ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA, JOÃO LOURENÇO, AT THE OPENING OF THE ANGOLA TOURISM INVESTMENT FORUM 2026

His Excellency Daniel Chapo, President of the Republic of Mozambique; Her Excellency the Prime Minister of Namibia; Distinguished Representatives of International Organisations; Honourable Ministers and Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Distinguished Investors, Business Leaders and Leaders of the Tourism Sector; Ladies and Gentlemen; Excellencies, It is a great honour for me to address all the participants of the Angola Investment Summit 2026, which, in partnership with the Global Tourism Forum, brings together here in the city of Luanda, in one place, the determination, commitment and resources necessary to transform Angolan and African tourism into a truly global force. Allow me to extend a warm welcome to our distinguished guests from different regions of Africa and the world, whose presence bears witness to the growing importance of tourism as one of the crucial sectors for promoting sustainable economic growth, bringing peoples closer together, fostering peace and advancing shared prosperity. Tourism is currently one of the most dynamic economic activities globally, because its capacity to generate employment, attract investment, stimulate entrepreneurship and drive local development makes it a strategic sector for any country aspiring to achieve inclusive growth. In an international context marked by profound economic, technological and geopolitical transformations, tourism is emerging as one of the sectors with the greatest capacity to generate wealth, stimulate private investment, promote innovation and create opportunities for millions of people. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The holding of this Forum in Angola represents recognition of the progress our country has made towards consolidating political stability, strengthening institutions, improving the business environment and building an increasingly diversified, modern and competitive economy. For Angola, tourism is an ambition that has been consolidated over years of structural reforms, openness to investment and a consistent commitment to diversifying our economy. We have made a determined decision to reduce our dependence on the oil sector and build an economy based on sectors with a strong multiplier effect—sectors that create jobs, generate wealth and added value, empower local communities and position Angola as a destination of excellence on the world stage. Angola today presents itself to the world as a country of stability, vision and major investment opportunities. We have an Atlantic coastline extending for more than 1,600 kilometres, parks and nature reserves of significant ecological value, rivers, lakes and landscapes of extraordinary beauty, unique biodiversity, as well as a rich historical, cultural and gastronomic heritage that reflects the wealth and diversity of the Angolan people. From the majestic Kalandula Falls and the Black Rocks of Pungo Andongo to the Namibe Desert, the Tundavala Gap, the Iona, Mavinga, Luengue-Luiana, Kavango-Zambezi and Lumeje-Cameia parks and nature reserves, Kulumbimbi in the former capital of the Kingdom of Kongo, and the cultural traditions of our communities, Angola possesses unique conditions to establish itself as one of Africa's most promising tourist destinations. Within a single geographical area, our country offers a rich combination of nature tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, beach tourism and business tourism—a potential that acquires true significance when transformed into concrete investment and development opportunities. For this reason, the Republic of Angola is investing heavily in creating the infrastructure required to foster the growth of the sector in important areas of the country. The commissioning of the new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport, the development of the Lobito Corridor, the future Luanda Convention Centre, which will soon be inaugurated, and the expansion of our energy, telecommunications, road, airport, railway, port and healthcare infrastructure complete the picture of a country that is seriously and responsibly laying the foundations for its economic future. At the same time, we are implementing a broad reform programme aimed at simplifying administrative and bureaucratic procedures, strengthening legal certainty, increasing transparency and improving the competitiveness of the national economy. This represents a decisive step towards creating favourable conditions for private-sector participation and harnessing the enormous tourism potential of our country. This commitment was recognised when Angola was distinguished as the “Best Tourism Investment Destination” by the Global Tourism Forum in 2025, a distinction that places even greater responsibilities upon us in this field. We want the growth of tourism to contribute to improving the quality of life of our citizens, strengthening local economies and promoting balanced development across the different regions of the country. To this end, the Angolan State will continue to work diligently to turn this ambition into reality. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Tourism is assuming growing strategic importance in the process of regional and continental integration and is today one of the most effective instruments for bringing peoples closer together, promoting peace and universal harmony, and advancing sustainable economic development. It promotes the movement of people, encourages trade, stimulates cross-border business and strengthens the historical, cultural and economic ties that unite peoples and nations. The African continent possesses unique conditions to establish itself as one of the world's most competitive and attractive tourism regions. The diversity of its ecosystems, the richness of its cultural heritage, the hospitality of its peoples and the growing dynamism of its economies create a range of attractions that no other region of the world can replicate. It is important to highlight that, in 2025, the African continent recorded annual growth in visitor numbers that exceeded the rates recorded on other continents. Nevertheless, we recognise that much work remains to be done in order to place all this tremendous potential at the service of our people and our economies. We need to act in a coordinated, ambitious and responsible manner and build an integrated vision based on cooperation and complementarity among our countries. Africa is committed to addressing important issues such as air connectivity and regional mobility, as well as harmonising migration policies in order to facilitate the movement of our citizens within the continent and of those wishing to visit Africa. We must invest strongly in human capital development, which, combined with African hospitality, can become a major competitive advantage. We must also invest in promoting our destinations in a way that projects the true image of our continent—as a continent of opportunities, innovation, immense natural resources and extraordinary cultural diversity. Regional integration must be regarded as an economic necessity, since no country can fully harness its tourism potential by acting in isolation. It is through cooperation, complementarity and the development of a common vision that we will be able to achieve lasting results. Angola will continue to work actively with the Member States of our region, the African Union and its international partners to promote an agenda of mobility, connectivity and regional tourism development. The Republic of Angola is open to foreign investment, innovation, knowledge transfer and partnerships that generate mutual benefits. The opportunities are vast and span the entire tourism value chain, from hotels and resorts to ecotourism, business tourism, leisure infrastructure, the digital economy, transport services, vocational training, destination management and technologies applied to the tourism industry. We invite the investors who are sharing this moment with us today to invest in our tourism projects, our infrastructure, the hospitality sector, transport, the digital economy applied to tourism, and vocational training geared towards the tourism sector. Angola will continue to be a committed and reliable partner for long-term investment. Here, investors will find a favourable business environment, legal certainty and committed partners. We firmly believe that private investment is an essential element in accelerating economic transformation and creating opportunities for our youth. We regard investors not merely as financiers of projects, but as strategic partners in national and regional development. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We are living through a particularly challenging moment for the international community, marked by growing challenges associated with climate change and persistent armed conflicts in different regions of the world, from Africa to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, with profound consequences for global peace and security, supply and logistics chains, food and energy security, and global economic growth. May the most recent understandings between the United States of America and Iran be the prelude to lasting peace in the Middle East and contribute to the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning the establishment of the State of Palestine. The current international situation requires collective responses and a renewed commitment to the In this context, tourism also assumes an important human and diplomatic dimension by bringing peoples and cultures together, thereby contributing to greater mutual understanding, tolerance and cooperation among nations. It is therefore essential that all countries, multilateral organisations and regional mechanisms continue to prioritise dialogue, diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. The African Union and the United Nations have an irreplaceable role to play in promoting peace, stability and sustainable development, which are indispensable conditions for the growth of tourism and the prosperity of our peoples. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I firmly believe that this Forum will serve as a privileged platform for building new partnerships, mobilising investment and defining strategies that will help position Angola and the African continent among the world's leading tourism and economic destinations. I would like to thank the organisers, international partners, sponsors and all participants for their presence and commitment to this common cause. With these words, I hereby officially declare the Angola Investment Forum 2026 open. Thank you very much for your attention!