RESTRICTED  
  
WT/TPR/S/ 452 
12 February 2024  
(24-1217) Page: 1/110 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW  
REPORT BY THE SECRETARIAT  
ANGOLA  
This report, prepared for the third Trade Policy Review of Angola, has been drawn up by the 
WTO Secretariat on its own responsibility. The Secretariat has, as required by the Agreement 
establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex  3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing 
the World Trade Organization), sought clarification from Angola on its trade policies and practices.  
 
Any technical questions arising from this report  may be addressed to Jacques  Degbelo 
(tel. 022 739 5583), Karsten  Steinfatt  (tel. 022 739 6759) , and Robson  Fernandes 
(tel. 022 739 5397).  
 
Document WT/TPR/G/ 452 contains the policy statement submitted by Angola.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the 
first session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on Angola. This report was drafted 
in English.  
  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  CONTENTS  
SUMMARY  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  6 
1   ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  ................................ ................................ ........................  12 
1.1   Main features of the economy  ................................ ................................ ...................... 12 
1.2   Recent economic developments  ................................ ................................ .................... 14 
1.2.1    Real sector  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 14 
1.2.2    Fiscal policy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 15 
1.2.3    Monetary policy and the exchange rate ................................ ................................ .......16 
1.2.4    Balance of payments  ................................ ................................ ................................ 17 
1.3   Developments in trade and investment  ................................ ................................ ......... 18 
1.3.1    Trends and patterns in merchandise and services trade  ................................ ................ 18 
1.3.2    Trends and patterns in FDI  ................................ ................................ ....................... 21 
2   TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES ................................ ................................ ...........  22 
2.1   General framework  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....22 
2.2   Trade policy formulation and objectives  ................................ ................................ ......... 23 
2.3   Trade agreements and arrangements  ................................ ................................ ............ 25 
2.3.1    World Trade Organization  ................................ ................................ ......................... 25 
2.3.2    Regional and preferential agreements  ................................ ................................ ........ 26 
2.3.2.1    African Union  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 26 
2.3.2.2    African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)  ................................ ........................... 26 
2.3.2.3    Southern African Development Community (SADC)  ................................ ................... 27 
2.3.2.4    Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)  ................................ ............ 27 
2.3.3    Bilateral agreements and arrangements  ................................ ................................ .....27 
2.3.4    Other agreements and arrangements  ................................ ................................ ......... 28 
2.3.4.1    Relations with the European  Union  ................................ ................................ .......... 28 
2.3.4.2    Relations with the United  States  ................................ ................................ ............. 29 
2.3.4.3    Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and Global System of Trade  
Preferences (GSTP)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 30 
2.4   Investment regime  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....31 
2.4.1    General investment regime  ................................ ................................ ....................... 32 
3   TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE  ................................ ........................  35 
3.1   Measures directly affecting imports  ................................ ................................ ............... 35 
3.1.1    Customs procedures and requirements  ................................ ................................ .......35 
3.1.2    Customs valuation and preshipment inspection  ................................ ............................ 38 
3.1.3    Rules of origin  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 38 
3.1.4    Customs duties  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 38 
3.1.4.1    Applied MFN tariff  ................................ ................................ ................................ .39 
3.1.4.2   WTO bindings  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......42 
3.1.4.3    Tariff concessions  ................................ ................................ ................................ .44 
3.1.5    Other charges affecting imports  ................................ ................................ ................. 44 
3.1.6    Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  ................................ ............................ 45 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.1.7    Anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures  ................................ ................ 49 
3.2   Measures directly affecting exports  ................................ ................................ ............... 49 
3.2.1    Customs procedures and requirements  ................................ ................................ .......50 
3.2.2    Taxes, charges, and levies  ................................ ................................ ........................ 50 
3.2.3    Export prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  ................................ ............................. 50 
3.2.4    Export support and promotion  ................................ ................................ ................... 51 
3.3   Measures affecting pr oduction and trade  ................................ ................................ .......52 
3.3.1    Incentives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 52 
3.3.2    Standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures  ....................... 55 
3.3.3    Sanitary and phytosanitary requirements  ................................ ................................ ....58 
3.3.4    Competition policy and price controls  ................................ ................................ ......... 61 
3.3.4.1    Competition policy  ................................ ................................ ................................ 61 
3.3.4.2    Price controls ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 63 
3.3.5    State trading and state -owned enterprises  ................................ ................................ ..64 
3.3.6    Government procurement  ................................ ................................ ......................... 66 
3.3.7    Intellectual property rights  ................................ ................................ ........................ 70 
4   TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR  ................................ ................................ .....................  73 
4.1   Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries  ................................ ................................ ................ 73 
4.1.1    Overview  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 73 
4.1.2    Agricultural policy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....74 
4.1.2.1    Overall framework  ................................ ................................ ................................ 74 
4.1.2.2    Border measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..76 
4.1.2.3    Support measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ .76 
4.1.3    Forestry  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 78 
4.1.4    Fisheries  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 79 
4.2   Mining and energy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......81 
4.2.1    Oil and  gas products  ................................ ................................ ................................ 81 
4.2.1.1    Local content regime and contracting procedures in the sector  ................................ ...84 
4.2.1.2    Special investment regime  ................................ ................................ ..................... 85 
4.2.2    Mining  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 86 
4.2.2.1    Diamonds  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 87 
4.2.2.2    Special investment regime  ................................ ................................ ..................... 87 
4.2.3    Energy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 88 
4.2.3.1    Renewable energy  ................................ ................................ ................................ .90 
4.3   Services  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 91 
4.3.1    Telecommunications  ................................ ................................ ................................ .91 
4.3.2    Financial services  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....95 
4.3.2.1    Banking services  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...95 
4.3.2.2    Capital market and stock exchanges  ................................ ................................ ........ 97 
4.3.3    Insurance  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 98 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.4   Transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 99 
4.4.1    Maritime transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...99 
4.4.2    Air transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  101 
4.4.3    Rail transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  105 
4.4.4    Road transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 106 
4.5   Tourism  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  107 
5   APPENDIX TABLES  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 110  
 
CHARTS  
 
Chart  1.1 Balance of payments – current account, 2015 -22 ................................ .................... 17 
Chart  1.2 Product composition of merchandise trade by HS section/chapter/subheading,  
2015 and 2022  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 18 
Chart  1.3 Direction of merchandise trade, 2015 and 2022  ................................ ....................... 19 
Chart  2.1 US and EU imports by tariff regime, 2015 -22 ................................ .......................... 30 
Chart  3.1 Breakdown of applied MFN rates, 2015 and 2023  ................................ ..................... 40 
Chart  3.2 Average tariff rates, by WTO product category, 2015 and 2023  ................................ .42 
 
TABLES  
 
Table  1.1 Basic economic and social indicators, 2015 -22 ................................ ......................... 12 
Table  1.2 Trade in services, 2015 -22 ................................ ................................ .................... 20 
Table  1.3 Foreign direct investment, 2015 -22 ................................ ................................ ........ 21 
Table  2.1 EU imports from Angola by tariff regime, 2015 -22 ................................ ................... 28 
Table  2.2 US imports from Angola by tariff regime, 2015 -22 ................................ ................... 29 
Table  2.3 China imports from Angola  by tariff regime, 2015 -22 ................................ ............... 31 
Table  3.1 Structure of MFN tariffs, 2015 and 2023  ................................ ................................ .40 
Table  3.2 Summary of the MFN tariff, 2023  ................................ ................................ ........... 41 
Table  3.3 Tariff lines where the applied MFN rates might be higher than their bound  
levels, 2023  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................... 42 
Table  3.4 Customs duty exemptions, 2021  ................................ ................................ ............ 44 
Table  3.5 Imports subject to authorization, 2023  ................................ ................................ ...47 
Table  3.6 Consumption -basket and other priority goods  ................................ .......................... 48 
Table  3.7 Exports subject to prior authorization, 2023  ................................ ............................ 51 
Table  3.8 Fiscal incentives, 2023  ................................ ................................ .......................... 53 
Table  3.9 Selected products listed in the Regulations on Laboratory Analysis  ............................. 59 
Table  3.10 Mergers and acquisitions enforcement, 2019 -22 ................................ .................... 63 
Table  3.11 Products subject to monitored prices, 2023  ................................ ........................... 63 
Table  3.12 Direct government support to SOEs, 2020 -22 ................................ ........................ 65 
Table  3.13 Procurement methods  ................................ ................................ ......................... 67 
Table  3.14 Industrial property applications, 2018 -22 ................................ .............................. 70 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Table  4.1 Agriculture programmes and subprogrammes, 2018 -22 ................................ ............ 76 
Table  4.2 Trade on wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal (HS  44), 2015 -22 ....................... 79 
Table  4.3 Exports of oil and gas, 2015 -22 ................................ ................................ ............. 82 
Table  4.4 Imports of oil and gas, 2015 -22 ................................ ................................ ............. 82 
Table  4.5 Minerals production, 2021  ................................ ................................ ..................... 86 
Table  4.6 Telephone and Internet users, 2021  ................................ ................................ .......91 
Table  4.7 Growth of telephone and Internet users, 2017 -22 ................................ .................... 91 
Table  4.8 Relevant legislation on telecommunications  ................................ ............................. 93 
Table  4.9 Imports and exports of telecommunications services, 2015 -22 ................................ ..95 
Table  4.10 Financial and insurance services, 2015 -22 ................................ ............................. 95 
Table  4.11 Main maritime transport indicators, 2015 -23 ................................ .......................  100 
Table  4.12 Air transport, 2015 -23 ................................ ................................ ......................  101 
Table  4.13 Air transportation  agreements  ................................ ................................ ...........  104 
Table  4.14 Tourism sector, 2015 -23 ................................ ................................ ...................  107 
 
BOXES  
 
Box 3.1 Prohibited imports, 2023  ................................ ................................ ......................... 46 
Box 3.2 Prohibited exports, 2023  ................................ ................................ ......................... 50 
Box 3.3 ARC's role in promoting better public policies  ................................ ............................. 62 
Box 4.1 A brief case study on Angola's coffee production and exports  ................................ .......73 
Box 4.2 National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS), 2018 -22 ................................ ............... 75 
Box 4.3 Local content process  ................................ ................................ ............................. 85 
 
APPENDIX TABLES  
 
Table  A2.1 Angola's notifications to the WTO, 2015 -23 ................................ .........................  110 
 
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  SUMMARY  
1. During the period under review (2015 -23), Angola, a least developed country (LDC), pursued 
ambitious and broad economic reforms with the goal of shifting from a state -led and oil -centred 
economy to a diversified one led by the private -sector. Angola's reform programme, implemented 
against particularly challenging economic conditions compounded  by the COVID -19 pandemic, has 
delved deep into econo mic governance, policies, and regulatory frameworks, including on 
investment, competition policy, state -owned enterprises (SOEs), incentives, and government 
procurement. Trade policies have seen some positive changes too, including with respect to trade 
processes, following Angola's ratification of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) in 2019, and 
the establishment of an inter -ministerial National Commission for Trade Negotiation s. 
2. Nonetheless, the potential contribution of trade and trade policy to re duce trade costs and 
support Angola's broader competitiveness and diversification agenda remains largely untapped. This 
partly reflects the emphasis on substituting domestically produced goods for imports in some 
sectors, one of the tools used by Angola to  nurture its nascent private sector and create 
much -needed jobs for its young and rapidly growing population. As the authorities consider ways to 
expand the contribution of trade policy to sustain inclusive economic growth, it would be important 
to assess the costs of higher trade protection, which may come in the form of higher prices and less 
choice for consumers, especially those with the lowest incomes, and fewer opportunities for Angolan 
firms, especially small - and medium -sized ones, to join regional and global value chains.  
3. The period under review saw five consecutive years of negative real GDP growth (2016 -20), 
persistently high unemployment of around 30%, and declining per capita income, before economic 
growth resumed in 2021 and picked up pace in 2 022 as oil prices and oil production recovered. 
Though services have surpassed the oil sector as the largest contributor to the economy, the oil 
sector remains central to the Angolan economy. In 2022, oil and gas contributed to almost 93% of 
Angola's merchandise exports, 58% of fiscal revenue, and close to 30% of GDP.  As recognized in 
Angola's 2050 Strategy, reliance on a state -led economic development model centred around highly 
capital -intensive offshore oil production has reduced incentives  for high -quality investment in non -oil 
sectors and has failed to generate sufficient jobs for a large part of its population. The pervasiveness 
of informal jobs, in turn, has been linked to Angola's high poverty rates.  Climate change, which has 
already hi t the southern part of the country hard, poses a serious challenge to raising productivity 
growth, especially in agriculture, as do continuing gaps in basic infrastructure and human capital.  
4. As part of reform s enacted  under a  2018 IMF programme, Angola ado pted legislation to reduce 
the public debt -to-GDP ratio and the non-oil primary fiscal deficit . In addition, Angola introduced a 
value  added tax (VAT) to broaden the tax base and mobilize additional non -oil revenue , combined 
with steps to reduce costly fuel subsidies while accelerating the implementation of a cash transfer 
programme for vulnerable households . Public debt as a share of GDP, after more than doubling 
during the 2015 -20 crisis period, has fallen sharply, mainly helped by increases in fiscal rev enue 
due to higher oil prices. In 2022, the public debt -to-GDP ratio stood at slightly less than 70% of 
GDP, roughly half of its level two years earlier.  
5. Macroeconomic policy reforms have also included a constitutional amendment to increase the 
independenc e of the national central bank (BNA), along with a decision in 2018 to replace the peg 
between the national currency, the kwanza, and the US dollar with a flexible exchange rate regime. 
This led to a sharp depreciation of the kwanza in nominal terms. The t ransition to a more flexible 
exchange rate regime, which will reduce the risk of kwanza overvaluation, support external 
competitiveness, and facilitate Angola's trade and economic diversification efforts, has been 
accompanied by measures to foster greater transparency and efficiency in foreign exchange 
transactions. During the period under review, inflation receded from an end -of-year high of around 
41% in 2016 to slightly less than 14 % in 2022, against the backdrop of overall tight monetary 
conditions during most of that period.  
6. Trade of goods and services represented almost 70% of GDP in 2022, reflecting the 
importance of international trade for the Angolan economy. Yet, the backward or forward 
participation of Angolan firms in global value chains is limit ed. The share of crude oil in total 
merchandise exports, though still large, declined during the period under review, from almost 93% 
in 2015 to slightly less than 80% in 2022. At the same time, exports of liquified natural gas (LNG), 
which were non -existe nt in 2015, represented close to 13% of total merchandise exports in  2022, 
reflecting increased demand in some trading partners for alternative energy products following the WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  outbreak of the war in Ukraine. After crude oil and LNG, diamonds are Angola's thi rd most important 
export products, representing slightly less than 4% of total merchandise exports in  2022.  
7. China continues to be the largest destination for Angola's merchandise exports, followed by 
the European  Union and India. Apart from being the fourt h-largest destination for Angola's exports 
of crude oil, India is also the second -largest destination for Angolan LNG after the European  Union. 
The export share of the United  Arab Emirates, the main destination by far for Angola's diamonds, 
has increased t o slightly more than 3% of total merchandise exports, up from 2% in 2015.  
8. The services trade balance recorded a deficit throughout the period under review. Travel 
service exports decreased sharply due to the COVID -19-induced economic crisis and have yet to  
recover to their pre -pandemic levels. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Angola remains  
concentrated in the oil sector.  
9. Several planning instruments, which resulted from broad consultations coordinated by the 
Ministry of the Economy and Planning, guide th e overall direction of Angola's trade policy. Among 
them is the programme to support domestic production, export diversification, and import 
substitution (PRODESI). PRODESI targets a broad range of economic sectors for import substitution, 
starting with pr oducts from the "basic basket" . The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MINDCOM), 
which, along with the Ministry of Finance and other government agencies, is responsible for 
developing and implementing trade and trade -related policies to advance PRODESI's goal s, is of the 
view that a "balanced" application of higher import tariffs is needed for domestic firms to learn, 
invest, and innovate before facing foreign competition. In line with this, MINDCOM has also started 
work to develop a framework for the applicat ion of trade remedies.  
10. Angola, which became an original WTO  Member in 1996, is not a party to the plurilateral 
Agreements on Government Procurement and on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Angola ratified the WTO  TFA 
in April 2019 and the authorities note that they have started the process towards ratification of the 
WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Angola grants at least MFN treatment to all of its trading 
partners. Angola's WTO notification record is weak, even  though its officials have participated in 
numerous WTO technical assistance activities.  
11. Angola is a founding member of the African Union (AU) and a long -standing member of two 
of the AU's regional economic communities: the Economic Community of Central Af rican States  
(ECCAS)  and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) . Nonetheless, Angola does not 
grant preferential duties under either agreement. Angola ratified the African Continental Free Trade 
Area (AfCFTA) in October  2020, but has not yet app lied nor benefited from preferential tariffs. Angola 
is a beneficiary of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and, as an LDC, of the GSP 
schemes of a number of countries.  
12. During the period under review, Angola took steps to improve conditions f or private investors 
with the goal of supporting productivity growth and economic and trade diversification. The L aw on 
the Limitation of the Economic Activity , passed in 2021, limits the activities that are fully reserved 
to the State to just those carrie d out by the BNA. The Law also defines "relative reserve" activities 
(those open to private investment but subject to concession) as comprising the following: defence 
materials; water, sanitation, and electricity services; postal services; exploration of 
environment -protected areas; administration of cultural and historical sites; tourist sites; solid waste 
management ; port and airport administration; railway transport services and domestic airways; and 
backbone telecommunication s network s and services.  
13. New investment legislation sets out a regime with guarantees for private investors, including 
with respect to expropriation, and seeks t o make investment incentives more streamlined, 
transparent, and predictable. In general,  investors must  employ Angolan nationals, though skilled 
foreigners can be hired if investors provide vocational training and have a plan to substitute Angolans 
for for eigners. Some foreign investment restrictions in force at the time of Angola's previous Review, 
notably in air transport, port services, telecommunications, and insurance, have been abolished, but 
some others remain, including in fisheries, mining, oil, an d subscription -TV services. All land belongs 
to the State, which may assign the right to use land under a concession or long -term lease. A new 
Agency for Private Investment and Export Promotion (AIPEX) is responsible for promoting private 
investment and as sisting investors with all necessary procedures.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  14. Angola has taken steps to simplify and modernize its trade processes, including by reducing 
the number of documents needed to register as a trader , adopting a customs automation system, 
introducing an author ized economic operator programme, and work ing towards the full 
implementation of a single window. Nonetheless, importers continue to face a fragmented process 
that requires multiple document submissions (and payment of fees) to different authorizing agenci es 
for the same goods . In addition, seaborne freight is subject to a participation fee for the 
modernization of Angola's transport infrastructure. This, along with periodic registration fees  and a 
customs service fee calculated based on import value rather  than the cost of services rendered, add 
to trade costs , posing a disproportionate burden on micro -, small -, and medium -sized enterprises 
(MSMEs).  
15. During the period under review, Angola eliminated tariffs for close to 43% of tariff lines. 
Nonetheless, its simple average applied MFN tariff increased slightly, from 10.9% at the time of the 
previous Review in 2015 to 11.5% in 2023. This reflects tariff increases for some sensitive goods, 
sometimes to high levels between 50% and 70%. The authorities consider su ch higher tariffs a key 
tool to promote domestic production and reduce imports. At the same time, the relatively high level 
of nominal and effective protection afforded to finished goods may weaken the incentives faced by 
domestic producers to improve comp etitiveness, impeding their participation in regional and global 
value chains.  
16. Angola has bound all of its tariffs, but the large gap between bound and applied rates may 
partly undermine the positive role of tariff bindings in providing stability and predi ctability to Angola's 
trade regime. The authorities agree with the Secretariat that some applied tariffs exceed their bound 
rates and said that this would be corrected in the Customs Tariff for 2024.  
17. Angola continues to maintain a wide range of customs dut y concessions, including for private 
investors and the dominant oil sector, resulting in levels of effective protection for Angolan value -
added activities that are many times higher than indicated by nominal tariff rates. In addition, 
widespread duty exemp tions are costly to administer and may give rise to fraudulent activities.  
18. All imports require a licence from MINDCOM, irrespective of the risk posed by the good in 
question or the existence of additional licensing requirements imposed by other  agencies . For "widely 
consumed goods", a category that is yet to be defined by MINDCOM under a new Presidential Decree 
adopted in October  2023 but not yet in force, import licences would be issued exclusively to 
importers who meet domestic purchasing and other requir ements. Similar provisions, along with 
import quotas for certain goods, were contained in another Presidential Decree adopted in 2019 but 
now abolished.  Angola's trading partners had raised concerns about this measure in several WTO 
bodies.  
19. Angola does not  apply export taxes except on rough minerals and goods exports in the same 
state as they were imported. All exports are subject to licensing by MINDCOM. The State is not 
involved in export finance, insurance, or guarantee programmes. Nonetheless, during th e period 
under review Angola introduced a free  trade zone (FTZ) regime, whose tax benefits are partly 
contingent on export performance. An FTZ about 30  km north of the Luanda  is under development 
with public and private investment . 
20. During the period under review, Angola adopted overarching legislation on fiscal incentives. 
The new law  defines the scope of tax incentives depending on the sector, location, and economic 
impact of the investment. In addition, the Code sets out incentives for MSMEs; agricultural, fisheries, 
and other cooperatives; renewable energy; and the financial sector. While this has helped to 
rationalize and improve the predictability and transparency of Angola's incentive regime, no official 
analyses exist to determine whether the contribution of these and other incentives offered by Angola 
justify their fiscal costs.  
21. The authorities recognize the importance of a sound system of standardization, technical 
regulation s, conformity assessment, metrology, and accreditation  to underpin export 
competitiveness and diversification. In line with this, Angola has created a new ag ency, the National 
Institute of Quality Infrastructure (INIQ),  which has taken steps to address the lack of coordination 
within the quality infrastructure system.  Angola's accreditation system is incipient, which forces 
exporters to rely on accredited conf ormity assessment services  abroad.  Transparency remains a 
major challenge, as the catalogue of standards is not accessible nor is there a central registry of WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  technical regulations . The official gazette's website is often down and legislation, when availabl e 
online, is often difficult to search electronically.  
22. During the period under review, Angola updated parts of its legal regime on sanitary and 
phytosanitary (SPS) measures , including plant health. The authorities recognize that a dditional 
legislative and institutional reforms are needed to strengthen the SPS framework  and bring it 
up to date, for example with respect to pesticides. Regulations on laboratory analysis adopted 
in 2018 set out a framework for testing of food and other products for human consum ption based 
on CODEX and other international standards. In practice, all imported food is subject to laboratory 
testing in Angola irrespective of origin, prior testing, or level of risk.  
23. The level of competition in the Angolan market is generally low, part ly because of high entry 
barriers that result from the dominant position of SOEs in many sectors of the economy , including 
oil, electricity, telecommunications, and air transport . The authorities consider "healthy competition" 
a key ingredient of an enabli ng business environment , particularly for MSMEs . In line with this, 
Angola adopted a competition policy framework and introduced policy, legal, and institutional 
changes in several other areas with implications for competition . 
24. SOEs have a significant pres ence in the Angolan economy. The combined assets of the 
71 SOEs for which financial data are available represent more than half of Angolan GDP. The 
prevalence of low -performing SOEs  in many key sectors of the economy, including electricity , 
telecommunications, and other infrastructure sectors , seems to affect negatively the 
competitiveness of the private  sector and impede progress in trade and economic diversification. 
Against this b ackdrop, Angola has embarked on a  far-reaching initiative to increase transparency 
and accountability of SOEs. In addition, Angola initiated a privatization process, which so far has 
resulted in the privatization of 98 SOES, with an additional 68 SOEs slat ed for privatization by 
end-2026.  
25. Angola's government procurement policy seeks to ensure value for money, transparency, and 
probity, while supporting domestic businesses, including MSMEs , through preferential rules. During 
the period under review, Angola a dopted a new law on government procurement and increased the 
use of technological solutions to improve the transparency of its public procurement system  and the 
accountability of procuring entities . Yet, implementation  challenges remain , including low comp liance 
levels with legal requirements to publish procurement plans and tender notices, and a heavy reliance 
on relatively less competitive procurement methods. The participation of foreign individuals and 
companies in public contracts whose value is below certain thresholds is not permitted.  
26. Angola's Industrial Development Plan 2025 recognizes intellectual property (IP)  protection as 
a key enabler of investment and innovation, including in areas such as the digital economy and 
agriculture.  Nonetheless, Angola's engagement in IP policy is limited, including at international and 
regional levels, in part because of resource constraints. In 2023, Angola ranked last out of 
132 economies included in the WIPO Global Innovation Index.  
27. Agricultural production has inc reased rapidly in recent years, reaching 9% of GDP in  2022, 
from slightly less than 6% in 2015. The authorities attribute the sector's positive performance to 
PRODESI, the Kwenda cash transfer programme, better access to credit for family farms, support 
for mechanization, and the expansion of farming areas. The potential to scale up agricultural 
production, including for export, is high, given Angola's abundance of land and water, and diverse 
climatic and soil conditions.  Yet, the prevalence of small -scale subsistence farming, along with low 
agricultural labour productivity , poor agronomic practices , and limited access to key technolog ies, 
and poor infrastructure  pose challenges. To support the agricultural sector and its key role in 
economic diversification , job creation, and food security, Angola maintains market price, subsidized 
credit, and general services  support programmes. Support is also provided in the form of higher -
than-average tariff protection and non -tariff barriers to trade for certain agricul tural products.  
28. The oil and gas sector is still the mainstay of the economy. Although Angola is one of the 
leading oil producers in sub -Saharan Africa, it relies mostly on imports to meet demand for refined 
petroleum products due to its limited refining ca pacity. The legal and institutional framework 
governing the sector has undergone significant reform since the previous Review. The National 
Agency for Petroleum, Gas, and Biofuels (ANPG), created in 2019, replaced the state oil company 
Sonangol as the Stat e's sole "concessionaire", responsible for overseeing and regulating oil and gas WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  activities, including the allocation of concessions. Sonangol, for its part, was granted "preference 
rights" in the allocation of new oil concessions. Under a Presidential Dec ree adopted in  2020, 
procurement contracts for certain goods and services by oil companies must give preference to 
Angolan companies.  
29. Angola is the world's fourth -largest producer of diamonds and has significant untapped mineral 
potential, including in min erals that are deemed critical for the clean energy transition. In principle, 
mining operations are open to foreign -owned companies without restrictions. The exceptions are 
mining right concessions related to minerals used for civil works and mineral -rich waters can only 
be granted to Angolan citizens or Angolan companies with at most one  third foreign ownership.  
30. Despite Angola's abundant energy sources, e lectricity supply remains a major hurdle for 
improving livelihoods, and for achieving economic diversif ication and development . Slightly l ess than 
half the population has access to electricity . Around 60% of the power supply comes from hydro, 
36% from fossil fuels, and 4% from solar. The potential to expand the contribution of renewables to 
electricity gene ration, and eventually clean energy products, is large, given that Angola is estimated 
to be using just one  fifth of its potential hydropower capacity. Since its previous Review, Angola has 
made significant progress towards integrating some of its regional  electricity systems, which will 
help reduce the inefficiencies that characterize its electricity market. Moreover, Angola adopted a 
new legislative framework providing for competition in electricity production, distribution, and 
commercialization. Nonethe less, market concentration in each of these segments, which are 
dominated by SOEs, remains high, which poses barriers to greater participation by private actors 
and dampens competition.  
31. Angola's telecommunications market is growing. Nonetheless, access to telephone and 
Internet services is below world and LDC averages. Most types of telecommunications services are 
open to competition  and t here are no statutory limits on the participation of foreign investors in  
telecommunications companies , except for a 30% limit on operators supply ing subscription -TV 
services . A fourth "unified global title", which allows the holder to offer any electronic communication 
service , was concessioned in 2021 to a company with 100% f oreign capital. During the period under 
review, Angola adopted a White Paper that sets out initiatives to strengthen competition, expand 
infrastructures and promote international connectivity, foster digital inclusiveness, and develop 
digital skills.  
32. Banki ng services is one of the three sectors, along with tourism and recreational, cultural, and 
sporting services, in which Angola has undertaken GATS commitments. Of the 23 banks in operation, 
6 are foreign -owned, and 3 owned wholly or partly by the State. Se curing access to credit is critically 
important to achieve Angola's economic diversification goals. During the period under review, BNA 
issued a series of Notices instructing banks to extend credit at preferential  rates for producers of 
certain goods, with  some success. Foreign banks and other financial institutions may open 
subsidiaries or establish representative offices in Angola, subject to BNA authorization . 
Angola's  insurance market is a very small part of the financial sector and remains underdevelop ed. 
Insurance and reinsurance activities can be carried out , subject to authorization , by public limited 
companies (sociedades anónimas ) with domestic or foreign capital, or by branches of foreign 
insurance or reinsurance companies . 
33. Angola relies on foreig n-flagged vessels to carry the bulk of its imports and exports, 
suggesting that a long -standing cargo -sharing scheme designed to promote the Angolan flag has 
not had the desired effect. The scheme's designated beneficiary, Secil Maritima, which is 
majority -owned by the State, reinitiated domestic cargo and passenger maritime services in 2022 
after a long hiatus. Following legislative reform, some port operation activities are no longer reserved 
exclusively for Angolan nationals . 
34. In 2018, TAAG Angola Airline s was transformed into a public limited company, but it continues 
to be wholly owned by the State. During the period under review, Angola eliminated the requirement 
that a private company be at least 51% owned by Angolan citizens to qualify for a concessio n to 
operate scheduled domestic air services. No such concessions have been granted, however, and 
TAAG remains the sole company licensed to operate scheduled domestic flights. The air transport 
agreements signed by Angola are relatively restrictive. The St ate is the owner and manager of all 
airports. The new Luanda airport started operations for cargo flights at the end of 2023, with 
passenger flights to follow in 2024. Self -handling and mutual assistance are not allowed, but there 
are third -party providers  that are independent of the airport authorities and TAAG.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  35. Angola has identified the hotel and tourism sector as a priority for the diversification of its 
economy. Its nascent tourism sector was hard hit by the COVID -19 pandemic. Approximately half 
of tour ists in Angola are from Europe. A new Presidential Decree issued in 2023 exempts tourists 
from 98 nationalities from visa requirements for stays of up to 30 consecutive days and a maximum 
stay of 90 days in Angola each year. For the remaining countries, to urist visas are only granted by 
Angolan diplomatic and consular missions abroad . 
 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  1  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
1.1  Main features of the economy  
1.1.  Angola is the fifth largest economy in sub -Saharan Africa by nominal GDP in US dollar terms, 
yet it is still categorized as a least developed country. The economy's dependence on oil production 
and exports makes it highly vulnerable to terms -of-trade shock s and hinders the competitiveness of 
the non -oil sector, posing a challenge for trade and economic diversification. Though services have 
surpassed the oil sector as the largest contributor to the economy, the oil sector remains central to 
the economy (Tabl e 1.1). In 2022, oil and gas contributed almost  93% of merchandise exports, 58% 
of fiscal revenue, and close to 30% of GDP. Per capita GDP was around USD  3,180 in 2022, down 
from USD  4,130 at the time of Angola's previous Review in 2015.  
Table  1.1 Basic economic and social indicators, 2015 -22 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Nominal GDP (AOA  billion ) 13,950.3  16,549.6  20,262.3  25,627.7  30,330.4  31,700.8  44,535.9  52,184.4  
Nominal GDP (USD  billion ) 116.2  101.1  122.1  101.4  83.1 54.8 70.5 113.3  
Real GDP growth (%)  0.9 -2.6 -0.1 -1.3 -0.7 -5.6 1.2 3.0 
Real GDP growth excluding oil 
extraction (%)  -3.0 -2.5 1.2 2.4 3.9 -4.7 10.5 .. 
GDP per capita at current prices 
(USD)  4,130.9  3,468.5  4,042.7  3,240.9  2,569.6  1,640.0  2,044.1  3,183.7  
Population (million)  28.1 29.2 30.2 31.3 32.4 33.4 34.5 35.6 
Unemployment ratea 20 .. .. 29 30.2 32.2 32.3 30.3 
National accounts at current prices (% of GDP)b 
Final consumption  69.2 69.9 70.1 66.8 58.5 .. .. .. 
Private  52.7 56.0 57.2 56.4 49.9 .. .. .. 
Public  16.4 13.9 12.9 10.5 8.6 .. .. .. 
Gross capital formation  34.2 27.2 24.1 17.9 17.7 .. .. .. 
Gross fixed capital formation  28.2 26.2 23.2 17.2 17.7 .. .. .. 
Variation in stocks  6.0 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.0 .. .. .. 
Export of goods and services  29.8 28.1 29.0 40.8 40.8 .. .. .. 
Import of goods and services  33.1 25.2 23.3 25.5 17.0 .. .. .. 
Share of economic activit ies in current GDP (%)  
Agriculture and forestry  5.8 6.3 6.5 5.7 5.4 7.1 7.5 9.0 
Fishing  3.5 3.8 3.8 3.0 2.6 3.0 4.2 4.9 
Mining and quarrying  23.3 22.1 22.0 31.3 32.9 30.2 34.5 31.2 
Oil extraction and refining  22.7 21.4 21.5 30.5 31.9 28.4 33.1 29.9 
Diamonds, metallic minerals , and 
other non -metallic minerals  0.6 0.7 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.8 1.4 1.4 
Manufacturing  5.8 6.9 6.8 6.2 6.2 7.2 6.6 7.5 
Electricity and water  0.5 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 
Construction  13.1 14.1 14.0 10.9 10.9 8.4 6.3 6.2 
Services  48.0 46.2 46.5 42.3 41.4 43.5 40.3 40.4 
Wholesale and retail trade  16.0 16.8 18.4 17.3 17.4 21.1 21.4 22.6 
Transport and storage  2.8 2.6 2.4 2.0 1.9 1.2 1.3 1.6 
Posts and telecommunications  2.7 2.1 1.8 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.7 0.6 
Financial and insurance 
intermediation  2.0 2.1 2.0 2.4 2.2 2.4 1.8 1.9 
Public administration, defen ce and 
mandatory social security  12.5 10.9 9.3 7.8 6.9 4.7 4.0 2.3 
Real estate services and rental 
activities  4.2 5.0 4.6 4.2 4.2 4.3 3.5 3.7 
Other services  9.4 8.6 9.5 9.0 9.1 10.3 8.7 8.9 
Financial intermediation services 
indirectly measured (FISIM)  -1.6 -2.0 -1.5 -1.8 -1.5 -1.7 -1.2 -1.2 
Central government finances (% of GDP)c 
Total revenue, of which:  24.1 17.5 17.5 22.9 21.6 22.3 24.7 25.6 
Taxes  21.8 15.7 15.8 21.1 20.0 20.8 23.2 23.4 
of which: oil -related  13.6 8.3 9.9 14.5 13.0 11.4 14.9 14.8 
of which: non -oil tax  8.2 7.4 5.9 6.6 7.0 9.4 8.3 8.6 
Total expenditure  27.1 21.7 23.8 20.6 20.7 24.2 20.7 24.5 
Current expenditure  21.9 17.8 17.3 16.0 17.0 18.6 15.1 17.9 
Capital spending  1.9 2.5 3.4 4.6 5.8 7.2 5.5 4.4 
Overall fiscal balance  -3.0 -4.2 -6.3 2.3 0.9 -2.0 4.0 1.0 
Overall primary balance  -1.1 -1.7 -3.0 6.8 6.6 5.2 9.5 5.4 
Non-oil primary fiscal balance  -14.7 -10.0 -12.9 -7.2 -6.0 -5.9 -5.1 -9.1 
Public sector debt (gross)  57.2 76.3 64.1 90.5 114.0  139.6  87.9 69.9 
of which: Central 
Government debt  44.1 66.4 60.0 84.8 105.9  130.5  82.5 65.8 
Domestic  22.0 30.6 28.3 33.4 35.4 36.6 24.2 19.2 
External  22.1 35.8 31.7 51.4 70.5 93.8 58.3 46.6 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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    2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Money and interest rates  
CPI (percentage change, period 
average)  9.4 30.7 29.8 19.6 17.1 22.3 25.8 21.7 
Broad money ( percentage  change)  11.8 13.4 0.6 20.4 29.9 24.5 -9.3 -2.8 
BNA reference rate (% per annum)  11.0 16.0 18.0 16.5 15.5 15.5 20.0 19.5 
External sector  
AOA/USD (period average)  120.1  163.7  165.9  252.9  364.8  578.3  631.4  460.6  
Real effective exchange rate 
(percentage change; - depreciation)  -1.2 -3.2 23.9 -23.3 -17.0 -23.9 8.4 69.2 
Nominal effective exchange rate 
(percentage change; - depreciation)  -7.8 -24.4 -2.5 -34.0 -27.8 -36.6 -12.3 48.8 
Current account (% of GDP)  -8.8 -3.1 -0.5 7.3 6.2 1.6 11.9 10.4 
Trade of goods and services 
(% of GDP) 62.3 53.4 52.3 66.4 69.1 65.9 74.5 69.4 
International reserves (USD  billion ) 24.4 24.4 18.2 16.2 17.2 14.9 15.5 14.7 
in months of imports of goods and 
services  7.7 11.4 7.7 7.5 9.3 11.8 9.9 6.1 
Total gross external debt (USD  billion)  51.6 60.4 59.8 60.3 62.3 65.1 64.7 58.8 
Oil 
Crude oil and condensate production 
in thousands of barrels per dayd 1,779.5  1,721.6  1,632.4  1,478.9  1,373.0  1,277.9  1,130.1  1,143.6  
Natural gas liquids production in 
thousands of barrels per dayd 16.1 23.2 39.0 40.3 47.4 47.2 47.2 46.7 
Brent crude oil nominal prices 
(USD/bbl)  52.4 44.0 54.4 71.1 64.0 42.3 70.4 99.8 
.. Not available . 
a Data refer to annual averages.  
b BNA data.  
c Data provided by the authorities.  
d Data are from the 2023 Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy. Crude oil production 
data refer to crude oil, shale/tight oil, oil sands, lease condensate or gas condensates that require 
further refining (excluding liquid fuels from other sources such as biomass and synthetic derivatives 
of coal and natural gas). Natur al gas liquids production includes ethane, LPG , and naphtha separated 
from the production of natural gas (excluding condensates)  (definition from p.  56 of the 2023 
Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy ). 
Source:  Banco Nacional de Angola, Stat istics. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/#/en ; Instituto Nacional de 
Estatística . Viewed at: https://www.ine.gov.ao/publicacoes/todas ; World Bank, Data Bank. Viewed 
at: https://databank.worldbank.org/home ; IMF data . Viewed at: https://data.imf.org/ ; and Energy 
Institute Statistical Review of World Energy . Viewed at: https://www.energyinst.org/statistical -
review . 
1.2.  State -owned enterprises (SOEs) dominate key economic sectors. The combined assets of 
the 71 SOEs  for which financial data are available represented 52% of GDP in 2022. The state oil 
company Sonangol  exerts significant influence in the economy, with revenues worth almost  12% of 
GDP, a workforce of slightly more than 8,000 workers , and subsidiaries act ive in non -core areas . 
Several  published analyses have concluded that the  existence  of under performing SOEs in 
infrastructure and other  key sectors , such as electricity, have affected private -sector 
competitiveness and held back economic and trade diversif ication.1 
1.3.  A focus of economic policy during the period under review was to promote private -sector -led 
growth and economic diversification. To this end, Angola introduced a privatization programme , 
known as PROPRIV,  and a roadmap for SOE reform , along with  efforts to boost credit to the private 
sector, phase out fuel subsidies, streamline investment incentives, stimulate competition in the 
domestic market, and reinforce anti -corruption measures, including by strengthening the legislative 
and institutional f ramework for public procurement (Section  3.3.6).  
1.4.  Some aspects of Angola's trade policy , including tariff peaks, pervasive licensing requirements, 
and domestic purchasing requirements as a condition to import certain goods, may run counter to 
 
