This is part 5 of a 6-part series.
Angola’s President João Lourenço, at the helm of Africa’s second-largest oil producer, agreed to take on the ‘ mission impossible’ of reforming Angola’s economy. The problem is, unlike agent Ethan Hunt, the fictional character played by Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, he is unsure of his ability to succeed.
Since he took office in 2017, Lourenço – the successor of José Eduardo dos Santos and fellow member of the political party Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) – has faced enormous obstacles.
While acknowledging that Lourenço is facing a very difficult situation and inherited a complicated legacy, we had hoped for better results, especially in the social sphere.”
The year 2020 marked the country’s worst recession on record (the economy shrank 5.1%, according to government figures) since independence and its fifth consecutive year of reporting
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