Beijing: The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendon§a, has been participating, since Thursday, in the Forum on Global Governance of Human Rights 2026 in China. The event is taking place under the motto 'Joint Development, Shared Human Rights: The 40th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development and a New Vision for the Global Governance of Human Rights'.
According to Angola Press News Agency, this forum is a multilateral initiative by China, aiming to create a platform for cooperation and strategic dialogue among states, international organizations, civil society, and academia. The forum intends to contribute to building a fairer, more equitable, and inclusive global system of human rights governance, emphasizing development and the assurance of human rights amid contemporary global challenges.
The opening ceremony was led by Mo Gaoyi, the Minister of State of the Council for Social Communication of China, who emphasized the forum's goal of fostering a more inclusive and transparent global governance. This governance aims to effectively tackle issues such as social inequalities, climate change, food security, poverty, and the protection of vulnerable groups.
While addressing the delegates, Secretary of State Esmeralda Mendon§a stated that Angola views the forum as particularly relevant in today's geopolitical, economic, technological, and environmental landscape. She stressed the necessity for more inclusive, equitable, and supportive multilateral responses to these global transformations. Mendon§a also called for reforms in the United Nations System and the Bretton Woods Institutions to promote a more inclusive system and fairer financing models, especially for Global South countries.
Furthermore, the Secretary of State reaffirmed Angola's commitment to promoting human rights as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 period and in its efforts to build a democratic society based on the rule of law for the well-being of the Angolan people.
The Angolan delegation, led by the Secretary of State, includes the Angolan ambassador to China, Dalva Ringote Allen, the director of the Multilateral Affairs department, Sara Maria Silva, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 2026 forum marks the 40th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development and features more than 400 delegates from governments, the United Nations, other intergovernmental organizations, and international civil society organizations. The forum also covers topics such as the impact of artificial intelligence on human rights, sustainability and green development, and inclusive modernization.