Remarks at Angolan National Assembly
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Luanda, Angola
August 9, 2009
I want to
thank the chairperson and all of the members of parliament who have
joined us this afternoon and provided both information and insight into
the challenges facing Angola. And of course, I want to thank you for
helping to build America.
It is a great privilege for me to
have this opportunity to meet with leaders of the parliament and
especially representatives of the different parties. Such a meeting
could not have taken place just a few years ago. I have listened very
carefully and taken many notes from each of you. And I want to make just
a few comments.
I am here to deepen and strengthen the
relationship between the United States and Angola. And I want also to
encourage the continuation of the path that Angola is currently taking.
After 27 years of war, there is a lot of work to do. Several of you
mentioned the need for the reconstruction and reconciliation of the
Angolan society. And the United States wants to be your partner, your
friend, and your ally as you strengthen your democratic institutions,
build a vibrant civil society, create a good climate for business and
investment from the United States and elsewhere, and most importantly,
deliver the results of democracy to the people of your country.
The
role of your parliament is absolutely crucial in defining Angola’s
future. The Angolan people have vested you with the responsibility of
crafting a new constitution. This new constitution must be more than
words on paper. It must be a living expression of the values and
attitudes of your nation and the enshrinement of principles of good
governance and human rights.
As you may know, I served as a
senator elected from the state of New York for eight years. For six of
those years, I was in the minority party. For two of those years, I was
in the majority party. What is important is the role of both the
majority and minority parties to serve as a check and balance on the
executive branch of government. Even when I was in the majority party,
we asked very hard questions of the executive, and today President Obama
has a very big majority of our Democratic Party but the Democrats are
also continuing to ask hard questions about the exercise of presidential
power.
In a democracy such as yours, the parliament must
demand accountability and transparency, and stand against financial
corruption and abuse of power. Indeed, I believe no democracy can thrive
and bring benefits to its people over the long term without an elected
body like a parliament that represents the will of the people and holds
leaders accountable.
Now, of course, I must commend you,
because in some respects you’ve already made more progress than we have:
You have 40 percent women in your parliament.
We understand
what a tremendous responsibility all of you have assumed, both in the
majority party and in the minority parties. And among the work we hope
to do with Angola is to work with the parliament as well as with the
government.
And let me add one other issue that is very
important to your future. Consolidating democracy does not depend just
on holding elections. You have shown with the legislative election last
year that you can move forward on elections, and I hope that you will be
able to schedule a presidential election in the near future.
But
democracy also requires strong institutions like an independent
judiciary, an independent and free press, the protection of minority
rights. And we believe that given the progress Angola has made since the
end of your long war, this country is positioned to be a leader on the
economic front, the social and political fronts, the security front, in
every way. And we want to work with you to help you realize Angola’s
full potential.
We agreed today in my meeting with the
minister of foreign affairs and other members of the government to set
up a strategic dialogue between our two countries. And if the parliament
so wishes, that dialogue can include a discussion between members of
our Congress and their staffs, and members of your parliament and your
staff. If we have anything to offer, we stand ready to do so.
And
let me end by saying I have a unique perspective on American democracy.
When my husband was president and I lived in the White House, we spent a
lot of time wondering what the Congress was doing. Then I was in the
Congress, and I spent a lot of time wondering what the President was
doing. And now I’m back working for and with President Obama, wondering
what the Congress is doing.
But we have learned over 230
years of our democracy that that tension is important to keep everybody
focused, honest, vigilant, and effective in serving the people. So we
look forward to working with you for the betterment of our relations
between our countries and for the better future for the people of Angola
and the United States. (Applause.)
