Angola

China

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

Angolan President Joao Lourenco announced that he is seeking financing from public or private Chinese investors to build an oil refinery in Lobito, a petrochemical plant as well as an air force base, Bloomberg reported on March 15.

Angola, China: Lourenco Seeks Chinese Financing To Diversify Economy, Build Military Base 

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio stated that Rwandan President Paul Kagame had agreed to meet with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi following a meeting with Angolan President Joao Lourenco amid worsening fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Radio France Internationale reported on March 12.

Congo, Rwanda: Angola Ramps Up Efforts To Convene Tshisekedi-Kagame Meeting

Energy

African oil producer Angola announced that it was leaving OPEC after 16 years of membership, the state-owned Jornal de Angola reported on Dec. 21, citing the country's mineral resources minister. 

Angola: Government Announces OPEC Exit After Dispute Over Quotas

Angolan President Joao Lourenco survived an opposition-led impeachment bid on Oct. 21, The EastAfrican reported on Oct. 23.

Angola: President Lourenco Survives Impeachment Bid

Angola's Finance Minister Vera Daves De Sousa said the government is discussing slowing the removal of fuel subsidies, Reuters reported on Oct. 10.

Angola: Government May Slow Removal of Fuel Subsidies

The Angolan government announced a reduction in fuel subsidies, nearly doubling gasoline prices across the country, Bloomberg reported on June 2.

Angola: Government Cuts Fuel Subsidies

United States

U.S.-Iran Relations

The White House is considering a $250 million financing package for the Lobito Atlantic Railway Corridor, according to the Group of Seven's updated Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment plan, the China Global South Project reported on May 22.

Angola: White House Considers Investment in Lobito Rail Corridor

Thousands of Angolans in the country's capital of Luanda protested alleged fraudulent elections on Aug. 24 that led to the reelection of President Joao Lourenco, Voice of America reported Sept. 24.

Angola: Thousands Protest Alleged Electoral Fraud

Assessments

Cabo Verde

Cote d'Ivoire

Nigeria

Yemen

Europe

France

Russia

India

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron on Dec. 1, 2023, in Dubai.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Blinken Visits Africa, Macron Visits India

Snapshots

Republic of the Congo

South Africa

Zambia

U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with President Joao Lourenco of Angola during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 30, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

U.S.-China Relations

A new supply line could increase access to Central African mining exports and strengthen Western influence in the region, but several constraints stand in the way.

Washington's 'Flagship' Africa Project: A New Supply Line for Central African Mining Exports

Mozambique

Algeria

Egypt

Iraq

Lebanon

Libya

Tunisia

Turkey

Cyprus

Italy

Ukraine

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (2nd L) and Libya's Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah (3rd L) attend an agreement-signing ceremony between Italian multinational oil and gas company Eni and the Libyan National Oil Corporation in Tripoli, Libya, on Jan. 28, 2023.

As Europe turns away from Russian energy, Italy positions itself as a natural gas conduit between the Continent and Africa.

With Energy Deals in Africa, Italy Positions Itself as Europe's Next Gas Hub

North Korea

South Korea

Angolan President Joao Lourenco addresses MPLA supporters at an election rally July 23, 2022, in Luanda, Angola. Lourenco will face off against Adalberto Costa Junior of the opposition UNITA on Aug. 24. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Social Issues

The Weekly Rundown: Independence Day in Ukraine, Election Day in Angola

Ethiopia

Newly elected Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema delivers a speech during his inauguration at the Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on Aug. 24, 2021. 

Beijing's first foray into debt restructuring under the G-20 framework will offer insight into China's potential position in other African countries' creditor talks.

What Zambian Debt Talks Could Mean for Chinese Borrowers in Africa

Angolan President Joao Lourenco is pictured on a flag at a campaign rally for the country’s ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party on June 26, 2021, at Largo das Escolas in Luanda. 

President Lourenco will likely secure another term on Aug. 24. But it may be his last, as grievances over poverty, electoral fraud and political repression erode support for his ruling MPLA party.

Previewing Angola’s General Election

Iran

Kuwait

Oman

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

OPEC headquarters on April 4, 2013, in Vienna. OPEC+'s decision to maintain production levels will bolster the idea that oil markets are entering a supercycle, contributing to concerns about rising inflation.