1 See, for example, World Bank Group (2019), Angola: Financial Performance, Corporate Governance, 
and Reform of State -Owned Enterprises in Angola , p. 37. Viewed  at: https://state -owned -
enterprises.worldbank.org/sites/soe/files/repor ts/WB_SOE%20Financial%20Performance_Corporate%20Gover
nance%20and%20Reform_Angola_2019.pdf ; and World Bank Group and International Finance 
Corporation  (2019), Country Private Sector Diagnostic: Creating Markets in Angola – Opportunities for 
Development through the Private Sector , p. 14. Viewed  at: https://www.ifc.org/en/insights -reports/2019/cpsd -
angola#:~:text=This%20Country%20Private%20Sector%20Diagnostic,experience%20to%20accelerate%20tr
ansformational%20investment . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  the goal of pr ivate-sector -led growth and diversification  (Section s 3.1.4 and  3.1.6). These and other 
measures that aim to promote domestic production through import  substitution may raise trade 
costs and limit competition in protected sectors , in turn weakening incenti ves for innovation, and 
harming export competitiveness and consumer welfare through higher prices. Moreover, the 
misalignment of certain aspects of trade policy with the overall thrust of Angola's ambitious economic 
reform agenda may reduce opportunities t o increase productivity in areas of potential comparative 
advantage. One example is agriculture, which represents around 9% of  GDP and employs roughly 
half the labour force, mainly as subsistence farmers. It has been noted that Angola's abundance of 
land a nd water, combined with diverse climatic and soil conditions , offers the possibility to scale up 
agricultural production for the domestic and foreign markets.2 
1.5.  Climate  change poses a serious threat to the Angolan economy.3 The southern part of the 
country has already been hit  hard. Approximately 3.8 million  people in the six southern provinces 
are reported to lack access to adequate food, and over 1.2  million  people are facing water shortages 
following a decade of severe and protracted drought. Angola's projected temperature rise 
of 1.5°C -2.5°C by 2040 -60 has serious implications for its ability to diversify trade and the economy. 
According to economic modelling conduc ted in the context of Angola's Country Climate and 
Development Report by the World Bank, such a rise in average temperatures could depress 
agricultural productivity by as much as 7% by 2050, while overall worker productivity could decrease 
by 4%  (without a daptation measures and relative to a scenario with no climate damage ). An 
additional hit to the economy may come from the likely reduction in demand for Angolan oil in the 
medium  term as global efforts towards decarbonization  intensify.  
1.6.  Angola ranks 148th out of 191 in the United Nations Human Development Index.4 Based on the 
most recent information available, some 31% of the population lived below the international poverty 
line of USD 2.15 per day ( in 2017 purchasing power parity (PPP) terms ).5 In rural areas, more than 
half the population lives below the international poverty line . Poverty is expected to have worsened 
in Angola due to the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic. Angola 's income distribution  is among the 
world's most unequal .6 According  to the World Bank, h igh poverty is linked to a lack of good -quality 
jobs, as only 20% of jobs are in the formal sector.7 The unemployment rate, at around 30%, has 
remained unchanged for  years . 
1.2  Recent economic developments  
1.2.1   Real sector  
1.7.  At the time of Angol a's previous Review, the economy had recorded several years of very fast 
economic growth fuelled by high oil prices. The 2008 global financial crisis and the collapse in oil 
prices that came with it caused economic activity to slow down considerably, thoug h growth 
remained positive and then accelerated, pushing per  capita income to its 2013 peak of USD  5,100. 
During the period under review, the economy registered a protracted recession brought about by 
the collapse in the price of oil starting in mid -2014 a nd compounded by the COVID -19 pandemic. 
In 2021, the economy registered positive real GDP growth for the first time in six years, despite a 
challenging external environment. Since then, Angola's economic recovery has picked up pace, with 
real GDP growth of  3% in 2022.  
1.8.  Against the backdrop of a 60% decrease in the price of Angola's oil between 2014 and  2016, 
Angola fell into a deep and long recession between 2016 and 2020. Real GDP decreased by 1.2% 
per year on average during the four -year period prior to th e COVID -19 pandemic (2015 -19). The 
economic slowdown  was the result of a sharp contraction in domestic demand, particularly public 
 
2 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321 /Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. 
3 The figures in this paragraph are from World Bank Group (2022), Angola: Country Climate and 
Development Report . Viewed  at: https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents -
reports/documentdetail/099150112022221069/p1769170067a8a0f708b250fd1c4a5f562f . 
4 UNDP, Human Development Insights . Viewed  at: https://hdr.undp.org/data -center/country -
insights#/ranks . 
5 World Bank Group (2023), Poverty & Equity Brief: Angola . Viewed  at: 
https://databankfiles.worldbank.org/public /ddpext_download/poverty/987B9C90 -CB9F-4D93 -AE8C -
750588BF00QA/current/Global_POVEQ_AGO.pdf . 
6 Angola's Gini index was 51.3 in 2018, the latest year provided by the World Bank.  
7 World Bank Group, The World Bank in Angola . Viewed  at: 
https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/angola/overview . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  consumption (around -2% per year on average) and investment (around -5% per year on average).8 
The decrease in oil exports h ad a ripple effect on the non -oil sector, especially construction and 
services, both of which contracted more rapidly than overall economic activity between 2015 
and 2019 (Table  1.1). Angola's economic performance deteriorated further in 2020 due to the di rect 
impact of the COVID -19 pandemic, a renewed collapse in oil prices, and agreed reductions in 
Angola's oil output following a decision by O rganization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)  
(which Angola joined in  2007).9 Real GDP declined by 5.6% tha t year, the deepest yearly contraction 
in decades, while per capita GDP fell to USD  1,640.  
1.9.  Economic activity began to recover in 2021 and picked up pace in 2022 , supported by higher 
oil prices and production, which, according to the IMF, benefited from the  easing of pandemic -related 
bottlenecks  and new investment.10 Yet, the recovery has been broad -based, with the non -oil sector 
growing particularly rapidly (Table  1.1). According to the  IMF, the recovery has also benefited from 
reform s enacted  under a n IMF  Extended Fund Facility arrangement signed in December  2018 and 
focused on strengthening fiscal sustainability, reducing inflation, promoting a more flexible exchange 
rate regime , and improving financial sector stability .11 
1.2.2   Fiscal policy  
1.10.   The Ministry of Finance (MINFIN) is responsible for formulating and implementing fiscal policy 
in Angola. In doing so, it must promote the "rational management" of public finances and "balanced" 
public accounts.12 The Law on the Sustainability of Public Finances, enacted in 2020, set the goals 
of reducing both the public debt -to-GDP ratio to 60% or less over the medium term and the non -oil 
primary fiscal deficit to 5% of GDP or less by 2025.13 In 2022, the public d ebt-to-GDP ratio stood 
at almost 70% of GDP and the non -oil primary fiscal deficit at 9.1% of GDP (Table  1.1). 
1.11.   Between 2015 and 2020, Angola's fiscal balance registered deficits in most years, against the 
context of a sharp reduction in fiscal revenue foll owing the oil price shock that started in mid -2014, 
and then the economic consequences of the COVID -19 pandemic. Since 2021, high oil prices have 
bolstered fiscal revenues, resulting in fiscal surpluses in both 2021 and 2022.  The non -oil primary 
fiscal bal ance has registered large deficits throughout the period under review  (Table  1.1). 
1.12.   Angola adopted a fiscal package in March  2020 to mitigate the economic damage caused by 
the pandemic -induced recession and social distancing measures, especially on its larg e informal 
sector.14 On the revenue side, the fiscal package comprised exemptions of value  added tax  (VAT) 
and customs duties on certain goods; VAT tax credit for imported capital goods and raw materials 
for producing certain goods deemed essential; and an  interest -free, deferred payment option for 
social security contributions. On the spending side, Angola froze purchases of non -essential goods 
and services; reduced the number of ministries from 28 to 21 and stopped hiring civil servants; 
suspended certain  capital expenditures; reduced real estate investments;  and introduced price 
controls on certain medical goods. In addition, Angola introduced a temporary prohibition on exports 
of goods deemed essential.  
1.13.   Following several years of low oil prices, recurren t fiscal deficits, and a rising public 
debt-to-GDP ratio, Angola undertook significant fiscal adjustment measures during the second  half 
of the period under review. For example, in October  2019 Angola introduced a VAT to broaden the 
 
8 These data are from the World Bank's World Development Indicators database (Viewed  at: 
https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world -development -indicators ), as no official national accounts data 
was available for the period 2 020-22 at the time of writing this report.  
9 IMF (2020), Third Review under the Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility, 
Requests for Augmentation and Rephasing of Access, Waivers of Non -observance of Performance Criterion and 
Applicability o f Performance Criterion, Modifications of Performance Criteria, and Completion of Financing 
Assurances Review , 20 July, p.  4. 
10 IMF (2023), Staff Report for the 2022 Article  IV Consultation , IMF Country Report No.  23/100, p. 5. 
Viewed  at: https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2023/100/002.2023.issue -100-en.xml . 
11 IMF (2023), Staff Report for the 2022 Art icle IV Consultation – Supplementary Information , 
16 February  2023, p.  4. 
12 Presidential Decree No.  264/20 of 14  October  2020. 
13 Law No.  37/20 of 30  October  2020. 
14 IMF (2020) , "Angola: Confronting the COVID -19 Pandemic and the Oil Price Shock ", 21 Septemb er. 
Viewed  at: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/09/18/na -angola -confronting -the-covid-19-pandemic -
and-the-oil-price-shock. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  tax base and mobilize a dditional non -oil revenue (Section  3.1.5). This was followed one year later 
by the adoption of legal limits on public debt and fiscal deficits through the Law on the Sustainability 
of Public Finances. Angola has also taken steps to phase out fuel subsidies  while accelerating the 
implementation of a cash transfer programme for vulnerable households.  
1.14.   Public debt peaked at almost 140% of GDP at end -2020, following five years of  negative 
economic growth (Table  1.1). Over the next two years, the public debt -to-GDP ratio declined sharply 
to just under 70%, slightly above Angola's medium -term target. According to the IMF, Angola will 
need to make further progress on fiscal reforms to preserve its hard -won debt sustainability, 
including in the areas of tax policy an d administration, cash transfers, SOE sector reform and 
privatization, public financial management, and public procurement (Sections  3.3.5 and 3. 3.6).15 
1.2.3   Monetary policy and the exchange rate  
1.15.   The National Bank of Angola (BNA) , Angola's central bank,  is resp onsible for setting and 
implementing monetary policy in Angola. It is also the lender of last resort and macroprudential 
supervisory authority. A constitutional amendment was adopted in 2021 to strengthen the 
BNA's  independence .16 Angola also enacted new l egislation that seeks to modernize the monetary 
policy framework by clarifying the BNA 's mandate  and strengthening its autonomy  and 
governance.17 Under the new Law, the BNA's  primary goal is to maintain price stability so that the 
value of the national currency  (kwanza (AOA)) can be safeguarded. To this end, the BNA seeks to 
match the change in monetary aggregates to the level of economic activity. In practice, the BNA  uses 
reserve money as its monetary target. According to the authorities, the BNA is taking steps to 
transition from monetary aggregate -targeting  to inflation -targeting.  
1.16.   Angola introduced monetary measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic  
while securing financial sector stability .18 Such measures included liquidity su pport for banks and a 
liquidity line to buy government securities from non -financial corporations ; a program me to 
stimulate credit allowing banks to deduct the amount of credit extended from their reserve 
requirement obligations;  a temporary moratorium on debt service payments ; and a requirement for 
banks to provide credit to importers of goods  deemed essential . 
1.17.   During the period under review, i nflation receded from an end -of-year high of 41.1% in 2016 
to 13.9% in 20 22, against the backdrop of overall tight  monetary conditions  in 2016 -18 and 2021 -22 
(Table  1.1). T he BNA eased its monetary policy stance  with cuts in its policy rate  in late 2022 and 
early 2023, though it is targeting single -digit inflation by the end of 2024.  
1.18.   The most significant change in Angola's macroeconomic policy framework during the period 
under review was the decision to abandon its exchange rate peg to the U S dollar in 2018 and start 
a transition towards a flexible exchange rate regime  with limited intervention to counter excess 
exchange rate volatility. With this decision, the authorities seek to reduce the risk of overvaluation 
of the kwanza and help allocate available foreign exchang e more efficiently . The authorities consider 
that a more flexible exchange rate will have  beneficial effects on the effectiveness of monetary policy 
instruments, reserve accumulation, external competitiveness , and economic diversification.  
1.19.   To foster transp arency and efficiency  in foreign exchange transactions , the BNA requires that 
oil, gas, and diamond companies use Bloomberg FXGO, an electronic trade platform , to transact 
foreign exchange with commercial banks for transactions above USD  500,000 .19 In Octo ber 2021, 
the BNA added airline companies established under Angola's Law on Commercial Companies and 
insurance companies supervised by the Angolan Insurance Regulation and Supervision Agency 
(Agência Angolana de Regulação e Supervisão de Seguros  (ARSEG )) to the list of entities allowed to 
buy and sell foreign exchange on Bloomberg FXGO .20 Since February  2022, importers classified as 
"large taxpayers" by the General Tax Administration ( Administração Geral Tributária  (AGT)) have 
 
15 IMF (2023), IMF Country Report No.  23/100, p. 19. 
16 Law No.  18/21 of 16  August  2021 (Constitutional Revision Law) , Article  100. 
17 Law No.  24/21 of 18  October  2021, which repealed Law No.  16/10 of 15 July 2010.  
18 IMF (2020) , "Angola: Confronting the COVID -19 Pandemic and the Oil Price Shock ", 21 September. 
Viewed  at: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/09/18/na -angola -confronting -the-covid-19-pandemic -
and-the-oil-price-shock . 
19 BNA Instruction No.  02/2020 of 30  March  2020. 
20 BNA Instruction No.  23/2021 of 29  October  2021. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  also been allowed to purchase foreign exchange through Bloomberg FXGO to pay their foreign 
suppliers.21 Importers who also export from Angola cannot buy foreign exchange for import purposes 
unless they have exhausted the foreign exchange resulting from the ir export transactions.22 
1.20.   Following the BNA's decision to start the transition towards a flexible exchange rate, 
the kwanza depreciated strongly in nominal terms, a trend that continued throughout the COVID -19 
pandemic. Following stabilization in 2021  and strong appreciation during the first half of 2022 in line 
with higher oil prices and dollar inflows, the official exchange rate was AOA  510 to the US dollar at 
the end of March  2023, slightly above its pre -pandemic level.  The real effective exchange r ate 
appreciated sharply in 2022, partly reflecting high inflation.  
1.21.   According to the IMF, Angola's de jure  exchange rate arrangement is floating, while the 
de facto exchange rate arrangement has been reclassified from "other managed" to "floating" as 
of March 2020.23 The IMF considers that Angola maintains restrictions on the making of payments 
and transfers for current international transactions under the transitional arrangements of 
Article  XIV, Section  2 of the IMF Articles of Agreement. The restrictions in question are (i)  limits on 
the availability of foreign exchange for invisible transactions  (e.g. travel expenses ); and (ii)  limits 
on unrequited transfers to foreign -based individuals and institutions.  
1.2.4   Balance of payments  
1.22.   The terms -of-trade shock that started in mid -2014 led to a large swing in the current account, 
from a large surplus in 201 3 to a large deficit in 2015, reflecting lower exports offset only partially 
by lower imports.  A second terms -of-trade shock in 2019 -20 triggered by the COVID -19 pandemic 
caused a renewed deterioration of the current account, though this time it remained in surplus, as 
a more flexible exchange rate led to a sharper contraction of imports. With the recovery of oil prices, 
the current acco unt balance has strengthened, to 11.7% of GDP in 2021 and 10. 1% of GDP in  2022 
(Chart  1.1). 
Chart  1.1 Balance of payments – current account, 2015 -22 
(USD billion ) 
 
Source:  BNA, External Statistics, Annual Data. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/  
#/en/estatisticas/estatisticas -externas/dados -anuais . 
1.23.   Except in 2015  and 2016 , the financial account registered net outflows during the period 
under review, reflecting mainly repatriation of previous investments by oil companies. At end -2022, 
gross international reserves stood at US D 14.7 billion , equivalent to 6. 17 months of imports . 
 
21 BNA Ins truction No.  01/22 of 22  February  2022. 
22 BNA Notice No.  4/21 of 14  April 2021, Article  9. 
23 IMF (2023), Staff Report for the 2022 Article  IV Consultation – Informational Annex , p. 3. 
-30-20-10010203040
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Balance on goods Balance on services Balance on primary income
Balance on secondary income Current accountChart 1.1 Balance of payments –current account, 2015 -22WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  1.3  Developments in trade and investment  
1.3.1   Trends and patterns in merchandise and services trade  
1.24.   Trade of goods and services represented almost 70% of GDP in 2022, reflecting the 
importance of inter national trade to the Angolan economy (Table  1.1). Yet, the backward or forward 
participation of Angolan firms in global value chains is extremely limited, as those firms export 
mostly crude oil for refining abroad and import mostly finished rather than in termediate goods and 
services.  
1.25.   Angola's exports totalled around USD  51.3 billion  in 2022, up from almost USD  34 billion 
in 2015. While exports continue to be heavily dominated by crude oil, the share of crude oil in total 
merchandise exports declined durin g the period under review, from almost 93% in  2015 to slightly 
less than 80% in 2022 (Chart  1.2). At the same time, exports of liquified natural gas  (LNG), which 
were non -existent in 2015, represented close to 13% of total merchandise exports in  2022. The 
sharp increase in the share of natural gas in Angola's exports reflects increased demand from the 
European  Union and the United  Kingdom  for alternative sources of energy following the outbreak of 
war in Ukraine. After crude oil and LNG, diamonds are Angola 's third most important export category, 
representing slightly less than 4% of total merchandise exports in 2022.  
Chart  1.2 Product composition of merchandise trade by HS section/chapter/subheading, 
2015 and 2 022 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
2015 2022
Crude oils 
78.6%Petroleum 
gases and 
other gaseous 
hydrocarbons 
12.8%
(Natural gas, 
liquefied 
=11.9%)Diamonds
3.9%
Total:   
USD 33.9 
billionTotal:  
USD 51.3 
billion  
Base metals 
& articles 
thereof
12.4%Vegetable products 3.1%
Precision 
equipment 
2.1%Live animals 
and products 
5.0%
Fats and oils 0.2%Live animals 
and products
4.3%
Fats and oils 3.6%Precision 
equipment 
2.1%
Base metals &
articles thereof
6.4% Total:   
USD 21.5 
billionTotal:   
USD 17.8 
billion Other 
4.7%
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.Other 
26.2%Other
9.4%
Transport 
equipment
9.1%Other
3.9%
Chemicals 
9.3%Transport 
equipment
6.9%Crude oils
92.5% 
Prep. food, 
beverages & tobacco  
4.0%
Machinery;
electrical equipment
22.8% Machinery; 
electrical 
equipment
18.7% 
Plastics & 
rubber
4.3% Plastics & 
rubber 3.2% Mineral products
7.3% 
(Petroleum oils, other 
than crude = 5.9%)
Mineral products
22.6% 
(Petroleum oils, 
other than crude = 
22.0%)Prep. food, beverages & 
tobacco 5.2%Exports (f.o.b.)
Imports (c.i.f.)Diamonds
3.2%
Vegetable products  
6.3%
Chemicals 
5.5%Petroleum gases 
and other 
gaseous 
hydrocarbons  
0.3%WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  1.26.   Angola's imports totalled USD  17.8 billion  in 2022, down from USD  21.5 billion  in 2015. 
Although Angola is one of the largest oil producers in Africa, it relies on imports to meet its demand 
for fuels and other refined oil products. In 2022, 22% of Angola's total merchandise imports 
consisted of refined oil products, up from less th an 6% in 2015 (Chart  1.2). This increase is the 
result of changes in prices rather than volumes. The share of most other product categories remained 
relatively stable during the period under review, except for iron and steel, whose share in total 
merchandi se imports decreased to less than 5% in 2022, down from slightly more than  10% in  2015.  
1.27.   Regarding the geographical composition of trade, China continues to be the largest destination 
for Angola's merchandise exports, with a share of close to 43%, practically the same share as 
in 2015 (Chart  1.3). The second largest destination is the European  Union, with around 24% of total 
merchandise exports, followed by India, with 10%. Apart from being the fourth -largest destination 
for Angola's exports of crud e oil, India is also the second -largest destination for Angolan  LNG, after 
the European  Union . Chinese  Taipei, South  Africa , and the United  States each have seen their shares 
decrease from an already low base. At the same time, the share of the United  Arab Emirates, the 
main destination by far for Angola's diamonds, has increased to slightly more than 3% of total 
merchandise exports, up from 2%.  
Chart  1.3 Direction of merchandise trade, 2015 and 2022  
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
United States 3.7%
Canada 3.1%
EU-27
21.9%
United Kingdom 3.0%
South Africa 4.1%
United Arab Emirates
2.0%China
42.2%India 7.9%Chinese Taipei
4.2%Other 
8.0%Chart 1.[AGO]  Direction of merchandise trade, 2015 and 2022
2015 2022
Exports (f.o.b.)
United States 1.3%
Canada 2.2%
EU-27
24.3%
United 
Kingdom
2.8%
South 
Africa
1.3%
United Arab 
Emirates
3.2%China
42.7%India 10.0%Chinese 
Taipei 1.4%Other 
10.7%
Total:  
USD 33.9 
billionTotal:  
USD 51.3 
billion
United States
8.0%
Brazil 4.1%
EU-27
27.8%
United Kingdom
3.6%
South Africa 4.7%
United Arab Emirates 2.4%China 15.4%India 2.0%Korea, Republic 
of3.3%Indonesia
1.1%Malaysia
4.2%Singapore
9.7%Other 13.9%Imports (c.i.f.)
United States 4.7%
Brazil 4.1%
EU-27
31.7%
United Kingdom 3.6%
South Africa 2.9% United Arab 
Emirates
3.8%China 16.0%India 6.1%Korea, 
Republic of
9.2%Indonesia
2.2%Malaysia 1.7%Singapore
0.4%Other
13.6%
Total:  
USD 21.5 
billionTotal:  
USD 17.8 
billion
Source :  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  1.28.   On the import side, the European  Union  is the main source of Angola's imports, with close 
to 32%, followed by China with 16%, the Republic  of Korea  with slightly more than 9%, and  India 
with arou nd 6% (Chart  1.3). Except for China, these trading partners play an important role in 
supplying Angola with refined oil products. In 2022, for example, the European  Union (mostly the 
Netherlands), the Republic  of Korea, and India together represented 85% o f Angola's total imports 
of refined oil  products.  
1.29.   During the period under review, Angola's deficit in the services trade balance fluctuated 
between -14% and -9% of GDP. Angola's services exports decreased sharply between  2015 
and 2022 ( -32% per year on ave rage). This decrease is largely the result of a collapse in travel 
services exports, which totalled USD  20 million  in 2022, down from USD  1.2 billion in  2015 
(Table  1.2). Most of the decline in travel services exports happened during the COVID -19 pandemic,  
though travel services exports had already started to decline several years before the pandemic.  
Table  1.2 Trade in services, 2015 -22 
(USD million , %) 
 2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Trade balance in services 
(USD  million)  -16,020.1  -11,905.6  -12,808.7  -9,458.4  -7,717.7  -5,535.5  -6,956.9  -11,214.7  
Total services exports 
(USD  million)  1,256.2  710.9  984.6  631.1  454.6  67.0 93.5 82.2 
 (% of total services exports)  
Transport  2.0 4.6 2.3 4.4 7.0 12.7 15.7 23.5 
Travel  92.6 87.6 89.4 86.2 84.5 24.2 23.8 23.9 
Other services  5.4 7.8 8.2 9.4 8.5 63.1 60.5 52.6 
Total services imports 
(USD  million ) 17,276.2  12,616.5  13,793.3  10,089.5  8,172.3  5,602.5  7,050.4  11,296.9  
 (% of total services imports)  
Manufacturing services 
on physical inputs 
owned by others  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Maintenance and repair 
services n.i.e.  0.1 0.7 0.6 0.9 1.3 0.4 1.0 0.8 
Transport  23.5 24.6 22.5 32.9 38.2 36.5 36.3 32.1 
Travel  0.8 4.7 7.1 5.5 5.7 11.0 8.9 14.7 
Construction  18.0 16.5 15.2 18.7 16.1 9.1 12.6 25.3 
Insurance  2.8 3.4 3.8 3.9 3.5 6.0 6.5 4.4 
Financial services  0.5 1.7 1.7 3.8 2.6 3.0 2.0 1.6 
Charges for the use of 
intellectual property 
n.i.e. 1.5 1.7 1.6 2.4 1.6 2.3 1.7 2.0 
Telecommunications, 
computer, and 
information services  1.2 1.6 0.8 1.0 1.9 2.5 1.2 1.2 
Other business services  46.0 40.1 38.6 26.6 25.5 25.2 24.3 14.5 
of which: oil sector  41.6 36.5 32.3 20.1 21.8 22.3 20.7 12.9 
Personal, cultural, and 
recreational services  1.4 1.1 1.5 1.0 1.6 1.0 1.5 1.0 
Government goods and 
services n.i.e.  4.0 3.9 6.5 3.1 2.0 3.0 4.0 2.4 
Source:  BNA, External Statistics, Annual Data. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/#/en/  
estatisticas/estatisticas -externas/dados -anuais . 
1.30.   Services imports, which totalled USD  11.3 billion in 2022, have also decreased, though at a 
much slower pace. The structure of Angola's services imports changed markedly during the period 
under review, as the share of business services (mostly for the oil sector) in total services imports 
decreased  from 46% in 2015 to slightly less than 15% in 2022 (Table  1.2). At the same time, the 
share of other categories in total services imports increased significantly. For example, in  2022, 
travel services represented almost 15% of Angola's total services impo rts, up from less than 1% in 
2015. Other services categories that have registered important increases in their share of total 
services imports include transport, whose share increased from slightly less than  24% to  32%, and 
construction, whose share increa sed from 18% to slightly more than 25%.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  1.3.2   Trends and patterns in FDI  
1.31.   Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Angola is concentrated in the oil sector. During the period 
under review, FDI inflows were negative every year except in 2015, reflecting repatriations of  
investments previously undertaken by foreign oil companies. The stock of FDI in Angola decreased 
by more than half during the period under review. It totalled USD  14.3 billion  in 2022, down from 
USD 32.3 billion in 2015 (Table  1.3). By contrast, the outwa rd stock of FDI increased by almost  45% 
during the period under review. It totals USD  5.3 billion  in 2022, up from USD  3.6 billion  in 2015.  
Table  1.3 Foreign direct investment, 2015 -22 
(USD million ) 
 2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
FDI inflows  10,028.2  -179.5  -7,397.3  -6,456.1 -4,098.5  -1,866.5  -4,355.1  -6,598.7  
Oil sector  10,199.4  -121.6  -7,293.2  -7,103.9  -4,739.4  -1,979.8  -4,603.6  -6,796.3  
Non-oil sector  -171.2  -57.9 -104.1  647.8 640.9  113.4  248.5  197.6  
FDI inward stock  32,311.6  29,184.1  29,436.3  22,716.5  18,879.1  21,595.1  20,860.8  14,262.1  
FDI outflows  -784.9  273 1,352.0  5.7 -2,349.4  90.5 -1,057.4  41.1 
FDI outward stock  3,629.4  4,312.8  6,023.1  6,069.5  4,839.3  4,840.1  5,217.9  5,259.0  
Source:  BNA, External Statistics, Annual Data. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/#/en/estatisticas/estatisticas -
externas/dados -anuais . 
 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2  TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES  
2.1  General framework  
2.1.  During the period under review, Angola's 2010 Constitution was amended by the Constitutional 
Revision Law (LRC), which entered into force in August  2021.1 The changes introduced to the 
Constitution  covered over 40 provisions , many of which are related to economic governance issues, 
such as  protection of private property by the Stat e (Article  14); promotion of economic and business 
initiative freedom (also in Article  14); possibility of expropriation by the State of private properties, 
assets, and compan ies' ownership rights on the grounds of, inter alia, national security, food 
security, public health, economic and financial system, and the supply of public goods and 
services  (Article  37)2; and independenc e of the central bank (National Bank of Angola , Banco 
Nacional de Angola  (BNA)) (Article  100). 
2.2.  Other constitutional changes relat ed to overall governance include  responsibility of the National 
Assembly and the Court of Accounts to examine the General State Budget ( Orçamento Geral do 
Estado)  (Article  104); organization of elections by the independent Electoral Administration 
(Adminis tração Eleitoral ) (Article  107); possibility for the National Assembly to request the presence 
and hold hearings of Ministers and Provincial Governors upon prior request to  the President of the 
Republic (Article  162, para.  1, item g); and the possibility of an ex ante constitutional examination 
by the Court of Accounts of bills in discussion at the Parliament  (Article  181).  
2.3.  Under the Constitution, legislative power is exercised by an unicameral body, the National 
Assembly, w hich consists of 220 members elected by proportional representation for a five -year 
term (Articles 141 -144). The last legislative elections were held in August  2022, and the next ones 
are scheduled for 2027.3 
2.4.  The LRC expressly defined that the Supreme Cou rt is the highest ordinary court of the 
country  (Article  180). The Constitutional Court is responsible for administering the judicial system  
in constitutional legal matters,  by examinin g the constitutionality of norms and laws, as well as for 
serving as th e appeal instance for constitutional interpretation of decisions awarded by all other 
courts (Article  181).  
2.5.  The President suggests  4 (out of 11) judges of the Constitutional Court, nominates the judges 
of the Supreme Court, the Court of Accounts, a nd appoi nts the Governor and Vice -Governors of the 
BNA.4 Other responsibilities of the President include enacting the Constitution, the laws revising it, 
and all the other laws of the country.  
2.6.  The President has the possibility to request authorization to the National Assembly to legislate  
and issue legislative acts if authorized to do so by the National Assembly (Article  120), pursuant  to 
the procedures found in Article  166, para.  2, item (e), and Article  170 of the Constitution . 
2.7.  Angola is administratively div ided into 18 Provinces, each headed by a Governor and 
Vice-Governors appointed by the President to whom they must report. The Provincial 
Governors'  main responsibilities are to ensure that local governments function properly and to 
implement the national l aws. 
2.8.  For carrying out its functions, the Presidency of the Republic is directly assisted by six auxiliary 
bodies holding status of State Ministries, i.e.  Economic Coordination , Civilian House , Social Matters , 
Military House , General Cabinet of the Presiden cy, and General Secretariat of the Presidency.  The 
State Ministries oversee the  work of the 23 Ministries  as per their respective areas of competence.  
 
