Sophie Aubert was speaking at the opening of a forum organized by Business France, held as part of a French business mission in the port, logistics and maritime sector, which began on Tuesday and runs until Friday, for market research.
The French diplomat considered this mission very important, which aims to offer better knowledge of Angola as a country and also its economic sector, to French partners, some of whom are visiting Angola for the first time.
According to Sophie Aubert, France is the first foreign investor in Angola and, as a whole, French companies are the third foreign employer in the country, highlighting that the activities of close to 130 companies, of which 60 are established in the country, annually represent a total of six billion euros.
Sophie Aubert also highlighted that France was Angola's second trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, in 2022, and the first supplier of wheat to the country, in 2023.
The French ambassador to Angola said that the French Public Investment Bank has mobilized guarantees for Angola worth 1.85 billion euros, saying that two private banks have open credit lines for Angola worth 500 million euros each, with a further third.
The French Development Agency (AFD) has 700 million euros available for loans and subsidies, highlighted the French diplomat.
“Our French team works to facilitate this dynamic that I just described. For example, Business France is here to boost economic relations, through the missions we organize here and in France”, said Sophie Aubert, emphasizing that “there is real trust from the French economic sectors in Angola”.
Through these missions, the ambassador highlighted, France intends to support Angola with economic partnerships and intensify economic relations between the two countries, also highlighting that the French Government intends to monitor the structuring of markets and the Angolan economy, through regional or regional integration. worldwide.
In October, Angola officially joined as an observer member of the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF), during the 19th Summit of member countries, five years after presenting its candidacy.
