Luanda - The Angolan Government developed, in 2023, an intense agenda aimed at strengthening its economic diplomacy, which had as its highlight the meeting between the Head of State, João Lourenço, and his North American counterpart, Joe Biden.
By João Silva and Franscisca Augusto, ANGOP journalists
The meeting between the two leaders, held in the 'Oval Office' of the White House, marked the beginning of a new era in diplomatic relations and the strategic partnership between Angola and the United States of America, which is expected to be more dynamic in 2024.
During the 'tête-à-tête' in Washington DC, João Lourenço and Joe Biden talked about the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation, with the US administration ensuring new investments for Angola in different sectors.
With this meeting, the two countries are embarking on a sustainable partnership in key sectors such as agriculture, telecommunications, renewable energy, oil refining, trade, space exploration, and defence and security.
Specifically, the USA committed to investing USD 250 million in the Lobito Corridor (Benguela), to help make the project of massive circulation of goods between Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia a reality.
Joe Biden also promised to invest in the renewable energy sector, with a package of USD 900 million, within the framework of projects developed by the American company Sun Africa, one of its largest investments of its kind in Africa.
According to the President of the USA, financing of USD 363 million was approved this year for the American company Acro Briz to build metal bridges in 18 provinces, to facilitate the movement of people and goods.
Likewise, the USA is investing around USD 7.5 million in the Okavango Delta, with more than USD 1 billion expected to be mobilized to build railway lines, which could extend from Angola to the DRC and Zambia.
According to Joe Biden, this is a project that aims to connect East Africa to the West, highlighting that it is the largest US investment in this segment in Africa.
The President of the USA also announced a financial package of USD billion for Angola to invest in projects linked to the production of clean energy, until 2025.
As part of the new relations between Luanda and Washington, Joe Biden announced an investment for Angola to invest in agricultural infrastructure, which could make the country an excellent exporter, from 2027.
He noted that the US is investing USD billion in Africa “for a number of items”, including solar energy and agricultural development projects in Angola.
The agriculture sector will deserve particular attention from the USA, which plans to send, in 2024, more than three dozen entrepreneurs in this field, to raise the country's potential and study new financing, at a time when the two States are determined to leverage the its partnership outside the oil industry.
Meanwhile, later this year, the Angolan President was in New York to participate in the debates of the 78th UN General Assembly, during which he reaffirmed the country's commitment to contributing with its experience, in terms of building peace, harmony and national reconciliation, to resolve conflicts that plague the African continent, with special emphasis on what is happening in the DRC.
He denounced the existence of an invisible hand interested in the destabilization of the African continent, defended the review of representation in the Security Council with the attribution of seats as permanent members to Africa and the strengthening of the UN's authority to increase its credibility.
The Angolan statesman also participated in the Climate Summit, promoted by the UN, in Dubai (COP28), where he reiterated Angola's commitment to contributing to the global improvement of the environment and highlighted Angola's commitment to renewable energy.
Still within the framework of strengthening economic diplomacy, João Lourenço carried out a state and working visit to the Republic of Kenya, during which 11 cooperation agreements were initialed, in the most varied areas.
In Spain, the Head of State was publicly praised by the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), in the voice of its president, Durão Barroso, for everything he did in the efforts to vaccinate the Angolan population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this regard, he was awarded the Order of Merit and witnessed at Westminster Abbey in London the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.
João Lourenço also participated in the XIV Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), in São Tomé e Príncipe, where he handed over the rotating presidency, for two years, to his counterpart, Carlos Vila Nova, from whom he received the José Aparecido de Oliveira Prize.
The Angolan President's agenda also included a trip to Botswana, where several agreements were signed, and to Japan, where he met with Emperor Naruhito, the Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, and business entities.
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, João Lourenço participated in the African Union Summit, while in Equatorial Guinea he participated in two extraordinary summits of the Community of Central African States, CEEAC, following the deposition of President Ali Bongo, in Gabon, and witnessed the Andry Rajoelina's inauguration as President of the Republic of Madagascar.
Hosting events
In the Angolan capital, João Lourenço received his counterparts from the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, from Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel and Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, from France, Emmanuel Macron, the then Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, and the Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer.
Luanda also hosted the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, ICGLR, which discussed, among other issues, the security situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.
The counterpart of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, came to Luanda several times to discuss the cantonment program of the M23 forces, as part of the pacification of the east of that country.
On the other hand, Angola hosted a high-level meeting to assess the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), which brought together the Angolan President and his counterparts from the DRC and Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno.
By telephone, João Lourenço spoke with some counterparts, such as Korea's Yoon Suk-Yeol, with a view to strengthening relations of friendship and bilateral cooperation.