1 The Constitutional Revision Law (LRC) – First Revision/2021, Law No.  18/21 of 16  August  2021.  
2 According to the authorities, prompt and fair compensation is required in all cases of expropriation by 
the State, including the ones incorporated by the LRC. The conditions for compensation are a sine qua non  
basis for the expropriation to be valid.  
3 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. 
4 The power to nominate and dismiss the Governor and Vice -Governor of the BNA was given by LRC, 
Article 119, item j.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2.2  Trade policy formulation and objectives  
2.9.  Trade -related matters and trade policy formulation  fall within  the purview  of the Ministry of 
Industry and Trade (MINDCOM), which holds the primary responsibility on international trade via 
the State Secretar y for Trade.  
2.10.   The authorities indicate that trade policy formulation in Angola relies on close cooperation 
between  MINDCOM and other relevant ministries, including  the Ministry of Foreign Relations ; 
Ministry of Economy and Planning  (MEP) ; Ministry of Finance  (MINFIN) ; Ministry of Agriculture and 
Forestry  (MINAGRIF) ; Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources  (MINPERMAR) ; Ministry of Mineral 
Resources, Oil and Gas  (MIREMPET) ; Ministry of Transport  (MINTRANS) ; Ministry of 
Telecommunications, Information Technologies  and Social Communication  (MINTTICS) ; and the 
Ministry  of Culture and Tourism  (MINCULTUR) . 
2.11.   Independent agencies and specialized bodies from Ministries also contribute to the elaboration 
and implementation of different trade -related policies, including the BNA, the General Tax 
Administration ( Administração Ger al Tributária  (AGT)), the recently reformed Agency for Private 
Investment and Promotion of Exports of Angola (AIPEX),  the Angolan Industrial Property Institute 
(IAPI), the National Institute of Quality Infrastructure (INIQ), the National Codex Committee, a nd 
others.  
2.12.   The Council of Ministers, a collegiate council responsible for assisting the President in the 
formulation of policies as well as with public administration issues, is in charge of validating new or 
revised trade policies via the Economic Commiss ion. This Commission also proposes new laws and 
regulations, and monitors the implementation of policies on macro - and micro -economics matters.  
2.13.   In March  2023, Angola established the National Commission for Trade Negotiation (CNNC), 
which is responsible for  representing Angola in bilateral, regional , and multilateral trade 
negotiations . The CNNC is led by the Minister of State for Economic Coordination and the Minister of 
Industry and Trade as the deputy head. The Secretar y of State for Trade provides the te chnical 
support to the CNNC .5 According to the authorities, industry associations and chambers of commerce 
participate in the CNNC through Business Technical Groups ( Grupos Técnicos Empresariais  (GTE)) 
pursuant to Article  6, paragraph 2 , of Presidential Decree No.  71/23. 
2.14.   The CNNC is also mandated to lead the participation of Angola at the Southern African 
Development Community (SADC), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and in 
preferential trade schemes.  
2.15.   Trade policy  is formulated and implemented by means of legal instruments such as laws, 
Presidential Decrees, and treaties . Article  6 of the Constitution establishes the primacy of the 
Constitution over laws, treaties, and other acts of the State, local government , and public bodies, 
while Article  13 provides that international treaties and agreements, once approved or ratified,  are 
an integral part of  the Angolan legal system. The President has legislative initiative6, as do members 
of Parliament and parliamentary groups.7 Legislative bills  are prepared by the relevant Ministries, 
and they must be approved by the Council of Ministers before they are submitted to the National 
Assembly. Laws are enacted by the President within 30 days of being passed by the National 
Assembly.8 The President may also issue four types of legal instrument s that are specific to the 
function based on specific scope found in Article  125, paragraphs 2, 3, 4 , and 6 of the Constitution : 
Presidential legislative decrees, provisional Presidential legislative decrees, ordinary Presidential 
Decrees , and Presidential orders  (despachos presidenciais ).9 Provisional Presidential legislative 
decrees are valid for  70 days unless the Parliament c onvert s them into law.10 Ministries can issue 
executive decrees.11 
 
5 Presidential Decree No.  71/23, 14  March  2023. 
6 Constitution , Article  120(h) . 
7 Constitution , Article  167.1 . 
8 Constitution , Article  124. 
9 Constitution , Article  125. 
10 Constitution , Article  126. 
11 Constitution , Article  137. For more information on the formulation process of trade policies, see 
WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2.16.   During the review period, the overarching programme shaping Angola's trade policies was the 
Programme to Support Production, Export Diversification and Import Substitution (PRODESI). The 
Programme , which was created by Presidential Decree No. 169/18 of 20  July 2018, seeks to 
accelerate diversification of  national production away from the oil sector, as well as to reduce 
expenditures of foreign exchange resulting from imports of products from  the "basic food basket", 
diversify the sources of foreign exchange earnings, increase the competitiveness of national 
produc ers, and target value -added exports.  
2.17.   The Programme explicitly states its goal to serve as an import substitution mechanism. It  lists 
the following sectors  as targets for import substitution : food and agro -industry ; mineral resources ; 
oil and natural gas ; forestry  products ; textiles, clothing , and footwear ; construction and public 
works ; information technolog y and telecommunication s; health ; education, training , and scientific 
research ; tourism ; and leisure.12 An Interministerial Commission was set up to ensure the 
implementation of the Programme. Various types of incentives are foreseen in PRODESI 
(Section  3.3.1) .13 PRODESI also sets out  the Programme for Credit Support (PAC), which is aimed 
at assist ing projects that directly or indirectly impact the production of the specific products 
(Section  3.3.1).  
2.18.   Regarding PRODESI, the authorities note that the balanced appli cation of higher import duties 
will allow domestic companies to become  more resilient , invest in quality, gain experience, develop 
technology, and become more efficient before having to face foreign competition, thereby allowing 
Angola to preserve jobs and  improve its economic and social stability . 
2.19.   The "Angola 2050" Long -term Development Strategy14 envisages  an economy "less 
dependent on imports and satisfying the growing consumption needs through internal production" . 
International customs cooperation , including the sharing of customs data to prevent fraud and 
improv e trade statistics , and a  single window for customs are other k ey components of the Strategy . 
The Strategy also calls for the creation of a National Authority for Trade Remedies (Section  3.1.7)  
to monitor imports  and undervalued customs declarations, and to protect national interests. To 
increas e the competitiveness of domestic products, the document highlights a list of policies to be 
adopted, including credits, tariff protection, and non -tariff barriers.15 The strategy also foresees the 
acceptance by Angola of trade agreements , including  the SADC -EU Trade Agreement.  
2.20.   Another important instrument influenci ng Angola's trade policy is the five-year National 
Development Plan ( NDP). As at  June 2023, the 2023 -27 NDP had not yet been adopted .16 The 
previous version of the NDP, covering the period 2018 -22, was revised in July 2020 to take into 
account the economic effects from the COVID -19 pandemic  and loss of government revenue due to 
lower oil pric es. The NDP seeks to identify actions needed to boost Angola's access to international 
markets. The Plan also explicitly underscores the goal of enhancing Angola's  participation at the 
WTO and the country's commitment to abide by its WTO obligations.17 
 
12 List in paragraph 23 of Presidential Decree No.  169/18. 
13 Government of Angola, PRODESI: Programa de Apoio à Produção. Viewed at: 
https://governo.gov.ao/programa/prodesi .  
14 Viewed  at: https://www.mep.gov.ao/angola -2050. The Long -term Development Strategy in its turn 
needs to follow the National Planning System, which establishes the rules and procedures on the process of 
preparation, approval , eligibility and execution, monitoring , and evaluation of public investment projects. Law  
No. 1/11, 14  January ; and Presidential Decree No. 31/10.  
15 According to the authorities, a  balanced application of higher import duties , coupled  by continuous 
efforts to improve competitiveness of the national industry through innovation, quality , and efficiency  actions , 
is likely to  encourage the protection of nascent industries . 
16 The Preside ntial Decree  mandating it is No.  293/22. 
17 Presidential Decree No.  313/20. Angola's National Development Plan 2018 -22. Viewed  at: 
https://planipolis.ii ep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ressources/angola_pdn_2018 -2022.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
- 25 - 
 
  2.21.   The NDP embraces broader development policy guidance from regional (SADC)18, 
continent -wide (African Union (AU))19, and multilateral (United Nations Sustainable Development 
Goals (UNSDGs )) institutions and organizations.20 
2.22.   Lastly, the NDP underlines the importance of a national quality system in line with good 
international practices (Section  3.3.2). The Plan also  highlights  the opportunities granted 
by preferential trade agreements (including the Unites States' African Growth and Opportun ity Act  
(AGOA ) and the European  Union 's "Everything but Arms") and the initiatives carried out under 
PRODESI.  
2.3  Trade agreements and arrangements  
2.3.1   World Trade Organization  
2.23.   Angola became  an original Member of the WTO on 23 November  1996. Angola grant s at 
least MFN treatment to all of its trading partners. As at June 2023, Angola was not a participant in 
the Information Technology Agreement  (ITA), nor a party to any of the WTO plurilateral agreements , 
including  the Agreement on Government  Procurement (GPA) and t he Agreement on Trade in Civil 
Aircraft. During the review period, Angola joined the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and 
Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade. The authorities expect to ratify the WTO  Agreement on 
Fisheries Subsidies by the first half of 2024.  
2.24.   Angola ratified the WTO  Agreement  on Trade Facilitation (TFA) on 9 April 2019 and notified 
the TFA's category commitments on  9 March  2018 (WTO document G/TFA/N/AGO/1 ). Subsequently, 
it notified the definitive implementation dates for categor y B and C provisions,  submitted its technical 
assistance and support for capacity -building needs of category C provisions , and notified a shift in 
categor ies (WTO documents G/TFA/N/AG O/1/Add.1  and G/TFA/N/AGO/1/Add.1/Corr.1 ). 
2.25.   As a least developed country (LDC) , Angola  obtained the automatic extension of its obligation 
to notify eight measures, which are now due on 30  June 2026.21 
2.26.   As at  June 2023, two notifications were outstanding concerning technical assistance need s 
under category C: (i)  operation of the single window (Article  10.4.3 of the TFA); and (ii)  the use of 
customs brokers (Article  10.6.2 ). Angola reported the creation of the National Committee for Trade 
Facilitation (CNFC) on 27  June 2018 under  Presidential Decree No. 176/18. The CNFC is presided by 
MINDCOM, whereas the vice -presidency is held by the MEP and the secretariat  undertaken by  the 
Genera l Tax Administration (AGT). The Committee also counts with the participation of several other 
government institutions and the private sector.  
2.27.   Angola's notification record to the WTO remains starkly low , also considering the number of 
WTO technical assistan ce activities that it has received. Only 12 notifications have been submitted 
since the last Review in 2015 (Table  A2.1).22 Angola has outstanding notifications  in, inter alia, the 
areas of the Agreement on Agriculture (domestic support (DS:1) for 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 
2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022); the TRIPS  Agreement  (new legislation, 
enforcement of IPRs, and the focal point); market access (Article  7.3 on import l icensing procedures 
for 2022 and 2023 ; Articles 1.4(a), 8.2(b) , and 5.1 -5.4 on import licensing and on quantitative 
restrictions); the Agreement on Customs Valuation (Article  22.2, WTO document  G/VAL/5 , 
Sections  A.3, A.4, B.2, and B.3); the SCM Agreement (Article  XVI:1); the GATT  1994 
(Article  XVII:4(a) on state-owned enterprises  (SOEs) ); and the TBT  Agreement (Article  15.2).  
2.28.   Angola has joined five different negotiating groups at the WTO: the African Group; the African, 
Caribbean and Pacific countries with preferen ces in the EU  (known as the ACP Group) ; the G -90 
 
18 SADC Secretariat (2020), SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020 –2030. 
Viewed  at: https://www.sadc.int/sites/default/files/2021 -08/RISDP_2020 -2030.pdf . 
19 African Union , Agenda  2063: The Africa We Want . Viewed  at: 
https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview . 
20 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals . Viewed  at: 
https://www.un. org/sustainabledevelopment/ . 
21 The corresponding articles for the measures postponed are 1.2, 2.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.4, 10.3, 10.4 , and 11. 
22 Also viewed  at WTO, Angola and the WTO : 
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/angola_e.htm . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  (comprising the African Group, ACP , and LDCs); the Least  Developed Countries (LDCs) Group; and 
the W52 (consisting of the co -sponsors of  WTO document  TN/C/W/52 , a proposal for "modalities " in 
negotiations on geographical indications (G Is) and the disclos ure of  the origin of genetic resources 
and traditional knowledge used in inventions ). 
2.29.   Since the last Review in 2015, the WTO has  organized five national works hops in Angola .23 
Angola has also  participated in 11 regional activities and 39 global activities. During the period under 
review, Angola sent  19 participants to regional activities, 57 to global activities, and  641 participants 
attended the distance learn ing (e -learning) courses offered by the WTO . 
2.30.   The authorities have stressed a particular need for technical assistance in the areas of trade 
remedies (anti -dumping, countervailing , and safeguard measures) , quality control system s (TBT and 
SPS measures) , import licensing , trade in services , trade negotiations skills , and TRIPS.  
2.3.2   Regional and preferential agreements  
2.3.2.1   African Union  
2.31.   Angola is a founding member of the AU .24 As at June 2023, Angola ha d ratified the following 
AU instruments  related to trade: the African Economic Community (AEC); the  AEC relating to the 
Pan-African Parliament; African Charter on Statistics; and, particularly, the Af CFTA.25 
2.32.   One of the main objectives set by the AU continues to be the coordination and harmoniza tion 
of tariff and non -tariff measures throughout the continent . In this context, eight Regional Economic 
Communities (RECs)  recognized by the AU play a role in facilitat ing regional economic integration. 
Angola is  a member of two RECs: the Economic Commun ity of Central African States (ECCAS) , and 
the SADC, simultaneously holding the presidency of both organizations as of October  2023. 
2.33.   Notwithstanding Angola's membership in those preferential schemes , no preferential rates for 
imports from the ir members are  currently being applied by Angola. According to the authorities, 
Angola ratified the Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement between  the East African 
Community  (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern , and Southern Africa (COMESA) , and the SADC  
in September  2023, but its implementation and operationalization were still pending .26,27 
2.3.2.2   African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)  
2.34.   The AfCFTA was approved by the AU's Heads  of State and Governments in January  2012 and 
entered into force on 30  May 2019. Trade transactions under the AfCFTA regime were supposed to 
start on 1  January  2021, but as at July  2022 no trade under AfCFTA preferences had taken place as 
negotiations on the rules of origin and for the schedules of concessions and commitments of so me 
countries had not been finalized .28 The following protocols comprise the Agreement 
Establishing  AfCFTA: Trade in Goods; Trade in Services; Rules and Procedure s on the Settlement of 
Disputes; Investment; Intellectual Property Rights; and Competition Poli cy. Protocols on Wom en 
and Youth in Trade and on Digital Trade are also being discussed.  
 
23 A number of activities were affected due to the travel restriction during the COVID -19 pandemic. The 
topics covered in WTO National workshops during the period 2015 -23 were trade in service, rules of origin, 
non-agriculture  market  access  (NAMA), and sanitary and phytosani tary (SPS) measures . 
24 For more information,  see WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December 2015.  
25 The full list of AU's instruments on trade and adoption status was viewed at: 
https://au.int/en/treaties/1161 . 
26 COMESA, " Fresh Push to Attain Tripartite Ratifica tion Threshold ", 7 December  2022. Viewed  at: 
https://www.comesa.int/fresh -push-to-attain -tripartite -ratification -threshold/ . 
27 COMESA, Why the COMESA -EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area is Ideal for Strengthening African 
Continental Integration . Viewed  at: https://www.comesa.int/wp -content/uploads/2020/09/Tripartite -FTA-is-
ideal-for-strengthening -AfCFTA.pdf . 
28 As of J une 2023, rules of origin disciplines for 4,746 tariff lines (out of 5,391) have been adopted, 
while 645 lines are still under negotiation, covering textiles, clothing, and motor vehicles. Further information 
at United Nations Economic Commission for Afric a (UNECA)  (2023 ), AfCFTA – What You Need to Know:  
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers . Viewed  at: https://www.uneca.org/african -trade-policy -
centre/flipbook . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2.35.   Angola ratified the AfCFTA on 6  October  2020 and its offer included the schedule of trade 
concessions, rules of origin, rules for special economic zones, and dispute r esolution , which, as 
at October  2023, was still pending verification by the AfCFTA Secretariat before formal approval . 
2.36.   Some instruments to implement the AfCFTA Agreement have already been adopted: E -Tariff 
Book, Rules of Origin Manual, Origin Declaration F orm, Certificate of Origin, and Supplier 's 
Declaration . AfCFTA also launched a mechanism for reporting, monitoring , and eliminating  non-tariff 
barriers ( NTBs).29 
2.37.   As at June 2023, the notification of AfCFTA to the WTO under Article  XXIV of the GATT  1994 
was still pending , and Angola ha d not yet implemented intra -regional tariff preferences under 
the AfCFTA.  
2.3.2.3   Southern African Development Community (SADC)  
2.38.   The SADC Protocol on Trade was signed in 1996 and amended in  2010. The Protocol aims to 
liberali ze intra -regional trade in goods and to establish a free trade area in the region. Angola signed 
it in March  2003, but dedicated negotiations on Angola 's provisional schedule of tariffs only started 
in January  2023 and had not been concluded  as at June 2023. 
2.39.   A specific Protocol on Trade in Services from SADC entered into force in January  2022 with 
the objective of accelerating trade and creating  a single market for services in the SADC region. The 
Protocol envisages the gradual removal of unnecessary or over burdensome regulation affecting the 
cross-border supply of services. A ccording to the authorities, Angola has already signed it, and the 
process for ratification was under way in  October  2023. Angola has ratified the SADC Protocol on 
Finance and Investment , although no specific actions or initiatives have been taken to 
implement  it.30 
2.40.   SADC members together with Mozambique signed an Economic Partnership Agreement  (EPA) 
with the European  Union  in June  2016. Angola has not adhered to it, but it has been  grante d 
differentiated negotiating conditions on the terms of accession in case it requests to join it in 
the future .31 
2.3.2.4   Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)  
2.41.   Angola is a member of ECCAS  together with Burundi, Cameroon, Central  African  Republic , 
Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Sao  Tomé and Principe.32 An Angolan national was 
elected president for a five -year mandate starting in 2020. ECCAS ' stated objective is to create a 
commo n market, but a free trade area and customs union have never been established and no tariff 
preferences exist among its members.  
2.42.   A number of protocols have been agreed, including on rules of origin , NTBs, re-export of 
goods , transit and transit facilities , customs cooperation , fund for compensation for loss of revenue , 
freedom of movement and rights of establishment , and simplification and harmonization of trade 
documents and procedures.  
2.3.3   Bilateral agreements and arrangements  
2.43.   According to the authorities, s ince the last Review in 2015, Angola has entered into 
16 new bilateral cooperation agreement s. Notwithstanding, no preferential trade agreement had 
been negotiated.  
 
29 Viewed at:  https://www.tradebarriers.africa/ .  
30 For more information,  see WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015; SADC, Finance . 
Viewed  at: https://www.sadc.int/pillars/finance ; and SADC, Investment . Viewed  at: 
https://www.sadc.int/pillars/investment . 
31 SADC -EU EPA , Article  119. 
32 For more information,  see WTO document WT/TPR/S /321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2.44.   In 2023, Angola and Portugal signed 13 sectoral cooperation agreements in the areas of space  
industry, sea and maritime, ports, food security, tourism, public administration, digital transition, 
blue economy, and financing contracts.  
2.3.4   Other agreements and arrangements  
2.3.4.1   Relations with the European  Union  
2.45.   The general framework for cooperation between Angola and the European  Union, 
entitled  "EU-Angola Joint Way Forward" ( Caminho Conjunto Angola -União Europeia ), remains 
operational and h eld its 5th Ministerial meeting in September  2020.33 Trade cooperation is an integral 
part of this initiative, covering areas such as the accession process of Angola to the SADC -EU EPA, 
the organization of business events, and preliminary discussions on an investment agreement 
between both parties.  In this context, t he European  Union  and Angola concluded a Sustainable 
Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA) in November  2022, but the Agreement was pending 
signature  and ratification before entering into force. The cooperation provided by 
the European  Union  also covers activities to tackle the informal economy in Angola through the 
Programme for Reconversion of the Informal Economy.  
2.46.   In terms of trade relations, the European  Union  is the top origin of imported products into 
Angola (40.3% in 2019) and the second -largest destination for Angola's exports (12.2% in  2019). 
Angola still benefits from the "Everything but Arms" initiative where duty -free quota -free access is 
granted  to LDCs ' exports . 
2.47.   In the context of  Angola's accession to the SADC -EU EPA34, the European  Union  commissioned 
a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) , which assessed  the results of a bilateral agreement  for 
Angola  (Section  2.3.2.3).35 
2.48.   EU imports from Angola comprise mostly crude petroleum oils and gas, which receive 
MFN duty-free treatment (Table  2.1 and Chart  2.1). On average, less than 1% of all Angolan imports 
into the  European  Union benefited from EU preferences during the period  2015-22. Angola's 
utilization rate of  EU preferences fluctuated between 44% and 93% over the same period.  
Table  2.1 EU imports from Angola by tariff regime, 2015 -22 
(USD million ) 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total  7,157.4  4,166.9  2,277.7  3,633.4  3,540.5  1,922.3  1,668.4  13,487.5  
MFN duty -free 7,113.4  4,086.5  2,217.6  3,582.3  3,498.5  1,892.5  1,597.4  13,404.5  
2709 Petroleum oils and 
oils obtained from 
bituminous minerals, 
crude  6,522.8  3,565.7  1,826.0  3,097.9  3,028.6  1,515.0  655.2  7,831.8  
2710 Petroleum oils and 
oils obtained from 
bituminous minerals 
(excl.  crude)  35.4 49.1 8.5 - - 5.1 0.0 0.0 
2711 Petroleum gas and 
other gaseous 
hydrocarbons  0.0 24.8 91.7 86.6 135.1  65.1 402.7  4,843.3  
Preference eligible, but 
entering MFN dutiable  21.8 38.6 27.4 15.1 9.5 4.7 4.8 36.0 
Preferences used  18.1 30.8 28.1 32.5 31.0 24.2 65.0 47.0 
Other importsa 4.0 10.9 4.6 3.4 1.5 1.0 1.2 0.1 
Memo:   
MFN duty -free (% of total 
imports)  99.4%  98.1%  97.4%  98.6%  98.8%  98.4%  95.7%  99.4%  
 
33 Further information available at  Cooperação e Parcerias Angola : https://cooperacaoangola.org/uniao -
europeia/ . 
34 For more information on the SADC -EU EPA , see European Commission, EPA SADC - Southern African 
Development Community . Viewed  at: https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access -to-markets/en/content/epa -sadc-
southern -african -development -community . 
35 European Commission (2021), Sustainabilit y Impact Assessment (SIA) in Support of Trade 
Negotiations with Angola for EU -SADC EPA Accession  (SIA final report ). Viewed  at: http://angola.fta -
evaluation.eu/en/resources -2. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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    2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Preferences used (% of 
total imports)  0.3%  0.7%  1.2%  0.9%  0.9%  1.3%  3.9%  0.3%  
Preference utilization (%)b 45.3%  44.4%  50.7%  68.3%  76.6%  83.7%  93.2%  56.6%  
a Including some items denoted as "unknown", implying that some adjustments are required due to 
inconsistenc ies in the data (e.g.  preference eligibility and reported preference).  
b The preference utilization rate is calculated by dividing "preference used" by the sum of "preference 
used" and "prefere nce eligible but entering MFN dutiable".  
Note:  "-" no import, "0" imports rounded to zero.  Total imports under "normal trade " only, meaning they 
include only goods imported and released into free circulation in the EU customs territory.  
Source:  WTO Secreta riat calculations , based on Eurostat. Viewed  at: 
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/comext/newxtweb/ ; and WTO IDB. 
2.3.4.2   Relations with the United  States  
2.49.   The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between the United  States  and 
Angola  was signed in 2009 and  entered into force in October of the same year via 
Resolution  No. 93/09.  In addition, Angola continues to benefit from the United  States ' AGOA, 
especially for the exports of oil, diamonds, and wood  (Table  2.2). 
2.50.   The share of Angolan imports into the United  States  that benefit from AGOA and other 
US preferences has de clined steadily in recent years, from close to 86% of Angolan imports into the 
United  States in 2017 to less than 24%  in 2022. At the same time, the share of Angolan imports 
that paid duties upon entering the United  States , even though they were eligible f or preferences, 
has increased (Table  2.2 and Chart  2.1).36 
Table  2.2 US imports from Angola by tariff regime, 2015 -22 
(USD million ) 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total importsa 3,009.9  2,907.4  2,645.4  2,776.0  1,027.4  479.2  1,024.5  1,529.7  
MFN duty -free 165.5  440.7  171.4  328.1  62.4 10.0 127.2  116.9  
HS 2711 Petroleum gas and 
other gaseous hydrocarbons  41.2 76.3 14.0 44.8 0.3 - 37.9 40.1 
MFN dutiable (no 
preferential rate)  - - - - - - - - 
Preference eligible, but 
entering MFN dutiable  1,013.8  467.6  203.4  381.2  360.0  335.0  597.4  1,051.4  
HS 270900 Petroleum oils and 
oils obtained from bituminous 
minerals, crude  714.8  300.7  100.4  351.7  323.0  271.1  543.8  857.0  
HS 2710 Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, other than crude  
HS 271019 Other than light 
oils and preparations  292.4  163.8  100.1  0.2 7.3 9.5 53.5 114.4  
HS 271012 light oils and 
preparations  3.1 3.0 2.8 29.2 29.5 54.4 0.0 79.9 
Preference used:  1,830.6  1,999.2  2,270.6  2,066.7  605.0  134.2  300.0  361.4  
AGOA  1,830.1  1,998.3  2,270.6  1,950.0  543.2  134.2  300.0  341.5  
HS 270900 Petroleum oils and 
oils obtained from bituminous 
minerals, crude  1,819.3  1,997.6  2,249.9  1,916.0  515.7  134.1  300.0  331.9  
GSP 0.5 0.9 0.1 116.7  61.8 0.0 0.0 19.8 
Memo:           
MFN duty -free (% of total 
imports)  5.5%  15.2%  6.5%  11.8%  6.1%  2.1%  12.4%  7.6%  
 
36 The United  States ' specific duties to crude petroleum (HS  2709) from Angola varied from 
e.g. USD 0.0525/bbl – > AVE 0.1% to USD  0.105/bbl – > AVE 0.2% in 2021.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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    2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Preference used (% of total 
imports)  60.8%  68.8%  85.8%  74.5%  58.9%  28.0%  29.3%  23.6%  
Preference utilization (%)b 64.4%  81.0%  91.8%  84.4%  62.7%  28.6%  33.4%  25.6%  
- No import . 
a HS Chapters 01 -97 are taken into account in calculations.  
b The preference utilization rate is calculated by dividing "preference used" by the sum of "preference 
used" and "preference eligible  but entering MFN dutiable".  
Source:  USITC  DataWeb. Viewed  at: https://dataweb.usitc.gov/ ; and WTO IDB. 
Chart  2.1 US and EU imports by tariff regime, 2015 -22 
(% of total imports)  
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations , based on USITC DataWeb. Viewed  at: https://www.usitc.gov/ ; 
Eurostat. Viewed  at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/comext/newxtweb/ ; and WTO IDB.  
2.3.4.3   Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and Global System of Trade Preferences 
(GSTP)  
2.51.   Exports of Angola are eligible to benefit from the GSP  schemes from Armenia, Australia, 
Canada, the European  Union , Iceland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz  Republic , New  Zealand, Norway, 
the Russia n Federation, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United  Kingdom , and the United  States , as well as 
from specific schemes for LDCs provided by India, Chile, China, the Republic  of Korea , Montenegro, 
Morocco,  Chinese  Taipei , Tajikistan, and Thailand.37 
2.52.   Under the Glob al System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP), 
Angola  has carried out negotiations with Mozambique and Cuba, but no preferences have 
yet been exchanged.  
2.53.   Virtually all of China's imports from Angola comprise petroleum and receive MFN duty -free 
treatment (Table  2.3). A very small share of China's imports from Angola benefited from 
preferences.  In the case of India, imports from Angola  are not receiving any preferential treatment , 
despite India's  Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme for  LDCs. 
 
