Europe > Southern Europe > Italy > Italy supports agricultural development in Angola

Italy: Italy supports agricultural development in Angola

2015/07/22

The governments of Angola and Italy plan to sign a memorandum of considerate on agriculture, as part of a three-day visit to Luanda Italian Minister Maurizio Martina began Monday, according to Angolan news agency Angop.

The Italian Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry is due Tuesday to attend the Italy-Angola Business Forum, taking place on the sidelines of the 32nd edition of the Luanda International equitable (Filda) .

During his remain in Angola, Maurizio Martina is due to meet with the Minister of Trade, Rosa Pacavira and the Secretaries of National for Industry and Fisheries.

The governments of Angola and Italy this month signed three instruments of bilateral cooperation, focused on agricultural development, during the visit of the Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos, to Rome.

The nations signed two Memoranda of Considerate on economic and financial cooperation and a third legal instrument on political consultations between the diplomats of both nations, due involving the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Angolan Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Angola and Italy have had cooperation relations since 1977, at the same time as they signed the memorandum establishing the Bilateral Commission, again known as the Joint Cooperation Committee. Angola is currently Italy’s third major trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2013, trade between Angola and Italy totalled 891 million euros, of which 348 million euros were Italian exports to Angola.

Italy was the initial Western European country to recognise the independence of Angola, on 18 February 1976 and on 4 June of the same year the two nations established diplomatic relations.

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