On the sidelines of the visits of the Presidents and foreign statesmen to the country, business forums took place, in which Angola called for cooperation to diversify its economy.
In Luanda, João Lourenço participated in the 147th Assembly of the Parliamentary Union, where he assured that the country hosted the event to contribute to solving the global problems of peace, social justice and promoting exchange between peoples and nations.
He presented Angola as a country of peace and reconciliation, in full development, with a wide religious diversity, vast cultural mosaic and natural riches, open to modernism and engaged in the diversification of its economy and investing in a national strategy for sustainable and inclusive development.
At the Luanda Biennale, the President declared that the creation and consolidation of a culture of peace in Africa must be a fundamental step towards establishing the climate and the essential conditions for the African peoples and nations to dedicate themselves, with all their ingenuity, to the tasks of promoting progress and development.
After assuming the Chairpersonship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the 43rd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, he organised an extraordinary summit on the security situation in the DRC.
It organized, with the support of the African Union and the UN, a quadripartite summit between the ICGLR, SADC, CAO and ECCAS, as well as Regional Mechanisms, with a focus on the growing insecurity that is destabilizing the DRC.
On the sidelines of the Summits and Forums in which he participated, he held regional consultation meetings and intense diplomatic activity with counterparts and representatives of national and international institutions and the business world.
Domestic activity
From a domestic point of view, the Head of State participated in the inauguration of the new Luanda International Airport, witnessed, in Benguela province, the transfer of rail and logistics support services from the Lobito Corridor to an international Consortium, as well as inaugurated, in Lunda Sul, the Luele diamond mine, a mining investment of USD 415 million.
He inaugurated the Soyo Naval Base, in the province of Zaire, and carried out working visits to the provinces of Malanje, Cunene, Bengo, Huíla, Lunda Sul and Zaire, during which he inaugurated and “inspected” the progress of the construction works of several infrastructures. -economic and social structures financed with public funds.
He unveiled the plaque and pressed the button that marks the completion of the works on the temporary diversion of the Kwanza River, as part of the construction works of the Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Power Plant, the third largest in Africa and the largest in Angola, which may be completed in October 2026, and generate 2171 megawatts of electricity.
In Malanje, he guided the inaugural event of the Cuije Water Supply System, capable of producing 720 cubic meters of water and a reserve of 8,750 cubic meters to benefit 390 thousand inhabitants on a regular basis.
In the urban district of Maianga (Luanda), João Lourenço cut the ribbon on the headquarters building of the Attorney General's Office (PGR), as part of the celebrations of the institution's 44th anniversary.
Still in Luanda, as part of monitoring public contracts, he visited the rehabilitation and modernization works of the Prenda hospital, and the construction of the future Luanda’s burn hospital (already opened) and general hospital in Viana, having expressed disappointment with the progress of the works in the latter.
Appointments
In another area, the President appointed José de Lima Massano Minister of State for Economic Coordination, and promulgated the election, by the National Assembly, of Manuel António Tiago Dias, as Governor of the National Bank of Angola (BNA).
He appointed new ministers of Industry and Commerce, Rui Miguêns de Oliveira, and of Economy and Planning, Victor Hugo Guilherme.
He nominated Manuel André da Costa Canguezeze for the position of Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Housing, Rui de Andrade Teles Carreira for Civil Aviation, Maritime and Port, and Yuri Walter de Sousa Santos for Secretary of State for the Environment.
Ambassadors António Manuel Luvualu de Carvalho, for the Community of Australia, Florêncio Mariano da Conceição e Almeida, for Indonesia, José Andrade de Lemos, for East Timor, were sworn in.
Jorge Miguêns Augusto, for the Economic sector in Luanda, Franco Mufinda, to occupy the Political, Social and Economic sector in Malanje, and for the same positions Abel do Rosário Kapitango in the province of Namibe, Luzia José (Cuanza Norte) rose to vice-governors) and Angelino Elavoco (Huambo).
He appointed the former Minister of the Interior, Ângelo Tavares, responsible for the General Inspectorate of State Administration (IGAE), and appointed a new Board of Directors for the Sovereign Fund, headed by Armando Manuel.
Remodeled the Boards of Directors of the National Post and Telegraph Companies of Angola, the Public Water Company (EPAL) and the Electricity Production Company (PRODEL), the Geological Institute of Angola (IGEA), the Angolan Communications Institute (INACOM), the Management Company of Aeroportos (SGA), Caminhos de Ferro de Luanda (CFL) and made adjustments to Public Television of Angola (TPA).
