Pretoria - President João Lourenço on Thursday in Pretoria invited South African businessmen to invest in Angola and take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered by the country.
The President made the invitation at the opening of the South Africa-Angola Business Forum, which is attended by about 100 businessmen from both countries.
The Angolan urged business people from both countries to form partnerships aimed at building more resilient economies for the growth of both countries and peoples.
João Lourenço invited businessmen to "carefully explore the opportunities that the country offers and to personally experience the Angolan reality, where they are welcomed with open doors, both as investors and as tourists".
The President stated that South Africa is today a continental reference in digital innovation, financial services, agricultural technologies and industrial solutions, and is clearly a natural strategic partner for Angola.
Lourenço pointed to the energy sector as one of the most promising areas of cooperation between the two countries, especially given the current surplus of electricity generation capacity in Angola and the consumption needs yet to be met in South Africa.
"We consider it essential to invest in direct cooperation between Angolan and South African companies, with an approach that strengthens interaction between entrepreneurs, managers and investors from both countries, promoting innovation, increasing competitiveness and improving access to markets, technologies and resources," said Lourenço.
João Lourenço added that he expects that throughout the Forum, participants will have the opportunity to analyze in depth the measures that the country is implementing to improve the business environment and, consequently, attract more foreign investment.
According to the statesman, these measures have significantly simplified and accelerated the processes for implementing private investments, promoting the adoption of new technologies and more efficient business practices.
"In this way, we will be able to turn our economic potential into a tangible reality, creating a legacy of progress, prosperity and sustainable development for future generations," said the Angolan President.
The Business Forum was the final leg of President João Lourenço's visit to South Africa, which began with a reception at the Presidential Palace and a private meeting with his counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa.
The two presidents then spoke at the opening of talks between the two countries' governments and witnessed the signing of agreements in the areas of higher education and culture.
In the most symbolic moment, João Lourenço was awarded the medal of the Order of South Africa, the country's highest honor.
The relationship between Angola and South Africa has deep roots, cultivated over decades of struggle for the emancipation and progress of the African continent.
Soon after the fall of apartheid, with the democratic transition in South Africa, the two countries embarked on a path of cooperation that was consolidated in several areas of common interest, a historic milestone that allowed old challenges to be transformed into opportunities for constructive dialogue based on the pillars of regional integration, the promotion of peace and security and the search for sustainable development. AFL/ART/AMP
