Luanda, Feb. 26, 2025 (Lusa) - Angola's government is to spend $36 million (€32.2 million) on acquiring military equipment and materiel from a Chinese company for the Ministry of National Defence, Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland, according to an order signed by the president, João Lourenço, consulted on Wednesday by Lusa.

The signing of the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the China Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), the state defence company for air technology, was authorised in a presidential decree that was signed on Monday.

The agreement provides for 85% of the value required for the purchase of this military equipment and materiel, details of which are not specified in the decree.

The document stresses that the authorisation stems from the need to sign individual financing deals under the framework agreement between the Republic of Angola and CATIC that was approved, also by presidential order, on 15 June 2021.

According to a study by Boston University of the US, between 2000 and 2022 China has financed Angola to the tune of $45 billion, one quarter of the total provided by China to African countries in the period. The most recent amount was $18.6 million granted in 2022 by CATIC for the acquisition of military equipment, goods and services for Angola's air force.

NME/ARO // ARO.

Lusa