Gallery of Ambassadors — Embassy of Angola

In office · 2023 —

Agostinho Van-Dúnem

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

Former Ambassadors

In chronological order, from the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Angola and the United States of America.

In office · 1993 – 1995

S.E. José Gonçalves Patrício

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

The first Ambassador of Angola to the United States of America. A journalist by training, from the Belgrade Institute of Journalism, with postgraduate studies in political communication in Spain and Portugal. He began his career at Rádio Nacional de Angola, rising to Director of News and Programming, and served as Information Secretary to the Head of State. He also represented Angola at the OAS, in Portugal, Cape Verde, at the CPLP, the United Nations and in Turkey. A founding member of the Angolan Journalists' Union, he played a significant part in the 1991 Bicesse peace negotiations. He is the author of «Angola-USA: Os Caminhos do Bom Senso».

In office · 1995 – 2001

S.E. António Santos França «Ndalu»

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

A general and a leading figure in Angola's military and diplomatic history. Born in Mupa, Cunene province, he studied in Portugal and in Cuba. He served in FAPLA, rising to Chief of the General Staff in 1988. His time in Washington was marked by efforts to deepen diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries during a complex period of political transition. The França Ndalu Stadium in Luanda is named in his honour.

In office · 2001 – 2011

S.E. Josefina Perpétua Pitra Diakité

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

A career diplomat with more than four decades in international relations. A law graduate of Agostinho Neto University, she entered the diplomatic service in 1978. She was Ambassador to Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland (1993–2000). In Washington she led Angola's admission to AGOA and the signing of decisive agreements in health and trade, among them the PMI, PEPFAR and TIFA, and established Angola Day in the United States. She went on to serve as Ambassador to South Africa, Mauritius and Lesotho (2011–2017) and chaired the National Assembly's Foreign Relations Committee.

In office · 2011 – 2014

S.E. Alberto do Carmo Bento Ribeiro

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

An engineer, politician and diplomat. A graduate in electrical engineering from the Technical University of Lisbon, he continued his studies at RWTH Aachen in Germany. After independence he served as Secretary of State for Communications and Minister of Industry and Energy, and as a Member of the National Assembly between 1980 and 1986. He represented Angola in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United States and the Netherlands. The fourth Ambassador of Angola in Washington, he presented his credentials to President Barack Obama in September 2011. He died in Lisbon in March 2021.

In office · 2014 – 2019

S.E. Agostinho Tavares da Silva Neto

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

A diplomat with a career of more than four decades, begun in 1977 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A graduate in International Relations from the University of Brasília. He was Ambassador to Canada (2011–2014) and, before that, First Secretary and Counsellor at the Embassy of Angola in Brazil, having also represented the country in India and Spain and headed the Department of Asia and Oceania. He presented his credentials to President Barack Obama in November 2014. He then served as Ambassador to Zimbabwe between 2019 and 2025.

In office · 2019 – 2023

S.E. Joaquim do Espírito Santo

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Angola to the United States of America.

A diplomat and economist. A graduate in Economics from Agostinho Neto University, with studies in political science at the School of Advanced Political Studies in Paris. In Washington he held concurrent accreditation to Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He was Director of the Europe Directorate (1996–1999) and of the Directorate for Africa, the Middle East and Regional Organisations (1999–2002; 2010–2018), and served as Minister Counsellor and Chargé d'Affaires in Mexico and Minister Counsellor in France.