Angola welcomes King Felipe VI of Spain for three day visit, signs new agreements

Angola's president João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, and the First Lady, Ana Afonso Dias have welcomed the King of Spain, Felipe VI, and his wife to Luanda for a three day visit.

On Tuesday, the Angolan Head of State said that there is a need to draw up a new framework of strategic priorities between Angola and Spain, aimed to boost partnerships and benefits from bilateral relationship.

President Lourenco was speaking at the award ceremony of the highest Angolan distinction: the Agostinho Neto Order, given to the visiting King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia Ortiz.

"This is your first visit to an African country below the Sahara, which shows the importance we attach to diplomatic, economic, commercial, cultural and scientific relations between us." the Angolan president said.

For his part, the King of Spain underlined the "negotiating skills" of the Angolan President in the management of the conflict in the eastern DRC.

The three-day state visit of King Felipe VI, to Luanda served as a framework for the signing of three agreements between the governments of both countries.

"To this end, we need partners with capacity, credibility and will, with whom, on the basis of mutual trust, Spain can have a greater presence in the region, to the benefit of all. It is in this context that Angola is a priority country for Spain."  Roi Felipe VI d'Espagne, King of Spain.

Spain has more than 60 companies operating in Angola in different sectors but cooperation between the two countries has intensified more in the business sector.