BRASILIA, May 26 (AGCNewsNet) — Angola has significantly expanded its diplomatic and economic cooperation with Brazil following the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements aimed at bolstering ties in key sectors including agriculture, energy, security, and infrastructure.

Speaking during a joint press conference in Brasilia on Friday, Angolan President João Lourenço highlighted the importance of the newly signed agreements with his Brazilian counterpart, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The deals cover areas such as human rights, forest conservation, oil and energy innovation, and a joint initiative to combat transnational crime.

“We want to see Brazilian private investment in Angola and Angolan private investment in Brazil,” Lourenço stated, while also encouraging the reopening of a Brazilian financing line to support export credit coverage. He stressed that Brazilian companies have a crucial role in Angola’s ongoing infrastructure development.

The agreements were finalized during Lourenço’s three-day official visit to Brazil, his first since attending Lula’s inauguration in January 2023. The trip concluded with meetings involving African diplomats and Caribbean Community representatives in Brazil.

President Lula praised Angola’s economic reliability, saying, “Angola has always been a good payer and settled its debt five years ahead of schedule. No one should fear selling to Angola or offering loans because Angolans honour their obligations.”

Among the key deals, Brazil’s state development bank agreed to finance the acquisition of Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft for Angola, which will replace older Antonov An-12s. Lula also confirmed Brazil’s readiness to help restore Angola’s Super Tucano fleet, strengthening the country’s aviation security.

Petrobras and Angola’s state oil firm Sonangol signed a MoU to advance joint exploration in ultra-deepwater basins, including the Cameia-Golfinho field in Bengo Province. Angola was Brazil’s largest crude oil supplier in 2024, with imports exceeding US$1 billion.

Agriculture was another major focus of the cooperation efforts. Brazil’s Embrapa has trained 75 Angolan technicians in food storage and cost analysis. Additionally, a pending bilateral treaty could allocate 500,000 hectares of Angolan farmland for Brazilian-led agricultural projects, aimed at improving food security and economic development.

“If these agreements materialise, they will undoubtedly strengthen the friendship and collaboration between our nations,” Lourenço said, calling the partnerships “transformative.”

Brazil was the first country to recognise Angola’s independence in 1975. However, ties cooled under the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has since pledged to restore strong diplomatic and economic links with Africa. “We can clearly see that Brazil is back in Africa,” Lourenço affirmed, noting increased engagement between the two governments over the past two years.

Stay connected with AGC Newsnet for more news from Africa

Source: Macao News