March 29, 2024

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DRC-Angola: Tshisekedi and Lourenço Identify cooperation priorities!

The Congolese President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi and the Angolan João Lourenço make economic and security cooperation their common priority.

The two heads of state spoke at a joint press conference at the end of their tete-a-tete on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at the Presidential Palace in Luanda, Angola.

In presence in Luanda also there was Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Leonard She Okitundu, Minister of Finance Henri Yav Mulang and Defense Minister Crispin Atama Tabe


The two heads of state reviewed the issues of the reorganization of cross-border trade, the first issue.

They appreciated the need to better explore the benefits of the Benguela railway, linked to the port of Lobito, which is one of the decisive instruments for the development of the DRC’s mining industry, with consequential effects on Angola.

The second case concerned the Inga hydroelectric dam. In this regard, João Lourenço wanted to discuss and negotiate electricity supply in the Angolan provinces of Cabinda and Zaire and other border regions of the DRC.

As for the third issue, the two countries have exploited options to share their experiences in order to overcome challenges such as lack of infrastructure, electrification, industrialization and unemployment.

According to the Angolan head of state, the two countries could not ignore the security of the long common border of more than 2,500 km.

It has been suggested that agreements in the areas of security, public order and migration (for example, to better collaborate on the expulsions of Congolese), hoping that these two Nations would move from old intentions to concrete projects.



“Every country has a lot to offer in terms of mutual gains and solving many common problems,” Lourenço told reporters.

Therefore, the DRC and Angola consider that the complementarity of their respective economies and their enormous potential will make it possible to rationalize the costs and the means to mobilize for the interest of the friendly peoples.

Moreover, this first visit of President Tshisekedi to Angola will have succeeded in restoring trust between Luanda and Kinsahsa. This, after the diplomatic muddle dating back to May 2018.

Angola’s stance with Rwanda and France on a matter of DRC sovereignty had been denounced by the power of Kabila, then head of state.

After the success of his trip from Angola, the new head of state of the DR Congo will visit, Wednesday, February 6, 2019 in Nairobi Kenya before ending his first sub-regional tour in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo.

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