Angola's partnership with the EU is based on the Samoa EU-OACPS Partnership Agreement which aims to reduce poverty by developing the Angolan economy and gradually integrating it into the global economy.

The Joint Way Forward [102 KB] : The EU and Angola decided in 2012 to reinforce their political dialogue and engage in a more active political cooperation transcending relations based on aid and development. The signature of the EU-Angola Joint Way Forward (JWF) took place on the 23rd July 2012 in Brussels. A key element of the JWF is the commitment to regional cooperation and integration.

So far, six ministerial meetings have taken place, the latest on the 10th of December 2023.

The EU is an important partner for Angola:

• The largest exporter to Angola.
• Angola's 2nd largest trading partner.

Under the Everything But Arms initiative, Angola receives free access to EU markets for all non-military products.

Angola was not involved in the Economic Partnership Agreement concluded in 2014 with 6 other SADC countries, as it has not signed the SADC Trade Protocol.

The Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer of cooperation to our partner countries in support of their own strategic autonomy, aligning partner countries and EU interests by increasing high-quality geostrategic investments and promoting sustainable finance. The Global Gateway represents the European Union's effort to reduce the global investment gap and boost smart, clean and secure connections in the digital, energy and transport sectors, as well as to strengthen health, education and research systems. It provides sustainable investment opportunities to increase the prosperity and security of our global partners and Europe.
Covering five main themes (digital, climate and energy, transport, health and education and research) it is implemented through the Team Europe approach.
In Angola, the EU is working collectively on a series of flagships/emblematic initiatives within the scope of the Global Gateway:

Barra do Dande (Flagship 2023) - Establishment of a green and digital corridor between the Portuguese port of Sines and the Angolan port of Barra do Dande. Led by Portugal and whose memorandum of understanding between Port Authorities was signed in June 2023. The main objective is to contribute for the security of supply chains in the agriculture and critical metals sectors at regional and global levels.

Lobito Corridor (Flagship 2024) - Development and extension of the Lobito Corridor that currently connects the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. Collaboration with other countries in the region (Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo) and cooperation partners such as the United States, African Development Bank and Africa Finance Corporation: a memorandum of understanding between the US, the EU, Angola, the DRC, Zambia, ADB and AFC was signed at the Global Gateway Forum in October 2023.

When the transport infrastructure connecting the three countries is operational, the Corridor will increase export possibilities for Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, boost regional trade and facilitate the mobility of citizens. By significantly reducing average transportation time, the new railway is expected to decrease the logistical costs and carbon footprint of exporting metals, agricultural goods and other products, as well as the future development of any mineral discoveries.

This expansion of economic activity in the Lobito Corridor offers an opportunity to develop agricultural value chains for domestic consumption and export and will make it possible to boost the supply of quality logistics services and ancillary services such as processing and logistics. These economic initiatives will generate economic opportunities for workers in these sectors.

TVET infrastructures and modernization of agricultural vocational training (Flagship 2024) - Total budget of 40 million euros, of which 35 million euros from a sovereign loan from the French Development Agency (AFD) and 5 million from an EU grant (technical assistance ). The objective is to adapt the workforce to market needs and improve equality between men and women through gender-sensitive training.

Rural electrification (Flagship 2024) -  Private sector project by the company MCA that consists of supplying and installing an integrated solution for the sustainable electrification of 60 communities in five provinces of Angola. More than 200,000 households (around 1 million Angolans) will have access to electricity. Financing through Export Credit Guarantees provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Rehabilitation of the EN140 road between Mussende and Cangandala (Flagship 2024) - private sector project by the German company Gauff GmbH & Co. and consists of the rehabilitation of 98 km. Project financing was mediated through a banking consortium and guaranteed by German export credit coverage. The project includes the construction/rehabilitation of a 98 km long section of road.

The EU-Angola bilateral cooperation strategy is intended to help the country develop – combatting poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals – by strengthening institutions and training staff.

The EU is currently Angola's largest aid donor, under the EDF.

Priorities:

• Basic (especially primary) education and teacher training.
• Work-related training.
• Higher education.

The EU has given €20m to PAEP - Project in Support of Primary Education, to help Angolan government efforts to achieve universal primary education.

Higher education

The EU will spend €11m from the EDF to:

• Support Angola's National Institute for Evaluation, Accreditation and Recognition of Higher Education Studies.
• Boost Angola's participation in regional programmes.

Vocational education & training

The EU will spend €22m from the EDF on the RETFOP - Reviving the TVET system in Angola, to help assist the Angolan Ministries of Education and Public Administration, Labour and Social Security reduce youth unemployment by:

• Making the available training and qualifications more demanding and relevant.
• Boosting employment guidance services and labour market information systems.
• Promoting self-employment.

Global & regional programmes

The EU also supports education in Angola through programmes like:

• Erasmus +.
• PALOP.
• Pan- African Programme.
• Intra-Africa academic mobility scheme.

In Angola, the EU is helping the government – in particular the Angolan Ministry of Social Assistance and Reintegration – to revise and implement its social assistance policy.

This support is given through the APROSOC – Support to social protection in Angola project, which addresses both existing sector constraints and strengthens long-term institutional capacity and sustainability.