The Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) approved the report on the New Strategic Vision for the organization, in its 14th extraordinary session held in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 17th, 2016.
Chaired by the Minister, Hernâni Coelho, the Council of Ministers of the CPLP welcomed the coordination of the presidency and, in particular, of the Working Group on the new strategic vision for CPLP, coordinated by Roque Rodrigues.
The extraordinary meeting focused on three essential subjects: strategic vision of the CPLP, the political situation in Guinea Bissau and the rotation of the Executive Secretary of the CPLP.
”The Extraordinary Council of Ministers of the CPLP approved the final report on the guidelines for the strategic vision’s policy orientation”, declared Hernâni Coelho.
This final report, according to the Minister, focused on three important aspects, which are the concertation of diplomatic policy, cooperation and the Portuguese language. Was also published a draft Declaration on the new strategic vision of the CPLP for the period 2016-2026.
The Member States continue to deal with the future of CPLP for the next 10 years, namely to achieve better results in terms of organization, structure, administrative adjustments, operating mechanisms and other needs. Thus, they intend to respond to the new dynamics of each region of the world.
Within the new strategic vision, we can observe primordial aspects of the organization such as its nature, other areas in which the CPLP can work together and with the involvement of other states, as observers.
On observers, the Minister stated that “it is necessary to consider how we can capitalize on the interest of the countries that want to be members and which can contribute to the final objective of the organization. There are two important points to consider. The first is the involvement of the associated observers that wish to participate in cooperation activities for development, such as trade, investment and industry. The second is the opening of the CPLP to foreigners, continuing to maintain the nature and governability of the organization, without losing its own characteristics and management capacity.”
In the final statement the Council of Ministers of the CPLP “reiterated the importance of a strategic vision of affirmation of the organization in the international arena, which favors the enlargement of the activities, the appreciation of all potential and a greater effective participation of the organization in the process of development of the Member States, to promote and defend the principles and universal values of democracy and human rights in the space of the CPLP.”
There has also been talk of the need to increase mobility within the space of the CPLP, to streamline activities economic, social and cultural rights.
“The issues dealt with in the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers will be presented as recommendations to the Heads of State and Government, to the adopt at the summit, to be held this year in Brasilia, Brazil. Once adopted, the Council of Ministers will analyze the mechanisms for the implementation of Strategic Vision, 2016 forward”, said the Minister Hernâni Coelho.
On the mandate of the Executive Secretary of the CPLP, the Council of Ministers agreed that the rotation must pass it to Sao Tome and Principe.
At this meeting, it examined the report of the Special Representative for the Guinea Bissau and mission of the CPLP in Bissau, led by the President of the Council of Ministers. The ministers present encouraged the Guinean authorities to demonstrate openness to a good political solution, which guarantees stability. Thus the international community could continue to maintain its support.
It was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the Republics of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as the Deputy Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, in addition to other entities.