Luanda: President Joo Louren§o stated on Tuesday, at the opening of the 2026 Judicial Year in Luanda, that the consolidation of democracy and the strengthening of citizens' trust in institutions depend on the integrity, honor, rigor, and transparency of those who exercise the high responsibility of administering justice.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Head of State stressed that the independence of the judiciary is not limited to a constitutional guarantee, but also constitutes an individual ethical requirement for each magistrate. He noted that any conduct compromising the integrity of the judicial system affects not only concrete decisions but also weakens the credibility of the entire justice system and diminishes society's trust in institutions.
Louren§o highlighted the dedicated work of the majority of magistrates, lawyers, and judicial officials, who, with personal sacrifice and a high sense of duty, contribute daily to the affirmation and consolidation of the justice system in Angola. However, the President appealed for continued adherence to ethical standards, emphasizing that the judicial function demands irreproachable conduct, discipline, dedication, a sense of mission, and patriotism.
The president stressed that the fight against corruption, impunity, and all forms of ethical misconduct must remain a permanent priority, conducted with firmness, justice, and respect for fundamental rights.
Joo Louren§o highlighted the importance of procedural speed as a critical factor in guaranteeing justice, underlining that a justice system that is slow to decide harms citizens, affects the economy, weakens legal certainty, and compromises confidence in the Judiciary. The president reinforced that speed should be an essential value of the good administration of justice, without compromising the quality of decisions.
To that end, he recommended strengthening human capital, modernizing services, simplifying procedures, focusing on digitization, and valuing a culture of responsibility, organization, and productivity in judicial institutions.
Regarding the enhancement of human resources, the president reported that at least 490 judicial magistrates, public prosecutors, technicians, and judicial operators were trained in 2025. He said the government invested in facilitating access to basic documentation and in the reliability of the citizen's registry, with modern infrastructure and solutions that bring services closer to the citizen.
Regarding working conditions, the President detailed that four Courts of Appeal were installed in Luanda, Benguela, Lubango, and Uge, with the Court of Appeal of Saurimo still pending. Joo Louren§o reported that four Integrated Child and Adolescent Care Centers operate in the provinces of Huila, Malanje, Moxico, and Icolo e Bengo. He informed that the Juvenile Re-education Center in Huambo province will be completed later this year.
The president highlighted the importance of international judicial agreements to ensure the effectiveness of justice beyond borders, adding that Angola has signed 25 bilateral treaties on criminal judicial cooperation with 11 countries, covering transfers of convicted persons, extradition, legal assistance, exchange of information in complex cases, and combating economic crime, corruption, human trafficking, and other transnational offenses. Louren§o said that international protocols and conventions, ratified within the framework of the UN, the CPLP, SADC, and the African Union, ensure institutional coordination and credibility in national and international legal relations.
Joo Louren§o said the government is promoting the approval of legal instruments to strengthen the Judiciary, combat corruption and impunity, protect fundamental rights, and reduce procedural delays. Among these instruments, he pointed to the family, civil, commercial, and labor procedure codes.
The president reinforced that the government remains committed to creating the material, technical, and organizational conditions essential for the proper functioning of the judicial system, respecting the autonomy of the courts and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Louren§o highlighted initiatives in human rights, such as the prevention of human trafficking, international cooperation, and the creation of provincial, municipal, and communal committees. He emphasized that Angola was re-elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2026-2028, in recognition of its commitment.