He swore in the new President of the Court of Auditors, Sebastião Domingos Ngunza, after accepting the resignation of his predecessor Exâlgina Gâmboa, as well as sworn in the vice-president of the Supreme Court, Efigénia Mariquinha dos Santos Lima Clemente, and several other magistrates of the judicial branch and of the Public Ministry.
This year, the President of the Republic accredited several foreign ambassadors, residents and non-residents, and bid farewell to those who left diplomatic missions in the country, as well as sending several messages of congratulations on the occasion of the national days of the respective countries.
On the other hand, the Head of State presided over, during the year now ending, several meetings of his consultative bodies linked to the country's governance, namely, ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the Council of Ministers, local governance council and the Economic and Social.
Commander-in-Chief
As Commander-in-Chief, he also presided over two meetings of the National Security Council that analyzed the internal situation, conflicts in the world, the occurrence of coups d'état on the continent and the situation in the East of the DRC.
The National Security Council assessed the National Security Bills, the Organic Statute of the Military Intelligence and Security Service and other matters of interest to the life and functioning of the Defense and Security Organs.
He appointed Teresa Manuel Bento da Silva to the position of deputy director general of the External Intelligence Service (SIE), replacing Mário António da Costa Dias.
It brought together, in Menongue, Cuando Cubango, the military leadership of the Angolan Armed Forces and witnessed the first Command and General Staff Exercise/2023, with tactical maneuver, at the Soba Matias Polygon.
After being expanded and inaugurated, he inaugurated the Soyo naval base, in the province of Zaire, and inspected the first phase of work on the National Maritime Surveillance Coordination Center in Luanda, budgeted at US$70 million.
In the year just ending, the Head of State listened to ideas, projects and concerns of population segments represented by various civil society organizations.
Deputy President with eyes focused on the well-being of Angolan families
On the other hand, during 2023, the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa, had an intense work schedule in her first year in office, being the first woman in the history of Angola to hold the position.
Esperança da Costa, who entered the annals of the history of Angolan politics by becoming the first woman elected to the position of Vice-President of the Republic, for the 2022-2027 term, had as a highlight of the agenda the participation, representing the Head of State, at the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), held in Doha, capital of Qatar.
During the current year, she invested in the social area, which is a priority for the Executive, in order to improve the lives of Angolan families. Highlight for the inauguration of the specialized burn hospital unit Neves Bendinha (known as Hospital dos Queimados).
She committed to implementing measures to reduce the rate of maternal and child deaths and reduce cases of malaria, HIV/AIDS, as well as breast and prostate cancer.
The participation, in Ankara, Turkish capital, in the investiture ceremony of the re-elected President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was also one of the milestones carried out by the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa.
In the field of education, she has worked on the PAT II project (Learning for All and Girls' Empowerment), as well as the rehabilitation of schools and equipment that includes scholarships and a grant for needy families.
The Vice-President of the Republic chaired several ordinary sessions, such as the participation of the Angolan delegation at COP 28, which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, of the National Commission for Climate Change and Biodiversity.
The status of Angola's participation in the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28), the National Strategies on Climate Change and Biodiversity, the state of implementation of Climate Action, as well as the state of play on biodiversity, climate change and desertification in the country are: among others, topics to be addressed during the meeting.
The Vice-President also travelled to Cape Verde, where she participated in the First International Congress on Science, Innovation and Development in Lusophony, as well as the audience with the Cape Verdean Head of State, José Maria Pereira Neves, also marked the minister's agenda.
Another highlight has to do with her participation in the African Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, where she assured that 'Angola maintains its unwavering commitment to Africa's progress and resilience'.
It is also worth noting the three-day working visit to the province of Huambo, where she fulfilled a work agenda within the framework of monitoring the Education, Higher Education and Environment sectors.
During her stay, the Vice-President of the Republic received general information about the José Eduardo dos Santos University (UJES), from the rector, Virgínia Quartin, and also made visits to the UJES offices and the Center for Tropical Ecology and Changes Climate, where the Huambo Cold Greenhouse is implemented.
She visited the municipality of Cachiungo, where she found the strategic points of social and economic interest and held a meeting with a group of 200 women from the 11 municipalities of the region.
Esperança da Costa travelled to the province of Zaire for a 48-hour visit to the municipality of Mbanza Kongo, where she chaired the 1st Ordinary Session of the National Multisectoral Commission for the Safeguarding of World Cultural Heritage.
The Vice President of the Republic visited the Lubango General Hospital, in the municipality of Chibia, to learn about the operation of this health unit, the largest in the province. JFS/FMA/VIC/EJT/DOJ
