Portugal, Angola talk

Lisbon – After years of tensions, Portugal and Angola are seeking to put relations back on track, with high-level visits planned to push economic ties and repair their troubled past.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa arrives in Luanda today, while Angola’s President Joao Lourenco is due to visit Lisbon on November 23 and 24.

The diplomacy marks an effort to move beyond the legacy of colonial rule over Angola that ended in 1975 when Portugal withdrew without handing over power, and Angola sank into civil war until 2002.

Angola entered a new era last year when Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country with an iron fist from 1979 to 2017, stepped down and was replaced by Lourenco.

“What’s important is that both sides are able to identify the obstacles and troublesome elements,” Angola’s Foreign Minister Manuel Augusto said last week.