Luanda, ANGOLA, September 19 - Angola and the United States have "encouraging prospects" for their relationship at a time the two countries are engaged in strengthening the strategic partnership, a diplomatic source close to the issue stated Wednesday in Luanda.,

The comment follows a recent presentation of credential letters from the new Angolan ambassador, Joaquim do Espirito Santo, to US President Donald Trump.

The source drew attention to the fact of the Angolan President, João Lourenço, to have on his the agenda parallel activities, aimed at increasingly divulging Angola among the Americans during his next visit to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

The source admitted the Angolan President's plan to meet with US diplomats, businessmen, journalists and other personalities.  

The source still recalled that Donald Trump said, at the presentation ceremony of Ambassador Espírito Santo's credential letters, that the Angolan diplomat was coming at an “important” moment of relations between the United States and Angola, after a year of exchanging “high level” visits that “ deepened ”the relationship between the two countries.

According to Donald Trump, these exchanges of visits highlighted the “strong support” from the United States of America for the “courageous political and economic reforms” the President João Lourenço has been implementing over the first two years of his term.  

"State Secretary Mike Pompeo reaffirmed our strategic partnership during his meeting with the Angolan Foreign Minister" in August this year in Washington, President Donald Trump was quoted as saying.  

US President welcomed the Angolan Government's efforts to fight corruption and diversify Angola's economy, before calling on Angolan leaders to promote an “attractive environment” for foreign direct investment and encourage “greater involvement” by US companies in the process.

On the other hand, the US President praised Angola's “leadership” in the African continent, particularly Angola's support for the “peaceful transition” in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as Uganda's approach to Rwanda.  

Concluding his speech, Donald Trump urged Angola to help facilitate political and economic reform in Zimbabwe too.

Angola became independent in 11 November 1975. The United State recognised Angola as sovereign state on 19 May, 1993.

Trade between the two countries reached USD 3.4 billion at the end of 2017, with Angola exporting products standing at USD 2.6 billion and the United States of America around USD 800 million.

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