Luanda, ANGOLA, September 9 - The Council of the Republic recommended Tuesday holding the municipal elections "as soon as conditions permit".,

This is expressed in the final statement from the extraordinary session of the Council of Republic, chaired by president , João Lourenço.

The document, reached ANGOP, states that the Council has found it inappropriate  for the country  to organise the municipal elections in the few months left until the year end.  

The members of the consultation body to the President encouraged the continuation of the process of preparation and organisation of municipal elections.  

As for the country's epidemiological situation, the meeting recommended a reassessment of measures to rein the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

The meeting also stressed the need to relax restrictions in the field of education, religious exercise and sports.  

The communiqué considers lifting of the cordon sanitaire  in Luanda province premature and defends the continuation of pedagogical actions to raise the population's awareness of Covid-19, as well as the observance of biosafety measures to prevent the disease and other infections.  

According to the document, the Council of the Republic also defends the need to prioritise financial efforts to improve the country's hospital network as well as to increase citizens' testing capacity.  

On  the supply of drinking water and the distribution of basic food baskets, the Council of the Republic encouraged to continue supporting for populations in need.  

As for the impact of Covid-19 on the national economy, the statement highlights the actions taken by the Executive that aim to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic.

Among these actions, stress goes to the measures related to the tax sector and in several areas of the real economy, with reference to agriculture and fisheries, industry / trade, transport, construction and credit to the economy.  

The Council of the Republic also encouraged citizens to view the current situation of the pandemic as an opportunity to accelerate the increase in levels of domestic production.  

Emphasising that the pandemic situation must also provide an opportunity to accelerate the granting of credit for the purchase of products for small and medium-sized enterprises and for the modernisation and expansion of family cooperatives.

 

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