The Prime Minister, António Costa, believes that Portugal and Angola have built a very special, mature and even complicit relationship, pointing out that Portuguese companies have always been present in the Angolan market, even in difficult economic conditions.
These positions were defended by the leader of the Portuguese executive in an interview with Jornal de Angola, published this Monday.
António Costa arrived in Luanda this morning for a two-day official visit, having been received at the airport by Angolan Foreign Minister Téte António and Luanda Governor Manuel Homem.
I died this morning #Luanda for an official visit that takes place at a very positive time in relations between #Portugal It is #Angola. We look to the future with renewed ambition and the certainty that we can do more and better in the various areas of cooperation. pic.twitter.com/25cCw5aNCe
Antonio Costa (@antoniocostapm) June 5, 2023
In an interview with Jornal de Angola about the celebration of the 50th anniversary of April 25 in 2024 and the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence in 2025, the Prime Minister argued that the two events are “inseparable”.
“Inseparable from the start because of the impact that the Angolan War of Liberation had on the end of the fascist regime in Portugal, but also because of the step that April 25 marked for Angola’s independence. The priorities of the Armed Forces Movement for Democratic Portugal at the time were clear: democratize, decolonize and develop On this basis, on this shared liberation from an oppressive regime, we built a very special, mature and even complicit relationship between Portugal and Angola, which lasts today and which we want to continue in the future retain”to maintain.
Regarding his second official visit to Angola – the first was in September 2018 – António Costa said it takes place at a time when bilateral relations are excellent”.
“This circumstance forces us to look to the future of the bilateral relationship with renewed ambition and to succeed in doing more and better in the various areas of cooperation. The absence of irritants allows us to fully focus on the potential we can achieve “he declared.
Among the bilateral agreements that will be signed today, at a ceremony that will take place after a meeting with the President of Angola, João Lourenço, the leader of the Portuguese executive highlighted two: “the extension of the Portugal-Angola credit line, which will move from the current EUR 1.5 billion to EUR 2 billion; and the new Strategic Cooperation Program for the five-year period 2023-2027”.
According to António Costa, this new strategic cooperation program marks “the 45 years of cooperation between Portugal and Angola” and gives “a boost of 43 percent compared to the previous programme”.
In the interview, the Prime Minister also promised to contribute to the diversification of the Angolan economy.
“Angola has pursued a reformist and ambitious agenda in recent years, namely with regard to the objectives of economic diversification, state reform and anti-corruption. Portugal remains committed and available to support the Angolan authorities in these efforts”he said.
In this regard, António Costa stressed that Portuguese companies “have never left Angola, even in the most difficult times, and are able to invest in new areas of the Angolan economy, such as agri-food, renewable energy, blue economy, fisheries, tourism and others that Angola has set as a priority”.
Source: DN