37 WTO Datab ase on Preferential Trade Arrangements . Viewed  at: http://ptadb.wto.org/ . 
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 20220%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
MFNduty-free Preference eligible, but entering MFN dutiable Preference used
Eligibility of preferential ratesMFN duty free
Crude oil (HS 2709)
Petroleum gas and other gaseous 
hydrocarbons (HS 2711 )
OtherCrude oil (HS 2709)
Petroleum products other than crude oil (HS 2710)Other imports
OtherUS preferential programmes EU preferential programmesChart 2.[AGO] US and EU imports by tariff regime, 2015 -22
Source: WTO calculations, based on USITC dataweb. Viewed at: https://www.usitc.gov/; Eurostat. Viewed at: 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/newxtweb/; and WTO IDB database.WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Table  2.3 China imports from Angola by tariff regime, 2015 -22 
(USD million ) 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total importsa 16,001.6  13,966.1  20,698.7  25,826.5  28,723.3  18,484.9  .. .. 
Imports entering MFN 
duty-free, of which:  15,930.9  13,887.2  20,235.5  25,373.3  28,079.1  17,988.9  .. .. 
Petroleum  15,918.0  13,866.4  20,122.7  25,037.4  27,968.5  17,820.2  .. .. 
Imports eligible for PTA 
benefits  51.5 78.9 463.2  453.2  644.1  496.0  .. .. 
Imports entering under 
PTA benefits  - - 1.3 1.6 36.1 18.1 .. .. 
Imports entering MFN 
dutiable  51.5 78.9 461.9  451.6  608.0  478.0  .. .. 
Memo:  
MFN duty -free (% of total 
imports)  99.6%  99.4%  97.8%  98.2%  97.8%  97.3%  .. .. 
Preference  used (% of total 
imports)  - - 0.01%  0.01%  0.1%  0.1%  .. .. 
Preference utilization (%)b - - 0.3%  0.4%  5.6%  3.6%  .. .. 
- No import . 
.. Not available.  
a HS Chapters 01 -97 are taken into account in calculations.  
b The preference utilization rate is calculated by dividing "preference used" by the sum of "preference 
used" and "preference eligible but entering MFN dutiable".  
Source:  WTO Database on Preferential Trade Arrangements  (PTA) , Duty-free Treatment  for LDCs – China . 
Viewed  at: http://ptadb.wto.org/ptaHistoryExplorer.aspx . 
2.4  Investment regime  
2.54.   According to UNCTAD, Angola has registered negative foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows 
for the last seven consecutive years (from 2016 to 2022), mainly due to repatriation of profits and 
the repayment of loans by foreign oil and gas companies.38 The authorities note  that the deficit 
of FDI inflows only concerned oil and gas investments.  
2.55.   During the period under  review, large foreign investment deals took place, including 
investment s by: (i) the Indonesian state-owned PT Pertamina (Persero) in an offshore oil block in 
the value of USD  100 million; (ii) the Russian  Federation  state-owned  Uralchem  (for an urea plant 
with a reported value of USD  1 billion); (iii) Italy's Eni on natural gas in the value of USD  1.4 billion; 
and (iv) the United  Kingdom 's Gemcorp for a petroleum refinery in the value of USD  920 million . 
2.56.   An investment project in the ener gy sector was the Caculo Cabaça hydroelectric power with 
an estimated cost of USD  4.5 billion , involving the Government of Angola (responsible for 10% of 
the investments and the technical responsibility under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and 
Water) and Chinese counterparts, including China Gezhouba Group as the contractor. This project 
aims to generate an additional 2,171  MW capacity of electricity and is expected to be completed 
by March  2024.  
2.57.   The Government created a Single Wi ndow for Investment  (Janela Única de Investimento 
(JUI)) (Section  2.4.1)  where investors can obtain the necessary authorizations and licences in a 
simplified manner.  
2.58.   Angola also adopted a law for the creation of free trade zones with specific incentives and 
benefits (Law No.  35/20), regulated by the Presidential Decree No.  4/21. These zones focus on 
developing the agricultural and industrial sectors, as well as labour -intensive and high -tech 
industries (Section  3.3.1).  
2.59.   A Privatization Law (Law No.  10/19) was adopted in May  2019, and a privatization programme 
(PROPRIV) was approved through Presidential Decree No.  250/19 (Section  3.3.5). The Programme 
envisages the sale of around 195 companies and assets, of which 50 are being directly managed by 
the state-owned Sonangol  Group . As part of the privatization programme,  Angola authorized the 
 
38 UNCTAD (2023), World Investment Report 2023 . Viewed  at: https://unctad.org/publication/world -
investment -report -2023.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  privatization of 51% of the capital held by MST elcom  in NetOne Telecomunicações  S.A., which was 
opened for both national and foreign investors.  
2.4.1   General investment regime  
2.60.   A key development durin g the review period was the adoption of a Law on the Limitation of 
the Economic Activity (Law No. 25/21), which aimed at expanding  the freedom to conduct a business 
by individual persons on the one hand, while ensuring the regulatory role of the State to g uarantee 
a conducive economic environment in the country on the other . This law sets out three types of 
regimes for economic activities in Angola: (i)  general freedom for private economic activities; 
(ii) "absolute reservation" for the State of the activit ies carried out by the central bank, i.e.  the BNA; 
and (iii) "relative reservation" where the activities are subject to concession s by the government.  
2.61.   The "relative reservation" category covers the following sectors: defence materials; water, 
sanitation , and electricity services for public consumption; postal services; exploration of 
environment -protected areas; administration of cultural and historical sites; touristic sites; 
processing of solid residues; administration of ports and airports; railway trans port services and 
domestic airways; the ba ckbone telecommunication s network ; and services. Furthermore, the law 
reaffirms that the exploration of natural resources can only be granted on a temporary  basis. 
2.62.   Foreign participation in activities listed under t he relative reservation category are subject to 
concessions by the Government. Moreover, foreign investment is subject to statutory limits in certain 
fishing and mining activities (Sections  4.1.4 and 4.2.2). Foreign participation in the oil sector is 
limited insofar as the state oil company, Sonangol , exercises its preferential right to acquire at least 
20% in new oil concessions (Section  4.2.1). Foreigners cannot own any type of land but can lease 
urban land and real estate from private investors of the State, and rural land can be accessed 
through concession.  
2.63.   During the period  under review , Angola also revised its Private Investment Law (PIL) in  2015 
(Law No. 14/15) and, subsequently, in 2018 (Law No. 10/18). The new legislation (known as 
PIL 2018) was t hen amended by Law No. 10/21, which introduced a clear distinction in the 
definitions of domestic and foreign investments  and assured the right for repatriation for foreign 
investors (Article  19). The new law is aimed at improving the conditions for attrac ting more 
investments to Angola and included a contractual regime to enable the possibility of negotiating 
benefits and facilities between the Government and interested investors. The PIL  2018 does not 
apply to investments undertaken by public companies no r to investments in regulated sectors that 
are subject to specific regulations (Article  2). The law applies to foreign and Angolan investments 
regardless of the amount . Nonetheless, the new law sets a cap of 30% for investments by foreign 
investors in exis ting companies and subject the recovery of these investments to a period of at least 
three years (Article  11). According to the authorities, this 30% cap only concerns indirect 
investments, and aimed to avoid money laundering and fiscal evasion. A departme nt within AIPEX 
is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the entire investment project with the assistance 
of the BNA on the transfer of resources.  
2.64.   The PIL 2018 distinguishes between direct and indirect investments. Indirect investments, 
which i nclude, inter alia, loans, shares, patents , and industrial secrets, cannot correspond to more 
than 50% of the total value of the investment project (Article  12). 
2.65.   Pursuant to the new legislation, all private investments must be registered before AIPEX in 
order to receive the benefits specified in legislation (Article  2, para.  4). AIPEX is also in charge of 
seeking potential investors as part of the privatization programme (PROPRIV) to sell SOEs as well 
as assets held by  the Government.  
2.66.   The PIL 2018 describes  the tax and financial benefits available to private investments, as well 
as investment facilitation measures  (Section  3.3.1) . 
2.67.   In 2018, AIPEX launched the Private Investment Attraction Project (PROCIP) to attract private 
investments in areas such as agro -industry, crop and animal farming , sea products, metals and 
minerals, precious stones, wood and derivatives, tourism, textiles and footwear . The initiative 
comprised 41 investment projects for public -private partnership  including with the participation of 
foreign invest ors. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2.68.    The investment process is done via a Single Wi ndow for Investment (JUI).39 The proposal 
must be accompanied by, inter alia, the implementation plan  and the option for the  investment  
regime. According  to AIPEX, between August  2018 to February  2023, 58 1 private investment 
projects had been registered in Angola, out of which 279  were from foreigners, 227 from Angolans 
residents , and 75 were mixed projects between foreigners and Angolans. In value terms, the origin 
of the largest foreign investors collectively in Angola are  (ordered by amount value ): the 
United  States , South  Africa , Poland, China, Türkiye, the United  Arab Emirates, Germany, the 
United  Kingdom , France , and Portugal. The projects totalled US D 11.7 billion.40 The value of tax 
forgone from investment benefits could not be obtained.  
2.69.   Advance authorization for changes in corporate ownership is not required, unless it involves 
foreign capital financing. Pr ior authorization is also required in case of change or expansion in the 
scope of the investment project (Article  44). 
2.70.   Private investors must , in general , employ Angolan nationals, though skilled foreigners can 
be hired as long  as vocational training and a gradual substitution plan to hire Angolans is presented 
as part of the investment proposal (Article  45). 
2.71.   Expropriations must be carried out according to the Constitution and other relevant laws, 
particularly the new Law of Expropriations by Public Utility (Law No. 1/21), which came into force  
in 2021. Pursuant to this law, real property and any associated rights can be expropriated for specific 
public purposes listed therein in exchange of a fair and prompt compensation. Dispute resolution 
between investor s and the State via alternative method s of resolution is  possible if not restricted by 
any specific legislation (Article  15, para.  2). No limitation or restrictions exist for repatriation, 
including on profits, liquidation,  compensation,  and royalties after payment of taxes due and 
maintenance  of a minimum compulsory level of the company reserves (Article  18, item  d) and 
Article  19.41 
2.72.   In October  2021, the National Assembly approved Law No. 26/21, which amended the Law 
on Commercial Activities No. 1/07 of May  2007. This amendment transferred to the President  of 
Angola the role of licensing and authorizing commercial activities and the provision of services in the 
country. These functions of licensing and authorization were previously carried out by MINDCOM, 
provinc ial governments , and municipal administrations . According to the authorities, this 
centralization aims to harmonize requirements and facilitate authorization . It is regulated  by 
Presidential Decree No.  172/23 on the Regulation on the Conditions and Procedures for Licensing 
the Commercial Activity . 
2.73.   Another legislative novelty was the adoption of Law No.  27/21 on Independent Administrative 
Entities, which enabled the creation and framework of sectoral regulatory agencies and committe es 
to operate independently of the Executive and in a business -enabling environment.  
2.74.   Angola has signed 19 bilateral investment treaties (BITs) of which 7 are in force  (Brazil, 
Cabo Verde, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Russian  Federation , and the  United  Arab Emirates ).42 
Angola has a TIFA and a Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)43 with the United  States , and 
has finalized the negotiation of a SIFA with the European  Union . The negotiated agreement aims to 
simplify  investment authorization procedures, fostering e -government, and establishing focal points 
and stakeholder consultations. It also focus es on implementing international labour and 
environmental agreements and strengthening bilateral cooperation on investment -related aspects 
 
39 AIPEX. Viewed  at: http://jui.aipex.gov.ao . 
40 Updated information viewed  at: 
https://www.aipex.gov.ao/PortalAIPEX/#!/estatisticas_aipex/estatisticas . 
41 The mandatory legal reserve is established under the terms of Article 240 of Law  No. 1/04 on 
Commercial Companies . The reserve is intended  to cover losses in the financial balance of the companies . 
42 UNCTAD, Investment Policy Hub: Angola . Viewed  at: 
https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/inte rnational -investment -agreements/countries/5/angola . 
43 The FATCA entered into force on 29  August  2016 through Presidential Decree No.  162/16. This 
agreement enables Angolan financial institutions to report information to t he US Internal Revenue Service on 
financial accounts held by US taxpayers in Angola. Further information at: 
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/131/FATCA -Agreement -Angola -11-9-2015.pdf .  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  of climate change, gender equality, and corporate social responsibility policies .44 In addition, 
Angola  has ratified the following international treaties with investments provisions: SADC 
Investment Protocol (2006), Cotonou Agreement (2000), SADC Treaty (1992), African Union  
Treaty  (1991) , and the ECCAS Treaty (1983).  
2.75.   Angola is  a party to the various United Nations conventions guaranteeing the rights of foreign 
investors, and is a member of the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), 
which protects inves tors against political risk s. Angola has ratified the New York Convention of  1958 
in March  2017, which recognizes arbitral awards in respect to investment contracts. Angola became 
an effective member of World Bank International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes 
(ICSID ) in October  2022. Pursuant to PIL 2018, disputes must be settled through local courts or by 
alternative methods of res olution if not exclusively subject to adjudication by local courts or 
arbitration according to specific law s (Article  15). According to the authorities, the exclusive  
competence of Angolan courts is limited to real estate located in Angola , pursuant to A rticle 99, 
paragraph  1, of the Procedural Civil Code. 
2.76.   A new Public -Private Partnership (PPPs) law was adopted in May  2019 (Law No. 11/19) and it 
is regulated by Presidential Decree No. 316/19, as amended by Presidential Decree No.  111/21 . An 
Operational Plan  for Structuring the PPPs was issued in September  2020, listing 41 projects to be 
pursued under the PPP model as well as the phases for  their implementation. The coverage of the 
law was broadened to include construction projects, exploration of public serv ices, services 
procurement, administration  matters , and other forms of public procurement compatible with 
the PPP model. Decisions are taken by the MEP, MINFIN , and the Secretary for the Presidency on 
Economic Affairs with the support of a technical commis sion w here representatives of relevant 
ministries  participate . Projects below AOA 500 million or for contracts of less than three years are 
excluded from the scope of the law. A ministerial commission ( Commissão Ministerial de Avaliação 
das Parcerías Públi co-Privadas  – CMAPP) and the Court of Accounts examine the contracts prior to 
submission to the President for signature. Investment s in connection with PPPs are covered by the 
provisions of the  PIL 2018. 
2.77.   The petroleum, gas, and diamond industries, and financial institutions, are subject to special 
investment regimes (Sections  4.2.1.2, 4.2.2.2, and 4. 3.2.2). 
 
 
44 It has been reported that the European  Union  and Angola concluded the negotiations for a SIFA in 
November  2022, but it was pending the signature and ratification before entering into force. More information 
available at  European Commission (2022), " EU and Angola Conclude First-ever Sustainable Investment 
Facilitation Agreement ", 18 November . Viewed  at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/  
en/IP_22_6136 . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   3  TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE  
3.1  Measures directly affecting imports  
3.1.1   Customs procedures and requirements  
3.1.  During the period under review, Angola ra tified the WTO  Agreement  on Trade Facilitation (TFA) 
and took steps towards improving the implementation of TFA  obligations. Angola reduced the 
number of documents needed to register as a trader, implemented a customs automation system, 
and introduced an authorized economic operator (AEO) programme, and also continues to work 
towards the full implementation of a si ngle window. Moreover, under Angola's customs legislation, 
which is undergoing further reform, importers can request advance decisions on tariff classification 
and obtain pre -arrival clearance of goods. Nonetheless, Angola still face a fragmented process t hat 
requires multiple submissions of documents to different authorizing agencies for the same goods. In 
addition, seaborne freight is subject to a participation fee for the modernization of the 
country's  transport infrastructure. This, along with recurrent  registration fees and a customs service 
fee calculated based on import value rather than the cost of services rendered add to trade costs for 
Angolan businesses.  
3.2.  The main laws governing customs procedures and related facilitation measures are the 
Customs Code1 and the Customs Tariff  (Pauta Aduaneira dos Direitos de Importação e Exportação) .2 
The agency responsible for implementing customs legislation is the General Tax Administration 
(Administração Geral Tributária (AGT)) under the Ministry of Finance  (MINFIN) . According to the 
authorities, customs policy seeks to balance security, revenue collection, and the facilitation of 
legitimate trade. They also state that the goal of customs policy is to provide Angola with a modern 
customs system that contributes  to economic and social development by fostering domestic 
production, attracting investment, and promoting employment. The authorities state that customs 
legislation is undergoing reform, in part to align it with Angola's commitments under the Revised 
Kyoto Convention (to which Angola acceded in 2017) and the TFA, which it ratified in  2019.  
3.3.  In 2018, Angola established a National Trade Facilitation Committee chaired by the Ministry of 
Industry and Trade (MINDCOM) and comprising representatives from the Minis tries of Economy and 
Planning, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Transport, Health, Agriculture and Forestry, and Fisheries 
and Marine Resources ; the Central Bank ; national enterprise and industry associations ; and chamber 
of customs brokers.3 The Commi ttee has helped coordinate at technical level the implementation of 
several trade -facilitating initiatives, including the single window and AEO  programmes. It also helps 
coordinate border management activities in the context of Angola's participation in th e SADC and is 
responsible for preparing Angola's TFA  notifications.  
3.4.  AGT publishes customs -related legislation on a dedicated website, which also contains customs 
notices, circulars, and directives.4 The website is used to post draft customs legislation fo r public 
comment. The authorities note that AGT holds regular public consultations, hearings, and workshops 
to keep stakeholders abreast of customs developments.  
3.5.  All importers operating for commercial purposes must be registered in the Register of Exporter s 
and Importers ( Registo de Exportadores e Importadores  (REI)). Since Angola's last Review, the 
number of documents required to obtain registration in the REI has been reduced from five to  two. 
The authorities say that it takes two or three days on average  to obtain the REI. Registration in the 
REI costs AOA  500,000 and is valid for five years.  
3.6.  Imported goods whose value exceeds AOA  2 million  are subject to the general customs regime.  
AGT recommends that importers use the services of an AGT -approved customs broker to handle 
import procedures, but this is not mandatory. Only Angolan citizens may qualify as authorized 
customs brokers. The authorities note that the fees charged by customs bro kers, which were 
regulated at the time of Angola's previous Review, have been fully liberalized.5 
 
1 Decree -Law No. 5/06 of 4 October  2006. 
2 Legislative Presidential Decree No. 10/19 of  29 November  2019. 
3 Presidential Decree No. 176/18 of 27  July 2018. 
4 AGT, Legislação Aduaneira . Viewed  at: https://agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/#!/legislacao/aduaneira . 
5 Decree -Law No. 5/06 of 4 October  2006. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.7.  Shipments valued at more than AOA  1 million  but AOA  2 million  or less are subject to the 
simplified customs regime. This includes a simplified customs declaration and a 16% flat rate of 
customs duty (based on f.o.b. value), unless the goods in question are subject to zero -duty under 
the general customs regime, in wh ich case no customs duty is due.  
3.8.  Goods imported under any customs regime are subject to a customs service fee 
(Section  3.1.5). The amount of the fee is based on the value of imports, not the cost of services 
rendered. Shipments valued at less than AOA  1 million (including packages delivered by express 
carriers) are exempt from customs duties and customs service fee s. Goods classified in 
HS Chapters  22 (beverages, spirits, and vinegar), 24  (tobacco and tobacco products), 33  (essential 
oils and resinoids; per fumery, cosmetic, or toilet preparations), 71 (natural or cultured pearls, 
precious or semi -precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal), and 91  (clocks 
and watches) are subject to the general customs procedures regardless of value.  
3.9.  The requirement to obtain a cargo tracking note ( certificado de embarque ) for goods imported 
through Angolan sea ports as described in Angola's last Review is still in force. This document must 
be obtained from an overseas representative of the Angolan Carg o and Logistics Certification 
Regulatory Agency  (Agência Reguladora de Certificação de Carga e Logística de Angola  (ARCCLA )) 
prior to loading the cargo. ARCCLA succeeds the National Shippers' Council (CNC), which was 
responsible for issuing the cargo track ing note at the time of Angola's previous Review.6 The 
documents required to obtain the cargo tracking note include a copy of the import/export licence 
issued by MINDCOM, the bill of lading, and the commercial invoice. ARCCLA charges a "participation 
fee" for issuing the cargo tracking note (Section  3.1.5). The purpose of the cargo tracking note is 
to "ensure the control of the policy for collecting, processing, interpreting , and disseminating 
statistical information on international maritime transport ope rations to and from Angola".7 
3.10.   Customs declarations can be submitted electronically using ASYCUDA World, which was 
implemented in Angola in 2017. The authorities say that all customs declarations are submitted 
through ASYCUDA World, except in remote custom s posts that face connectivity problems. They also 
note that the customs clearance process is fully digital, and no paper copies of any documents are 
requested by the customs authorities. Payment of customs duties, charges, and other taxes is 
through elect ronic means.  
3.11.   Angola has received support from UNCTAD to implement a single window, known as the Janela 
Única do Comércio Externo (JUCE). The authorities indicate that some 80% of agencies involved in 
import and export processes participate in JUCE (Novembe r 2023). Pending full 
JUCE implementation, Angola has deployed the Integrated Platform for International 
Trade  (Plataforma Integrada do Comércio Externo (PICE), available at : 
https://www.sepe.gov.ao/ao/ ) described by the authorities as a "draft" single window. PICE is used 
to process requests for import and export licences issued by MINDCOM, while other licences needed 
to import and export ar e processed through the government -wide Public Services Electronic 
Portal  (Portal dos Serviços Públicos Electrónicos (SEPE), available at : 
https://www.sepe.gov.ao/ao/ ). The lack o f an integrated licensing system, along with multiple 
licensing requirements for a wide range of products and the application of licensing requirements 
irrespective of the risk posed by the product, results in multiple submissions of documents to 
different  institutions, adding to trade costs (Section  3.1.6).  
3.12.   Under the Customs Code, traders can request an advance decision regarding the tariff 
classification or origin of goods. To that end, they must address a duly justified request to the 
competent Regional  Customs Director along with supporting documentation. The Regional Customs 
Director issues an advance decision based on a non -binding technical opinion issued by the relevant 
customs officials. The period of validity of advance decisions is one year. The S ecretariat did not 
have access to data on the number of advance decisions issued by customs authorities. The 
authorities indicate that AGT has introduced a new form to facilitate requests for advance rulings 
and is working on a tariff classification manual . 
3.13.   Traders can obtain customs clearance prior to the arrival of the imported goods in Angola.  To 
avail themselves of this possibility, traders must submit the customs declaration and pay all duties, 
taxes, and charges prior to the arrival of the goods in An gola. According to the authorities, AGT may 
 
6 Presidential Decree No.  326/20 of 29  December  2020. 
7 Presidential Decree No.  189/19 of 12  June 2019. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   release imported goods even if the corresponding customs declaration is incomplete. In this case, 
importers have from 48 hours to 60 days from the day the goods arrive in Angola to submit the 
missing documentatio n, depending on the type of good and means of transport used.  
3.14.   Customs legislation foresees a "global guarantee" mechanism for frequent importers. Under 
this mechanism, which is operational according to the authorities, importers who provide a 
guarantee amo unting to at least 20% of customs duties, charges , and taxes paid by them in the 
previous year can benefit from the release of their goods before the final determination and payment 
of duties, taxes, fees, and charges due.  
3.15.   During the period under review, A ngola introduced an AEO programme.8 AGT has published 
a manual that provides detailed information on the requirements to receive AEO certification and 
the available benefits.9 Foreign -owned entities established in Angola may apply for AEO status. 
AEO certification is available for importers, exporters, customs brokers, and cargo operators. Around 
50 operators have been certified under Angola's  AEO programme (November  2023). The authorities 
note that they are working on an AEO mutual recognition agreement with South  Africa . 
3.16.   Documentary and physical inspections are carried out selectively based on risk management 
criteria. According to the authorities, between 12% and 15% of customs declarations processed by 
AGT are subject to physical and documentary inspec tion (the so -called "red channel"), while between 
20% and 25% are subject to documentary inspection only ("yellow channel"). The remainder is not 
subject to documentary or physical inspection, though AGT may conduct post -clearance audits up 
to five years a fter goods have cleared customs. The authorities also note that they rely on the 
computerized customs management system ASYCUDA World to target consignments for inspection, 
but that they are working on developing their own system for risk management.  
3.17.   AGT m ay conduct post -clearance audits. To this end, customs legislation requires traders to 
keep all relevant  documentation for five years. In 2022, AGT conducted post -clearance audits of 
89 taxpayers. As a result, it collected an additional USD  4.8 million  in customs duties, charges, and 
other taxes. The authorities note that this reflects the prevalence of under -invoicing by Angola n 
importers and the need for AGT to strengthen its control capacity.  
3.18.   Traders have the right to appeal administrative decisions take n by customs authorities. 
Appeals are made in the first instance to the competent Regional Customs Director and subsequently 
to the High Technical Customs Council (Conselho Superior Técnico Aduaneiro), whose decisions are 
subject to judicial review. The Co uncil comprises five experts appointed by the Minister of Finance 
on the recommendation of the National Customs Director. Of the five experts, three must come from 
agencies other than customs. The Secretariat did not have access to data on the number of ap peals 
of customs decisions in recent years.  
3.19.   Goods in transit are subject to a customs service fee and the payment of a guarantee 
amounting to 100% of the import duties and charges that would be due if the goods had entered 
Angolan customs territory for int ernal consumption. Companies that make frequent use of Angola 
as a transit route may avail themselves of the "global guarantee" mechanism described above. There 
is no requirement that goods in transit be escorted by AGT, according to the authorities.  
3.20.   Accor ding to the OECD trade facilitation indicators, since 2019  Angola has improved its 
performance with respect to  fees and charges, simplification and harmoni zation of documents, 
automation, streamlining of procedures, internal border agency co operation , and external border 
agency co operation . Yet, Angola's performance in each of these areas remains below  that of the best 
performers.10 In terms of the World Bank's 2023 Logistics Performance Index, Angola's score for the 
 
8 Presidential Decree No.  293/18 of 3  December  2018. 
9 AGT (2019), O que deve saber sobre o Operador Econômico Autorizado. Viewed  at: 
https://agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/#!/servicos -aduaneiros//operador -economico -autorizado . 
10 OECD, Trade Facilitat ion Indicators 2022 Edition: Angola . Viewed  at: 
https://compareyourcountry.org/trade -facilitation/en/1/default/AGO/default . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  efficiency of the clearance process by border control agencies is below the average for sub-Saharan 
Africa.11 
3.21.   Angola ratified  the WTO  Agreement  on Trade Facilitation (TF A) in 2019 and has submitted all 
required notifications u nder the TFA  except those regarding the provision and progress of technical 
assistance.  According to its TFA notifications, Angola has committed to implement 100% of 
TFA obligations by end -2027, from  around 33% in June  2023.12 
3.1.2   Customs  valuation and preshipment inspection  
3.22.   Angola's notifications under the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement (CVA) are overdue.  
3.23.   Under the Customs Code, the valuation of goods for customs purposes must be based on the 
transactio n value. The Code specifies five additional valuation methods, which must be used in 
successive order if the transaction value cannot be used. The additional methods specified in 
legislation correspond to those stipulated in the WTO CVA.  
3.24.   In practice, AGT m ay use the declared transaction values of past imports into Angola of similar 
or identical goods from the same origin if the declared transaction value is well below the values of 
past imports. The authorities note that they do not use any reference prices . 
3.25.   In the  context of Angola's previous Review, the authorities indicated that the implementation 
of the WTO CVA posed difficulties and that they required technical assistance. The authorities said 
that since then, they have received technical assistance on customs valuation from the 
World  Customs Organization. They further noted that the remaining challenges on customs valuation 
relate mainly to obtaining relevant information from trading partners, particularly in Asia.  
3.26.   Preshipment  inspection is optional (Section  3.1.6).  
3.1.3   Rules of origin  
3.27.   Angola has one set of (non -preferential) rules of origin for imports from all sources, as all 
imports are treated on an MFN basis. These rules have remain ed unchanged since the previous 
Review. They have not been notified to the WTO.  
3.28.   Under the Customs Tariff, products are deemed originating in a country if they are wholly 
obtained in that country, if at least 25% of the cost of production is accounted for in that country, 
or if that county is the last  country where an "economically justifiable transformation" (resulting in 
a new product or a major stage in its production) takes place. Imported goods must be accompanied 
by a certificate of origin or equivalent document issued by the relevant authorities  in the country 
of origin.  
3.29.   Angola does  not apply preferential rules of origin.  
3.1.4   Customs  duties  
3.30.   The share of customs duties in fiscal revenue is relatively small. For the period 2019 -21, the 
latest for which data are available, import duties represented, as a share of total fiscal revenue, 
between 2.8% and 4.2%, while the customs service fee represented slightly more than 1% during 
the same period.  
3.31.   During the  period under review, Angola eliminated tariffs for close to 43% of tariff lines. 
Nonetheless, this did not have a significant effect on the overall level of nominal tariff protection. In 
fact, the simple average applied MFN tariff increased slightly, from  10.9% at the time of 
Angola's  previous Review in 2015 to 11.5 in 2023. This reflects tariff increases for some 12% of 
 
11 World  Bank, Logistics Performance Index : International Scorecard Page . Viewed  at: 
https://lpi.worldbank.org/international/scorecard/radar/C/AGO/202 3/I+HIC+2023+R+SSF+2023+C+SGP+20
23. 
12 WTO, Trade Facilitation Agreement Database: Angola. Viewed  at: 
https://tfadatabase.org/en/members/ang ola#notification -records . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   tariff lines, sometimes to high levels of between 50% and 70%. The authorities consider such higher 
tariffs a key part of Angola's econom ic strategy to promote domestic production and diversify the 
economy. Nonetheless, Angola's Customs Tariff may work against those goals. The relatively 
stronger protection given to final goods risk s weakening the incentives faced by producers in 
protected sectors to improve productivity, which in turn undermines their prospects for joining 
regional and global value chains . Moreover, high tariffs on final goods may also increase the prices 
paid for such goods by Angolan consumers.  
3.32.   Angola has bound all of its tariffs, but the gap between bound and applied rates may partly 
undermine the positive role of tariff bindings in providing stability and predictability to Angola's trade 
regime. The authorities agree with the Secretariat that some applied tariffs exceed their bound rates 
and said that this would be corrected in the Customs Tariff for 2024.  
3.33.   Angola continues to maintain a wide range of customs duty concessions, including for the 
dominant oil sector. The breadth and depth of the concessions is reflected in t he large gap between 
the simple average MFN  tariff rate of  11.5% and the average effective rate of around 4 .3% in 2021.13 
Some tariff concessions granted by Angola may reinforce the degree of tariff escalation in the 
Customs Tariff, resulting in levels of effective protection for Angolan processing activities that are 
likely to be many times higher than indicated by nominal tariff rates. In addition, widespread duty 
exemptions are costly to administer and may give rise to fraudulent activities.  
3.1.4.1   Applied  MFN tariff  
3.34.   Angola applies MFN treatment to all of its trading partners. It has signed the SADC  Trade 
Protocol and ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), but its offers under both 
agreements are pending approval. Angola does not apply any pr eferential tariff rates (June  2023).  
3.35.   The import duties applied by Angola in 2023 are contained in the Customs Tariff, enacted by 
Legislative Presidential Decree  No. 10/19 of 29  November  2019, as amended by subsequent 
legislation. Through its Customs Tariff , Angola seeks to increase and protect domestic production, 
attract investment, and promote employment.14 
3.36.   The Customs Tariff is based on the 2017 nomenclature of the Harmonized Commodity and 
Description System (HS17) and comprises 5,657 tariff lines at the  HS 8-digit level (Chapters  1-97). 
All lines are ad valorem . Since Angola's last Review, the structure of the MFN tariff has become more 
complex. The number of tariff rates increased by 8 for a total of 13. The new rates are zero, 3%, 
5%, 15%, 40%, 55%, 60%, and 70% (Chart  3.1). 
 
