Luanda - Angola and Brazil signed Friday seven (7) new bilateral cooperation agreements in a move intended to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
These are agreements on professional activities for the remuneration of dependents of the diplomatic, consular, military, administrative and technical staff of the diplomatic and consular missions as well as cooperation in sustainable tourism.
Both instruments were signed by minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola and Brazil, Téte António and Mauro Vieira, respectively.
The two countries also signed the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of Agriculture, aimed to stimulating broad development in the fields of agricultural and livestock systems.
In the field of Health, the parties agreed on a Cooperation project for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Leprosy/leprosy, which will improve the assistance provided to patients in the Angolan health system with regard to early detection and treatment of the disease.
The document was signed by the Ministers of Health of Angola and Brazil, Silva Lutucuta and Nisia Trindade, respectively.
The two countries also signed an agreement in the area of Education, the project of which is called "Escola para Todos", School for All, an initiative that foresees consolidating the national policy of special education oriented towards school inclusion.
At the same ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the National Institute of Support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (INAPEM) and the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE).
The objective is to stimulate and implement joint and coordinated actions for international cooperation in supporting entrepreneurship and the inclusive and sustainable development of small businesses in both countries.
The legal diplomas were signed in the presence of the two Heads of State and members of the Government of both countries.
As part of the official visit of President Lula da Silva, the Vale do Cunene Development Programme will be launched, on the occasion of the economic and business forum, which brings together, on this day, 500 businessmen, 170 of whom are members of the presidential entourage.
Agreements amount to around 80 diplomas
There are around 80 diplomas in agreements between Angola and Brazil, since the signing of the first Memorandum, in 1977, two years after the proclamation of the independence of Angolans, in 1975.
The first is linked to the air transport agreement, signed on May 13, 1977, a document that has been replaced.
Brazil was the first country in the world to recognise Angola's independence, proclaimed by President António Agostinho Neto, on 11 November 1975.
Since then, relations have been deepened in the most varied domains, culminating in the signing of 80 cooperation agreements, according to data that ANGOP had access to from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola.
Of the total number of agreements, 46 are still in force, 16 have expired, five are being ratified, three are in the process of being superseded and others are pending, according to the document.
These are agreements in the fields of air transport, investment in agriculture and energy, visas and immigration, animal and plant health, loans, education, health, technical cooperation and diplomatic consultations.
The list also contains cooperation agreements in the areas of science and technology, artistic/cultural, fisheries, oil (technical cooperation), environment, administrative policy, means of communication, trade, among others.
Angola and Brazil have also worked to strengthen and deepen their relationship within the CPLP, with emphasis on issues of mobility agreements, investment facilitation and elimination of double taxation.
Trade exchanges
In terms of trade, in 2022, Angola exported USD 574 million to Brazil (essentially oil) and imported USD 715 million from that country (with food leading the ranking).
Last year, the trade balance was negative for Angola - USD 142 million.
Angola's debt to Brazil, which in 2018 was around USD 820 million, was practically all paid in 2019. NE/SC/NIC
