Africa Monitor

Africa Monitor Intelligence

Angola: Lourenço Disappoints Americans

The Angolan PR, JOÃO LOURENÇO (JL) is considered "somewhat of a disappointment" by senior officials of the State Department (SD) whose views usually reflect trends in US foreign policy. Disapproval is especially fueled by what they consider to be the “incipience” of JL's reformist policies.
The commitments that JL has been establishing with figures and groups of the regime that have departed from him and/ or started to contest him, had the purpose of promoting a regrouping of the party around him - a goal considered decisive for him to be presented as MPLA's candidate for the 2022 elections, to be decided in a climate that is expected to strengthen the opposition. READ MORE