India and Ireland have formalised their request to become associated observers of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), official sources of the organisation told Lusa on Friday.
India’s expression of interest was presented last May and Ireland’s in April, the same sources said.
At the next Standing Consultation Committee, the first after the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Portugal, scheduled for 18 June, the diplomatic representatives of the member states are expected to give their views on the requests made by the two countries.
In December 2019, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa told Lusa that his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, had informed him of India’s decision to apply for CPLP associate observer status.
“This is excellent news. I am sure that all CPLP countries will welcome this recognition by India of the geostrategic, political and cultural importance of an area that spans all continents and has around 260 million inhabitants,” the Portuguese prime minister said at the time.
In February this year, Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, shortly after landing in New Delhi, also for a state visit to that country said that India’s entry into the CPLP with the status of an associate member would take place at the next summit of heads of state and government of the organisation, to be held in Luanda, which at the time was scheduled for early September.
Now, at Angola’s request and following the pandemic, the summit is scheduled for July 2021.
If all goes as expected regarding the evolution of the candidacy processes now underway, 11 more countries should become associated observers of the CPLP at the Luanda summit.
Associate observers may participate, without the right to vote, in the summits and in the council of ministers, have access to the corresponding non-confidential documentation, and may also submit communications provided they are duly authorised to do so. In addition, they may be invited to meetings of a technical nature.
However, any Member State of the CPLP may, if it considers it appropriate, request that a meeting be held without the participation of observers.
Currently, the CPLP has 18 associated observer countries and one organization, which is the OEI – Organization of Ibero-American States.
The member states of the CPLP are Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor.
