Angola committed to environment preservation: VP

Angolan Vice President Manuel Vicente said here on Sunday that the Angolan government has always taken concrete steps to preserve the country's bio-diversity with special measures taken to protect species of flora and fauna mostly threatened with extinction, particularly the Giant Sable Antelope, a species that only had its habitat in Angola.

Vicente was speaking on behalf of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos at a forum to mark the June 5 World Environment Day, which was also attended by the Executive Director of the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) Achim Stainer.

The vice president said his country had in recent years doubled its territory for the parks and natural reserves to protect species of flora and fauna mostly threatened with extinction, including the Giant Sable Antelopes, a species that only has its habitat in Angola.

He said Angola was also engaged in four initiatives with neighboring countries to promote the preservation of ecosystems, the improvement of living conditions of populations and eco-tourism.

He called for more regional cooperation and a global perspective to combat the criminal actions that undermine the wildlife as the entire world was facing serious challenges in the fight for the preservation of the natural heritage and bio-diversity, seriously affected by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Endit