President João Lourenço has begun a three‑day official visit to Serbia, with Angola and Serbia expected to deepen cooperation in priority sectors such as telecommunications and security.
Lourenço, accompanied by First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço, arrived in Belgrade on Monday and was received at Nikola Tesla International Airport by Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić.
It is the Angolan leader’s first visit to Serbia since taking office in 2017 and comes as the two countries signal renewed interest in revitalising a long‑standing bilateral partnership.
During the visit, Lourenço will hold talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and witness the signing of agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and accelerating the work of the Joint Commission between the two states.
The programme also includes an economic and business forum intended to expand trade and investment opportunities for Angolan and Serbian companies.
Lourenço is also expected to visit the Serbian Parliament and specialised institutions, including military facilities, underscoring the broad scope of cooperation under discussion.
Angola and Serbia share historic ties dating back to the era of the former Yugoslavia, which maintained close political and development cooperation with several African liberation movements and post‑independence governments, including Luanda.
In recent years, both countries have sought to inject new momentum into their relationship, with ongoing discussions in areas such as health, including the training of Angolan ophthalmology professionals in Serbian institutions.
Serbia, with a population of about 6.6 million, has an emerging economy driven largely by services, manufacturing and a growing export base in technology and industrial goods.
The country is also a candidate for European Union membership, a factor that Angolan officials view as an opportunity to broaden economic and diplomatic engagement.
JN/APA