Luanda - The Head of State, João Lourenço, has expressed Angola´s interest in seeing more Spanish businesspeople invest in the Angolan market in the framework of the diversification of the country's economy.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper ABC, the Angolan Head of State noted that several Spanish companies were operating in Angola in different areas of the economy, highlighting sectors such as health, higher education, transport and defence.
Regarding the defence sector, the Angolan President said that Spain was building three Airbus C-295 aircraft for Angola’s control and surveillance work of the country´s extensive coastline.
“With the new business environment in Angola we would like the Spanish private sector to do more”, added João Lourenço, pointing to the naval industry as one of the preferential segments.
However, the Head of State said that in relation to the naval industry everything depended on the credit facilities offered to Angola by Spain.
The president highlighted that Spain is a sea-oriented country, one that has a good naval industry and that Angola needs to better patrol its territorial waters and maritime coast, as well as in view of the fact that it is located close to the Gulf of Guinea.
In terms of partnership in the energy resources sector, the president said that the Angolan market was open and to him there is green light for Spanish companies to operate in the country in that segment.
In relation to renewable energy, João Lourenço noted that Angola is in a transition period, hence much of the electricity produced domestically is already from clean sources, fundamentally, hydroelectric and solar.
“Any other offers or private investment in that sector of solar energy, wind energy, green hydrogen are all welcome. Angola is receptive to make in a short time, in a few years, the complete energy transition”, said João Lourenço.
During the interview, the statesman said that, in Africa, Angola has been playing a role in bringing Portuguese and Spanish speakers closer together.
He stressed that at Angola's insistence, Equatorial Guinea, a Spanish-speaking country, is currently a member of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).
Angola and foreign affairs
In the context of international relations, the President of the Republic foresees, for the next few years, an Angola increasingly inserted in the world economy.
Regarding bilateral and multilateral diplomatic relations, he said that Angola has the characteristic of relating to every country in the world, except those that are considered rogue states and that do not comply with the United Nations (UN) principles.
“We have been focusing on taking advantage of our own experience in building peace to help other people who are still going through difficult moments of conflicts to build a definitive peace, as ours is”, said the Angolan President.
João Lourenço added that there is the prospect of Africa being represented both at the G20 and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
According to President Lourenço, Angola will have the goal of being the country or one of the African countries that may represent the continent.
