SG/SM/8343*

                                                                  AFR/455*

                                                                  26 August 2002

SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGES ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT, PEOPLE TO ADOPT RIGHT

MOVES CONCERNING DEVELOPMENT, DEMOCRACY

      Following is the text of remarks by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the opening meeting of the Joint Commission under the Lusaka Protocol in Luanda, Angola today:

My dear friends,

It is indeed an honour to be here.

It is indeed a historic day and it seems that each time I come to Angola there is a historic moment.  In my first visit I was able to attend the Congress, when UNITA Parliamentarians came and joined the Parliament in order to join a Government of national unity, so that we could move on with the peace process. Five years later I am back in Angola to consolidate peace.  It is indeed a very welcome development; above all for the Angolans who have suffered so much during this war.

I would like to congratulate the President and the people of Angola for the achievement and the progress they made thus far.

It is significant that the ceasefire agreement that was signed in April was signed by Angolans without the interference of the outside.  That it has held means Angolans are intent on peace.  Which means you wish for peace, and Angolans deserve peace.

But there is still plenty of work:  from the urgent humanitarian tasks and reconstruction, rehabilitation of schools and hospitals, demining and so forth. It is important to note that Angolans are not alone.  There is a lot of goodwill throughout the world and we need to make good use of it.

I encourage the Angolan Government and the people of Angola to be courageous to adopt the right moves not only in macro-economic development but in the

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*     Reissued for technical reasons.

- 2 - Press Release

adoption of a democratic system based on the rule of law.  When society goes through the kind of trauma you have known it is important that when there is a

chance to reconstruct, this reconstruction is made in a solid way.  It is important to build upon the democratic institutions.  The democratic societies permit each group to participate in society, where they have a way to express their needs and in this circumstance it is less likely there will be a war either in their own territories or with their neighbours.

So, my dear friends let me conclude by saying how happy I am to be here in the signing of the agreement between the Government and UNITA.  Let us all pledge to consolidate peace and work with the Government and the people of Angola to bring not only peace, but also stability and prosperity.

Viva Angola!!

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