Speaking at the opening of a session of the CPLP Council of Ministers, on the eve of Friday’s heads of state summit, Chikoti bluntly blamed the Guinea-Bissau armed forces for the crisis in the country.
“The effort of solidarity that Angola and the CPLP were willing to provide to Guinea-Bissau, particularly in the vast reform of the defence and security sector, failed completely”, said. “The message was clear that the military will not agree voluntarily to give up the power they hold”.
Chikoti praised the CPLP position of condemning the coup d’etat of April that deposed the legitimate leaders of Guinea-Bissau, and its solidarity with the Guinean people in seeking a solution which will re-establish peace, dignity and stability.
Summarising the work done over the past two years, Chikoti claimed there had been economic advances, with the formulation of a CPLP strategic programme for strengthening economic and business relations.
“It would be interesting for the member states to explore deeply the potential for multilateral economic cooperation, seeking to make a contribution to the economic and social development of our peoples and countries”, he said.
Chikoti said the heads of state will elect a new executive secretary for the CPLP, and he praised the outgoing secretary, the Guinean Domingos Pereira, for his “exemplary dedication to the cause of the community”.
Pereira was appointed executive secretary in 2008. The current Mozambican ambassador to Brazil, Murade Murargy, is tipped to succeed him.
Post published in: Africa News