LUANDA, Angola — Angola celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence from Portugal on Tuesday with a military parade in the capital, Luanda. Soldiers, marching bands, and tanks filled Republic Square before President João Lourenço delivered a national address from the Independence Memorial.
“We’ve made a difficult journey in these 50 years,” Lourenço said, recalling the country’s struggle against Portuguese colonial rule and political challenges during the Cold War.
Historical Context
Angola declared independence on 11 November 1975 after a 13-year war with Portugal. The country soon descended into a devastating civil war that lasted until 2002, claiming between 500,000 and 1 million lives.
Lourenço’s Vision
In his speech, the president pledged to build an inclusive society with equal opportunities for all citizens, while acknowledging that Angola continues to face “enormous” and “highly complex” challenges.
Despite significant progress in infrastructure and urban development, Angola remains burdened by economic and social inequalities. Poverty, unemployment, and limited access to education and healthcare persist.
According to World Bank data from 2018:
- About one-third of Angolans lived under the international poverty line of $2.15 per day.
- Roughly 16.5 million people (52.9%) lived on less than $3.65 per day, the threshold for lower-middle-income countries.
Regional Concerns
Lourenço also drew attention to instability across Africa, citing “the volatile situation in the Sahel countries, the wars in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo” as issues requiring “our full attention.”