13 The effective tariff is the ratio between the revenue earned from import duties, and the value of 
merchandise imports.  
14 Legislative Presidential Decree No. 10/19 of 29  November  2019, Preamble . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Chart  3.1 Breakdown of applied MFN rates, 2015 and 2023  
(No. of tariff lines)  
 
n.a. Not applicable.  
Note:  The figures above each bar show the corresponding share of the total number of lines. The 2023 
figures do not add up to 100%. Some 1% of tariff lines carry rates of 3%, 5%, 15%, and 40%; they 
do not appear in the Chart given their negligible shares of the total. The tariff rates between 55% 
and 70% consist of 55% (2 tariff lines), 60% (40 tariff lines), and 70% (2 tariff lines).  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations , based on data provided by the authorities.  
3.37.   Compared with the 2015 tariff, tariff rates decreased for some 51% of lines, increased for 
around 12%, and remained unchanged for the remaining 37%. These changes did not have a 
significant effect on the overall level of nominal tariff protection. The simple average applied 
MFN tariff, at 11 .5% in J une 2023, is slightly higher than in 2015 (10.9%). While the share of lines 
subject to nuisance rates decreased sharply, the share of lines subject to "tariff peaks" (domestic 
and international) increased (Table  3.1). 
Table  3.1 Structure of MFN tariffs, 2015 and 2023  
 2015  2023  Bound ratesa 
1. Bound tariff lines (% of all tariff lines)  100.0  100.0  100.0  
2. Simple average of applied MFN tariffsb 10.9 11.5 59.1 
Agricultural products (WTO definition)  23.3 22.0 52.8 
Non-agricultural products (WTO definition)  9.1 9.8 60.1 
3. Duty -free tariff lines (% of all tariff lines)  0.0 42.9 0.0 
4. Non -ad valorem  tariffs (% of all tariff lines)  0.0 0.0 0.0 
5. Simple average of dutiable lines only  10.9 20.2 59.1 
6. Domestic tariff peaks (% of all tariff lines)c 7.1 11.1 0.0 
7. International tariff peaks (% of all tariff lines)d 24.9 27.0 99.3 
8. Applied "nuisance" rates (% of all tariff lines)e 56.1 13.7 0.0 
9. Coefficient of variation  1.3 1.4 0.1 
a The final bound rates are based on the 2023 Customs Tariff in the HS17 nomenclature.  
b Tariff data provided by the authorities did not specify rates for the following seven  tariff lines: 
440140, 440395, 440396, 440397, 440398, 440796, and 440797.  
c Domestic tariff peaks are duties exceeding three times the overall arithmetic average applied rate.  
d International tariff peaks are rates exceeding 15%.  
e "Nuisance" rates are those greater than zero but less than or equal to 2%.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations , based on data provided by the authorities . 
3.38.   The simple  average tariff of 22% on agricultural products (WTO definition) is over twice the 
average rate on non -agricultural products (9.8%). Using the ISIC definition, agriculture remai ns the 
most highly protected sector with an average tariff of 22.9%, followed by mining (13.4%) and 
manufacturing (10.6%) (Table  3.2). Since Angola's last Review, average levels of tariff protection 
have increased for some WTO product categories and decrea sed for others (Chart  3.2). Average 
​56.1%
19.0%
9.6%8.1% 7.1%​42.9%
13.7%16.2%
7.2%8.7% 9.3%
0.8%
05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000
Duty-free 2 10 20 30 50 55-702015 (5,971 tariff lines) 2023 (5,657 tariff lines)
n.an.a.
Tariff rates (%)
The figures above each bar show the corresponding share of the total number of lines. The 2023 figures do not add up to 100%. Some 
1.0% of tariff lines are carrying rates of 3%, 5%, 15% and 40%; they do not appear on the chart given their negligible shares ofthe 
total. In addition, no import duty rates are provided for seven tariff lines. The tariff range of 55 -70% consists of: 55% (2 tar iff lines),  
60% (40 tariff line), and 70% (2 tariff line). Note: 
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations based on data provided by the authorities. Chart 3.[AGO] Breakdown of applied MFN rates, 2015 and 2023WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   tariff protection on beverages and tobacco; dairy products; wood, paper, and furniture; and cereals 
and cereal preparations – already high in 2015 – has increased further since then.  
Table  3.2 Summary of the MFN tariff, 2023  
 Number 
of lines  Simple 
average 
(%) Tariff 
range 
(%) Share of 
duty-free 
lines (%)  CVa 
Total  5,657  11.5 0-70 42.9 1.4 
HS 01-24 985 24.0 0-70 19.1 0.8 
HS 25-97 4,672  8.9 0-50 47.9 1.6 
By WTO category  
WTO agricultural products  792 22.0 0-70 29.8 1.0 
Live animals and meat  111 13.7 0-40 34.2 1.2 
Dairy products  41 25.3 0-50 22.0 0.7 
Fruits and vegetables  179 41.0 0-50 3.9 0.6 
Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices  54 14.3 0-50 27.8 1.2 
Cereals and cereal preparations  91 21.0 0-50 38.5 1.0 
Oilseeds, fats and oils  68 4.6 0-30 38.2 4.5 
Sugars and sugar confectionery  23 14.8 0-50 17.4 0.9 
Beverages and tobacco  53 56.6 0-70 3.8 0.6 
Cotton, silk and wool  25 0.0 0.0 100.0  0.0 
Other agricultural products  147 7.9 0-50 51.0 2.4 
WTO non -agricultural products  4,865  9.8 0-50 45.0 1.5 
Fish and fish products  260 25.1 0-30 0.4 0.2 
Minerals and metals  917 13.7 0-50 37.1 1.3 
Petroleum  12 3.0 0-10 16.7 2.2 
Chemicals  1,038  5.8 0-50 74.7 2.3 
Wood, paper, furniture  298 23.0 0-50 24.8 1.1 
Textiles  584 6.2 0-50 32.0 2.0 
Clothing  218 10.9 10-20 0.0 0.3 
Rubber, leather and footwear  155 9.2 0-50 28.4 1.5 
Mechanical, office and computing machinery  516 1.9 0-50 88.6 5.7 
Electrical machinery and electronic 
equipment  301 7.2 0-50 37.9 1.6 
Transport equipment  200 7.8 0-50 45.5 1.6 
Other manufactures  366 9.8 0-50 28.7 1.3 
By ISIC sector   
ISIC 1 – Agriculture, hunting and fishing  401 22.9 0-60 31.9 0.9 
ISIC 2 – Mining  97 13.4 0-50 52.6 1.5 
ISIC 3 – Manufacturing  5,158  10.6 0-70 43.5 1.5 
ISIC 4 – Electrical energy  1 0.0 0.0 100.0  0.0 
By stage of processing  
First stage of processing  774 18.5 0-60 37.6 1.1 
Semi-processed products  1,897  6.9 0-50 57.1 1.9 
Fully processed products  2,986  12.6 0-70 35.2 1.3 
a Coefficient of variation.  
Note:  Calculations are based on national tariff line level (8 -digit).  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Chart  3.2 Average tariff rates, by WTO product category, 2015 and 2023  
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.  
3.39.   The structure of Angola's Customs Tariff would appear to work a gainst export diversification, 
one of the main goals of Angola's trade policy. The relatively high level of nominal tariff protection 
on certain final goods, coupled with the prevalence of tariff concessions on goods used in production  
(Section  3.1.4.3) , results in levels of effective protection of value added that are likely to be many 
times higher than indicated by nominal tariff rates. This could stifle innovation and weaken the 
incentives faced by producers in protected sectors to improve productivity, which in turn could 
undermine their prospects for joining regional and global value chains.  
3.1.4.2   WTO  bindings  
3.40.   The binding commitments undertaken by Angola are contained in List CXXIX annexed to the 
Marrakesh Protocol. The transposition of these commitments into HS17 was certified 
in November  2020.15 
3.41.   Angola has bound all of its tariff lines. The bound rate for most agricultural products is  55%; 
lower rates of 10% or  15% apply to some lines. Tariff bindings on non -agricultural products are 
generall y set at 60%, with some products subject to a rate of 80%.  In general, applied tariff rates 
are well below their bound rates. Nonetheless, for 50 tariff lines, applied rates may exceed their 
bindings, sometimes by as much as 15  percentage point s (Table  3.3). The authorities state that with 
the entry into force of the new Customs Tariff in January  2024, Angola will bring its applied tariffs 
fully into line with WTO bindings.  
Table  3.3 Tariff lines where the appl ied MFN rates might be higher than their bound 
levels, 2023  
Tariff 
code  Product description  Applied MFN 
tariff (2023)  Bound tariff 
(%) 
07101000  Potatoes  20.0 15.0 
07102  - Leguminous vegetables, shelled or unshelled:  
07102100  - - Peas ( Pisum sativum ) 20.0 15.0 
07102200  - - Beans ( Vigna  spp., Phaseolus  spp.) 20.0 15.0 
07102900  - - Other  20.0 15.0 
07103000  - Spinach, New  Zealand  spinach and orache spinach (garden spinach)  20.0 15.0 
07104000  - Sweet corn  20.0 15.0 
07108000  - Other vegetables  20.0 15.0 
07109000  - Mixtures of vegetables  20.0 15.0 
 
15 WTO document WT/Let/1478 , 3 November  2020. 
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%
A B C D E FG H I J K LM N O PQ R S T U V2015 (No. of tariff lines: 5,971)
2023 (No. of tariff lines: 5,657)
A. Live animals and meat
products
B. Dairy products
C. Fruits and vegetables
D. Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices
E. Cereals and cereal 
preparationsF. Oilseeds, fats and oils
G. Sugars and sugar 
confectionery
H. Beverages and tobacco
I. Cotton, silk and wool
J. Other agricultural products
K. Fish and fish productsL. Minerals and metals
M. Petroleum
N. Chemicals
O. Wood, paper, furniture
P. Textiles
Q. ClothingR. Rubber, leather and footwear
S. Mechanical, office and computing 
machinery
T. Electrical machinery and 
electronic equipment
U. Transport equipment
V. Other manufacturesAverage applied rate
2015 (10.9%) and 2023 (11.5%)
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.WTO 
agri.WTO 
non-
agri.WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   Tariff 
code  Product description  Applied MFN 
tariff (2023)  Bound tariff 
(%) 
2009 Fruit juices and vegetable juices  
20091  - Orange juice:  
20091100  - - Frozen  60.0 55.0 
20091200  - - Not frozen, of a Brix value not exceeding 20  60.0 55.0 
20091900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
20092  - Grapefruit (including pomelo) juice:  
20092100  - - Of a Brix value not exceeding 20  60.0 55.0 
20092900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
20093  - Juice of any other single citrus fruit:  
20093100  - - Of a Brix value not exceeding 20  60.0 55.0 
20093900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
20094  - Pineapple juice:  
20094100  - - Of a Brix value not exceeding 20  60.0 55.0 
20094900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
20095000  - Tomato juice  60.0 55.0 
20096  - Grape juice (including Grape must)  
20096110  -- Juice 60.0 55.0 
20096900  -- Must 60.0 55.0 
20097  - Apple juice:  
20097100  - - Of a Brix value not exceeding 20  60.0 55.0 
20097900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
20098  - Juice of any other single fruit or vegetable:  
20098100  - - Cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon , Vaccinium oxycoccos , Vaccinium 
vitis-idaea ) juice  60.0 55.0 
20098900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
20099000  - Mixtures of juices  60.0 55.0 
22011000  - Mineral waters and aerated waters  70.0 55.0 
22019000  - Other  70.0 55.0 
22021000  - Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added 
sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured  60.0 55.0 
22029  - Other:  
22029100  - - Non-alcoholic beer  60.0 55.0 
22029900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
22030000  Beer made from malt  60.0 55.0 
22060000  Other fermented beverages (for example, cider, perry, mead, saké)  60.0 55.0 
2207 Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% vol. or higher  
22071000  - Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% 
vol. or higher  60.0 55.0 
220720  - Ethyl alcohol and other spirits, denatured, of any strength  
22072010  -- Ethyl alcohol  60.0 55.0 
22072019  -- Other  60.0 55.0 
22082000  - Spirits obtained by distilling grape wine or grape marc  60.0 55.0 
22083000  - Whiskies  60.0 55.0 
22084000  - Rum and other spirits obtained by distilling fermented sugarcane 
products  60.0 55.0 
22085000  - Gin and Geneva  60.0 55.0 
22086000  - Vodka  60.0 55.0 
22087000  - Liqueurs and cordials  60.0 55.0 
22089000  - Other  60.0 55.0 
24011000  - Tobacco, not stemmed/stripped  60.0 55.0 
24012000  - Tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped  60.0 55.0 
24013000  - Tobacco refuse  60.0 55.0 
2402 Cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes, of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes  
24021000  - Cigars, cheroots and cigarillos, containing tobacco  60.0 55.0 
24022000  - Cigarettes containing tobacco  60.0 55.0 
24029000  - Other  60.0 55.0 
24031  - Smoking tobacco, whether or not containing tobacco substitutes in any proportion:  
24031100  - - Water pipe tobacco  60.0 55.0 
24031900  - - Other  60.0 55.0 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations , based on data provided by the authorities and the WTO  Consolidated 
Tariff Schedules (CTS) database.  
3.42.   As regards  other duties and taxes, Angola bound only one levy previously in effect, namely, 
an import tax of 0.1%, which has since been eliminated. Angola imposes other levies at higher rates  
(Section  3.1.5).  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.1.4.3   Tariff concessions  
3.43.   Under the Customs Tariff, the following are exempt from customs duty: goods imported into 
Angola for further processing or production; goods imported under one of the incentive regime s for 
private investment (Section  3.3.1); and imported goods to be used directly and exclusively by the 
oil, gas, and mining industries. The Customs Tariff also grants customs duty exemptions for goods 
imported by SOEs for investment or public works; defen ce, internal security, civil protection, and 
firefighting agencies; political parties represented in the National Assembly; sports associations and 
federations; and border -area residents. Goods imported for humanitarian purposes and for use in 
exhibitions,  fairs, seminars, and workshops are also exempt from customs duty, as are imported 
automobiles for disabled persons. Petroleum products for the subsidized market are also exempt 
from customs duty. The precise product scope for each of these exemptions is s pecified in the 
Customs Tariff.  
3.44.   Customs  duty exemptions totalled AOA  516.4  billion  in 2021, the latest year for which data 
are available (Table  3.4). This is almost 1.8 times the total amount collected from import duties that 
same year (AOA  291.2  billion ). The custom duty exemptions for the oil, gas, and mining sectors 
alone represent s lightly more than 90% of the total amount collected from import duties in 2021.  
Table  3.4 Customs duty exemptions, 2021  
 AOA million  % of customs duty 
revenue  
Oil and gas sector  246,547  84.7 
Further processing or production ( sector produtivo ) 138,233  47.5 
COVID -19 goods  45,265  15.5 
Mining sector  16,900  5.8 
Private investment  regimea 8,623  3.0 
Other  60,800  20.9 
Total  516,369  177.3  
a Covers customs duty exemptions granted to private investors under the special regime 
(Section  3.3.1).  
Source : AGT (2021), Boletim Estatístico 2021 . Viewed  at: https://agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/  
#!/estatisticas/estatistica -fiscais . 
3.45.   Goods imported by companies based in Cabinda province are  subject to  a special customs 
regime with a general  customs duty of 2% (1% for food industry products) . This special regime does 
not apply to the oil industry or to importers already benefiting from tariff concessions . 
3.1.5   Other charges  affecting imports  
3.46.   Imports are subject to a customs service fee levied on their c.i.f. value and a participation fee 
for the modernization of the country's transport infrastructure. The 1% stamp duty on imports that 
was in effect at the time of Angola's pr evious Review has been abolished. In an effort to modernize 
its indirect tax regime, Angola introduced a VAT in 2019 and significantly reduced the coverage of 
its special consumption tax, which tended to inflate prices and reinforce border protection.  
3.47.   Impo rts are subject to a customs service fee ( emolumentos gerais aduaneiros ) at a rate of  2% 
of their c.i.f. value. Imported goods for use in oil and mineral activities benefit from a reduced rate 
of 0.1%, along with a statistical tax of 0.1%, of their c.i.f. value.16 With the entry into force of a VAT 
in 2019, Angola eliminated the 1% stamp duty on imports that was in force at the time of its previous 
Review.  
3.48.   Good imported through Angolan sea ports must pay a "participation fee" to ARCCLA to obtain 
a cargo tra cking note  (Section  3.1.1). The participation fees have been halved since Angola's 
previous Review. The amount of the fee is USD  0.02 per tonne of liquid bulk cargo, 
USD 2.5 per tonne of bulk or break -bulk cargo, USD  50 per 20 -foot container , USD 100 per 4 0-foot 
 
16 The list of eligible goods is contained in Law No. 11/04 of 12  November  2004 and Law No. 31/11 of 
23 September  2011.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   container, and USD  112.50 per 45 -foot container.17 The authorities say that some of the revenue 
resulting from this fee is invested in modernizing and rehabilitating Angola's transport infrastructure.  
3.49.   Angola levies an excise tax (Imposto Especial de Consumo (IEC)) on certain goods imported 
and manufacture d in Angola.18 The list of goods subject to IEC, which has been significantly reduced 
since Angola's last Review, comprises 114 8 -digit tariff lines covering alcohol, alcoholic beverages 
and fizzy drinks, tobacco and tobacco products, fireworks, plastic pa ckaging, retreaded tyres, 
jewellery, automobiles and pickup trucks, aircraft and leisure boats, firearms, art work, antiques, 
and some oil products. These products are subject to 1 of 10 different IEC rates ranging from 2% to 
50%. Imported and domestic goo ds are subject to the same rate. For imported goods, the tax base 
is the c.i.f. value; for domestic products, it is the factory gate price (the production cost in the case 
of oil products).  
3.50.   Angola implemented a VAT in October  2019 following the adoption of  the Code on Value Added 
Tax.19 According to the authorities, partially replacing the IEC with a VAT will limit the "cascading" 
effect of the IEC, which tended to inflate prices as it involved paying a tax on top of a tax at each 
stage of the supply chain.20 In addition, the IEC tended to reinforce border protection, as most goods 
marketed in Angola are imported.  
3.51.   VAT is levied at a standard rate of 14% on imported and locally produced goods and services. 
The tax base for imported goods is the c.i.f. value p lus all duties and charges resulting from 
importation. VAT -exempted goods and services include books and school fees; life insurance and 
reinsurance ; medicines, hospital equipment, wheelchairs, ambulance transport services, and 
services offered by healthca re facilities; milk, rice, beans, flour (wheat, corn, and cassava), cooking 
oil, sugar, and soap; fortune games; public transport; financial services; and oil products.21 Imported 
goods intended as gifts for philanthropic purposes or to mitigate the effect s of natural disasters are 
also exempt. Exports are zero -rated, as are goods and service s to meet the direct needs of vessels 
and aircraft engaged in commercial activity, and international transport of passengers.  
3.52.   Reduced VAT rates apply on certain foodstu ffs and other products listed in Annex  Table  I of 
the 2023 budget (5% or 7% rate); hotel and restaurant services, subject to certain conditions 
specified in legislation (7% rate); and imports and supplies of products in Cabinda province (2%  rate 
except for  foodstuffs, which are subject to a 1% rate).22 
3.53.   Businesses  with annual turnover or imports valued at more than AOA  350 million  are subject 
to the standard VAT regime. Businesses in the manufacturing sector whose turnover or imports are 
valued at more than AOA 10 million  in the previous fiscal year are also subject to the standard 
VAT regime. A simplified VAT regime with a 7% rate is available for businesses with annual turnover 
or imports valued at between AOA  10 million  and AOA  350 million . Businesses whos e annual 
turnover or imports are less than AOA  10 million  are not liable for VAT.  
3.54.   Angola has eliminated  the 1% ad valorem  surcharge on imports of certain goods that was in 
force at the time of Angola's last Review.23 The surcharge applied to alcoholic beverages , tobacco 
and tobacco products, watches  and jewellery , and luxury vehicles.  
3.1.6   Import  prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  
3.55.   Angola  maintains import prohibitions and other restrictions for non -economic and econo mic 
reasons. All imports require a licence from MINDCOM, irrespective of the risk posed by the imported 
good and the existence of additional import licensing requirements imposed by other bodies on a 
wide range of goods. For "widely consumed goods", a cate gory that is yet to be defined by MINDCOM 
 
17 Presidential Decree No.  189/19 of 12  June 2019, Article  3. 
18 Law No. 16/21 of 19 July 2021. 
19 Law No. 7/19 of 24  April 2019, as amended by Law No. 17/19 of 13  August  2019. 
20 AGT (2019), IVA: Perguntas Frequentes . Viewed  at: 
https: //agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/#!/iva/perguntas -frequentes/perguntas -frequentes . 
21 The tariff lines of goods subject to VAT exemption are specified in AGT Circular 
169/DSIVA/DSAdu/AGT/2019 of 15  October  2019. Viewed  at: 
https://agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/#!/iva/legislacao . 
22 Law No.  2/23 of 13  March  2023. 
23 Law No. 18/19 of 13  August  2019. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  under a new Presidential Decree adopted in 2023 (but not yet in force), import licences would be 
issued exclusively to importers who meet domestic purchasing and other requirements. The goal of 
this measure is to p romote domestic production and reduce imports. During the period under review, 
Angola adopted, and later abolished, a Presidential Decree that imposed a set of import restrictions 
on "basic consumption -basket goods" to advance import substitution. Angola's  trading partners had 
raised concerns about this measure in several WTO bodies.  
3.56.   Imports  of goods listed in Table  I of the Preliminary Instructions to the Customs Tariff are 
prohibited. Since Angola's  last Review, several product  categories  have been remove d from the list, 
including second -hand vehicles over three  years old, second -hand heavy -duty vehicles over 
eight years old, second -hand engines for vehicles of HS  Chapter 87, used tyres, components of 
vehicles which do not meet the criteria for  "spare part s" and "accessories", food products containing 
saccharine , and gaming machines. The goods that have been added to the list since the last Review 
comprise homemade artisanal beverages and medicinal products, khat plant s, and certain 
psychotropic and narcoti c substances (Box  3.1). The authorities note that import prohibitions are 
maintained for environmental, sanitary and phytosanitary, human health and safety, consumer 
protection, national security and other non -economic reasons.  
Box 3.1 Prohibited imports, 2023  
Goods infringing industrial property rights or copyright; counterfeit or imitation goods  
Animals and animal products from zones affected by epizootic diseases  
Plants from zones affected by phylloxera or other epiphytic diseases  
Distilled beverages containing essences or recognized harmful products  
Homemade artisanal beverages and medicinal products  
Medicines and food products harmful to public health  
Food products that do not meet the cr iteria determined in the prevailing legislation or arrive in a poor state of 
conservation  
Right-hand-drive vehicles  
Metal containers used for packaging products other than mineral oils  
Used batteries  
Goods prohibited under  the Montreal Protocol (CFCs)  
Subversive propaganda materials  
Catha  edulis  (khat) plant s 
Prohibited psychotropic and narcotic substances  
Source:  Presidential Legislative Decree No.  10/19 of 29  November  2019. 
3.57.   Imports of goods listed in Table  II of the Preliminary Instructions to the Customs Tariff are 
subject to authorization  (Table  3.5). The product categories added to the list since Angola's last 
Review, are fish and crustaceans under HS  Chapter 3 (previously only fish for aquaculture and ti lapia 
fish were included); p repared or preserved fish , caviar , crustaceans  and molluscs  of HS  headings 
1604 and 1605; salt; gaming machines; various types of equipment, materials, and software 
specially designed for military use; and products that could be  confused with those used by defence 
and security bodies. Equipment for distilling spirits, radio transmitters and receivers and their 
accessories, and boats (except for fishing) have been removed from the list. Under the Regulations 
on Laboratory Analysis  for Products Destined for Human or Animal Consumption, any imported good 
for human or animal consumption  that may pose a risk to public health or the environment, including 
food, food additives, beverages, medicines, cosmetics, fertilizers, seeds, and phy topharmaceuticals, 
may be subject to laboratory testing, and hence import authorization, if the competent authority so 
decides (Section  3.3.3).24 
 
24 Presidential Decree No.  179/18 of 2  August  2018. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   Table  3.5 Imports subject to authorization, 2023  
Product  Author izing agency  
Animals and animal produ cts Ministry of Agriculture and  Forestry  
(MINAGRIF)  and/or Ministry of Health  
Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and other aquatic invertebrates of 
HS Chapter 3  Ministry of Fisheries  and Marine Resources  
Plants, roots, tubers, bulbs, shoots, flower buds, fruits , and seeds  MINAGRIF  
Saccharine and its by -products  Ministry of Health  
Denatured pure alcohol  Ministry of Industry and Trade 
(MINDCOM ) 
Certain types of cement (HS  2523.2100 , 2523.2900, 2523.3000, 
2523.9000)  MINDCOM  
Electricity  Ministry of Energy and Water  
Pharmaceuticals  Ministry of Health  
Poisons and toxic substances  for medicinal purposes  MINAGRIF , MINDCOM , or Ministry of 
Health  
Medicines whose active ingredients are not mentioned on the packaging  Ministry of Health  
Explosives and fireworks  Ministry of Interior  
Cigarette paper and other materials used for cigarette filters  MINDCOM  
Foreign currency, cheque books, certificates f or shares, bonds or similar 
securities  National Bank of Angola  
Rough, polished , or faceted diamonds  Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil, and 
Gas (MIREMPET ) 
Fishing boats (small -scale, semi -industrial or industrial) and boats used 
specifically for transporting fish  Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources  
Arms, ammunition  Ministry of Defence or Ministry of Interior  
Certain toxic and flammable products, including ammonium nitrate, 
acetone, urea, nitric acid, and sodium nitrate  Ministry of Defence  or Ministry of Interior  
Vehicles, aircraft, boats specially designed for military or police use  Ministry of Defence or Ministry of Interior  
Uniforms, boots, tents, textiles specially designed for military or police 
use Ministry of Defence or Ministry of  Interior  
Articles, equipment, and software specially designed for military use, 
chemical and biological agents, kinetic energy weapon systems  Ministry of Defence  
Products that could be confused with those used by defence and security 
bodies  .. 
Gaming machines  .. 
Articles incorporating devices capable of recording sounds and pictures, 
including drones  Ministry of Interior  
Electric cables  National Institute of Quality Infrastructure  
(INIQ)  
Refined petroleum products for the subsidized market  Entity appointed by MIREMPET  
Substances that harm the ozone layer and products containing those 
substancesa MINDCOM , and Ministry of Environment  
Fiscal or postal stamps  Ministry of Finance  
Salt Ministry of Environment  
Prepared or preserved fish, caviar, crustaceans , molluscs , and other 
aquatic invertebrates under HS headings 1604 and 1605  Ministry of Fisheries  and Marine Resources  
Devil's claw  .. 
.. Not available.  
a As defined in Presidential Decree No.  153/11 of 15  June 2011. 
Source:  Presidential Legislative Decree No.  10/19 of 29  November  2019. 
3.58.   To import goods subject to authorization, importers must obtain a licence from the relevant 
authorizing agency. In addition, imports of goods subject to authorization must obtain a separate 
import licence from MINDCOM.  
3.59.   During the period under review, Angola adopted new regulations on import (and export) 
licensing.25 The regulations , which govern the procedures to obtain an import licence 
from MINDCOM, distinguish between "automatic" and "non -automatic" licensing. Goods subject to 
prior authorization  and "widely consu med goods", a category that is yet to be defined by MINDCOM 
under a new Presidential Decree  adopted in October  2023 but not yet in force (see below), are 
subject to non -automatic licensing, along with goods imported under the bonded warehouse and 
free trade zone (FTZ) regimes, and goods subject to restrictions under UN resolutions .26 All other 
goods are subject to automatic licensing.  
 
25 Presidential Decree No.  126/20 of 5  May 2020. 
26 Subsection V of  Presidential  Decree No. 126/20. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.60.   The purpose of licensing under the regulations is to (i)  control the origin and quality of 
imported and exported goods in re spect of sanitary, phytosanitary, and food safety considerations; 
(ii) guarantee the effective implementation of import and export restrictions; and (iii)  support the 
flows of foreign exchange resulting from imports and export transactions.  
3.61.   Import (and exp ort) licensing requests to MINDCOM must be submitted for each shipment via 
the PICE online platform. The required information and documents to obtain a licence are specified 
in the regulations. An invoice in Portuguese, English, or French must be annexed t o the licensing 
request. Licences are valid for a renewable period of  120 days. The cost of each licence is about 
AOA 3,000. If a licence request is rejected, MINDCOM must inform the applicant of the reason for 
the rejection. Licence denials may be appeale d administratively and in court. The regulations, which 
have not been notified to the WTO, replace those that Angola had notified to the WTO in 2018.27 
3.62.   As noted, widely consumed  goods ( bens de amplo consumo ) are subject to non -automatic 
import licensing under the new Presidential Decree No.  213/23, which was adopted in October  2023 
but is not yet in force.28 MINDCOM is responsible for defining the precise coverage of the legislation, 
which targets goods that are produced in Angola but that requi re protection from foreign competition 
beyond that provided by import tariffs. The purpose of the legislation is to "promote and significantly 
increase domestic production with the goal of reducing imports and diversifying exports so as to 
secure the susta inability of the domestic economy".29 
3.63.   To obtain the MINDCOM import licence for widely consumed goods, importers would have to 
demonstrate that they have previously concluded a contract to purchase corresponding goods 
produced domestically, that investment or other initiatives to promote domestic production of such 
goods exist, and that they have settled outstanding payments to domestic producers (or that a 
guarantee to settle any outstanding debt exists).30 A "binding opinion" ( parecer vinculativo ) from 
the competent body confirming that these requirements have been met is needed to obtain the 
import licence.  
3.64.   To support the implementation of the import licensing regime for widely consumed goods, 
MINDCOM must publish by 15  September of each year data for the upcoming 12 months on the 
domestic demand for widely consumed goods, along with data on the intended purchases of 
corresponding goods by importers. Domestic producers of widely consumed goods must, for their 
part, submit information on prices, quantities, and quality related to their production.  
3.65.   According to the authorities, Presidential Decree No.  213/23 is subject to internal 
consultations and is not yet being  implemented. Presidential Decree No.  213/23 revoked Presidential 
Decree  No. 23/19 of 14  January  2019, which imposed non -automatic licensing requirements 
on "basic consumption -basket" goods with the goal of promoting import substitution (Table  3.6). 
Several WTO  Member s ha d raised concerns about Presidential Decree No. 23/19 and its 
implementation in t he Council for Trade in Goods, Committee on Market Access, Committee on 
Import Licensing , and Committee on Agriculture . For example, one WTO Member said that some 
aspects of Presidential Decree No.  23/19 distorted trade and were incompatible with WTO  rules.31 
Regarding the Decree's goals, another Member noted that while trade diversification was positive, it 
was also important to "hav[e] a legal and regulatory framework in place that ensure [s] an 
environment free of trade obstacles in the medium and long  term".32 
Table  3.6 Consumption -basket and other priority goods  
Category  Products  
Food and beverages  Banana, mango, pineapple, tomato, cabbage, carrot, lettuce, pepper, onion, garlic, 
potato, sweet potato, cassava, rice, beans, honey, eggs, milk, salt, sugar, flour 
(cassava and wheat), cornmeal, corn grain, cooking oil (sunflower, soybean, palm, 
and peanu t), meat (chicken, goat, and pork), dried beef, pasta, bottled water, juices 
and soft drinks, beer  
Fish Horse mackerel ( carapau do cunene ), Madeiran sardine ( Sardinella maderensis ), gilt 
sardine ( Sardinella aurita ), tilapia  
 
27 WTO document G/LIC/N/2/AGO/2 , 30 October  2018. 
28 Presidential Decree No.  213/23 of 30  October  2023. 
29 Presidential Decree No.  213/23 , Preamble . 
30 Presidential Decree No.  213/33, Article  4.2. 
31 WTO document G/LIC/M/56 , 27 July 2023, para.  4.2. 
32 WTO document G/LIC/M/56 , 27 July 2023, para. 4.2. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   Category  Products  
Cleaning and hygiene  Bleach, b lue soap; napkins, toilet paper, and kitchen towel rolls; disposable diapers, 
sanitary pads, detergent (liquid and solid)  
Construction  Cement; clinker; cement adhesives, mortar, plaster, and the like; construction steel 
rod, paint  
Other  Tempered, laminated, multi -layered or otherwise worked glass; glass recipients, all 
goods produced in the Special Economic Zone of Luanda -Bengo  
Source:  Presidential Decree No.  23/19 of 14  January  2022 (revoked by Presidential Decree No.  213/23 
of 30 Octob er 2023). 
3.66.   Under the now -revoked Presidential Decree No.  23/19, only wholesalers and domestic 
producers of basic consumption -basket goods could receive a licence to import such goods after 
demonstrating that they had previously concluded a contract to purch ase corresponding goods 
produced domestically, that an investment or other initiatives to promote domestic production of 
such goods existed, and that they had settled outstanding payments to domestic producers (or that 
a guarantee to settle any outstanding  debt existed). In addition, imports of basic 
consumption -basket goods were subject to mandatory preshipment inspection under Presidential 
Decree  No. 23/19. For basic consumption -basket goods subject to import authorization, importers 
were required to obta in an additional licence (separate from the MINDCOM licence) from the 
authorizing agency.  
3.67.   Presidential Decree No.  23/19 also established a system of "temporary" quotas for a subset 
of basic consumption -basket goods from January  2022.33 The goods in question comprised sugar, 
meat derivatives (chicken and pork), dried beef, rice, wheat flour, pasta, cornmeal, milk, blue soap, 
tilapia, honey, and oil (soy, palm, sunflower , and peanut). The Secretariat could not ascertain 
whether quotas und er Presidential Decree No.  23/19 were implemented.  
3.68.   Under Executive Decree  No. 63/21 of 17  March  2023, animal feed, semolina, pork, beef, 
margarine, and soap can only be imported in bulk.34 The legislation also specifies minimum weight 
packaging requirement s for non -bulk imports of rice, flour (wheat and corn), sugar, beans, fruit and 
vegetable preserves, powdered milk, cooking oil, and salt. The goal of this measure is to promote 
the domestic packaging industry.  
3.1.7   Anti-dumping , countervailing, and safeguard m easures  
3.69.   According to the authorities, Angola has never had recourse to trade remedies even though 
Angola's Customs Tariff contains a general framework that empowers the Minister of Finance to 
impose safeguard and anti -dumping measures. There is no legislat ion on countervailing duties.  
3.70.   Angola's long -term development strategy "Angola 2050" calls for the creation of a National 
Authority for Trade Remedies. To that end, the authorities note that a technical group on trade 
defence was created  in February  2021; they have received training and capacity -building on trade 
remedies, including from UNCTAD and the WTO; and they would shortly start a legislative review to 
assess the changes needed to launch, investigate, and impose trade remedies.  
3.2  Measures  directly affecting exports  
3.71.   Angola does not apply export taxes except on rough minerals and goods exports in the same 
state as they were imported. Exports are subject to a customs services fee calculated based on 
export value rather than services rend ered. All exports are subject to licensing by MINDCOM. Exports 
subject to prior authorization require, in addition, a prior licence. The State is not involved in export 
finance, insurance, or guarantee programmes. Nonetheless, during the period under revie w it 
introduced a n FTZ regime, whose tax benefits are partly contingent on export performance. An FTZ 
is under development with public and private investment. During the period under review, Angola 
merged two existing agencies into a single export and inve stment promotion agency known as 
AIPEX.  
 
