Luanda: Angola's ruling MPLA party convened its 9th Ordinary Congress on Thursday for December 9th and 10th of this year at the Belas Conference Center in Luanda. The decision came from the 10th meeting of the MPLA Central Committee, chaired by the party leader, Joo Louren§o. The meeting, under the motto "MPLA commitment to the people and confidence in the future," will have the participation of approximately three thousand delegates from all provinces of the country and the diaspora.

According to Angola Press News Agency, the event's agenda includes the analysis of fundamental issues related to the organization's internal life and the definition of strategic lines for the coming years. It also includes the review, discussion, and approval of the MPLA Central Committee's report for the 2021-2026 term. The meeting will also address the internal electoral process, which includes the presentation of the strategy motion of the MPLA presidential candidate, the election of the party president, and the election of the members of the Central Committee. At the end of the proceedings, the delegates are expected to approve the conclusions of the ninth Ordinary Congress.

The MPLA Central Committee calls on all militants, supporters, and friends of the party to strengthen unity around the MPLA and its leader, Joo Louren§o, so that the IX Congress constitutes a moment of reflection and strengthening of the organization's ranks. According to this body, the conclave should also establish itself as a platform for evaluating the experiences lived and accumulated throughout the 70 years of existence of the MPLA, the political party that has led the destinies of the Angolan nation since the proclamation of National Independence.

The last Ordinary Congress of the MPLA took place in Luanda in December 2021. The Ordinary Congress is held, as a rule, every five years. This periodicity is stipulated in the MPLA Statutes, with the ordinary congress being the party's highest body, responsible, among other aspects, for defining the general political line, electing the leadership (President of the party and other bodies), and approving statutory and programmatic changes. Between ordinary congresses, the MPLA may convene Extraordinary Congresses, which do not follow a fixed periodicity and are held whenever the political or internal situation justifies it (such as statutory revisions, successions, or strategic decisions).

The upcoming Ordinary Congress of the MPLA is part of the preparation for the political and electoral cycle that will culminate in the 2027 general elections, which will elect a new President of the Republic.