Spain’s diplomacy highlighted Angola’s “remarkable connections” with the Ibero-American world and the strong political, cultural, and economic ties between the two countries. Spain announced it will make available a credit line worth €30 million (approximately $32.5 million) to finance small projects by Angolan private clients working with Spanish companies.
The announcement was made by Ambassador Manuel Lejarreta during the ceremony marking Spain’s National Day and Hispanic Day (October 12), held on Friday evening. The diplomat emphasized the “remarkable connections” between Angola and the Ibero-American world, as well as the solid bilateral relations established since 1977, two years after Angola’s independence.
He highlighted that Angola is so far the only Sub-Saharan African country to have received a state visit from the King and Queen of Spain, in 2023 — “a sign of the priority Spain places on Angola in its relations with this region.”
“The relationship between Spain and Africa is not an option for us; it is a strategic necessity, and within that context, Angola plays an important role in the Sub-Saharan region,” Lejarreta stated.
The ambassador noted that bilateral trade figures have been rising, reaching €2.4 billion ($2.6 billion) in 2024, with 40 Spanish companies currently operating in Angola, which they consider “an attractive market.”
He added that Angola is also significant for Spain’s financial support mechanisms, including credit insurance.
“In this regard, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, we are very close to signing a new €30 million ($32.5 million) credit line for small projects involving Angolan private clients and Spanish companies,” he highlighted.
Lejarreta further pointed out that the broader financial cooperation between Angola and Spain, worth €4 billion ($4.33 billion), “continues to progress well,” citing projects such as the electrical interconnection of the North-Central and Southern systems.
Spanish cooperation also extends to security and defense, culture, training and education, as well as good local governance and civil society strengthening, through the EU’s PASCAL project.
The Spanish diplomat also addressed the deepening of Angola’s relationship with European partners, expressing hope that the upcoming 7th African Union–European Union Summit, scheduled for late November and attended by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will be “a success.”
Source: Lusa