33 Presidential  Decree No. 23/19, Article  11. 
34 Executive Decree No. 63/21 of 17  March  2021. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.2.1   Customs procedures and requirements  
3.72.   Exporters must be registered in the Register of Exporters and Importers (Registo de 
Exportadores e Importadores (REI)). Exported goods whose value exceeds AOA  2 million  are subject  
to the general customs regime. AGT recommends that exporters use the services of an 
AGT-approved customs broker to handle export procedures, but this is not mandatory. Shipments 
valued between AOA  1 million  and AOA  2 million  are subject to the simplified customs regime, which 
includes a simplified customs declaration. Customs declarations must be submitted prior to the 
departure of the goods. Goods exported under any customs regime are subject to a customs service 
fee. The amount is based on the value of g oods (Section  3.2.2). Exporters may apply for AEO  status 
(Section  3.1.1).  
3.73.   All goods exported through Angolan seaports must be accompanied by a cargo tracking note 
(certificado de embarque ) issued by  an ARCCLA representative . Under Presidential 
Decree  No. 189/19 of 12  June 2019, exports are exempt from the payment of "participation fees" 
to obtain the cargo tracking note.35 
3.2.2   Taxes, charges , and levies  
3.74.   Exports of rough minerals are subject to a tax of 5%.36 In addition, imported goods that are 
exported from Angola in the same state as previously imported (so -called mercadorias 
nacionalizadas ) are subject to a 20% export tax, except in the case of food, medicines, medical 
equipment, and biosafety equipment, w hich are subject to a 70% tax if exported in the same state.37 
Export duties are calculated based on the f.o.b. value of exports.  
3.75.   Under the Customs Tariff, the following goods are subject to export duties: ivory, including 
powder and scrap (10%); raw and t anned furskins and articles of furskin (20%); and worked ivory, 
bone, and other animal carving material (10%).38 Nonetheless, the authorities indicate that in 
practice, exports of these products are prohibited.  
3.76.   Exports are subject  to a customs service fee (emolumentos gerais aduaneiros ) at a rate 
of 0.5% of their f.o.b. value. The rate was 1% at the time of Angola's last Review in 2015. The 
customs service fee and statistical fee on exports of petroleum and gas and mineral products remain 
unchanged, each at  0.1% of the f.o.b. value of exports.  
3.2.3   Export prohibitions , restrictions, and licensing  
3.77.   Exports of goods listed in Table  IV of the Preliminary Instructions to the Customs Tariff are 
prohibited. Since Angola's  last Review, unprocessed logs, khat plant s, and certain psychotropic 
substances have been added to the list of prohibited exports, while scrap metal has been removed 
(Box 3.2). In addition, exports of horse mackerel ( carapau ) are prohibited (November  2023). The 
authorities said that this measure is for food security and ocean sustainability reasons.  
Box 3.2 Prohibited exports, 2023  
Giant sable antelope ( palanca negra gigante ) 
Welwitschia mirabilis  plant 
Food products that do n ot meet the criteria determined in the prevailing legislation or arrive in a poor state of 
conservation  
Metal containers used for packaging products other than mineral oils  
Collections that could be used for the ethnographic study of Angolan peoples, unless exported by the S tate 
Goods bearing counterfeit brand names, trademarks or origin marks infringing upon laws and treaties in force  
Unprocessed logs  
 
35 Presidential Decree No.  189/19 of 12  June 2019, Article  4. 
36 Law No. 33/11 of 23  September  2011. 
37 Law No.  2/23 of 13  March  2023 (2023 Budget) , Article  17. 
38 Preliminary Instructions for the Customs Tariff, contained in Legislative Presidential Decree  No. 10/19 
of 29 November  2019, Article  92. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   Catha edulis  (khat plant s) 
Psychotropic substances and prohibited narcotics  
Source:  Presidential Legislative Decree No.  10/19 of 29  November  2019. 
3.78.   Exports of goods listed in Table  V of the Preliminary Instructions to the Customs Tariff require 
prior authorization (Table  3.7). Since Angola's last Review in 2015, salt has been added to the list, 
while the categories for boats (except for fishing), alcoholic beverages, tobacco, luxury vehicles, 
goods paid for in foreign currency, gold, and silver (in powder, ingots, or coins), and coins of 
non-precious metals have been removed.  
Table  3.7 Exports subject to prior authorization, 2023  
Product  Authorizing agency  
Animals, parts of animal and animal products  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  (MINAGRIF ) 
Products derived from wild fauna and flora; fossils  MINAGRIF , Ministry of Environment, Ministry of 
Health , and/or Ministry of Culture and Tourism 
(depending on the product)  
Minerals and precious or semi -precious stones  Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and  Gas 
Radioactive materials, device containing radioactive 
substances or producing radiation  Ministry of Environment  
Poisons, toxic substances or narcotics or their preparations  Ministry of Health  
Precious wood  MINAGRIF  
Aircraft  Ministry of Transport  
Fishing boats (small -scale, semi-industrial or industrial) and 
boats used specifically for transporting fish  Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources  
Arms, ammunition , and explosives  Ministry of National Defen se 
Goods imported free of duty and other import taxes  Ministry of Finance  
Forage  MINAGRIF  
Angola or foreign banknotes or coins  National Bank of Angola  
Cultural goods  Ministry of Culture and Tourism  
Goods exported under special export regime  Ministry of Industry and Trade  
Devil's claw  plant .. 
Salt .. 
Fish, crustaceans and molluscs and other aquatic 
invertebrates  Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources  
Prepared or preserved fish; caviar and caviar substitutes 
prepared from fish eggs; and crustaceans, molluscs and other 
aquatic invertebrates, prepared or p reserved  Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources  
.. Not available.  
Source:  Presidential  Legislative Decree No.  10/19 of 29  November  2019. 
3.79.   All exports are subject to licensing by MINDCOM. To export goods subject to prior 
authorization, exporters must, i n addition, obtain a prior licence ( licença prévia ) from the relevant 
authorizing agency. The procedures to obtain an export licence from MINDCOM are contained in 
Presidential Decree No.  126/20 of 5  May 2020 (Section  3.1.6).  
3.80.   Angola imposes transit prohibitions  for environmental, public health, and sanitary and 
phytosanitary reasons, or to protect intellectual property rights. The goods subject to transit 
prohibitions are listed in Table  VI of the Preliminary Instructions to the Customs Tariff. The t ransit 
through Angola of weapons and military equipment is subject to a permit issued by AGT.  
3.2.4   Export support  and promotion  
3.81.   According to the authorities, the State is not involved in any export finance, insurance, or 
guarantees programmes.  
3.82.   Angola adopted a Law on Free Trade Zones in 2020.39 Through its FTZ regime, Angola seeks 
to achieve the following goals: promote economic growth and diversification; enhance territorial 
cohesion; attract domestic and foreign investment; spur job creation; expand the demand for 
domestic products; diversify exports; foster domestic value -added and exports of products with high 
 
39 Law No. 35/20 of 12  October  2020. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  local content; stimulate technological development and transfer of technology; and increase foreign 
exchange receipts.  
3.83.   Under the Law o n Free Trade Zones, companies established in FTZs are exempt from import 
and export duties. In addition, they benefit from a reduced, 15% rate of corporate income tax 
(the standard rate is 25%). FTZ companies producing exclusively for export are subject to  an 8% of 
corporate income tax rate.40 To establish in a n FTZ, companies must sign an  "investment contract" 
with the zone's management entity. The contract must specify a minimum share of production that 
must be exported, in addition to targets for local c ontent, number of jobs, hours of specialized 
professional training provided to Angolan employees, and other requirements specified in 
legislation.41 
3.84.   Companies established in FTZs may also benefit from simplified administrative procedures 
and may be granted  additional fiscal and other incentives specified in legislation, including under 
special immigration, labour, exchange, and financial regimes. The authorities said that none of these 
special regimes had been established yet (June  2023).  
3.85.   In May  2021, Angol a created the Barra do Dande Integrated Development Free Zone, which 
is under development with public and private investment (November  2023).42 No other FTZ has been 
created.  
3.86.   During the period under review, Angola created a new export and investment promot ion 
agency known as Agency for Private Investment and Export Promotion (Agência de Investimento 
Privado e Promoção das Exportações or AIPEX). AIPEX resulted from the merger in 2018 of 
two separate entities responsible for exports and investment.43 Regardin g exports, AIPEX provides 
information and training to Angolan businesses on export -related issues such as trade finance, 
logistics, and customs. It also organizes trade missions and supports the participation of Angolan 
businesses in them. Regarding invest ment, AIPEX promotes Angola as an investment destination 
and interacts with relevant domestic agencies to help foreign investors obtain all necessary permits 
to establish in Angola under the Private Investment Law  (PIL). It also coordinates, on behalf of t he 
State, negotiations with investors seeking incentives under the PIL's "contractual regime" 
(Section  3.3.1).  
3.87.   Angola has not made any notifications to the WTO in relation to the Agreement on Subsidies 
and Countervailing Measures.  
3.3  Measures  affecting production and trade  
3.3.1   Incentives  
3.88.   During the period  under review, Angola adopted overarching legislation on fiscal incentives. 
The new law, known as the Fiscal Incentives Code, defines the scope of tax incentives for private 
investors depending on  the sector, location, and economic impact of their investment. In addition, 
the Code sets out incentives for MSMEs; agricultural, fisheries, and other cooperatives; renewable 
energy; and the financial sector. While this has helped to rationalize and impro ve the predictability 
and transparency of Angola's incentive regime, no official analyses exist to determine whether the 
contribution of incentives to private -sector development justify their fiscal costs. During the period 
under review, Angola also provid ed preferential credit to boost the domestic supply of certain 
products. Incentives under special economic zones (SEZs) are no longer available, following the 
termination of the SEZ regime in 2020. As a result, the only existing SEZ in Angola is being 
transformed into a n FTZ. 
 
40 Law No. 8/22 of 14  April 2022 (Fiscal Incentive s Code) , Article  37. 
41 Presidential Legislative  Decree No. 4/21 of 4  January  2021 (Free Trade Zone Regulations) , Article  14. 
42 Presidential Order No.  62/21 of 6  May 2021. 
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   3.89.   Among the new main laws adopted by Angola to reform its incentive regime are the Private 
Investment Law44 (PIL) and the Fiscal Incentives Code.45 Angola has also introduced a new Law on 
Free Trade Zones (Section  3.2.4).46 
3.90.   The PIL estab lishes three incentive regimes: "prior declaration", "special" , and "contractual". 
Incentives under the "special" regime are available for investment projects in "priority" sectors, 
defined in legislation as sectors with potential for import substitution a nd economic and export 
diversification. Priority sectors comprise education, technical and professional training, scientific 
research, and innovation; agriculture and agri -food; specialized health services; reforestation, 
forestry, and forest industry; tex tiles, apparel, and footwear; hotels, tourism, and leisure; 
construction, public works, telecommunications, information technologies, and airport and rail 
infrastructures; generation and distribution of electricity; and sanitation and solid waste 
managemen t. 
3.91.   Investment projects in other non -priority sectors qualify for incentives under the "prior 
declaration" regime, while projects with a "structural" impact on economic development in  Angola 
qualify for incentives under the "contractual" regime, regardless of the sector in which the 
investment takes place. To qualify for the contractual regime, an investment must result in the 
creation of at least 50 direct jobs for Angolan nationals and be valued at USD  10 million or more. 
Incentives under the "prior declar ation" and "special" regimes are automatic for investors that meet 
the requirements.  
3.92.   The type and size of the fiscal incentives granted under each regime are defined in the Fiscal 
Incentives Code. Fiscal incentives  under the "special" regime comprise reduc ed immovable property, 
corporate income, and capital gains taxes, as well as accelerated depreciation. The size and duration 
of most benefits under the "special" regime depends on the region where the investment project is 
located. Under the "prior declara tion" regime, investors receive reductions in immovable property, 
corporate income, and capital gains taxes, as well as stamp duty. The size and duration of these 
benefits are fixed regardless of location (Table  3.8). 
Table  3.8 Fiscal incentives, 2023  
Type of tax  Prior declaration  
(% rate cut and 
duration)  Special  
(% rate cut and duration)  Contractual  
(% rate cut and duration)  
Immovable 
property 
acquisition  50% 50%-92.5% depending on 
location  Negotiated reductions available for up to 
15 years  
Immovable 
property (post -
acquisition)  n.a. 0-82.5%, 4 -8 years, depending 
on location  Negotiated reductions available for up to 
15 years  
Corporate 
income  20%, 2 years  20%-90%, 2 -8 years, depending 
on location  Negotiated reductions available for up to 
15 years  
Capital gains  25%, 2 years  25%-90%, 2 -8 years, depending 
on location  Negotiated reductions available for up to 
15 years  
Stamp duty  50%, 2 years  None Negotiated reductions available for up to 
15 years  
Other  Goods and equipment 
to execute the project 
are exempt from 
customs duties  • Accelerated depreciation in 
some locations, 4 or 8 years 
depending on location  
• Goods and equipment to 
execute the project are 
exempt from customs duties  • Tax credit of up to 50% of the 
value of the investment (up to 10 
years); accelerated depreciation  
rates (up to 10 years, only in some 
locations); tax deferral and 
possibility to deduct up to 80% of 
expenditures related to 
infrastructure  
• Goods and equipment to execute 
the project are exempt from 
customs duties  
n.a. Not applicable.  
Source:  Fiscal Incentive s Code.  
 
44 Law No. 10/18 of 26  June 2018, as amended by Law No. 10/21 of 22  April 2021. 
45 Law No. 8/22 of 14  April 2022. 
46 Law No. 35/20 of 12  October  2020. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.93.   Incentives under the " contractual " regime are the result of negotiations between the investor 
and AIPEX, which is responsible for coordinating the participation of other agencies, including  AGT 
and relevant ministries. Incentives may include reductions in stamp duty, property, corporate 
income, and capital gains taxes. In addition, investment projects under the "contractual" regime 
may receive tax credits and may benefit from accelerated depreciation, tax deferral, and the 
possibility to deduct expenditures related to infrastructure.  
3.94.   Incen tives granted under the three regimes also include temporary customs duty exemptions 
(Section  3.1.4. 3), as well as non -fiscal incentives. For example, under the "special" regime, 
investment projects are exempt from custom service fees for five years.47 The size and duration of 
other financial incentives are not further defined in legislation.  
3.95.   Between 2018 and November  2023, a total of 681 projects were registered under one of the 
three  incentive regimes in the Private Investment Law. Of these, well over hal f (58%) received 
incentives under the prior declaration regime, 36% under the special regime, and 12% under the 
contractual regime. During the same period, the value of investment under the three  regimes 
totalled USD  13.9 billion , of which almost half was under the contractual regime, 36% under the 
special regime, and 16% under prior declaration.  
3.96.   The Secretariat did not have access to aggregate data on the value of fiscal incentives 
provided under the PIL. According to publicly available data, the value of corporate income tax 
reductions under the PIL in 2021, the latest year available, totalled AOA  18.3 billion  or slightly more 
than 2% of total fiscal revenue resulting from non -oil corporate income tax in 2021.48 Customs duty 
exemptions granted to private i nvestors under the special regime totalled AOA  8.6 billion in the 
same  year. 
3.97.   In 2022, Angola replaced the fiscal incentives for micro, small , and medium -sized enterprises 
(MSMEs) contained in Law No.  30/11 of 13  September  2011 with a single set of incentiv es specified 
in the Fiscal Incentives Code. Under the Code, micro enterprises pay a reduced corporate income 
tax rate of 2% on gross sales and are exempt from stamp duty, while small and medium -sized ones 
receive a cut in the corporate income tax rate of b etween 10% and 50% depending on the region 
where they are located. These incentives may be granted for renewable two -year periods for a total 
of up to 10 years. In 2021, the value of the corporate income tax reduction granted to MSMEs 
totalled AOA  17.7 million.49 This incentive was available to some 160 MSMEs in 2021.  
3.98.   Incentives are also available  for specific sectors , including cooperatives involved in 
agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, and other sectors listed in Article  46 of the Fiscal Incentive s 
Code. R enewable energy producers and distributors benefit from a  35% rate cut in corporate income 
tax and 60% cut in capital gains tax for four years. Renewable energy plants also benefit from 
reduced rates of property tax.50 Electric vehicles receive a 50% reduction in customs duty and a  50% 
reduction on the motor vehicle tax. Fiscal incentives are also available for pension and savings funds, 
income from life insurance, certain savings deposits, and collective investment sch emes.51 
3.99.   Artisanal fishers receive a subsidy for fuel (Section  4.1.4).52 
3.100.   Angola maintains preferential credit schemes under the Support Programme for Export 
Diversification and Import  Substitution ( Programa de Apoio à Produção, Diversificação das 
Exportações e Substituição de Importações , known as PRODESI) . For example, the Programme for 
Credit Support (PAC) aims to support domestic production of "basic consumption -basket goods" 
under Presidential Decree No.  23/19, which has been revoked. PAC suppo rt is provided through 
loans by the Angolan Development Bank ( Banco de Desenvolvimento de Angola  (BDA)) at 
 
47 Law No . 10/21 of 22  April 2021, Article  39. 
48 AGT (2021), Boletim Estatístico 2021 . Viewed  at: https://agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/#!/  
estatisticas/estatistica -fiscais . 
49 AGT (2021), Boletim Estatístico 2021 . Viewed  at: https://agt.minfin.gov.ao/PortalAGT/#!/  
estatisticas/estatistica -fiscais . 
50 Law No. 35/20 of 12  October  2020, Chapter III . 
51 Law No. 35/20 of 12  October  2020, Chapter IV . 
52 Presidential Decree No. 84/19 of 21  March  2019. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   below -market interest rates (7.5%) or private equity by the Angolan Active Private Equity Fund. PAC 
is mainly targeted at micro enterprises.  
3.101.   In the c ontext of measures to implement PAC, the National Bank of Angola (BNA) has issued 
a series of Notices instructing banks in Angola to extend credit at preferential conditions to boost 
domestic supply of certain goods drawn from the list of "priority" goods under Presidential 
Decree  No. 23/19 (Section  3.1.6).53 The latest Notice requires banks to provide a minimum of 2.5% 
of their liquid assets to finance domestic production of such goods, with maximum nominal interest 
rates of 7.5% for capital expenditure (C APEX) loans and 10% for working capital loans. Banks must 
grant a minimum number of loans and give preference to agricultural cooperatives and SMEs . The 
Secretariat did not have access to the total amount of loans disbursed under the PAC.  
3.102.   During the period  under review, Angola revoked its legislation on SEZs, which exempted 
companies established in SEZs from import duties on inputs for further processing for five  years and 
equipment and machinery for 10 years.54 As a result, the authorities say that their i ntention is to 
transform the SEZ of Luanda -Bengo – the only SEZ in Angola  – into a n FTZ, and that the relevant 
legislation is under preparation (November  2023).  
3.103.   Customs duty exemptions are available to a wide range of beneficiaries besides those 
operating under FTZs and SEZs (Section  3.1.4. 3). Fiscal incentives, some contingent on exports, are 
also available under Angola's Law on Free Trade Zone s (Section  3.2.4) . 
3.104.   According to published sources, Angola is using its Sovereign Wealth Fund (Fundo Soberano 
de Angola (FSDEA )) to invest in private equity in sectors that are deemed to have potential for high 
returns and for driving economic diversification, productivity in creases, and structural 
transformation.55 FSDEA has dedicated investment funds for six sectors – infrastructure, hotels, 
timber, mining, agriculture, and healthcare – along with a so -called "mezzanine investment fund", 
which targets other emerging opportun ities, including start ‑ups and venture financing. The 
FSDEA's  portfolio in these six sectors totals USD  250 million . 
3.105.   A report by the Wo rld Bank's International Finance Corporation  notes that  for years , Angola 
has relied on discretionary incentives to promo te private -sector development. According to the 
study, the value of such incentives, which have been granted with little transparency or discipline, 
is unproven.56 
3.3.2   Standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures  
3.106.   The authorities recog nize the key importance of a sound system of standardization, 
regulation, conformity assessment, metrology, and accreditation to underpin export competitiveness 
and diversification. In line with this, Angola has created a new agency with broad responsibili ties in 
quality infrastructure and has taken steps to improve coordination between participants in the 
Angolan Quality System, which reinitiated its activities in November  2022 after being inoperative for 
several years. Work on implementing an integrated s ystem to manage the development and 
publication of technical regulations, with the support of the World Bank, is central to these efforts, 
as each regulator often follows its own procedures. The regulatory process also seems to make 
limited use of existing  standards , and few standards are referenced in regulations. 
Angola's  accreditation system remains incipient , which harms the prospects of potential exporters, 
who must look for accredited conformity assessment services abroad to access foreign markets. 
Transparency remains a significant challenge, as there is no publicly available catalogue of standards 
nor a central registry of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures, and the laws 
in which technical regulations are contained are often d ifficult to find or impossible to search 
electronically.  
 
53 Notices 4/2019, 10/2020, 6/2021, and 10/2022.  
54 Presidential Legislative Decree No. 6/15 of 27  October  2015, revoked by Law No.  35/20 
of 12 October  2020 (Law on Free Trade Zones).  
55 AUC/OECD (2021), Africa's Development Dynamics 2021: Digital Transformation for Quality Jobs . 
Viewed  at: https://doi.org/10.1787/0a5c9314 -en. 
56 World Bank Group and International Finance Corporation (2019), Country Private Sector Diagnostic: 
Creating Markets in Angola – Opportunities for Development through the Private Sector . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.107.   Angola's Industrial  Development Plan 2025 recognizes the need to improve quality 
infrastructure to promote export competitiveness and diversification.57 To this end, the Plan sets out 
a broad range of actions to strengthen Angola's capacity in the areas of standardization, metrology, 
accreditation, technical regulations, and conformity assessment . 
3.108.   In 2021, Angola created a new agency with broad responsibi lities in standardization, 
technical regulations, conformity assessment, accreditation, and metrology.58 The new agency – the 
National Institute for Quality Infrastructure (Instituto Nacional das Infra -estruturas da Qualidade 
(INIQ)) – resulted from the me rger of the Angolan Institute for Standardization and Quality 
(IANORQ) and the Angolan Institute for Accreditation (IAAC) in 2021. INIQ is responsible for 
implementing policies to promote, organize, and strengthen quality infrastructure, including through 
the management of the Angolan Quality System (Sistema Angolano da Qualidade (SAQ)), which 
reinitiated its activities in November  2022 after being inoperative for several years.59 The authorities 
note that INIQ lacks sufficient resources, especially human r esources, to fulfil its broad mandate. 
They also note that work is ongoing to develop rules and guidelines to prevent potential conflicts of 
interest between INIQ's accreditation and certification functions.  
3.109.   INIQ is a correspondent member of the Internatio nal Organization for Standardization (ISO) 
and a member of the Affiliate Country Programme of the International Electrotechnical 
Commission  (IEC).  
3.110.   The authorities say that INIQ, as the responsible agency for coordinating standardizing 
activities in Angola,  has issued a procedural manual for the development and adoption of Angolan 
standards. The manual does not seem to be publicly available. Draft standards are prepared by 
sectoral technical standardization commissions, of which there are 35, at the request of economic 
operators, public associations, universities, or government agencies. INIQ may adopts as Angolan 
standards (Norma Angolana (NA)) standards developed at the national, regional  (SADC), or 
international level. They also note that draft standards a re announced in the Jornal de Angola, INIQ's 
website, and other outlets identified by the chair of the relevant technical standardization 
commission, and that all national standards and adapted international standards are subject to public 
consultation. IN IQ has not yet notified its acceptances of the Code of Good Practices under the 
WTO TBT Agreement.60 
3.111.   According to the authorities, Angola has 476 standards in force (November  2023). 
Compliance with INIQ standards is voluntary. Despite repeated attempts ove r the period 
June-November  2023, the Secretariat could not access the online standards catalogue on INIQ's 
website, as the relevant button ("Catálogo de Normas") was inactive.61 
3.112.   Technical regulations are  developed by government ministries or other competen t bodies on 
their own initiative or at the INIQ's request. In principle, INIQ's role in the regulatory process is to 
refer regulators to relevant standard(s) that could be referenced in regulation based on their goals, 
and to avoid potential conflicts betw een Angolan standards and technical regulations. The Regulation 
on the Angolan Quality System contains provisions to enable coordination between INIQ and 
regulators. For example, when preparing a technical regulation, regulators must inform INIQ before 
the technical regulation  is published in the Diário da República , Angola's official  gazette. This 
provision only applies to technical regulations that refer to Angolan standards rather than technical 
regulations more broadly. The same holds when regulatory bo dies modify or abolish a technical 
regulation. In such cases, regulatory bodies must coordinate with  INIQ, but only with respect to 
changes in technical regulations that refer to Angolan standards.  
3.113.   In practice, the authorities note that INIQ's participatio n in the regulatory process is limited, 
as each regulatory body often follows its own procedures for the preparation and adoption of 
technical regulations, which do not necessarily refer to Angolan standards.  
 
57 MINDCOM (2021) , Plano de Desenvolvimento Industr ial de Angola 2025 . 
58 Presidential Decree No. 95/21 of 20  April 2021. 
59 Regulation on the Angolan Quality System (Decree No. 83/02 of 6  December  2002). 
60 INIQ's predecessor (IANORQ) submitted such a notification in 2017. WTO document G/TBT/CS/N/190 , 
12 May 2017.  
61 INIQ, Standardization, Conformity Assessment, and Training . Viewed  at: 
https://iniq.gov.ao/normalizacao -avaliacao -da-conformidade -e-formacao/ . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   3.114.   The authorities  state that the process to adopt  legislation – including legislation containing 
technical regulations – in Angola is subject to rules, which include mandatory provisions for inquiry 
and public discussion of draft legislation. Technical regulations are published in the official gazette 
as part of the legislative instrument in which they are contained. In principle, the official gazette can 
be consulted online. In practice, the official website providing access to the gazette is often 
inaccessible. Moreover, online copies of the official ga zette are not always available in a format that 
allows users to conduct text -based searches.  
3.115.   There is no central registry of technical regulations, or of products subject to technical 
regulations, even though Presidential Decree No.  95/21 tasks INIQ with m anaging such a registry 
and ensuring that it conforms to best international practice. The authorities say that they intend to 
develop an integrated system to assist INIQ in coordinating and managing the process of 
development, entry into force, and expiry of technical regulations. The initiative, known as  SINGERT 
(Sistema Integrado de Gestão de Regulamentos Técnicos), is part of a World Bank project to support 
Angola's efforts to develop a national quality policy.  
3.116.   Regarding accreditation and conformity assessment, private and public entities providing 
certification, inspection, testing, and calibration services must be registered with INIQ.62 The 
purpose of this measure is to allow INIQ to exercise oversight over co nformity assessment activities 
pending the establishment of a fully operational accreditation system in Angola. According to the 
authorities, 78 conformity assessment bodies have registered with INIQ, including calibration and 
testing laboratories, certifi cation and inspection bodies, and companies providing consulting, 
auditing , and capacity -building services to clinical laboratories. Of these, seven have received INIQ  
accreditation and another five are in the process of being accredited. The absence of a fully 
developed and well -functioning accreditation system harms the prospects of potential exporters, 
who must look for accredited conformity assessment services abroa d to access foreign markets.  
3.117.   INIQ's current responsibility regarding conformity assessment is limited to assessing the 
conformity of electric cables with relevant standards. Electric cables can only be imported into Angola 
after they have obtained a certif icate of conformity issued by INIQ. To obtain the certificate, 
importers must demonstrate that the cables have been duly tested. Imports of food, food additives, 
beverages, medicines, cosmetics, fertilizers, seeds, and phytopharmaceuticals may be subject t o 
testing for sanitary and phytosanitary reasons (Section  3.3.3).  
3.118.   Angola participates  in the cooperation structures on technical barriers to trade under  SADC, 
including SADCSTAN. SADCSTAN seeks to facilitate mutual recognition of standards among  SADC 
membe r states.63 The authorities say that three laboratories in Angola have obtained accreditation 
from the Southern African Development Community Accreditations Service or SADCAS.  
3.119.   Regarding Angola's participation in the WTO TBT Committee, Presidential Decree N o. 95/21 
of 20 April 2021 designates INIQ as the enquiry point under the TBT  Agreement. Angola has not yet 
submitted its one -time notification on its organizational setup for the implementation of the 
TBT Agreement , nor has it notified its national notific ation authority or any technical regulation to 
the WTO.  
3.120.   Since Angola's last review, two WTO  Member s have raised specific trade concerns (STC) in 
the TBT  Committee about an Angolan requirement to affix high -security tax stamps on medicines, 
alcoholic and no n-alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and tobacco products. The measure, which was 
adopted in 2022 but is not yet in force, stipulates that tax stamps must be affixed to imported 
products prior to their arrival in  Angola.64 The purpose of this measure is to figh t smuggling. The 
concerns raised at the WTO relate to the absence of a notification to the TBT  Committee , the length 
of the implementation period , and issues regarding the application of the measure to products in 
stock and unsold after the end of the impl ementation period.65 The authorities indicate that Angola 
had not yet notified the measure in question because it was being reviewed.  
 
