João Lourenço was speaking at the Presidential Palace, in Luanda, during a meeting with his North American counterpart, Joe Biden, the first President of that country to visit Angola.
"[The two countries have maintained political and diplomatic relations since May 19, 1993], which have been growing year after year, especially since in Angola we began the serious fight against corruption and impunity and we are creating a better environment for business", he highlighted.
João Lourenço recalled that, previously, President José Eduardo dos Santos had been received at the White House by George Bush and Bill Clinton, and thanked Biden for the "very friendly and warm way" in which he was also received last year.
Pointing out that Biden's arrival takes place on the eve of Angola celebrating 50 years of its independence, João Lourenço stated that this unprecedented visit "buries a past" of the two countries' Cold War relations in which they were "not always" aligned, being "a important turning point".
"We intend to work together in attracting American direct investment to Angola, in opening trade and business opportunities for Angolan investors in the American market", highlighted the chief executive.
João Lourenço intends, in particular, to increase cooperation in the Defense and Security sector, with more military training in Angola, more joint military exercises, cooperation in maritime security programs to protect the Gulf of Guinea and the South Atlantic, and in the of re-equipment and modernization of the Angolan Armed Forces.
The President also spoke about public investment projects supported by North American financial entities, with companies such as SUN Africa, Africell, Mayfair Energy, Acrow Bridge, GATES Air, as well as oil companies, and Amer-Con, in the construction of grain silos and collection points on platforms and parks along the Lobito Corridor and other points considered potential granaries of the country.
"His vision and commitment to the success of the Lobito Corridor, as well as his great contribution to our energy transition program, with the construction of solar parks in southern Angola, will always be remembered as being a great contribution to food security and energy, for the economic and social development of Angola and the southern region of Africa", he told Joe Biden during the meeting at the Presidential Palace.
The head of state also appealed to North American investors to get involved in the construction of high voltage power transmission lines under the public-private partnership regime for Southern African countries, namely for the "Copperbelt" region in Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Namibia.
Angola, he continued, has also benefited from North American support in the area of health, with programs to combat malaria, tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS, covid-19, and space technology and acquired six Boeing787 Dreamliner aircraft, the first of which Deliveries are scheduled for early 2025.