OPEC+'s decision to maintain production levels will bolster the idea that oil markets are entering a supercycle, contributing to concerns about rising inflation.

OPEC+ Stays the Course, Driving up Oil Price, Inflation Expectations

Qatar

An oil tanker sails on Maracaibo Lake in Maracaibo, Venezuela, on March 15, 2019. OPEC'S relevance will slowly decline over the next two decades as the global transition from fossil fuels accelerates and oil's dominance in the transportation sector is diminished.

OPEC'S relevance will slowly decline over the next two decades as the global transition from fossil fuels accelerates and oil's dominance in the transportation sector is diminished.

As Oil's Importance Fades, So Will OPEC

Guidance

Sub-Saharan Africa

Brazil

A promotional board for the annual series of meetings between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank is seen outside the IMF headquarters in Washington D.C. on Oct. 13, 2020.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the two financial institutions will discuss the need to prop up global growth and address growing debt vulnerabilities in developing countries. 

What to Watch for During This Week's IMF-World Bank Meetings

COVID-19

Supply Chains

The New Silk Road

_Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

The Suitors of Sub-Saharan Africa

Science & Technology

The IMF’s announced $1 billion disbursement will help fill some of Angola’s financing gaps, though there is clearly a market view that the country may still require more comprehensive debt restructuring.

Reading the Fine Print of Angola’s Debt Restructuring

Vietnam

Spain

Kazakhstan

An oil pumpjack operates in Signal Hill, California, on April 21, 2020, a day after oil prices dropped to below zero amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Saudi Survival Strategy

A Crude Recovery

As the pandemic continues to sap demand, upticks in OPEC+ supply will undermine efforts to rapidly balance the global market and drain excess inventories.

Amid a Global COVID-19 Resurgence, Oil Prices Are Poised to Stall

Zimbabwe

Campaigning for the 2019 elections in South Africa has not yet begun in earnest, giving its new president, Cyril Ramphosa an opening to pursue increased foreign investment.

The presidents of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Angola are pursuing reforms to attract more business. But their windows of opportunity will be limited.

Southern Africa's New Leaders Chase Economic Opportunity

Angola is a former Portuguese colony located in southwest Africa. It is mostly semi-arid savanna, with few natural geographic defensive barriers. The Namib Desert is found along its southern coastal strip, and the Congo Rainforest lies to Angola's north.    Crude oil is the country's predominant natural resource, found on and offshore northwestern Angola.     The country is roughly 1.25 million square kilometers, but is relatively unpopulated, with approximately 20 million people. Angola's main geographic challenge is maintaining control over its ethnic divisions across vast distances.    The planalto and Kwanza River Basin are the two regions capable of supporting a substantial population. The planalto is Angola's single elevated region and is the core for the majority Ovimbundu peoples. Relatively high rainfall makes this area Angola's corn-based agricultural breadbasket. The Kwanza River is Angola's sole navigable river and flows from the planalto to the Atlantic Ocean near the capital, Luanda. The Kwanza river mouth is a navigable entry into Angola's interior, allowing internal and external trade. This is the core for the ruling minority Mbundu.    The internal struggles and civil war between the Mbundu and Ovimbundu ethnic groups were triggered when the country gained independence in 1975. The Mbundu's absorption of the colonial infrastructure in Luanda and the country's licit crude oil-based economic relationships led to the group's control of the country, dominating the agrarian Ovimbundu. As a result of this dynamic, the Angolan government relies on a robust internal security force to control the vast, remote and resource-rich country against domestic rivals.

Old Leaders in a New Africa

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

SITUATION REPORTS

Angola, China: Lourenco Seeks Chinese Financing To Diversify Economy, Build Military Base

Congo, Rwanda: Angola Ramps Up Efforts To Convene Tshisekedi-Kagame Meeting

Angola: Government Announces OPEC Exit After Dispute Over Quotas

Angola: President Lourenco Survives Impeachment Bid

Angola: Government May Slow Removal of Fuel Subsidies

Angola: Government Cuts Fuel Subsidies

Angola: White House Considers Investment in Lobito Rail Corridor

Angola: Thousands Protest Alleged Electoral Fraud

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