Luanda: Angolan President Joo Louren§o returned to the country on Wednesday night, after concluding a three-day official visit to the Republic of Serbia, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation. Upon arriving at 4 de Fevereiro International Airport, the Head of State, accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Louren§o, received welcome greetings from the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperan§a da Costa, and other entities.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Angolan statesman's visit opened a new stage in relations between Angola and Serbia, whose historical ties date back to the 1970s, in the period of the former Yugoslavia. During the visit, Joo Louren§o held official talks with the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, and also met with the President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabic.
The delegations of the two countries signed ten agreements and memoranda of understanding in the sectors of finance, transport, environment, agriculture, industry and trade, information and communication technologies, postal services, export promotion, and reciprocal protection of investments. After the signing of the legal instruments, President Joo Louren§o defended a new stage in bilateral relations, based on strengthening economic cooperation and increasing private investment.
At the Angola-Serbia business round table, the Head of State invited Serbian businessmen, investors, and financial institutions to invest in the Angolan market and to take advantage of the opportunities in various sectors of the national economy. During the official talks, President Aleksandar Vucic expressed interest in establishing a direct air link between Belgrade and Luanda, as he believes that greater connectivity could favor trade, tourism, and investment.
The visit was also marked by the exchange of decorations between the two Heads of State. Joo Louren§o was distinguished with the Order of the Republic of Serbia, in recognition of his contribution to the strengthening of relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. In an act of reciprocity, the Angolan President awarded Aleksandar Vucic with the Ant³nio Agostinho Neto Order, one of the highest distinctions of the Republic of Angola.
Still in Belgrade, Joo Louren§o laid a wreath next to the monument of Ant³nio Agostinho Neto, visited the Serbian National Assembly, and participated in an official dinner hosted by his Serbian counterpart. On the last day of the trip, the Head of State visited the Serbian Military Technical Institute and the company Vlatacom, specialized in information and communication technologies, learning about the country's capabilities in the defense and high technology sectors.
With the agreements signed, Angola and Serbia now have new legal instruments capable of providing greater security to investors and creating conditions for a more dynamic and advantageous economic cooperation for both countries.