In an interview with Lusa, Rafael Vidal focused on the joint construction and "brotherhood" between the two countries, both former Portuguese colonies, and the "very intense" diplomatic partnership since Angola's independence in 1975, when Brazil was the first country to recognize.
Brazil has a strategic partnership with Angola – the second in Africa, besides South Africa – and the country was the one that received the most funds from the National Development Bank (BNDES) totaling 3.5 billion dollars, already reimbursed, "to help with the reconstruction of Angola", after the end of the civil war in 2002.
"Large engineering and construction companies came, set up shop and many are still here, investing, these works are visible", said the diplomat, highlighting the importance of presidential diplomacy resumed in the third term of Lula da Silva, who chose Angola as his your first visit.
"[President Lula] has always had this important role since his first term, especially in our most important partnerships on the south-south axis", noted Rafael Vidal, adding that "all international partnerships are welcome".
"We are not in Angola to displace or alienate other partners, we are not entering that race (...). We believe in the principle of cooperation tailored to the State that receives the cooperation and in the principle of international responsibility, we will not develop if our neighbors do not develop", declared the ambassador to Lusa, reinforcing: "Brazil is not here because other countries are, it would be here even if none of them were".
Rafael Vidal said that Brazil has already established more than 75 cooperation projects and has invested more than 20 billion dollars in Angola in two decades.
"We have the largest Brazilian community in Africa, a dynamic business community, we are 27 thousand Brazilians", he highlighted.
The level of trade also returned to pre-pandemic levels, reaching around 1.5 billion dollars, with a balanced trade balance between 2022 and 2023.
"Angola today exports much more oil, for example", highlighted the Brazilian ambassador, highlighting the "very special moment" in the relationship between the two countries thanks to the resumption of Lula da Silva's presidential diplomacy.
As fruits of this diplomacy, he pointed to achievements achieved this week, such as the first human milk bank congress, "based on the Angolan experience" and the first participation of Brazilian startups in the Angola Startup Summit.
