Algiers — President of the Republic of Angola, Joao Lourenço, said Monday that Algeria and his country possess the capacity to contribute significantly to the development of the African continent, particularly in the energy and industrial sectors, and infrastructure development.
In a joint press statement with the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on the occasion of his state visit to Algeria, the Angolan President said: “We are interested in exploring all opportunities available to both countries without exception, as we believe that Angola and Algeria have the capacity to contribute significantly not only to the development of their own countries but also to the development of the whole continent, notably in the energy and industrial sectors, and in the development of the continent’s infrastructure.”
President Joao Lourenço highlighted the defining features of bilateral relations between Algeria and Angola, noting that the purpose of his visit is “to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and their peoples, who share a common history of struggles and victories.” He added that the shared struggle of both countries “was not only against European colonialism, but also against the underdevelopment left in its wake.”
Regarding the substance of his discussions with the President of the Republic, the Angolan President said that they covered various aspects of cooperation of mutual interest, culminating in the signing of 11 cooperation agreements that “will lead our path toward the future,” he added.
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President Lourenço expressed gratitude to Algeria for the support it provided to his country since the earliest days of its independence. “We still remember that the first engineers and executives in the energy sector were trained in Algeria,” he said.
“Some of them remain to this day among the senior staff of our national company ‘Sonangol,’ and even among the company’s management.”
On his assessment of the current state of bilateral cooperation, the Angolan president said, “We have committed to working to rectify the current situation, and that is why it is necessary to hold the fifth session of the bilateral joint commission between the two countries as soon as possible.”
He concluded by extending an invitation to the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to pay a visit to Angola.