Luanda - Portuguese president, Anibal Cavaco Silva, highlighted today the commitment of Angola for the strenghtening of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 8th meeting of the heads of state and government of the CPLP, the portuguese head of state asserted that Angola's commitment with the principles and values of the lusophone community is a guarantee of the success of today's summit and of the angolan presidency also starting today.

He stressed the recent  advances in the international affirmation and projection of the portuguese language, following the 2008  commitments assumed in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. 

According to the portuguese president, those were steps of symbolic value, as the establishment of May 5 as the Day of the Portuguese Language and the CPLP Culture, but also of concrete achievements as the greater use of portuguese language in several multilateral forums as in UNESCO and the African Union, and the elaboration of the Brazilia Plan of Action and the new statutes and bylaws of
the International Institute of Portuguese Language of which he said to be instruments of greater relevance that he expects to be approved during this summit.  

For president Cavaco Silva, the expansion of the portuguese language compels to consider different fronts, an internal one related to the school teaching of the language in each CPLP member state and one of the languages with greater expansion in third countries either as 2nd or foreign language. 

 
He said the situation results from an evolution meeting the interests of each CPLP member state favouring the affirmation of the community in the international arena and allowing to take advantages of the economic opportunities of a universal language.

The CPLP member states are Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Sao Tome and Principe, while Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius and Senegal are associated members.