In statements – cited by Jornal Económico – in a video, which was broadcast at the 'Doing Business Angola 2024' conference, held this Tuesday in Lisbon (Portugal), Francisco Alegre Duarte, who highlighted the purpose of diversifying the Angolan economy, said that Portugal has a "great responsibility and great opportunity".
"Angola continues to be a country of economic opportunities beyond oil", pointed out the Portuguese ambassador, having highlighted the areas of "agro-industry, tourism, pharmaceutical industry", and argued that "it is necessary to take risks and invest in Angola".
According to the ambassador, Angola is considered "a structural market for Portuguese companies".
"Angola is a structural market for Portuguese companies. Portugal exports two billion euros to Angola. We have 1250 Portuguese and Portuguese-Angolan companies. Construction creates tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs", he stated, having highlighted as challenges that companies face "the predictability of payments, legal security, exchange rate stability, access to foreign currency".
In his words, quoted by Jornal Económico, the ambassador also said that there is "great confidence" in the country: "There is great confidence in Angola, a long-term bet, which allows it to gain scale and offset the economic cycles in Europe and Portugal, a fundamental bet in the internationalization process".
Furthermore, he also considered that the visits that Paulo Rangel, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, will make to Angola will boost and strengthen relations.
"The visits will give impetus and reinforce the very good relationship on a political level and can go further in economic terms", he said, adding that they have "powerful instruments" such as the "financing line".
"It is a relationship marked by maturity, fraternity and equality. And it must also reflect on economic opportunities", he said, in statements cited by Jornal Económico.
It should be noted that the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs will visit Angola next week, while Montenegro's visit is scheduled for next month.
