More than 20 Belgian business leaders are in Angola for a business mission focused on agribusiness, transportation, and logistics, with the aim of diversifying trade partnerships, according to Belgium’s ambassador to Luanda, Stéphane Doppagne.
The mission, which began on Monday (4), includes 21 companies and 26 business leaders, constituting “one of the largest European delegations present at the Angola–European Union Lobito Corridor Business Forum,” which begins on Tuesday in the country’s capital.
Stéphane Doppagne attributed the mission to the ongoing economic diversification in Angola and the improvement in macroeconomic indicators, noting that the non-oil sector grew by 7.3% last year, outpacing the oil sector, and that foreign direct investment outside this sector “nearly tripled by 2025.”
“For this mission, we have chosen two priority sectors that we believe have high potential: agriculture and manufacturing,” the diplomat stated, adding that more than half of the companies present are seeking opportunities in agribusiness, “which is growing rapidly.”
The delegation’s second focus is on transportation and logistics, particularly the Lobito Corridor, which connects the Angolan port to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“There are many Belgian companies in the Congo, particularly in the Katanga region. We believe we can contribute to the development of this corridor. It could become a gateway for maritime transport and exports from this subregion,” said Doppagne.
The diplomat also highlighted the importance of the bilateral trade relationship, noting that Belgium exports an average of 300 million euros annually to Angola, mainly petroleum products, chemicals, and machinery, while Belgian imports from the African country range between 500 and 600 million euros, mostly diamonds, making Brussels the European Union’s fourth-largest trading partner with Luanda.
Secretary of State for Industry Carlos Rodrigues highlighted the importance of the partnership between the two countries in international trade, noting that Belgian imports from Angola grew by 6.3% last year, with metals and precious stones accounting for 87.2% of the total.
On the Belgian exports to Angola side, chemical products lead with 34.1%, followed by machinery and equipment (18.1%) and plant products (13.8%).
“This confirms that our economies are complementary: Belgium exports exactly what we need to accelerate our industrialization, and we offer Brussels natural resources and long-term investment opportunities that few African markets can match,” the minister emphasized.
Stéphane Doppagne also highlighted the human dimension of the bilateral relationship, noting that around 8,000 Angolans reside in Belgium and approximately 300 Belgians live in Angola. “Belgian-Angolan relations are not just about trade and investment. They are, above all, relations of friendship between our two countries and peoples,” he stated.
Source: Lusa