62 Executive Decree No. 55/08 of 17  April 2008. 
63 Article  10.7 of the TBT  Agreement  contains an obligation to notify agreements betwee n Members on 
issues related to technical regulations, standards, or conformity assessment procedures.  
64 Presidential Decree No. 149/22 of 10  March  2022 has been suspended by Presidential 
Decree  No. 186/22 of  8 April 2022.  
65 WTO document G/TBT/M/89 , 11 May 2023. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.3.3   Sanitary and phytosanitary requirements  
3.121.   During the period under review, Angola updated parts of its legal regime on sanita ry and 
phytosanitary (SPS) measures, including on plant health. The authorities recognize that additional 
legislative and institutional reforms are needed to strengthen the SPS framework and bring it up to 
date, for example with respect to pesticides. Ango la does not have a food safety law, but regulations 
on laboratory analysis adopted in 2018 set out a framework for testing of products for human 
consumption based on C odex and other international standards. In practice, all imported food is 
subject to labo ratory testing in Angola irrespective of origin, prior testing, or level of risk. Food 
importers can choose the laboratory to conduct the required tests following the end of the monopoly 
on laboratory tests of imported food held by one company. Several bod ies have possibly overlapping 
responsibilities regarding the enforcement of food safety standards, including with respect to 
imported food.  
3.122.   Angola's SPS legislation includes the Plant Health Law, adopted in 202166; Seeds Law and 
its regulations67; Pesticid es Regulation68; Animal Health Law and its regulations69; and the 
Regulations on Laboratory Analysis for Products Destined for Human or Animal Consumption.70 
3.123.   Regarding trade in plants and plant products, the National Directorate for Agriculture, 
Livestock and Forestry (Direcção Nacional de Agricultura e Pecuária (DNAP )) under the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Forestry (MINAGRIF) must prepare and publish a list of plants and plant products 
whose import is prohibited or subject to conditions, as well as a list of regulated quarantine pests. 
These lists must be prepared in accordance with international standards and based on risk 
assessment.71 The Plant Health Law does not set out a requirement to publish draft phytosanitary 
measures for public comment.  
3.124.   Annex I of Order No.  15/19 of  21 February  2019 lists the plant and plant products whose 
import requires prior authorization for phytosanitary reasons and a phytosanitary certificate issued 
by the relevant authority of the country of origin. The list comprises fresh and dried fruits, 
vegetables, roots, tubers , seeds, flowers, soil, plant propagation material, wood, grains, cereals, 
malt, various types of flour, cotton, organic fertilizers, live insects, and invertebrates. The import 
authorization, which is issue d in the form of a prior licence ( licença pr évia) by DNAP, sets out the 
conditions that the imported products must fulfil to be allowed entry into Angola. In addition to the 
prior licence (and the phytosanitary certificate), importers must obtain a separat e import licence 
from MINDCOM (Section  3.1.6). Imports of products listed in Annex  I of Order No. 15/19 are subject 
to phytosanitary inspection upon arrival in Angola.  Imports of phytopharmaceuticals, including 
pesticides, insecticides, acaricides, herbici des and fungicides , must be registered with DNAP to be 
allowed entry into Angola.  
3.125.   Regarding trade in live animals and animal products, relevant sanitary requirements are 
developed by the Institute of Veterinary Services (Instituto dos Serviços de Veterinár ia (ISV)) under 
the MINAGRIF . The list of diseases subject to sanitary control measures is contained in an annex to 
the Animal Health Law and must be based on international standards. There is no requirement in 
the Law to publish such measures in draft for m for public comment.  
3.126.   Imports of live animals, animal products, and animal biologicals require authorization 
(licença sanitária  or licença zoosanitária ), which  is issued by ISV, along with a sanitary certificate 
issued by the relevant authorities in the co untry of origin. In addition, importers must obtain a 
separate licence from MINDCOM (Section  3.1.6). Imports of live animals and animal products must 
undergo inspection. Live animals must be held in quarantine for a duration determined by ISV before 
they c an enter Angola.  
 
66 Law No. 5/21 of 3 February  2021. 
67 Law No. 7/05 of 11  August  2005; and Presidential Decree No. 93/16 of 9  May 2016. 
68 Decree No. 3574 of August 1965.  
69 Law No. 4/04 of 13  August  2004; and Decree No. 70/08 of 11  August  2008. 
70 Presidential Decree No.  179/18 of 2  August  2018. 
71 Law No.  5/21, Articles 8 and 9 . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   3.127.   Phytosanitary certificates required for exports of plant and plant products from Angola are 
issued by DNAP, while ISV is responsible for issuing sanitary certificates required for exports of 
animals and animal products.  
3.128.   Angola does not hav e a food safety law. A draft public health law addressing food safety is 
pending approval. Several bodies have possibly overlapping responsibilities regarding food safety. 
These include the National Quality Control Institute for Industry and Commerce (Inst ituto Nacional 
de Controle da Qualidade da Indústria e Comércio (INACOQ ))72, the successor agency to the National 
Laboratory for the Quality Control of Commerce; the National Economic and Food Security Inspection 
Authority (Autoridade  Nacional de Inspecção Econômica e Segurança Alimentar or ANIESA)73; the 
National Service for Food Quality Control (Serviço Nacional de Controle da Qualidade dos Alimentos 
(SNCQA ))74; and Codex Angola.75 INACOQ, ANIESA, and SNCQA appear to focus on enforce ment, 
while Codex Angola focuses on standards development. Nonetheless, the authorities note that Codex 
Angola needed to be revitalized, as it lacked the financial resources to carry out its functions.  
3.129.   During the period under review, Angola adopted the Regulations on Laboratory Analysis for 
Products Destined for Human or Animal Consumption.76 Under the Regulations, imported and 
domestically  produced goods  for human consumption that may pose a risk to public health or the 
environment may be subject to lab oratory testing if the competent authority so decides  (Table  3.9). 
The authorities say that in practice, all imports of food and beverages for human consumption are 
subject to mandatory laboratory testing, irrespective of their origin. The purpose is to en sure the 
safety and quality of imported food and beverages.  
Table  3.9 Selected p roducts  listed in the Regulations on Laboratory Analysis  
HS heading  Product  
0803, 0804, 0805, 0806, 0807, 0808, 0809, 
0810, 0811  Fruits, fruit products and similar  
0603, 0604, 0702, 0703, 0704, 0705, 0706, 
0707, 0708, 0709, 0710  Vegetables, legumes, and similar, including edible mushrooms  
0601, 0602, 0701, 0714  Roots, tubers and similar  
0712, 0713, 0801, 0802, 10813, 0814, 1001, 
1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 
1201, 1202, 1203, 1204, 1205, 1206, 1207, 
1208, 1209, 1210, 1211, 1212, 1213, 1214  Other vegetable products, dried grains , and cereals  
0711, 0812, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005  Vegetables and preserved vegeta bles 
0201, 0202, 0203, 0204, 0205, 0206, 0207 , 
0208, 0209, 0210, 1501, 1502,1503, 1516  Meats and meat products  
0407, 0408  Eggs and by -products  
0301, 0302, 0303, 0304, 0305, 0306, 0307, 
1504, 1604, 1605  Fish and fishing products  
0401, 0402, 0403, 0404  Cow milk and from other mammals and by -products (natural, 
fermented, yogurts and similar)  
0406 Cheese  
0405 Butter, milk cream and similar  
1101, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1105, 1106, 1107, 
1108, 1109, 1901, 1902, 1903  Flours, pasta, baking and bakery products (processed and 
packaged) and similar  
1701, 1702, 1703, 1704  Sugars and sweeteners  
0901, 0902, 0903, 2104  Products to be consumed after adding liquid, using heat (min. 
75°C for 20 seconds), excluding dairy -based and chocolate 
products  
1904, 1905 , 2007, 2008  Solid products ready for consumption (snacks and similar), 
edible seeds, raw or roasted, salty or sweet, salty and sweet 
products, extruded or not, fried, baked  
0410, 1601, 1602  Sausage products (meat), canned and vacuum packed  
0904, 0905, 0906, 0907, 0908, 0909, 0910, 
2101, 2103  Spices, seasonings , and prepared sauces and similar  
1507, 1508, 1509, 1510, 1511, 1512, 1513, 
1514, 1515, 1517, 1804  Margarine, virgin olive oil. Vegetable fats and creams and similar  
 
72 Presidential Decree No.  177/21 of 16  July 2021. 
73 Presidential Decree No.  267/20 of 16  October  2020. 
74 Presidential Decree No.  138/19 of 13  May 2019. 
75 Executive Decree N o. 186/13 of 31  May 2013. 
76 Presidential Decree No.  179/18 of 2  August  2018. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  HS heading  Product  
2009 Juices, soft drink s and other drinks, excluding those from milk 
and chocolate (cocoa and similar drinks)  
1801, 1802, 1803, 1805, 1806  Chocolates, candies, confectionery products, chewing gum and 
similar products  
2015 Edible ice cream and products for preparing edible ice cream  
2201, 2202  Drinking water for consumption and food preparation  
2203, 2204, 2205, 2206, 2207, 2208, 2209  Wines and beers  
0409 Honey and derivatives  
0501, 0502, 0503, 0504, 0505, 0506, 0507, 
0508, 0509, 0510, 0511, 1301, 1302, 1401, 
1402, 1403, 1404, 1505, 1506, 1518, 1520, 
1521, 1522, 1603, 2102, 2106, 2301, 2302, 
2303, 2304, 2305, 2306, 2307, 2308, 2309, 2309  Miscellaneous and/or unspecified products in other categories  
Source:  Presidential Decree No.  179/18 of 2  August  2018. 
3.130.   To be authorized for sale in Angola, imported food and beverages must be tested by 
laboratories established in Angola. Tests may be carried out by laboratories outside of Angola only 
in cases of "epidemiological emergency affecting public health and if nat ional laboratories lack 
capacity".77 Tests for imported food and beverages may be conducted by public or private 
laboratories, which must be accredited by INIQ. Private laboratories must also be licensed by the 
Ministry of Health. The Regulations set out t he requirements that private laboratories must fulfil to 
obtain a licence.  
3.131.   Importers may freely choose which laboratory they wish to use for testing, provided the 
laboratory is duly accredited and if private, duly licensed. During the period under review, Angola 
eliminated the requirement that all imported food be tested by AGT or an entity contracted by it.78 
This measure ended the de facto  monopoly on testing of imported food that the company Bromangol, 
which had been contracted by AGT to test all food im ports, had held until then.  
3.132.   Samples must be taken by the relevant inspector (or at the inspector's request, by the lab 
technician) no later than 48 hours after the goods in question have been released from customs 
control. The laboratory must issue a so -called "test bulletin" ( boletim de análise ) with the test results 
within 15 days after the samples have been taken, unless it cannot carry out the tests due to 
"technical or force majeure" reasons.79 The laboratory then submits the bulletin to the competent 
authority, which issues a health certificate ( certificado de salubridade ) within two days if it is satisfied 
that, based on the test results, the imported food or beverages meet the relevant standa rds. Only 
then can the products in question be marketed. The health certificate must be issued "as soon as 
possible" if, upon arrival in Angola, the imported products have an expiry date of 30 days or less (or 
if they may spoil quickly).80 The cost of labo ratory tests is specified in the Regulations and must be 
covered by the importer.  
3.133.   Under the Regulations, and pending the development and adoption of specific rules, Angola 
must follow Codex and other international standards, including on maximum limits for  mycotoxins, 
food additives, pesticides, veterinary  drugs, inorganic contaminants, and food testing methods.81 
Annex  V of the Regulations lists the tests and testing methods (with the corresponding standard) 
that apply on food and beverages subject to labo ratory testing.  
3.134.   Angola prohibits imports containing genetically engineered components, except in the case 
of food aid.82 Imports of meat from cattle treated with growth -promoting hormones are also 
prohibited.83 The Secretariat did not have access to inform ation about other import prohibitions 
imposed by Angola due to sanitary or phytosanitary reasons.  
3.135.   Angola's enquiry  points under the WTO  Agreement  on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS  Agreement ) are MINDCOM and the MINAGRIF . The na tional 
 
77 Presidential Decree No.  179/18, Article  8. 
78 Presidential Decree No.  273/17 of 10  November  2017. 
79 Presidential Decree No.  179/18, Article  15. 
80 Presidential Decree No.  179/18, Article  11. 
81 Presidential Decree No.  179/18, Article  14. 
82 Decree No. 92/04 of 14  December  2004. 
83 Decree No.  70/08 of 11  August  2008, Article  65. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   notification authority is MINDCOM. Angola has not notified any SPS measures to the SPS  Committee. 
No STCs have been raised in that Committee on Angolan SPS  measures.  
3.136.   Angola is a member of the World Organi sation for Animal Health ( WOAH, formerly OIE) and 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It is not a party to the International Plant Protection 
Convention  (IPPC). The authorities note that not being a party to the IPPC constrains the functioning 
of the Angolan  SPS regime. Other challenges highlighted by  the authorities include developing 
modern pesticides legislation and ratifying relevant international conventions; strengthening human 
and financial resources, as well as infrastructure, to survey and monitor pests and diseases, and 
carry out inspections;  and establishing a dedicated plant protection service.  
3.3.4   Competition  policy and price controls  
3.137.   The level of competition in the market is generally low, partly because of high entry barriers 
that result from the dominant position of SOEs in many sectors of the Angolan economy. The 
authorities consider "healthy competition" a prerequisite for improving the business environment 
and enabling greater participation of MSMEs  in the economy. In line with this, Angola took several 
steps during th e period under review to strengthen its competition policy regime. Angola adopted a 
competition policy framework and introduced policy, legal, and institutional changes in several other 
areas with implications for competition, including government procurem ent, SOEs, privatization, and 
regulatory oversight of specific economic sectors. The Competition Law incorporates a novel feature 
that empowers the competition authority to issue opinions on competition -related aspects of draft 
and existing legislation and  recommend measures to strengthening competition in specific sectors 
of the economy.  
3.138.   In 2020, Angola reduced the number of products subject to price controls. The following 
prices continue to be set administratively  by the relevant authorities : tap water, electricity, 
wastewater treatment, and public transport in urban centres . The prices of gasoline, diesel, liquefied 
petroleum gas, and lighting fuel are also fixed.  
3.3.4.1   Competition policy  
3.139.   According to several published sources, market concentration is high acr oss many sectors, 
partly because the dominant position of SOEs in the Angolan economy creates high barriers to 
entry.84 Of the 141 economies covered in the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report, Angola ranks 
140th in "extent of market dominance" and 139th in "competition in services".85 The authorities note 
that concentration is particularly high in the market for mid - and down -stream petroleum sectors, 
due to high barriers to entry. They also point to the mobile telecommunications market as another 
example of  a relatively concentrated market (Section  4.3.1).  
3.140.   Angola adopted a Competition Law in 2018 and established a Competition Regulatory 
Authority (Autoridade Reguladora da Concorrência (ARC)) with broad oversight, regulatory, and 
sanctioning powers (which inc lude investigative  powers).86 ARC has also been empowered to work 
alongside other public entities to ensure that public policies are aligned with competition policy 
principles (Box 3.3).  In addition to the Competition Law, the main competition legislation includes 
the Competition Regulation87 and ARC's Organic Statute.88 
 
84 See, for example, UNCTAD (2019), Investment Policy Review: Angola; and World Bank Group and 
International Finance Corporation (2019), Country Private Sector Diagnostic: Creating Markets in 
Angola  – Opportunities for Development through the Private Sector . 
85 World Economic Forum (2019), Global Competitiveness Index . Viewed  at: https://www.weforum.org/  
reports/how -to-end-a-decade -of-lost-productivity -growth . 
86 Law No. 5/18 of 10  May 2018. 
87 Executive Decree No. 240/18 of 12  October  2018. 
88 Executive Decree No.  313/18 of 21  December  2018. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Box 3.3 ARC's role in promoting better public policies  
As part of its mandate to promote competition, ARC has been empowered to assess existing and proposed 
public policies for their impact on competition  and make recommendations . The purpose is to ensure that 
public policies are aligned with competition policy principles.  In preparing its assessments , ARC coo perates 
closely with all bodies involved in the formulation  of specific policies . 
In line with this responsibility , ARC has issued opinions on  draft and existing legislation, including  (i) draft 
Press Law; (ii)  draft regulation on the determination of "significant market operators" by the Angolan Institute 
for Communications (Instituto Angolano das Comunicações  (INACOM )); and (iii)  rules on imports of 
pre-packaged products.  
ARC has also focused on the conditions of competition in specific sectors and issued recommendations. Its 
assessments have focused on the following sectors: payment services, road transport, ports, banks, civil 
construction, and telecommunications.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat, based on ARC Annual Reports 2019, 2020, and 2021. Viewed  at: https://arc.  
minfin.gov.ao/PortalARC/#!/estudos -e-publicacoes/ recomendacoes -pareceres -e-relatorios . 
3.141.   All economic activities within, or having effect within, Angola, are subject to the 
Competition  Law, irrespective of whether the activity in question is by public or private companies , 
groups of companies, cooperatives, or business and professional associations. The Competition Law 
prohibits abuse of dominant position, including the refusal to provide access to a network or other 
essential infrastructure, or selling products below cost . Under the Competition Regulation, an 
undertaking with a market share of 50% or more is presumed to have a dominant position. For 
markets with significant entry barriers, undertakings with a market share of less than 50% may be 
deemed to have a dominant p osition. The Law also forbids abuse of economic dependence by a 
company that supplies goods or services for which its customers have no alternative sources of 
supply (i.e.  market power).  
3.142.   The Competition Law also prohibits competition -restricting agreements , including 
price-fixing, market -sharing , and other kinds of horizontal agreements, as well as vertical 
agreements such as the imposition of resale prices or other trading conditions with third parties.  
3.143.   Regarding concentration, the Competition Law and its Regulation create a framework for 
merger and acquisition control. Merger and acquisition transactions are subject to prior notification 
and approval by ARC if certain conditions and thresholds are met. These are specified in the 
Competition Regulations. In  essence, merger and acquisition transaction must be notified when one 
of the following conditions are met: (i)  a market share equal to or greater than 50% of the domestic 
market in a specific good or services (or in  a "substantial part" of such market) is  "acquired, created, 
or reinforced"; (ii)  a market share equal to or greater than 30% but less than 50% of the domestic 
market in a specific good or service (or in a substantial part of such market) is acquired, created, or 
reinforced, and the individual t urnover of at least two of the undertakings involved in the transaction 
in Angola in the previous fiscal year is greater than AOA  450 million ; and (iii)  the turnover of the 
undertakings involved in the transaction in Angola exceeds AOA  3.5 billion in the p revious 
fiscal year.89 
3.144.   Transactions that do not meet the thresholds may still be subject to a simplified, post -merger 
notification procedure if ARC deems that such transaction may nevertheless significantly restrict 
competition. When assessing merger trans actions, ARC must consider public interest factors, 
including the impact of the transaction on a specific sector or region, employment, the capacity of 
small businesses (or businesses owned by marginalized people) to become competitive, and the 
capacity of  the domestic industry to compete in the international market.90 
3.145.   Non-compliance with the provisions on abuse of dominant position and economic 
dependence, and competition -restricting agreements  results in penalties ranging from 1% to  10% 
of the concerned company's annual revenue. Regarding mergers, companies that fail to notify a 
transaction that meets the thresholds specified in the legislation are liable for fines ranging from  1% 
to 5% of their annual turnover. The fines range from 1 % to 10% of annual turnover for companies 
 
89 Presidential Decree No.  240/18 of 12  October  2018, Article  10. 
90 Presidential Decree No.  280/18 of 12  October  2018, Article  16.5. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   that implement a merger without first obtaining approval from ARC. The Secretariat did not have 
access to information on the amount of the fines set in recent years.  
3.146.   During the period 2019-22, ARC adopted a total of 38 decisions related to mergers and 
acquisitions (Table  3.10).  
Table  3.10 Mergers and acquisitions enforcement, 2019 -22 
 2019  2020  2021  2022  
Notifications  6 5 10 21 
Decisions  5 2 11 20 
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
3.147.   ARC is part of an interagency group providing support in the context of Angola's privatization 
programme PROPRIV (Section  3.3.5). ARC's involvement in PROPRIV  seeks to "avoid situations that 
may generate market distortions or compromise the business environment".91 
3.148.   Other laws adopted under the period under review that may have a positive effect on 
competition in Angola include the Basic Law on Independent Admin istrative Bodies, which adopts a 
set of best practices that seek to  strengthen the technical and professional capacity of such bodies, 
along with their objectivity and neutrality.92 In addition, Angola adopted a new Law on the Legal 
Framework for Corporate  Restructuring and Insolvency, which revamped the legal regime for 
insolvency with the goal of facilitating the reorganization of viable companies facing solvency 
challenges and promote access to finance.93 
3.3.4.2   Price controls  
3.149.   The prices of some products are su bject to controls. Under its National System of Prices, 
Angola applies "fixed" and "monitored" price schemes.94 Under the fixed scheme, the competent 
body sets the price at which the product is sold in the domestic market. Market prices cannot deviate 
from the administered price.  
3.150.   Monitored prices are used as reference for the maximum price that the final consumer should 
pay for a specific product under "normal" market conditions.95 They are set by the MINFIN  in 
coordination with the competent supervisory body. If the actual price exceeds the monitored price 
by a significant margin, the responsible agency may decide to intervene following an investigation.  
3.151.   With the adoption of Executive Decree No. 256/20 of 20  October  2020, Angola reduced the 
number of products subject to price controls. The following remain subject to fixed prices: tap water, 
electricity, wastewater treatment , liquefied petroleum gas  (LPG) , lighting fuel, and public transport 
in urban centres.  Some 20 product categories are subject to monitored prices (Table  3.11).  
Table  3.11 Products subject to monitored prices, 2023  
Description  
Sugar  Cooking oil  
Meat Soap (in bars)  
Wheat flour  Drinking water distributed by truck  
Cornmeal  Medical goods to treat coronavirus  
Pasta  Jet fuel  
Palm oil  Air fares (passengers and cargo)  
Salt Taxi and urban passenger transport fares  
Rice Tuition fees  
Fish COVID -19 tests  
 
91 Autoridade Reguladora da Concorrência (2022), Relatório de Actividades, Gestão e Contas 2021 . 
Viewed  at: https://arc.minfin.gov.ao/PortalARC/#!/estudos -e-publicacoes/recomendacoes -pareceres -e-
relatorios . 
92 Law N o. 27/21 of 25  October  2021. 
93 Law No.  13/21 of 10  May 2021. 
94 Executive Decree No. 206/11 of 29  July 2011. 
95 Executive Decree No. 206/11 of 29  July 2011. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Description  
Beans  Road, maritime and rail transport fares (passengers and cargo)  
Milk Port and airport tariffs; transport and warehouse fees (only for products 
subject to monitored prices)  
Source:  Executive Decree No.  256/20 of 30  October  2020. 
3.152.   Angola also controls the prices of gasoline, diesel, LPG, and lighting fuel. For gasoline and 
diesel, the MINFIN  fixes the price that consumers pay at the pump. The low level at which the prices 
have been fixed has resulted in large subsidies and has encou raged smuggling to neighbouring 
countries.96 The MINFIN  regularly publishes information on the cost of fuel subsidies.97 The amount 
of subsidies spent on gasoline, diesel, LPG, and lighting fuel totalled AOA  1,979.21 billion  in 2022 or 
3.8% of GDP. In June  2023, the authorities raised the prices of gasoline, as part of their plan to 
phase out fuel subsidies by 2025.  
3.3.5   State trading  and state -owned enterprises  
3.153.   SOEs have a significant presence in the Angolan economy. Several published analyses of 
SOEs in Angola  have concluded that the existence of under performing SOEs in many key sectors of 
the economy, including infrastructure sectors such as electricity, have negatively affected the 
competitiveness of the private -sector and impeded progress in trade and econom ic diversification.98 
Against this backdrop, Angola has embarked on an ambitious initiative to increase transparency and 
accountability of SOEs. In addition, Angola initiated a privatization process, which has resulted in 
the privatization of 98  SOEs (November  2023), with an additional 68  SOEs slated for privatization 
by end -2026.  
3.154.   At the end of 2022, Angola had 92 SOEs. Of these, 66 have legal status as public companies 
wholly owned by the State ( empresas públicas ), 20 are companies established under standard 
commercial law and in which the State has "dominant influence" ( empresas com domínio público ), 
and 6 are minority -owned SOEs. Of the 86 operational  SOEs, 77 were active and 9 inactive. The 
SOE sector in Angola employs some 54,500 workers, of which  28% are female.  
3.155.   Financial data are publicly available for 71 SOEs.99 According to these data, the combined 
assets of these SOEs totalled AOA  26.9 trillion in 2022, equivalent to 52% of GDP. Of this amount, 
some 83% are assets in the non -financial sector ( corresponding to 65 SOEs), while the remaining 
17% are assets in the financial  sector (6 SOEs). The extractive sector represents close to 70% of 
SOE non -financial assets, followed by electricity (12% of SOE non -financial assets), transport and 
warehousing (9%), information and communications (5%), and other sectors (close to 5%).  
3.156.   Sonangol , the state oil company, alone holds around 69% of SOE non -financial assets and 
employs slightly more than  8,000  workers. Its revenues are worth almost 12% of GDP. The 
comp any's five business units cover the oil and gas value chain, with one of the units dedicated to 
gas and renewable energies. Sonangol  Holdings owns companies in many non -core businesses. 
Cross -ownership among SOEs  is widespread.  
 
96 There are no reliable estimates of how much fuel is being smuggled, but regular reports of scarcity of 
officially  priced fuel and a flourishing black market in border provinces indicate that this is a large problem 
(see, for example, Jornal de Angola  (2022) , "Angola perde anualmente dois mil milhões de dólares com 
contrabando de combustível", 10  November . Viewed  at: https://www.jornaldeangola.ao/ao/noticias/angola -
perde -anualmente -dois-mil-milhoes -de-dolares -com-contrabando -de-combustivel/ . 
97 IGAPE (2023), Relátorio Annual dos Custos com Combustíveis e Subsídios, 2022 . Viewed  at: 
https://igape.minfin.gov.ao/PortalIGAPE/#!/sala -de-imprensa/comunicados . 
98 See, for example, World Bank Group (2019), Angola: Financial Performance, Corporate Governance, 
and Reform of State -Owned Enterprises in Angola , p. 37. Viewed  at: https://state -owned -
enterprises.worldbank.org/sites/soe/files/rep orts/WB_SOE%20Financial%20Performance_Corporate%20Gover
nance%20and%20Reform_Angola_2019.pdf ; and World Bank Group and International Finance 
Corporation  (2019), Country Private Sector Diagnostic: Creating Markets in Angol a – Opportunities for 
Development through the Private Sector , p. 14. Viewed  at: https://www.ifc.org/en/insights -reports/2019/cpsd -
angola#:~:text=This%20Country%20Private%20Sector%20Diagnostic,experience%20to%20accelerate%20tr
ansformational%20investment . 
99 IGAPE (2022), Relatório Agreg ado do Sector Empresarial Público, 2022 . Viewed  at: 
https://igape.minfin.gov.ao/PortalIGAPE/#!/sector -empresarial -publico/relatorios -do-sep. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   3.157.   The large state presence in the economy hinders private investment and increases the risk 
of negative effects on the economy's productivity  and competitiveness when SOEs perform poorly, 
which is the case in Angola. SOEs involved in core infrastructure sectors, including energy, water  
and sanitation, transport, and telecommunications, have not provided the coverage and quality of 
services needed to underpin poverty reduction and private -sector development.  
3.158.   SOEs are heavily leveraged. Total liabilities for the 71 SOEs for which financia l data are 
available represented almost 34% of GDP in 2022. According to the World Bank, the reasons for the 
poor performance of SOEs are many , includ ing the imposition of non -commercial objectives, poor 
management, weak corporate governance, and limited a ccountability.100 
3.159.   The State provided direct  support to SOEs through equity injections and operational and 
price subsidies (Table  3.12). Meanwhile, only 13 SOEs paid dividends to the State in one or 
more years during the period 2020 -22, for a total of AOA  4.3 billion.  
Table  3.12 Direct government support to SOEs, 2020 -22 
Type of support  Number of beneficiary companies  Amount (AOA)  
Equity injections  47 
Banco de Poupança e Crédito ( BPC), a bank, was 
the main beneficiary, with around 44% of 
support  796.6  billion  
Support for operational expenses (mostly 
salaries)  14 (predominantly in the information and 
communications sector and the transport sector ) 112.8 billion  
Price support (to compensate SOEs for selling 
goods and services, mostly fuel and electricity, 
at reduced prices )a 5 
Sonangol  was the main beneficiary, with around 
94% of support  800 billion  
a Data for the period 2019 -21. 
Source:  Institute for the Management of State Assets (IGAPE ), Annual Reports 2021 and 2022. View ed at: 
https://igape.minfin.gov.ao/PortalIGAPE/#!/sector -empresarial -publico/relatorios -do-sep. 
3.160.   Public companies and companies in which the State has a "dominant influence" are subject 
to the Basic Law on the State Enterprise Sector.101 The Law establishes corporate governance 
requirements for public companies, while other SOEs must follow the corporate governance 
requirements of standard commercial law. Both types of SOEs are subject to competition rules and, 
if they receive public fund s, to public procurement rules (Section  3.3.6).  
3.161.   Since its last Review, Angola has started a process to reform and downsize its SOE sector. 
This process comprises a privatization programme and a roadmap for SOE reform. The Institute for 
the Management of St ate Assets (Instituto de Gestão de Activos e Participações do Estado (IGAPE )), 
was created in 2018 under the MINFIN  to oversee and monitor the SOE sector, improve  SOE 
transparency and accountability, and manage privatizations.102 IGAPE's consolidated report s on the 
financial performance of the SOE sector are available online. These reports cover information on 
subsidies provided to SOEs. In addition, IGAPE publishes online the annual financial statements of 
individual SOEs.103 
3.162.   The Basic Law on Privatization e stablishes the framework for SOE privatization.104 The goal 
of Angola's privatization policy is to reduce the State's presence in the economy, strengthen domestic 
entrepreneurship, broaden participation in business ownership, contribute to the development o f 
capital markets in Angola, and lower the public debt burden. Privatizations must be carried out 
through tenders or share offerings. The Law specifies procedures to implement each modality.  
 
