This is Montenegro's first official visit to Angola and, according to the Portuguese executive, it reflects the priority given to strengthening the relationship with Portuguese-speaking countries and, in particular, with Angola.
The visit will serve to define priorities and a common agenda for the coming years, starting with the political relationship, in the year in which the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April is celebrated in Portugal and a year before the fiftieth anniversary of Angola's independence, which is marks in 2025.
In terms of trade and investment, Portugal wants to invest in boosting the Portugal-Angola credit line – currently worth 2 billion euros –, in exploring investment opportunities in the Lobito Corridor – the largest development project in Angola – and in Portuguese presence at the Luanda International Fair (FILDA), which takes place this week.
The mobility of people (visas), capital (repatriation of profits) and social rights (pension portability) and vocational education and training are two other driving forces behind this movement.
"It is intended that, with this visit, Portugal asserts itself as a partner of Angola at all times", maintains the Government.
During the trip, which will pass through Luanda and Benguela, the Prime Minister will be accompanied by the Ministers of State and Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, and Minister of Economy, Pedro Reis, as well as the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nuno Sampaio, (representing the responsible minister, Paulo Rangel, who is in Rio de Janeiro at the G20 meeting) and the Secretary of State for Treasury and Finance, João Silva Lopes.
The program begins in Luanda at 10 am with a ceremony to lay a wreath at the Agostinho Neto Memorial, the first President of the Republic.
The highlight of the first day follows: the meeting with the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, at the Presidential Palace, preceded by military honors and a troop review ceremony.
The talks between the delegations of the two countries will first begin with a one-on-one meeting between Luís Montenegro and João Lourenço, to which extended delegations will later join, ending with interventions by the two heads of Government and a joint press conference and signing of legal instruments.
In July last year, during the visit of then Prime Minister António Costa to Luanda, 13 bilateral agreements were signed and the Portugal-Angola credit line was reinforced from 1.5 to two billion euros.
After a lunch offered to the Portuguese Prime Minister by the President of the Republic, Luís Montenegro will visit the Portuguese School. At the end of June, the Minister of Education, Fernando Alexandre, announced a solution for the 70 teachers who were "in a situation of serious precariousness" in this establishment.
Also on the first day of the visit, the prime minister will visit Fortaleza de São Miguel, a 16th century military fortification that became a museum after Angola's independence.
This Tuesday's agenda ends with a reception for the Portuguese community, in a hotel in Luanda, where the presence is expected of 18 members of the Angolan Government, 200 representatives of Portuguese or Portuguese-Angolan companies and 35 representatives of other sectors, including military personnel, senior officials from international organizations, academia or associations.
Luís Montenegro's visit to Angola ends on Thursday night.
