The outgoing president of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), Angola's João Lourenço, on Sunday condemned the invasion of Ukraine and expressed concern about the terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique.

João Lourenço, in his speech opening the work of the organization's 14th summit in São Tomé and Príncipe, warned of the current "troubled world", with "political, military and social upheavals taking place in various parts of our planet", stressing that: "our main concern in terms of security and stability" is the "Republic of Mozambique, where in some way each of the member states has dedicated the attention and contribution possible to help the brotherly people of Mozambique to cope with the problems they have been facing in the Cabo Delgado region".

The Angolan head of state, who yesterday concluded two years of rotating presidency of the CPLP, which has now been taken over by São Tomé and Príncipe, stressed that the "strength of solidarity and its effects has been demonstrated in Mozambique", making it possible to "mitigate its difficulties and to a large extent contain the terrorist organizations that were dangerously threatening stability, security and order in that sister country".

Quoted by Lusa, the Angolan President also criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, sitting at the same table as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who last week took part in the BRICS summit in South Africa, of which Moscow is a member.

"Nowadays, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is always at the center of our attention, and we have taken very clear positions condemning the aggression and occupation of the territories of a sovereign state, the need to end the war and resolve the existing differences through negotiation in order to end the war and achieve a lasting peace," said João Lourenço.

The CPLP, which includes Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor, held its 14th conference of heads of state and government this Sunday in São Tomé and Príncipe, under the slogan "Youth and Sustainability".