Angolans from all walks of life in Ghana congregated at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Accra to celebrate their 42nd Independence Anniversary with a strong commitment to deepen relations between Ghana and Angola.

The Golden Tulip Hotel was beautifully decorated with miniature Angola National Flag and the audience including Ghanaians were treated to harmonious Angolan tunes and patriotic songs.

Addressing the guests at the celebration, the Angolan Ambassador to Ghana, Admiral Augusto Da Silva Cuhna, stated that, “the presence of the ambassador of the Republic of Angola in Ghana, is a testimony of the vision of the Angolan Government to continue the friendly relations that bind the two countries, which date back to the 60s when Ghana provided the necessary assistance for the realization of the ideals of liberation for Angola’s independence.”

Ambassador Cuhna also indicated that Angola has been enjoying a peaceful and stable environment since April 2002, which has translated into the sudden growth that the country has been experiencing in the last 15 years.

The occasion was graced by diplomats from various African countries, the business community, and the media.

A group of Angolan young men and women entertained guests at the celebration with the Semba, Kizomba and Kuduro dances.

Significance of celebration

In a separate interview with the media, Ambassador Admiral Augusto Da Silva Cuhna said, “the declaration of Angolan independence which was proclaimed by the first President of Angola, Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto, on the 1th of November, 1975, was the most important moment in the lives of the Angolans.” He continued that the importance of this occasion lies in the pride of being the day on which we won our freedom and the right to chart the course of our destiny as a sovereign nation after 500 years of Portuguese colonization and 14 years of armed struggle for the national independence.

Relations with Ghana

Touching on the relations between Ghana and Angola since independence, Ambassador Cuhna said, “as part of cooperative relations between Angola and Ghana, five meetings of the joint bilateral committee were held alternately in Accra and Luanda in 1981, 1983, 1986, 2005 and 2012 respectively, resulting in the coming into force of a number of legal instruments, notable among which are economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation and a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana.”

He continued that the Angolan government intends to reactivate these relations within the next five years to continue the negotiations with Ghana of pending agreements in sectors such as fisheries and higher education, as well as the renegotiation of the general agreement on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation.