Luanda: Angolan President Joo Louren§o on Tuesday discussed with the Prime Minister of C´te D'Ivoire, Robert Beugre Mamb issues linked to the state of bilateral cooperation. The audience granted by the Angolan statesman in Luanda to the Ivorian Prime Minister, who did not make any statement to the press, took place on the sidelines of the 7th African Union-European Union Summit, which took place in the Angolan capital, from the 24th to the 25th of this month.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Angola and C´te D'Ivoire have been significantly strengthening their bilateral cooperation, with emphasis on the signing, in June 2020, of 14 agreements linked to agriculture, mineral resources, oil and gas, health, scientific research, tourism, and technical-military cooperation. The two countries are also committed to exchanging experiences, especially in the hydrocarbons sector.
In April of the same year, the first session of the Joint Cooperation Commission consolidated institutional commitments through a Verbal Process that expands collaboration in the areas of tourism, agriculture, justice, human rights, and telecommunications, providing for regular meetings between the parties to monitor the implementation of the agreements. In the economic field, the signing, in 2023, of an agreement to promote investment and the installation, in Abidjan, of a delegation of the Industrial Association of Angola, aimed at supporting Angolan businesspeople, stands out.
Trade reached 28.04 billion francs (FCFA) in 2022, although still considered modest compared to the existing potential, with a trade deficit for C´te D'Ivoire of 2.974 billion FCFA. Cooperation also includes the transport sector, with an air services agreement signed in 2025 that provides for 'open skies' and the future direct Luanda-Abidjan route operated by TAAG, a measure that should boost the movement of people, goods, and investments.
On a legal level, the two countries maintain a visa-free agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The recent state visit of President Joo Louren§o to C´te D'Ivoire reinforced the political dimension of this partnership, which is asserted as multidimensional and aligned with the objectives of continental integration. Despite progress, challenges remain in bilateral trade and the need to fully exploit the existing economic potential.
