Vucic: Serbia, Angola maintain closest political ties, economic cooperation needs improvement

BELGRADE - Serbia and Angola maintain the closest political and friendly relations, but their economic cooperation needs to be improved, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said after a meeting with Angolan counterpart Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco in Belgrade on Tuesday.

"Today, we have the special honour of hosting the President of Angola, Joao Lourenco, in our country. And by saying 'special honour', (I mean that) you would not believe this: the last time an Angolan president was visiting Serbia was 49 years ago, in 1977. And it is incredible how happy and pleased I am today to have succeeded, after many invitations, in hosting Joao Lourenco, a sincere friend of Serbia, our country," Vucic said.

He noted that Angola had gained independence 50 years ago and that Serbia had always supported its great struggle.

"We admired Angola's heroes. I told President Lourenco that I grew up on Yuri Gagarin Street, and the Agostino Neto Street was not far from there, and that, as children, we knew everything about the brave fight of the Angolan people for freedom and independence. I would say that we have had the closest political and friendly relations since those times, and our bilateral political relations have never been called into question," Vucic said.

"We support each other in international institutions and organisations," Vucic noted, adding that he was especially grateful to Lourenco for Angola's support for the territorial integrity of Serbia, just like, always and everywhere, Serbia supported the territorial integrity and interests of Angola.

"We exchanged views on all major political affairs, and I would say that our interests, as well as our political views, are identical on nearly all matters. We are leading two independent and sovereign states that always look after their own interests above all, while trying to be open to cooperation with all big powers and all other countries in the world. What we both pointed out during a plenary meeting, as well as during a tete-a-tete meeting, is that we are not sufficiently satisfied with our economic cooperation, and we believe that we can, and must, change many things and that we can do much about that," Vucic noted.

Lourenco, who arrived in Belgrade on Monday evening, will be in Serbia until Wednesday.

Vucic receives Angola's Lourenco

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke on Tuesday in Belgrade with Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, who is on an official visit to Belgrade, and expressed the belief Lourenco's visit would help to strengthen political and economic ties between Serbia and Angola and to advance cooperation in numerous areas.

"I wished a cordial welcome to the president of Angola and expressed satisfaction with the opening of a new chapter in the friendship between our countries, which is deeply rooted in the legacy of the Non-Aligned Movement and based on mutual respect, understanding and support," Vucic posted on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account.

He added that he was convinced Lourenco's visit would lend an additional momentum to the traditional friendship and help to strengthen political and economic relations between Serbia and Angola and to advance cooperation in many areas of mutual interest.

Lourenco, who will be in Serbia until June 10, was welcomed by Vucic outside the Palace of Serbia earlier in the day.