President Murmu addresses National Assembly of Angola

• President Droupadi Murmu addressed the National Assembly of Angola at Luanda on November 10.

• President of the Angolan National Assembly Carolina Cerqueira said that the historic visit of President Murmu on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence marks a new milestone in bilateral relations. 

• This is the first visit by an Indian President to Angola.

• President Murmu, reached Luanda, Angola, on November 8 on the first leg of her State Visit to Angola and Botswana.

Bilateral Meeting with President of Angola

• President Murmu and her Angolan counterpart Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco discussed wide-ranging issues of bilateral relations.

• President Murmu noted the thriving energy trade partnership between the two countries, and said that Angola plays an important role in India’s energy security. 

• The two leaders agreed to further diversify trade and investment ties in new and emerging areas, including technology, agriculture, health, defence, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges. 

• They also agreed to continue working together to deepen cooperation in various bilateral areas as well as under the broader framework of the India-Africa Forum Summit.

• MoUs, on cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture and marine resources, and on cooperation in consular matters were exchanged on the occasion.

• President Murmu welcomed Angola’s decision to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) and the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA).

• Later, she paid floral tribute at the memorial of Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto in Luanda. Neto, the first President of Angola, is a symbol of unity, resistance and national pride of Angola. He played a prominent role in Angola’s struggle for independence.

• The President also visited the Fortaleza de Sao Miguel, the 16th-century colonial era fortress that now houses the Museum of the Armed Forces at Luanda. The museum narrates the story of Angola’s long and complex military history, including its colonial period and struggle for independence.

• From Angola, she will travel to Botswana.