Angola’s 50th independence anniversary marked in Seoul

Ambassadors from across Africa and beyond gathered in central Seoul earlier this week in order to congratulate Angola on the 50th anniversary of the country's independence.

The celebration, hosted by Angolan Amb. Sianga Kivuila Samuel Abílio at a downtown Seoul hotel, drew more than 200 guests, including diplomats, government officials, and business leaders.

Among the distinguished attendees were Moroccan Amb. Chafik Rachadi, Tanzanian Amb. Togolani Edriss Mavura, Egyptian Amb. Khaled Abdel Rahman, Portuguese Amb. Susana Vaz Patto, Ethiopian Amb. Dessie Dalkie Dukamo, Congolese Amb. Atoki Ileka, Sudanese Am. Amira Agarib, Tunisian Amb. Kais Darragi, Bulgarian Amb. Petar Kraytchev, South African Amb. Sindiswa Ntombolimo Mququ, Timor-Leste Amb. António de Sá Benevides, Gabonese Amb. Landry Mboumba, and Dominican Amb. Angie Shakira Martínez Tejera.

In his welcoming address, Amb. Abílio noted that Nov. 1 marks half a century since Angola gained independence after nearly 500 years of Portuguese colonial rule.

“Today, after 50 years as a free and independent nation, Angola stands among Africa’s ten largest economies,” he said, adding that the country covers 1.25 million square kilometers and is home to around 35 million people.

Recalling that diplomatic relations between Angola and South Korea were established in 1993, Amb. Abílio described the partnership as “a lasting and fruitful collaboration.”

Since then, he said, cooperation has expanded across key sectors including trade, energy, education, technology, and infrastructure.

He stressed that Korea’s own transformation — from postwar poverty to global prosperity through rapid industrialization and technological advancement — serves as an inspiration for Angola’s development journey.

Regarding recent milestones, Abílio noted that bilateral relations have been further strengthened by seven new agreements signed during the official visit of Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço to Korea in April 2024.

These agreements, he said, deepened collaboration in strategic development areas and underscored the growing friendship between the two nations.

The envoy also underlined Angola’s economic potential, pointing out that it is Africa’s second-largest oil producer and possesses vast reserves of diamonds, natural gas, and critical minerals, in addition to political stability and a favorable geographic position.

“Cooperation with Angola presents strategic and economic advantages for Korea,” he said.

According to the Angolan Embassy, President Lourenço reflected on the country’s five-decade journey, acknowledging the political and social struggles that followed independence.

“We have made a difficult journey over these 50 years,” he said, citing Cold War-era conflicts and the legacy of colonialism.

The president pledged to focus on building “an inclusive society with equal opportunities for all citizens,” while recognizing that Angola still faces “enormous and complex challenges,” including poverty, unemployment, and limited access to education and healthcare.

Despite major progress in infrastructure and urban development, Angola continues to grapple with economic and social inequality.

In his remarks, President Lourenço also expressed concern about instability in the Sahel region and ongoing conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, noting that these crises “deserve our full attention.”