Addis Ababa, April 8, 2009 (Addis Ababa) - The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Jean Ping announced on Tuesday the appointment of Dr. Joao Bernardo de Miranda as AU Special Envoy to Guinea Bissau, an AU press statement said.Dr. Miranda was former Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Angola, it said.
A lawyer and former journalist, Dr. Miranda has a long political and diplomatic experience and those of Portuguese-speaking countries in particular.
Dr. Miranda is a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola. He served the government of Angola for twenty years, as Deputy Minister of Information, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of External Relations from 1999 to 2008.
Dr. Miranda is expected to engage in a series of consultations with the authorities and other stakeholders in Guinea Bissau.
He is also expected to hold talks with concerned regional and international organizations to facilitate joint efforts and harmonization of actions aimed at achieving a resolution of the crisis on the basis of the respect of constitutional order in that country and in line with the related doctrine of the AU in the area, it said.
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