Africa-Press – Angola. Angolan president João Lourenço left on Wenesday for a two-day state visit to Brazil at the invitation of his counterpart, President Lula da Silva, with the aim of reinforcing bilateral cooperation.
According to a statement from the Presidency of the Republic, the official agenda in Brasília will begin Friday with a meeting between the two presidents, followed by the signing of agreements.
A lunch in honor of the Angolan head of state will be held at the Itamaraty Palace, the headquarters of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bilateral cooperation
Cooperation between Angola and Brazil began on June 11, 1980, with the signing of the Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation Agreement.
Through this agreement, the two countries have developed cooperation in health, culture, public administration, vocational training, education, the environment, sports, statistics, and agriculture.
Brazil was the first country to recognize Angola’s independence, and the Brazilian government sees the Angolan president’s visit as “very symbolic.” They aim to strengthen agricultural relations.
This visit is a milestone in Brazil-Angola relations. In 2023, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Angola on one of his first trips abroad after starting his third term. This shows the importance of not only Angola and Portuguese-speaking countries but also the African continent.
President João Lourenço’s visit is even more significant because it coincides with Angola’s 50th anniversary of independence, which Brazil was the first country to recognize.
Another important aspect of the visit is that the Head of State is currently the president of the African Union on a rotating basis.
Cooperation in agriculture is expected to take center stage, particularly regarding the project in the Cunene Valley in southwestern Angola. This project is part of a cooperation program with Brazil aimed at promoting irrigated agriculture.
From May 5 to 10, a Brazilian agribusiness sector mission visited Angola, including around 30 Brazilian businessmen and the Brazilian minister of agriculture, Carlos Fávaro. The minister made technical visits to the provinces of Luanda, Malanje, and Cuanza-Norte, and participated in meetings with Angolan private sector representatives to discuss financing options.
The purpose of the visit was to prepare proposals for progress in bilateral agricultural cooperation on the eve of President João Lourenço’s visit.
Around 70% of Brazil’s exports to Angola come from the agribusiness sector, particularly sugar, chicken, beef, and pork. These exports totaled 340 million U.S. dollars in 2024.
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