João Lourenço was speaking to journalists after a meeting with the Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, and the signing of 13 legal instruments between Portugal and Angola in various areas, including the Strategic Program of Cooperation Portugal-Angola 2023-2027.
"For some, the number 13 is an unlucky number, but in our case it is a lucky number, judging by the number of legal instruments that we have just signed and that reflect the level of relationship between the two countries and the will of the parties, rulers and peoples to do everything so that, even though they are good, in a short future they become even better", stressed the head of state.
João Lourenço emphasized that these are "friendly relations, but above all economic cooperation relations between Angola and Portugal", with the two countries committed to consolidating the existing relations and building an increasingly solid connection.
"What gives luck to the relations between the two States is the political will of the two countries and the work they dedicate in favor of a good relationship", he reinforced, confirming that Angola is "extremely committed to cultivating better and better relations with Portugal", a will that he said be reciprocal, taking into account the signals that the authorities in Luanda say they receive from the Portuguese counterpart.
António Costa underlined that the strategic cooperation program will be like a 'bible', which will guide cooperation actions until 2027, highlighting that investment is open to non-traditional areas such as tourism and the blue economy.
He added that Portugal supports Luanda's strategic commitment to economic diversification, having reinforced the credit line already available by 500 million euros, from 1,500 to 2,000 million euros, with 200 million still unused.
"We are willing to continue working to do more and better", said the head of state, an idea repeated by António Costa, who highlighted the common history of Portugal and Angola and the common struggle against colonialism and dictatorship.
Asked about the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, whose temporary presidency is currently held by Angola, João Lourenço considered that it would not be "elegant" to comment on the performance of the Angolan Presidency, adding that the testimony will be transferred in August to São Tome and Príncipe, when all Member States will be able to "balance" Luanda's role in this period.
On his second official visit to Angola, which will end on Tuesday, António Costa is accompanied by the ministers of Finance, Fernando Medina, of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, of Economy, António Costa Silva, of Agriculture, Maria do Céu Antunes, and by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Francisco André.
This Monday, after having lunch with João Lourenço, the prime minister visits Casais Angola, a company that is one of the main players in the engineering and construction sector in Angola, and Acail. The latter is considered a reference company in the sector of steel products, production of industrial, food and medicinal gases, prefabricated concrete products and the sale of medicines.
António Costa ended the day with a reception for Portuguese businessmen in Angola, with around a hundred businesspeople in various sectors invited: construction and engineering, banking, energy, agri-food, consultancy, health, tourism. Members of the Angolan Government will also be present.
On Tuesday, the last day of the visit, the leader of the Portuguese executive will travel to the headquarters of Caixa Geral Angola (Caixa Geral de Depósitos holds the majority of the share capital with 51 percent), which is aimed at the large and medium-sized companies, and a visit to the Fortress of São Francisco do Penedo (a work of historic value in charge of Mota Engil) and the Portuguese School of Luanda.
The Portuguese School in Luanda, according to the Lisbon executive, has about two thousand students, is directly administered by the Portuguese State and has high school success rates.
At the end of Tuesday afternoon, the Prime Minister leaves for South Africa, joining the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on Wednesday in the celebrations of Portugal Day with the Portuguese communities of Johannesburg and from Pretoria.
