Angolan President Calls for Global Peace and Governance Reform

By Xinhua 

November 23, 2023

Angolan President Joao Lourenco on Wednesday called for an improvement in global governance mechanisms to prevent the escalation of tense situations and advocated for creating a “culture of peace” worldwide.

During the opening of the third edition of the Biennale of Luanda, a pan-African forum for the culture of peace, Lourenco expressed concern about the current “desolate international panorama,” attributing it to conflicts such as those between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine, saying that both represent a serious and unequivocal threat to international security and world peace.

The international community is powerless in the face of the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, “unable to act with firmness and determination to stop the mutilation and death of thousands of defenseless and innocent human beings in that part of the Middle East,” Lourenco, calling for improving global governance mechanisms to strengthen their capacity for prevention and intervention and ensuring that political tensions do not degenerate into large-scale armed confrontation.

The Angolan president also highlighted the importance of establishing and consolidating a culture of peace, emphasizing the crucial role of youth participation in solidifying a lasting and resilient culture of peace.

The forum took place from Wednesday to Friday in Luanda, Angola’s capital, with the participation of heads of state and ministers from various countries.