Luanda - Portugal has said it will make 34 million Euros available for Angola until the end of this year for the facelift of the São Francisco de Penedo Fortress in Luanda.
Located in the Angolan capital and classified in 1992 as a national cultural heritage site, the Fortress of Penedo was built in the colonial period to guard the sea and protect the Port of Luanda.
Currently under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, the Penedo Fortress was also used as a slave depot in colonial times by the Portuguese authorities.
The extraordinary sum of 34 million Euros follows a Memorandum of Understanding for Direct Support to Angola's General Budget signed Sunday in Luanda.
The financing agreement was signed by Angola’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Téte António, and Portuguese counterpart João Gomes Cravinho, on the sidelines of the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Angola-European Union (EU) Joint Pathway.
According to the Portuguese Foreign Affairs minister, the support is a celebration of what is a joint heritage, adding that it has special significance, since it comes a year before the 50th anniversary of Angola's independence.
The agreement takes into account the priorities defined in the Long Term Strategy - Angola 2050, as well as the relevant strategic programs of the sectors.
Angola and Portugal established diplomatic relations on March 9, 1976 and have strong cultural and historical ties. MGM/VC/DAN
