Luanda - The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has expressed his dismay at the death of former Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos.
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of condolences to the Head of State, João Lourenço, following the death of José Eduardo dos Santos on Friday, in Spain, victim of illness.
With the same purpose, the vice president, prime minister and governor of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also addressed a similar message to President João Lourenço.
The former Angolan President died at the age of 79. José Eduardo dos Santos came to power in September 1979, following the death of the First President of Angola, António Agostinho Neto.
He served as President of the Republic for 38 years, until September 2017, when he was succeeded by the current Head of State, João Lourenço. In addition to being President of the Republic, he was Commander-in-Chief of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and President of the MPLA, the party that has governed the country since the proclamation of national independence on 11 November 1975.
Mr Dos Santos’ political record also includes the position of minister of Foreign Affairs, and other functions in the State and in the MPLA. He led the process that culminated in the signing of the Peace Accords on 4 April 2002, following the death of the then founding leader of UNITA, Jonas Savimbi.
