As part of the first visit of French president Emmanuel Macron to Angola, the Angolan head of state, João Lourenço, granted an exclusive interview to RFI to express his views on the major geopolitical issues of the moment, whether in Angola or in other African countries, as well as on the relationship between France and Angola.
Lourenço said that this visit, postponed because of the covid-19 pandemic, is of great political importance, adding that the expected result of this visit is the strengthening of the relations of friendship and cooperation between France and Angola.
On the key points of the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries, the Angolan president said that Angola is aiming at other sectors of the economy apart from the exploitation of oil and gas, and therefore can count on French private investments in all sectors outside the oil sector, whether in agriculture, livestock, processing of agricultural products but also in terms of fishing. These investments can create jobs, the Angolan president continued.
João Lourenço also spoke about the country’s new strategy for the oil sector, aimed at transforming Angola’s large oil production, firstly through the rehabilitation of old refineries, but also through the construction of new refineries, which will make Angola autonomous in terms of refined oil products in the next three years. In addition, Angola intends to invest in renewable sources of energy.
Regarding the meeting on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, held in Addis Ababa, the Angolan president said that “putting an end to an armed conflict takes time, given its complicity”. He added that after the last summit in Luanda, they managed to obtain a ceasefire, but it has been violated several times.
To address the situation in the DRC, the summit mandated Angola to make contact with the M23, with the aim of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire and the cantonment of M23 troops. This contact began on 28 February, the Angolan president revealed.