinho.
The summit also sees Brazil’s return to these events through its president, a sign of the commitment to diplomacy of the current head of state, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will only arrive in Sao Tome via Luanda on Sunday.
The solemn opening session, with the participation of associated observers and other guests, is scheduled for 10:15 local time (one hour less in Lisbon), with a brief speech by Sao Tome’s president, Carlos Vila Nova, and a speech by Angola’s head of state, João Lourenço, taking stock of the Angolan presidency.
Throughout the morning’s proceedings, at various times behind closed doors, Sao Tome’s government will present the priorities of its presidency and the current executive secretary of the CPLP, Zacarias da Costa, is due to be re-elected.
The José Aparecido de Oliveira Award will be presented to João Lourenço by the Sao Tomean presidency, who will conclude the work with a speech and press conference.
