Angola has long been a global player in the energy sector, with oil and gas accounting for the lion’s share of exports. Pro-business policies have helped attract new investment from corporations like TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil.
According to the international energy agency, Angola is well on the way to becoming the largest oil producer in southern Africa.
“We have the largest deepwater operation in the entire company,” said Melissa Bond, general manager, ExxonMobil Angola. “We find that we have a very collaborative relationship and have been able to advance some significant opportunities.”
Angola is also driving a green energy transition as part of the diversification of its economy.
“Somoil aims to become the leading integrated energy company, not just in Angola but in Africa,” said Edson dos Santos, CEO, Somoil. “Renewable energies will play a big, big role for us.”
“One of them is solar energy. Angola has one of the best facilities in Africa. The second is hydroelectric power because there are many rivers in Angola.”
These rivers also contribute to the development of agriculture and tourism in Angola. We visit the Vale do Bero winery on the Bero River. In the rich agricultural province of Namibe, around 80,000 bottles are produced there every year.
The success is not only due to the abundant water. Due to the favorable climate, there are two harvests a year.
The double harvest is also a great advantage for other plants. Just ask Angola’s dragon fruit and strawberry kings.
Once a coffee producer with exports worldwide, Angola is currently making a comeback. Like on Fazenda Vissolela, in Kwanza Sul province.
Small farmers are also involved here, at Café Cazengo in the province of Kwanza Norte.
Angola is also making international efforts to develop so-called “diaspora tourism”. This is aimed at the descendants of the Angolans, who were sold as slaves all over the world by the Portuguese colonizers over the centuries.
At the heart of this tourism is the Kwanza River Corridor. … A route that begins at the spectacular Calandula Falls in eastern Angola and stretches to the Atlantic Seaboard.
The Tucker family of Virginia aims to develop diaspora tourism. Their ancestors, Antoney and Isabel, were among the estimated 6 million Angolans who were enslaved.
American jazz drummer Gregory Hutchinson has been to Angola on a number of occasions, both for concerts and commemorations. Among other things, he visited the Museum of Slavery in Luanda.
Gregory Hutchinson, Jazz Drummer: “It’s been great for me to come here and learn so much. It’s jarring and showed me that there is still so much to learn. So this is the beginning of a journey for me. “