Luanda, ANGOLA, October 22 - The Foreign Affairs minister, Téte António, last Wednesday in Luanda acknowledged the work and contribution of the United Nations (UN) in the development of Angola and the well-being of its populations in various domains.,

After receiving in audience the new UN resident coordinator in Angola, Zahira Virani, who presented her credentials, the Foreign minister said that the United Nations’ official arrives at a time when the country receives and values ??such support, for solving problems that also affect the world.

“I think this is going to be a continuation of the ongoing actions on the part of the UN, mainly at the moment of its 75th anniversary of creation, with the purpose of working for the maintenance of the world peace and the prosperity of the peoples. The coordinator will be the institution's spokesperson in Angola and will watch over the welfare projects of our populations”, said the minister.

Téte António said also that Angola will continue to be a member that plays its role in the organization, so that it can get due prestige from it.

On her turn, the resident UN coordinator in Angola, Zahira Virani, expressed the commitment of the world institution to continue to collaborate with the Angolan Government in the solution of several existing problems, such as the fight against hunger and poverty in the country.

 “The first meeting went well and we talked about many important issues. There are 19 agencies of the UN system working in health and other sectors. The Government can continue to rely on the UN, in its objectives, which include agricultural issues, to end hunger and reduce poverty. In this sense, 50 million dollars a year are used by the UN to eliminate hunger and poverty”, she stressed.

As for the Covid-19 pandemic, the UN representative said that the world is in the same boat, mobilizing resources due to the crisis affecting various sectors, which need immediate interventions. She said that research and reports were being prepared so that the social and economic impact would not be so great.

The determining role and leadership of Angola, in maintaining peace in the African sub-region, among others, also deserved references by the resident coordinator, who replaces the Italian Pier Paolo Balladelli, who has ceased functions in the country.

The Canadian national, Zahira Virani recently held the position of resident coordinator in São Tomé and Príncipe. She has held other important positions at the level of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

She was a UNDP consultant in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Panama and Tajikistan.