Angola steps onto the field in the SADC Free Trade Area integration game
In an article co-authored by Imisi de Almeida, trainee lawyer at Abreu Advogados, and Lisa Neves, associate at FBL Advogados, Angola’s positioning in the process of integration into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area is examined, drawing a parallel with a football championship in which different economies compete for places in the regional “leagues”.
According to the authors, for Angola to compete at the level of the region’s more robust economies — such as South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, and Seychelles — it is essential to boost productivity and accelerate structural reforms. This competitiveness relies not only on political will, but also on the implementation of strategic investments in sectors such as tourism and agriculture, and on the development of infrastructure projects like the Lobito Corridor and the new Luanda International Airport.
Although Angola ranked 136th in the latest Global Competitiveness Report from the World Economic Forum (2019), the authors note that the Future of Growth Report 2024 offers encouraging signs. Focused on the dimensions of innovation, inclusion, sustainability and resilience, the report places Angola among the lower-middle-income economies with growth potential, even if still trailing regional counterparts classified as upper-middle-income.
The article also highlights the most recent data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), which shows that the Industrial Production Index recorded a 5% increase in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year. This growth, driven by extractive industries, manufacturing and energy production, is seen as a positive indicator of progress in the real economy.
Lisa Neves and Imisi de Almeida emphasise that to secure a strong position in the regional market, Angola requires a robust industrial strategy and sustained support for small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the engine of innovation and employment. Investment in technical training, improved logistics, and access to suitable financial instruments are key factors in consolidating national competitiveness.
They conclude that Angola has a historic opportunity to transform itself from a mere exporter of raw materials into a productive partner integrated within regional value chains. The success of this transition will depend on the ability to implement structural reforms with pragmatism and long-term vision, supported by ongoing dialogue between the State, the private sector and regional partners.
Read the article here (available only in Portuguese).
