Lithuania and Angola held the first ever political consultationsBilateral RelationsNews of the Ministry

• 1
• 2
• 3

On 28 April, the first political consultations between Lithuania and Angola were held in Vilnius, led by Vidmantas Verbickas, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, and Esmeralda Mendonça, Secretary of State for External Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola.

"This meeting marks a significant step forward in the development of bilateral relations and the strengthening of political dialogue. We are ready to develop practical cooperation in a targeted way and exploit the potential of both sides, and open dialogue will establish a solid basis for further joint work," said the Vice-Minister Verbickas.

During the political consultations, the bilateral agenda was discussed, and it was agreed to strengthen economic relations and trade. The Angolan side took an interest in Lithuania's experience in the fields of agricultural modernisation, digitalisation, and information technology. Opportunities to expand cooperation in innovation, digital solutions, and education were also discussed, including academic exchanges, partnerships between higher education institutions, and capacity building.

It was noted that the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency (CPMA) has already implemented projects in Angola, and the experience gained provides a solid foundation for future

cooperation, especially in the areas of development cooperation and capacity building.

In the meeting, special attention was paid to the international security situation. Vice-Minister Verbickas underlined Lithuania's strong support for Ukraine, facing Russian aggression, and stressed the importance of unity in defending the rules-based international order. Verbickas noted that respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is essential everywhere, both in Europe, in response to the war against Ukraine, and on the African continent, in resolving regional conflicts.

The Vice-Minister Verbickas congratulated Angola on the 50th anniversary of independence and the successful organisation of the European Union-African Union summit in Luanda, stressing its importance in strengthening the partnership between the two continents.