Angolan President João Lourenço delivered his final state of the nation address to the National Assembly on October 15, 2026, defending his time in office, pointing to international crises as hurdles to full reform, and highlighting macroeconomic stability alongside diplomatic milestones.
Standing before the parliament in Luanda for his final address of his second and final presidential term, João Lourenço reviewed his governance since taking office in September 2017. The session marked the opening of the 5.ª Sessão Legislativa da V Legislatura of the National Assembly, preceding the general elections scheduled for 2027, in which he is barred by the constitution from running again.
The President maintained that his administration’s foundational goals remained on track despite severe external shocks. Angola está em franco progresso,
he declared to the assembly, pointing to what he described as a deepening rule of law and the establishment of a more transparent, citizen-oriented state.
Global Shocks and Economic Realities
The presidential address acknowledged that early ambitions faced immediate friction from plummeting international oil prices, which exposed the country’s heavy economic reliance on petroleum exports. Subsequent national development plans encountered further headwinds from international conflicts, disrupted supply chains, and the global fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporters of the administration point to macroeconomic stabilization, a trajectory of recovery between 2022 and 2026, and financial credibility reinforcement as key achievements in restoring the state’s capacity to plan for the future and restoring investor confidence. According to official figures cited in parliamentary reporting, public debt dropped significantly from 139.6% of GDP in 2020 to 69.9% in 2022, while net international reserves stood at 14,1 mil milhões de dólares, creating a more predictable environment for external investors and improving state financial credibility.
However, the political opposition offered a starkly different evaluation. The leader of the UNITA, Adalberto Costa Júnior, stated that having a good country does not mean having a long list of achievements, considering that the list presented by João Lourenço lacked cohesion, dialogue, consultation, and inclusion. He further anticipated that no government graph presented by the head of state and president of the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) would show the testimonies that UNITA has gathered across the country.
The opposition leader contended that despite reported GDP growth, family incomes dropped from 26% to 16% according to UNITA’s data, which suggests growth reflects the profits of a few rather than workers’ salaries. Critics also highlighted the removal of fuel subsidies without a protection network, public transport investment, or dialogue as a heavy burden on households where more than eight in ten families lack any support, effectively asking the people to pay the bill alone. Furthermore, Adalberto Costa Júnior pointed out that the state owes 11,9 biliões kwanzas (quase 12 mil milhões de euros) to its own suppliers and criticized the executive’s policy of direct adjustments, while noting that petroleum continues to represent over 90% of Angolan exports.
Diplomatic Reach and International Visibility
A central pillar of the presidential address focused on Angola’s rising profile in international diplomacy, particularly through its mediation efforts in regional African conflicts. The administration highlighted its engagement in peace initiatives, acting in defense of the principles and values of the United Nations Charter and International Law.
Social Infrastructure and Unresolved Reforms
On the domestic front, the presidency pointed to measurable advances in health, estimating improvements where the National System’s strengthening allows greater capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to epidemics and public health emergencies. Access and utilization of health services across the national territory rose from 65% in 2023 to 75% in 2026, average life expectancy increased from 61 to 64 years, maternal mortality decreased from 239 to 170 deaths per 100,000 live births, and under-five mortality dropped from 68 to 52 per 1,000 live births. In education, higher education expanded to 101 public institutions and 75 private institutions across 18 of the country’s 21 provinces, with 1,300 courses created.
Yet critics maintain that structural divides persist. Adalberto Costa Júnior asserted that more than 1,800 health units are still missing, malaria remains the leading cause of death, and childhood malnutrition has risen from 38% to 40%, stating that the elite go abroad for medical treatment while the people are left at the doors of units lacking conditions. Debates also continue over pending peace reconciliation aspects that were never inserted into state budgets since 2017, and the implementation of municipal elections, with the opposition attributing the failure to pass the municipal legislative package directly to the president of the MPLA, João Lourenço.
As the country prepares for the upcoming electoral cycle, the national debate centers on contrasting views of the past decade: an administration emphasizing foundational reforms and institutional stability, and detractors arguing that economic realities have left ordinary citizens behind.
Following the address, members of the government welcomed the President’s state of the nation speech, while opposition leaders maintained their critical assessment of the country’s trajectory.
