Angolan president here on state visit

ANGOLAN President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos is to arrive in Windhoek today for a state visit.

He is accompanied by First Lady Paula dos Santos and 54 officials and is scheduled to land at Hosea Kutako International Airport at noon. During his 28-hour stay, Dos Santos will hold talks with President Hifikepunye Pohamba, followed by a state banquet.Tomorrow, Dos Santos will be taken to the Defence Ministry’s Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik, where military and anti-landmine vehicles are produced.Afterwards, the Angolan head of state will visit Namibia’s largest meat production plant, Meatco.Dos Santos will also lay a wreath at Heroes’ Acre tomorrow before returning to Angola in the afternoon.Angola is an important neighbour to Namibia, stemming from the days of the liberation struggle, when Namibian freedom fighters were allowed to set up military bases in southern Angola and the country housed thousands of exiled Namibian civilians until Namibia’s Independence in 1990.Namibia and Angola signed an economic cooperation agreement in 2004 to promote trade between the two countries.They also signed an agreement on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investment and an agreement on customs and excise administration in 2004.The two governments also ratified a defence protocol.It is anticipated that agreements on education, fisheries and agriculture, legal assistance on criminal matters, mutual assistance between customs administrations, cooperation in science and technology, health and media will be signed during the state visit.To date, most of the trade between the two countries has been in agricultural products, beverages and dairy products.Trade value between Namibia and Angola stood at N$1,1 billion in 2005.Dos Santos has been in office since 1979 and he is regarded as one of the richest men in southern Africa.The Angolan economy is mainly fuelled by oil and diamonds.Angola will hold parliamentary elections next year – for the first time in 16 years – to be followed by presidential elections in 2009.According to political analysts, Dos Santos will not stand for re-election.Angola was a Portuguese colony for almost 500 years and became independent in November 1975.The first and only elections held in that country were in 1992.During his 28-hour stay, Dos Santos will hold talks with President Hifikepunye Pohamba, followed by a state banquet.Tomorrow, Dos Santos will be taken to the Defence Ministry’s Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik, where military and anti-landmine vehicles are produced.Afterwards, the Angolan head of state will visit Namibia’s largest meat production plant, Meatco.Dos Santos will also lay a wreath at Heroes’ Acre tomorrow before returning to Angola in the afternoon.Angola is an important neighbour to Namibia, stemming from the days of the liberation struggle, when Namibian freedom fighters were allowed to set up military bases in southern Angola and the country housed thousands of exiled Namibian civilians until Namibia’s Independence in 1990.Namibia and Angola signed an economic cooperation agreement in 2004 to promote trade between the two countries.They also signed an agreement on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investment and an agreement on customs and excise administration in 2004.The two governments also ratified a defence protocol.It is anticipated that agreements on education, fisheries and agriculture, legal assistance on criminal matters, mutual assistance between customs administrations, cooperation in science and technology, health and media will be signed during the state visit.To date, most of the trade between the two countries has been in agricultural products, beverages and dairy products.Trade value between Namibia and Angola stood at N$1,1 billion in 2005.Dos Santos has been in office since 1979 and he is regarded as one of the richest men in southern Africa.The Angolan economy is mainly fuelled by oil and diamonds.Angola will hold parliamentary elections next year – for the first time in 16 years – to be followed by presidential elections in 2009.According to political analysts, Dos Santos will not stand for re-election.Angola was a Portuguese colony for almost 500 years and became independent in November 1975.The first and only elections held in that country were in 1992.