Luanda, July 8, 2025 (Lusa) - The European Union will provide around €450,000 in support for ten new political and technical dialogue initiatives with Angolan institutions, five of which are directly linked to the development of the Lobito Corridor.
The parties formalised the agreements in Luanda on Tuesday, under the 4th Call for Proposals of the EU-Angola Dialogues programme, an initiative launched in 2019 that aims to strengthen institutional partnerships, promote sustainable development and improve the effectiveness of public policies in the priority areas of the Angola-European Union Joint Pathway agreement.
“Out of a total of 41 applications received, the EU approved 10 actions,” announced the EU Ambassador to Angola, Rosário Bento Pais, stressing that the selected projects cover topics such as economic growth, agro-industrial development, transport, energy, climate change, science and human rights, with a strong focus on the Lobito Corridor region.
European support forms part of the Global Gateway strategy, which provides for the mobilisation of public and private funding in priority economic corridors in Africa, with Lobito being one of the most important.
“Our goal is to look at the Lobito Corridor as a true economic corridor, diversify the economy and create jobs for young people,” said the European official.
Rosário Bento Pais noted that many of the new initiatives will be linked to ongoing projects in the areas of agricultural value chains, renewable energy, fisheries, the circular economy, and local administration, with a focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation and boosting the economy of Angola’s south-central region.
An Angolan institution leads each action of the Dialogues programme in partnership with a European counterpart.
The activities include studies, workshops, technical exchanges, and institutional capacity building, and non-repayable funds finance them. Since the programme began, the initiative has launched over 15 dialogue actions, involving more than 40 institutions and approximately 4,000 participants.
Among the results already achieved are 12 technical studies, eight seminars on best practices, and 78 training initiatives, with 90% of beneficiaries reporting an improvement in their knowledge.
The EU’s multi-annual programme for Angola (2021-2027) provides more than €400 million in grants, focusing on three priority areas: human capital development, economic diversification, and good governance.
In her speech, Rosário Bento Pais reiterated the European Union’s commitment to the sustainable and inclusive development of Angola, stressing the importance of “long-lasting partnerships” with public and private institutions that contribute to the professionalisation of public policies and the strengthening of Angolan public administration.
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