The King of Spain called on African countries in Luanda to abandon the “unjustified” war in Ukraine

The King of Spain on Wednesday urged African countries to abandon the “unjustified” war in Ukraine and “work together” to protect the international order and ensure respect for the sovereignty and integrity of all states.

In a speech delivered to the Angolan parliament in Luanda at the end of a three-day official visit to the country with Queen Letizia, her first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, Felipe VI declared that “this war, completely unjustified, seriously affects all continents”, for To this end, all countries should “combine their efforts to defend the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.”

For the Spanish monarch, the war unleashed by Russia a year ago confirmed the need to work together to maintain peace and security throughout the world, without which “no effort or project can be successful,” Felipe VI said.

Filipe VI added that the war in Ukraine has serious consequences around the world and in particular in Africa, due to the food crisis, which has exacerbated the already difficult humanitarian situation on the continent.

For this reason, he stressed, “today, more than ever, friendly countries must maintain a fair international order based on rules, the cornerstone of which is respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.”

Africa is one of the regions where Russia has sought to gain geopolitical influence in recent years.

Luanda has maintained good diplomatic relations with Moscow since the Soviet support it received after gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, although its president, João Lourenço, called on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

Felipe VI recalled that Africa is also suffering from serious conflicts due to terrorism, organized crime and humanitarian emergencies that threaten the stability and development of regions such as the Sahel, the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa.

On the other hand, he noted, the cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia “opens a window of hope.”

The king stressed that Spain is “committed to the security, stability and progress” of these regions, as well as to the fight against maritime piracy off the coast of Africa, which is manifested in its policy of cooperation in various fields.

In the case of Angola, the monarch acknowledged in Portuguese the efforts of João Lourenço to promote stability on the continent through his mediation in some of these conflicts.

As in other speeches during his stay in Luanda, the monarch emphasized that Angola is a priority country for Spain due to its political and social stability, its resources and good economic prospects, as well as active regional and multilateral diplomacy.

“Today Angola is a land of opportunity,” he said in the Angolan Parliament, where President of the National Assembly Carolina Cerqueira and 220 Angolan deputies gave him a standing ovation.

From Parliament, Felipe VI and Queen Letizia went to the Futungo Palace in Luanda, where they were received by President Joao Lourenço and his wife, Ana Diaz Lourenço.