UAE President meets Angolan leader João Manuel Lourenço

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has met Angolan leader João Manuel Lourenço at the Presidential Palace in Luanda at the start of his state visit.

Sheikh Mohamed was accorded an official reception, with a 21-gun salute after the national anthems of both countries played out.

His Highness also interacted with senior Angolan ministers and officials, while Lourenço greeted members of the UAE delegation.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1997, ties between the two countries have witnessed steady growth, highlighting a significant aspect of the UAE’s growing partnership with the African continent.

The UAE’s non-oil trade with Angola reached $2.2 billion in 2024, marking a growth of 36.3 per cent compared to 2019.

Economic relations have advanced significantly since 2021, when several memoranda were exchanged, including a cooperation deal between Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water to explore the development of solar energy and storage projects, and agreement between Presight and the Government of Angola on digital transformation.

Alongside economic initiatives, the UAE has launched several projects supporting Angola’s health, education, and digital transformation sectors. In January, the UAE sent 25 ambulances and medical equipment and supplies to Angola as part of its $220 million Global Initiative to support Africa’s healthcare sector.

Angola is one of Africa’s most resource-rich countries. It has large reserves of oil, natural gas, and valuable minerals that play a big role in the country’s economy. In recent years, Angola has also started to move beyond dependence on oil by encouraging growth in agriculture, industry, and infrastructure. This shift has created new opportunities for international cooperation and investment.

Sheikh Mohamed is accompanied by a delegation that includes Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President, and others.