Soldiers take part in a parade during the inauguration ceremony for the president in Luanda, Angola, on Sept. 15, 2022. Angola's Joao Lourenco took the oath of office Thursday for a second term as the country's president at an inauguration ceremony held in Luanda, the Angolan capital. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)
LUANDA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Angola's Joao Lourenco took the oath of office Thursday for a second term as the country's president at an inauguration ceremony held in Luanda, the Angolan capital.
Joao Lourenco of the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) took the oath of office in the presence of at least 12 heads of state and dozens of other representatives.
The re-elected president during the inauguration pledged to be the president of all Angolans and promote economic development and the well-being of the population.
Lourenco praised the Angolan people for making the best options and choosing with great responsibility the future of their country.
"By electing the MPLA and its candidate, they bet on continuity as a secured way to guarantee peace, stability, and the country's economic and social development," Lourenco said.
He also congratulated all political parties and coalitions for their participation in the elections, which he said contributed to the strengthening of democracy in the resource-rich country.
He pledged to dedicate all his efforts to the permanent quest for the best solutions to address the country's main problems, starting with the social sector, adding that the government will prioritize human capital building as the "agent of development" by investing in education, training, health care, decent housing, and access to drinking water, electricity as well as basic sanitation.
President Lourenco also promised to encourage and promote the private sector of the economy to increase the supply of domestic products and services, increase exports, and create more jobs for Angolans, especially the young people.
"The citizen in general, the worker and the youth, in particular, remain at the center of our attention," Lourenco said, adding that he will continue to enable the workers to have a decent wage and purchasing power compatible with the capacity to acquire basic goods.
Lourenco also pledged to continue the journey in preventing and fighting against corruption and impunity, which still prevails.
"We are all going to work on educating people about the need to change the paradigm, the vices, bad practices, and bad behavior that have been installed and rooted for years," he said.
On Thursday, the defense and security forces have a considerable presence in the main streets and avenues of Luanda during the inauguration day.
The MPLA was declared on Aug. 29 the winner of the 2022 general elections held on Aug. 24, by gaining 51.17 percent of the cast votes, while the nation's largest opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), gained 43.95 percent of the total votes, according to the National Electoral Commission.
According to the final results, the MPLA won 124 of the 220 National Assembly seats. The UNITA finished second with 90 seats in parliament.
The remaining parties such as PRS, FNLA and the PHA elected two deputies each in the National Assembly. The elected deputies are expected to be sworn in Friday. ■
Police take part in a parade during the inauguration ceremony for the president in Luanda, Angola, on Sept. 15, 2022. Angola's Joao Lourenco took the oath of office Thursday for a second term as the country's president at an inauguration ceremony held in Luanda, the Angolan capital. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)