100 World Bank Group (2019), Angola: Financial Performance, Corporate Governance and Reform of 
Stat-Owned Enterprises , Report No. AUS0000911, 28  June.  
101 Law No. 11/13 of 3 September  2013. 
102 Presidential Decree No. 141/18 of 7  June 2018. 
103 Both IGAPE's consolidated reports and the financial statements of individual SOEs are available at: 
MINFIN , Informações Financeiras das Empresas do SEP . Viewed  at: 
https://igape.minfin.gov.ao/PortalIGAPE/#!/sector -empresarial -publico/relatorios -do-sep. 
104 Law No. 10/19 of 14  May 2019. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.163.   Angola adopted a privatization programme, known as PROPRIV, in Au gust 2019.105 
PROPRIV, which is managed by IGAPE, initially identified 195 SOEs for privatization between 2019 
and 2022. At the end of 2022, Angola had  privatized 92 SOEs for a total contracted value of 
AOA 978.8  billion, mostly in industry, agri -food, and tourism. In March  2023, Angola extended 
PROPRIV until  2026 to privatize an additional  73 SOEs.106 During this second phase, an additional 
6 SOEs have been privatized for a total contracted value of AOA  42.9 billion , 24 SOEs are in the 
process of being priva tized, and 43 SOEs are awaiting privatization (November  2023). 
3.164.   According to IGAPE, Angola intends to structure all remaining SOEs as either public 
companies ( empresas públicas ) or commercial companies with public capital ( sociedades comerciais 
com capitais  públicos ). The authorities will use three criteria to determine the future structure of 
SOEs: economic viability, public service mission, and company by -law. Companies that are 
economically viable will be structured as commercial companies (with the degre e of public 
participation to be determined) whereas companies that are not, but provide a public service, will 
be structured as public companies. According to this new approach, Sonangol  and ENDIAMA (state 
diamond company), which are public companies wholl y owned by the State, would be turned into 
commercial companies with some degree of public participation.  
3.165.   Privatization is taking place alongside SOE reform through the implementation of a reform 
roadmap adopted in January  2022.107 The roadmap sets out initiatives to improve SOE financial and 
economic performance; enhance the quality, timeliness , and transparency of financial information 
provided by SOEs; and strengthen the management of fiscal risks related to SOE  contingent liabil ities 
and other obligations. In addition, the roadmap calls for a clear separation between the State's 
functions as SOE shareholder, regulator, and supervisor, and for limiting the State's presence in the 
SOE sector to "strategic sectors". The term "strate gic sectors" is not further defined in the roadmap.  
3.166.   Angola has not notified any state trading enterprises within the meaning of Article  XVII of 
the GATT. Yet, Sonangol , the state-owned oil company, has a monopoly on imports of refined 
petroleum products (e xcept lubricants). In addition, all raw diamond s must be exported through the 
Single Channel ( Canal Único) supervised  by SODIAM, the state -owned diamond trading company.108 
3.3.6   Government  procurement  
3.167.   In 2022, public procurement represented 9% of Angola's GDP. A ngola's policy in this area 
seeks to ensure value for money, transparency, and probity, while supporting domestic businesses, 
including micro -, small -, and medium -sized ones, through preferential rules. During the period under 
review, Angola  adopted a new law on government procurement and increased the use of 
technological solutions to strengthen the transparency and accountability of Angola's public 
procurement system. Yet, implementation challenges remain, including low compliance levels by 
contracting en tities with legal requirements to publish procurement plans and tender notices, and 
the heavy reliance on the relatively less competitive procurement methods. The  participation of 
foreign individuals and companies in public contracts whose value is below c ertain thresholds is not 
permitted. The adoption of the new law is part of a broader anti -corruption initiative in public 
procurement.  
3.168.   The Law on Public Procurement covers procurement for public works, supplies , and services. 
It applies to central and loca l government entities and public funds.109 SOEs that receive operational 
subsidies or any other funds from the general budget are also covered. The Law covers purchases, 
leases, and concessions. Not covered is procurement of legal and financial services, wh ile 
procurement of real estate is subject to Law No.  18/10 of 6  August  2010. Public contracts pertaining 
to oil, mining, electricity, and the armed forces are governed by special laws. The National Public 
Procurement Service (Serviço Nacional da Contrataçã o Pública (SNCP )) is the agency under the 
 
105 Presidential Decree No. 250/19 of 5  August  2019. 
106 Presidential Decree No. 78/23 of 28  March  2023. 
107 Presidential Decree No. 13/22 of 18  January  2022. 
108 Presidential Decree No. 132/13 of 5  September  2013 (Sonangol ); and Presidential 
Decree  No. 175/18 of 27  July 2018 (SODIAM).  
109 Law No. 41/20 of 23  December  2020. An English translation of the Law is available at: 
https://compraspublicas.minfin.gov.ao/ComprasPublicas/#!/documentacao/legislac ao/contratacao -publica . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   MINFIN  in charge of overseeing and auditing public procurement. SNCP  is also responsible for 
helping define and implement Angola's public procurement policies and practices.110 
3.169.   SNCP  maintains a web portal  intended as a one -stop shop for public procurement 
in Angola.111 Launched in July  2019, the portal contains links to relevant legislation, model 
documents , and manuals and guides. Some information on the portal is available in Englis h. The 
portal also provides access to the National Electronic Public Procurement System ( Sistema Nacional 
de Contratação Pública Electrônica  (SNCPE )). SNCPE is used for registration and certification of 
suppliers. According to the authorities, in the futur e SNCPE will also allow public contracting entities 
to manage their contracts and conduct electronic tendering.  
3.170.   Under the Law on Public Procurement, all public contracting entities must submit annual 
procurement plans to SNCP for publication on the  portal.  Compliance with this requirement is very 
low, according to the authorities. In  mid-2023, the portal contained the procurement plans of 
191 public contracting entities for the  year 2023, mostly at the municipal or provincial level.  
3.171.   Suppliers interested in bidding for state contracts can apply for certification as a "State 
supplier" ( fornecedor do Estado ). Tenderers certified as State suppliers are exempt from submitting 
qualification documents if they win a bid.112 Suppliers may request certification as a st ate supplier 
through the public procurement portal, which lists the required documentation for both procedures. 
At the end of 2022, there were 423 certified State suppliers. The Secretariat could not ascertain 
whether foreign companies need to establish a commercial presence or appoint a representative in 
Angola to apply for certification as State suppliers.  
3.172.   The Law on Public Procurement defines six possible procurement methods (Table  3.13). The 
choice of method depends on the estimated  value of the contract, defined as the maximum amount 
that the contracting entity is willing to pay under a tender procedure.  A contracting entity may adopt 
the "simplified" or "emergency" contracting methods  regardless of contract value if certain criteri a 
specified in legislation are met. A contracting entity must use the "public tender" or "limited tender 
by prior qualification" methods  regardless of  contract value for all tenders involving concessions.  
Table  3.13 Procurement methods  
Method  Main features  Threshold  
Public tender  Any interested supplier can submit a bid  
The technical and financial capacity of the supplier is verified 
only after the bids have been submitted  None specified  in 
legislation  
Limited tender by 
previous qualification  Two-phase process comprising:  
(i) a qualification stage, which is open to interested suppliers, 
who must submit proof of their technical capacity to execute 
the contract; and  
(ii) a bidding stage with the participation of qualified suppliers  None specified in 
legislation  
Limited tender by 
invitation  Bids are solicited from at least three suppliers, who are chosen 
from the pool of certified suppliers in the registry maintained 
by the National  Public Procurement Service or based on the 
procuring entity's knowledge of potential suppliers  Cannot be used for 
contracts valued at 
more than 
AOA 182 million  
Simplified contracting  Used for low -value procurement that needs to be completed 
quickly  
At least one supplier is invited to bid  Can only be used for 
contracts valued at 
AOA 18 million or less , 
with exceptions 
specified in legislation  
Electronic dynamic 
procedure  Used to purchase standardized goods and services through an 
electronic catalogue cont aining the essential technical 
specifications  
Tender is conducted entirely through the Public Procurement 
Portal  
Any interested supplier may participate  
The bidding process consists of an interactive, reverse price 
auction  None specified in 
legislation  
 
110 Presidential Decree No. 162/15 of 19  August  2015. 
111 The portal is available at: https://compraspublicas.minfin.gov.ao/ . 
112 Presidential Decree No. 198/16 of 26  September  2016. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Method  Main features  Threshold  
Emergency contracting 
procedure  This method can only be used in situations qualifying as 
emergencies under the legislation  
The procuring entity requests a proposal/invoice from a single 
supplier  None specified in 
legislation  
Source:  Law No. 41/20 of 23  December  2020; and MINFIN , Manual Prático da Contratação Pública Angolana . 
Viewed  at: 
https://compraspublicas.minfin.gov.ao/ComprasPublicas/# !/documentacao/institucional/publicacoes . 
3.173.   Statistics on the use of different procurement methods are publicly available.113 They show 
that, in terms of both number and value of tenders, procuring entities rely more heavily  on relatively 
less competitive procurement methods ("limited tender by invitation", "simplified contracting" , 
and "emergency contracting procedures") than on more competitive ones ("public tender", "limited 
tender by previous qualification" , and "electron ic dynamic procedure"). In terms of value, contracts 
subject to less competitive procurement methods were worth AOA 1,432.7  billion , almost 10 times 
the value of contracts subject to more competitive methods  (AOA 146.1  billion ). Close to 90% of 
the total value of all contracts in 2022 used simplified contracting . 
3.174.   In terms of the number  of tenders, 1,219 tenders used the less competitive procurement 
methods ("limited tender by invitation", "simplified contracting" , and "emergency contracting 
procedures") in 2022, compared with 409 tenders using the more competitive ones ("public tender", 
"limited tender by previous qualification" , and "electronic dynamic procedure"). The three  most 
frequently used procurement method s in 2022 were simplified contracting (43% of total tenders), 
limited tender by invitation (29%) , and public tender (17%).  
3.175.   For both "public tenders" and "limited tenders by prior qualification" a notice must be 
published in the official gazette ( Diário da República ) and in a newspaper widely circulated in Angola. 
For tenders open to foreigners, the notice is circulated to Angolan embassies abroad. SNCP must be 
notified of all open tenders , and public entities must publish the tender notice on the public 
procurement portal. The authorities note that the contracting entities' lack of compliance with 
publication requirements remains a serious challenge.114 
3.176.   Legislation specifies minimum periods for submitting bids following the publication of a 
tender notice. For  "public tenders" and "limited tenders by prior qualification", the minimum period 
is 20 days (up to a maximum of 120 days). For "limited tender by invitation", the minimum period 
is 6 days from the date of the invitation letter , and for "electronic dynami c procedures" it is 
between  4 hours and 10 days depending on contract value. Simplified and emergency contracting 
are not subject to any minimum periods.  
3.177.   Under  the Law on Public Procurement , the contracting entity must specify in the tender 
documentation o ne of two criteria for evaluating  bids and awarding contracts. The criteria are "lowest 
price" or "most economically advantageous proposal" . The SNCP's Procurement Manual provides 
guidance on the choice and application of the criteria.115 Of the 1,628 tende rs conducted in  2022, 
information on the award criteria used to evaluate the bids and award the contract was missing 
for 64% of the tenders. For the remaining 36% of tenders for which data was available, the "most 
economically advantageous proposal" criter ion was used in 58% of tender procedures, while 
the "lowest price" criterion was used for the remaining 42%.  
3.178.   Technical specifications in tender documents  cannot refer to specific products, production 
processes  or methods , brands, patents , or origin of prod ucts, unless absolutely necessary. Any 
reference to one or more of these elements must be followed by the phrase "or equivalent".  
3.179.   The participation of foreign individuals and companies in tenders is allowed, but their 
participation is subject to thresholds . Foreign entities are only allowed to bid for public work contracts 
 
113 MINFIN , Relátorio Anual da Contratação Pública Angolana 2022 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/ntyx/~edisp/minfin3561704.pdf . 
114 MINFIN , Boletim Estatístico da Contratação Pública An golana: 2º semestre de 2022 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.minfin.gov.ao/PortalMinfin/#!/servico -nacional -da-contratacao -publica/boletim -estatistico -da-
contratacao -publica -angolana . 
115 MINFIN , Manual Prático da Contratação Pública Angolana . Viewed  at: 
https://compraspublicas.minfin.gov.ao/ComprasPublicas/#!/documentacao/institucional/publicacoes . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   valued at AOA  500 million or more and contracts to lease or purchase goods or services valued at 
AOA 182 million or more.  
3.180.   In addition, under the Law on Public Procurement, tender document s must contain 
preferential rules to promote Angolan enterprises. Depending on the type of procurement method 
and award criteria, preferential rules may include a preference  margin for price or overall score, 
which may not exceed 10%; bonus points for loca lly produced goods; and, if applicable, preferential 
access to post -bid negotiations. Preferences may also be granted to individuals and companies based 
in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African 
Development Comm unity (SADC), and to goods produced there.  In addition, c ontracting entities 
must set aside 25% of their procurement budget for Angolan MSMEs.116 Large companies executing 
public contracts must outsource to Angolan MSMEs at least 10% of the value of service s contracts 
and 25% of the value of works contracts.  
3.181.   Contracting entities must inform SNCP of all contract awards valued at AOA  182 million or 
more. SNCP publishes award decisions on the public procurement portal. If applicable, contracting 
entities must i nform the unsuccessful bidders of their award decisions. Unsuccessful bidders must 
receive a draft report prepared by the commission responsible for evaluating bids (including 
qualification bids under "limited tenders by prior qualification"). Bidders must  be given at least 
five days to provide written comments on the draft report. They also have the right to participate in 
a hearing before the report by the evaluation commission is finalized.  
3.182.   The Law on Public Procurement establishes administrative procedures to deal with 
complaints by bidders. Complaints must be addressed, in the first instance, to the corresponding 
evaluation commission. Appeals can be filed with the evaluation commission's h ierarchical superior, 
followed by the Minister and then the President. The last administrative instance is SNCP. While an 
administrative decision is in progress, it is not possible to proceed with certain decisions under a 
procurement process. Decisions re ndered under the administrative complaint procedures are subject 
to judicial review. SNCP has registered 28 administrative challenges presented in the context of 
public procurement processes in 2022. That same year, it received five complaints, mostly rela ted 
to irregularities in public procurement processes and the use of false documentation.  
3.183.   IMF staff note that the legal and regulatory framework, as well as the accountability, 
integrity, and transparency of Angola's public procurement system has been stre ngthened. 
Nonetheless, they note that the institutional framework, management capacity, and public 
procurement operations and market practices need further improvement.117 
3.184.   According to the World Bank, improving public procurement is key to fighting corruption in 
Angola.118 The Law on Public Procurement contains provisions to promote ethical behaviour in the 
tender process and the execution of public contracts, including requirement s for impartiality and 
avoiding conflicts of interest, fraud , and corru ption. In addition, Angola adopted regulations in  2018 
requiring income and asset declarations by senior public officials and technical staff preparing bidding 
documents, members of committees responsible for evaluating tender proposals, and contract 
manag ers.119 The regulations are part of  a public procurement anti -corruption strategy that also 
comprises guides to denounce corruption in public procurement and prevent and manage risks of 
corruption in public contracts.  
3.185.   Angola is neither a signatory to the WT O plurilateral  Agreement on Government 
Procurement  nor an observer to the Committee on Government Procurement.  
 
116 Joint Exe cutive Decree No. 157/14 of 4  June 2014. 
117 IMF (2023), Angola: Staff Report for the 2022 Article  IV Consultation , IMF Country Report 
No. 23/100 , p. 11.  Viewed  at: https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2023/100/002.2023.issue -100-
en.xml . 
118 World Bank Group (2020), Enhancing Government Effectiveness and Transparency: The Fight 
Against Corruption . Viewed  at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/governance/publication/enhancing -
government -effectiveness -and-transpar ency-the-fight-against -corruption . 
119 Presidential Decree No. 319/18 of 31  December  2018. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  3.3.7   Intellectual property rights  
3.186.   Intellectual property rights (IPRs) and their protection remain a largely untapped source of 
growth for the Angolan economy. Angola's engagement in IP policy is limited, including at 
international and regional levels, in part because of resource constraints faced by the 
Angolan  Industrial Property Institute (IAPI). This is partly reflected in the large gap between the 
number of patent applications received and patents granted, and the low overall number of industrial 
designs/models and utility models.  In 2023, Angola ranked last in the WIPO Global Innovation Index, 
which ranks the innovation performance of 132 economies each year.120 Angola's Industrial 
Development Plan 2025 ( Plano de Desenvolvimento Industrial de Angola 2025 ) recognizes 
IPR protection as a key enabler of investment and innovation, including in areas such as the digital 
economy and agriculture.  
3.187.   Under Angol a's Law on Industrial Property, a patent is available for a duration of 15  years 
for an invention if it is new, involves an inventive step , and is industrially applicable.121 According to 
data submitted by the authorities, patent applications over the perio d 2018-22 steadily decreased, 
from 121 to 80 per year (Table  3.14). Most applications were made by foreign inventors, and are 
mostly related to the oil sector. The number of patent grants was significantly lower than the number 
of patent applications recei ved, which the authorities attribute to the limited number of technical 
personnel available to assess applications. Nonetheless, the number of patent applications increased 
significantly over the past five years.  
Table  3.14 Industrial property applications, 2018 -22 
  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Patents  
 National applications  7 2 8 0 9 
 Foreign applications  114 115 74 87 71 
 Patents granted  8 22 33 49 43 
Trademarks  
 By residents  2,354  2,604  2,546  2,678  3,281  
 By non -residents  1,763  1,729  1,374  1,546  1,899  
Utility models  3 9 12 13 6 
Industrial designs  14 75 29 25 23 
Industrial models  4 38 36 21 25 
Source:  Information provided by the authorities . 
3.188.   Regarding trademarks, the legislation grants ownership of, and the exclusive right to, a mark 
to any person who adopts such a mark to distinguish the products of their economic activity, provided 
the mark has been duly registered. Trademark application dat a reflect an increasing interest in 
trademark protection by Angolan residents (Table  3.14). The share of resident applications in total 
trademark applications represented 62% for the period 2018 -22. 
3.189.   Under Angola's Law on Industrial Property, an industrial design is "any new arrangement or 
set of lines or colours that may be applied, for an industrial or commercial purpose, in the 
ornamentation of a product by any manual, mechanical, or chemical process, whether simple or 
combined".122 The Law defines an indu strial model as "any three -dimensional form, whether or not 
it is associated with a line or colours that may be used as a type in the manufacture of an industrial 
or handcrafted product".123 The number of both industrial design and industrial model applicat ions 
has averaged around 58 per year during the period 2018 -22 (Table  3.14).  
3.190.   The Law on Industrial Property de fines a utility model as " any new arrangement or form 
obtained in or introduced into objects such as tools, work implements or utensils that impro ve or 
increase the conditions for their use and their usefulness ".124 The number of utility and innovation 
models received between 2018 and 2022 has been relatively low, averaging almost nine per year 
(Table  3.14).  
 
120 WIPO, Global Innovation Index 2023 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.wip o.int/global_innovation_index/en/2023 . 
121 Law No. 3/92 of 28  February  1992, Article 6 
122 Law No. 3/92 of 28  February  1992, Article 16.  
123 Law No. 3/92 of 28  February  1992, Article 16.  
124 Law No. 3/92 of 28  February  1992, Article 15.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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   3.191.   Since joining the WIPO Patent Cooperation Treaty and the Paris Convention in 2007, Angola 
has not undertaken further obligations on IPR protection at the international level. As an LDC, Angola 
benefits from the TRIPS transition period for LDCs (agreed until 1  July 2034).125 In recent years, 
Angola has participated actively in the discussions of the TRIPS Council and notified its updated 
contact point for IP enforcement under Article  69 in 2019.126 
3.192.   At the regional level, Angola has neither  joined the African Regional Intellectual Property 
Office (ARIP O), where it holds observer status, nor the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété 
Intellectuelle  (OAPI). Angola is a member of SADC , which has elaborated a Regional Framework and 
Guidelines on IP . During the period under review, Angola signed the SADC  Protocol for Protection of 
New Plant Variet ies. In addition, Angola has the option to join the SADC -European  Union  Economic 
Partnership Agreement, which foresees cooperation on protection of IPRs. The implementation of 
the AfCFTA protocol on Intellectual Property may also enhance regional integration and induce policy 
reform.  
3.193.   At the national level, t he main regulatory and institutional framework for IPRs has been 
under review  since Angola's last Review , but revised legislation remains to be ap proved by the 
Angolan Council of Ministers .127 As a result, industrial property continues to be governed by 
the 1992 Law on Industrial Property, which covers geographical  indications, industrial designs, 
patents , trade names, trademarks, undisclosed informa tion ( trade secrets), and u tility models.128 
3.194.   The Angolan Industrial Property Institute ( Instituto Angolano da Propiedade Industrial  
(IAPI)) is responsible for the implementation  of the Law on Industrial Property . According to the 
authorities, IAPI faces resource constraints in respect of its human resources, facilities, 
IT equipment, and electronic systems and software to manage right s holders and applications, and 
to perform other essential functions. These and ot her constraints limit IAPI's ability to provide 
transparent and up -to-date information and statistics, and to collaborate with other government 
agencies and regional or international organizations.  
3.195.   During the period under review, Angola took steps to imple ment its Law on Copyright and 
Related Rights , adopted in 2014.129 More specifically, Angola adopted rules on collective 
management130, registration131 of copyrights and related rights, and collection of copyright 
royalties.132 In addition, it enacted measures to strengthen the institutional capacity for the 
management of the national system of copyright and related rights133 and improve enforcement134, 
including the fight against piracy and counterfeiting.135 
3.196.   The National Service for Copyrights and Related Rights (Serviço Nacional dos Direitos de 
Autor e Conexos  (SENADIAC )) under the Ministry  of Culture a nd Tourism is Angola's copyright office. 
It is respons ible for registering copyright claims and to work with other government agencies on 
copyright enforcement and the formulation of draft policies on copyright -related matters. To fulfil its 
mandate, SENADIAC is represented in each of Angola's 17 provincial c apitals. According to the 
authorities, SENADIAC faces challenges to digitalize its services, reinforce its presence across 
Angola, and build human -resource capacity.  
3.197.   There are three recognized entities for the collective management of copyrights: 
Angolan  Copyright Society ( Sociedade Angolana  dos Direitos Autorais  (SADIA )), licensed 
in September  2019; National Union of Artists and Composers, Society of Authors (União Nacional 
dos Artistas e Compositores, Sociedade de Autores  (UNAC -SA)), licensed in December  2020; and 
 
125 See WTO document IP/C/88 , 29 June 2021. Upon Angola's graduation from LDC status, its IPR 
legislation would have to comply with TRIPS minimum standards and require reform, e.g. in terms of patent 
duration, protection of geographical indications ; and layout -designs of integrated circuits.  
126 WTO document IP/N/3/AGO/1 , 1 May  2019, updating WTO document IP/N/3/Rev.11 , 
4 February  2010. 
127 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321 /Rev.1, 11 December  2015. 
128 Law No. 3/92 of 28  February  1992.  
129 Law No. 15/14 of 31  July 2014. 
130 Presidential Decree No. 114/16 of 30  May 2016. 
131 Presidential Decree No. 125/17 of 12  June 2017. 
132 Instruction No. 1/18 of 29  August  2018. 
133 Presidential Decree No.  164/23, of 3 August  2023. 
134 Presidential Decree No.  239/19 of 29 July 2019. 
135 Presidential Decree No.  240/19, of 29 July 2023. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Single Association of Copyright and Related Rights (Associação Única dos Direitos de Autor e Conexos  
(AUDAC )), licensed in May  2023. AUDAC collects copyright fees from users, while SADIA and 
UNAC -SA distribute these to rights holders.  
3.198.   In recognition of the role of copyright in digital value creation, SADIA and Unison (a music 
rights management entity in Europe ) signed  in 2021 an agreement for the collection of digital rights 
in the European  Union and the  United  Kingdom. As a result, SAD IA will be able to collect royalties 
on behalf of authors  for the repertoire of over 35,000 songs entrusted to SADIA by Angolan authors, 
artists , and publishers . During the pandemic, SADIA's "Art Card" initiative provided support to 
struggling artists in t he country, allowing them to purchase essential goods worth up to 
AOA 50,000  per month.136 
3.199.   Enforcement of IPRs is governed by Chapter  IX of the Law on Industrial Property, Chapter  IV 
of the Law on Copyright and Related Rights , and the relevant provision of criminal law statutes and 
the Customs Code. While no statistical data are available on IPR  enforcement, since its last Review 
Angola has participated in international efforts to combat counterfeit trade, including in 
pharmaceutical products.137 
 
  
 
136 Angola, "Art Card Is a SADIA Initiative to Support Artists in Times of Pandemic" , 2 July 2020. 
Viewed  at: https://www.verangola.net/va/en/072020/Culture/20710/%E2%80%98Art -Card%E2%80%99 -is-a-
SADIA -initiat ive-to-support -artists -in-times -of-pandemic.htm . 
137 INTERPOL  (2018) , "Fake Goods: Arrests and Seizures in Worldwide Operations ", 12 July. Viewed  at: 
https://www.interpol.int/fr/Actualites -et-evenements/Actualites/2018/Fake -goods -arrests -and-seizures -in-
worldwide -operations ; and World Customs Organizat ion (2017) , "New Record Seizures of Illicit Medicines in 
Africa", 20  January. Viewed  at: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2017/january/new -record -
seizures -of-illicit-medicines -in-africa.aspx . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4  TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR  
4.1  Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries  
4.1.1   Overview  
4.1.  Angola's agricultural potential, based on its extensive territory (58.9  million hectares of 
agricultural land), fertile soils, diverse climate conditions, and abundant water resources, remains 
underutilized, as evidenced by  the country's low agricultural output levels. This is particularly 
noticeable when compared with the agricultural production in the decades prior to the  1990s, when 
Angola was a thriving exporter of coffee, tobacco, cotton, and sugarcane and was self -sufficient in 
all food crops except wheat (Box 4.1).  
4.2.  Currently, Angola cultivates only 16% of its agricultural land. The rural population is estimated 
to be between 35% and 44% of the total population, and approximately 10  million  people depend 
on small -scale agriculture activities for their subsistence and livelihood. Rural areas concentrate 
about 57% of the people living below the poverty line in the country.  
4.3.  According to Angola's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MINAGRIF), family farming accounts 
for 91 .6% of the sown area, while commercial farming is responsible for the remaining 8.4%. Small 
family farming represents more than 80% of total agricultural production, reaching 79% of cereals, 
92% of roots and tubers, and 90% of vegetables and oilseeds.  
Box 4.1 A brief case study on Angola's coffee production and exports  
Angola used to be the world's fourth -largest coffee exporter before its civil war, exporting 220 ,000 tonnes 
in 1973 versus 6 ,000 tonnes in 2021.  
This sharp decline is reportedly due to the departure of experienced farmers in the Provinces of Benguela, 
Bie, Huambo, Huila, and Moxico ; the destruction of the country's infrastructure ; and the loss of business 
expertise and sectoral know -how. 
MINAGRIF is  currently developing strategic policies to restore the competitiveness of Angola's coffee sector, 
aimed to improve production methods, increase outputs, and resume exports.  
The Angolan National Coffee Institute (INCA) is the government body responsible for redeveloping the coffee 
sector. Its core goal is to attract private investors interested in public -private partnerships (PPPs) and to 
establish a "Coffee Fund" for smallholder farmers.  
Source:  Provided b y the authorities.  
4.4.  Agricultural labour productivity (value -added per worker) is just USD  1,216, a low figure when 
compared to the global average of USD  20,916.  Among the causes identified by t he World Bank for 
the sector's low productivity levels are "the use of poor agronom ic practices and low access to 
improved technologies like climate -smart seeds, agrochemicals, and mechanization".1 
4.5.  Against this background, the agricultural sector registered a significant increase in its share of 
GDP, which climbed from 5.8%  in 2015 to 9 % in 2022. According to the authorities, this increase 
was due to (i)  the implementation of three targeted programmes, namely the Programme to Support 
Production, Export Diversification and Import Substitution (PRODESI), the K wenda  cash-transfer 
programme,  and the Programme for Reconversion of the Informal Economy  (PREI); (ii)  the granting 
of credit to family farmers within the scope of the Angolan Commercial Agricultural Development 
Project (PDAC); (iii)  the implementation of mechanized technologies with t echnical assistance from 
agricultural and livestock specialists; and (iv)  the increase of farming areas linked with business 
practices and industrialization under the scope of PRODESI.  
4.6.  The shares of Angola's current agricultural production are roots ad tub ers (52%), fruits  (25%), 
field crops (13%), horticulture (9%), and animal production (1%).  
4.7.  Notwithstanding the growth in agricultural production in recent years, Angola is still registering 
large deficits in its agricultural trade balance, with imports acc ounting for more than 50% of the 
 
1 World Bank  (2021) , Angola : Agriculture Support Policy Review – Realigning Agriculture Support 
Policies and Programmes , p. 12. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  food consumed domestically. Exports have registered an 11% increase between 2015 and 2022, 
while imports expanded by 18% during  the same period. Nonetheless, agricultural exports 
corresponded to just 0.1% of Angola's total exports, while agricultural imports represented 18% of 
total imports, having reach ed USD 3,205  million  in 2022.2 
4.8.  The five main exported agricultural products (WTO definition) in 2022 were bran  
(USD  15.2 million), alcoholic beverages (USD  10.5 million ), ba nanas (USD  6.4 million ), beer 
(USD  6.3 million), and wheat (USD  5.7 million ). In 2022, the main destinations for 
Angola's  agricultural exports were Democratic  Republic  of the Congo  (46.5%), the European  Union 
(USD  21.8%), and Congo (12.7%).  
4.9.  In 2022, agricultural imported products accounted for 2.8% of GDP. The five  main imported 
agricultural products (WTO definition) were meat (USD  416.4  million ), wheat (USD  385.7  million), 
rice (USD  370.4  million ), palm oil (USD  335.5  million ), and soybean oil (USD  236.9 million ). The 
leading  agricultural imp orts in the same year  were the European  Union (27.1%), Brazil  (15.5%), 
and India (9.3%).  
4.10.   Some SOEs are active in the agricultural sector, including Aldeia Nova  S.A., Biocom, and 
Gesterra S.A. Pursuant to Angola's privatization p rogramme  (PROPRIV), the privatization of the 
Aldeia Nova agricultural project via an initial public offering (IPO) at the stock exchange (BODIVA) 
is scheduled for  2024 (Section  3.3.5).3 
4.1.2   Agricultural policy  
4.1.2.1   Overall framework  
4.11.   Since Angola's p revious Review, MINAGRIF's functions and responsibilities have remained 
broadly unchanged. The Ministry is in charge of formulating and implementing agriculture and 
forestry policies and plans and monitor ing the activities of public and private stakeholder s engaged 
in the agro -food, livestock, and forestry sectors. MINAGRIF also holds responsibilities on food 
security matters. The Ministry is responsible for guaranteeing food supply, developing rural areas, 
and boosting agricultural economic activities. It is also in charge of implementing strategies for 
diversification of agricultural production, livestock, forestry, and expand ing the list and volumes of 
agriculture exports. The technical functions are carried out by the State Secretariat for Agriculture 
and Livestock and the State Secretariat for Forestry.  
4.12.   Angola's agricultural policies are set out in the National Development Plan (NDP)  2018-22, 
which focuses on promoting economic diversification. Another key goal of Angola's agricultural policy 
is to enhance food and nutrition security, as food insecurity affected 26.8% and 26% of Angolans 
in 2020 and 2021, respectively.  
4.13.   The NDP identif ies the following agricultural products as priorities for increasing production 
and exports: banana, coffee, vegetables, and tubers (specifically cassava and potatoes), 
horticulture, oilseeds, honey, palm and sunflower seed oils, and livestock products (me at, eggs, and 
milk). The NDP sets specific objectives for the domestic supply of a number of agricultural goods 
by 2022:  64% f or sugar ; 44% f or corn flour; 64% f or wheat flour ; 43% f or pasteurized milk ; 
13% for processed meat ; and 73% f or pasta . Furthermor e, it aims to increase the exports of beer, 
juices , and soft drinks .4 
 
2 WTO definition of agriculture: HS  Chapters 01 -24 less fish and fishery products (HS  03, 0508, 
0511.91, 1504.10, 1 504.20, 1603 -1605, and 2301.20), plus some selected products (HS  2905.43 -2905.45, 
3301, 3501 -3505, 3809.10, 3823, 3824.60, 4101 -4103, 4301, 5001 -5003, 5101 -5103, 5201 -5203, and 
5301-5302). WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
3 The Aldeia Nova agricultural project, located in the Waku Kungu region, municipality of Cela, Province 
of Cuanza -Sul, gathers cooperative farming communities with centralized food processing, logistics and 
distribution, for the production of, inter alia, milk,  poultry, swine, and eggs. Furthermore, the Project covers 
10,000 hectares for the production of grains and cereals, comprising maize ( 8,000  tonnes), soybeans 
(5,000  tonnes), sorghum ( 1,000  tonnes), hay ( 5,000  tonnes) and silage ( 3,000  tonnes). 
4 According to the authorities, some of these targets had been achieved due to (i)  agricultural 
mechanization and credits to purchase tractor s assembl ed in Angola; (ii)  delivery of infrastructure projects for 
rural areas, covering communication, electricity , water, improved road network, railway, and marketing within 
the scope of NDP (2018 -22); and (iii)  local production of organic fertilizers.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.14.   Another important p olicy guidance for the agricultur al sector is the Medium -Term Agriculture 
Sector Development Plan (PDMPSA) (2018 –22), which is broadly aligned with the NDP. The PDMPS A 
seeks to improve food security and to reduce the trade deficit in agro ‑livestock products.5 It is built 
on the previous version ( PDMPSA 2013-17), which establishe d the following priority products based 
on food security considerations: maize, cassava, beans, peanuts, rice, and potato es; as well as cash 
crops: cotton, coffee, fruit, meat, and milk (Box  4.2). 
4.15.   The Programme to Support the Production, Export Diversification and Import Substitution 
(PRODESI)6, established by the Ministry of Economy  and Planning (MEP) in 2017, covers the 
following agriculture and livestock products: rice, soybeans, maize, barley, wheat, milk, meat, eggs, 
beans, sunflower, sugarcane, cassava, potato, sweet potato,  horticulture, fruits, coffee,  tea, cocoa, 
palm oil, ho ney and other apiculture products, cotton, seed production, and leather (Section  3.3.1) . 
4.16.   According to the authorities, PRODESI was developed to support the access to credit, facilitate 
marketing of agricultural products, foster access to external markets, increase production and 
productivity, and enhance the qualification and training of the Angolan labour force. It was reported 
that for the agricultural sector, a total of 3,343 credits had been granted under PRODESI  as 
of November  2023, amounting to over A OA 214.93  billion  in all 18 provinces. Financing was granted 
mostly by private commercial banks at subsidized rates, following agreements with the  State. The 
authorities also informed that more than 74,000 jobs were created under PRODESI, mostly in the 
agricultural sector.7 
Box 4.2 National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS), 2018 -22 
Rice is the second -most consumed cereal in Angola (maize ranks first).  
The current national consumption volume of rice is estimated at 450,000 tonnes per year, holding an important role 
in food security and political stability, as in most of the developing countries.  
Currently, around 90% of the rice consumed in Angola is imported.  
Luanda has the highest average price for rice (USD  3.90/kg in 2017) compared to other capitals in Southern African 
countries.  
The NDP (2018 -22), the PDMPSA (2018 -22), and PRODESI all emphasize the need for strengthening domestic rice 
production for food and nutritional security, and target an increase of 50,0 00 tonnes annually.  
The NRDS aims to increase Angola's average rice production yield by 2.5 tonne per hectare. The Strategy envisages 
supplying 4,500 tonnes of fertilizer for rice cultivation in  2022.  
In order to achieve those goals, the NRDS seeks to (i)  make available inputs and equipment to producing households 
(e.g. quality seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, equipment, and technologies); (ii)  further strengthen the research and 
development (R&D) of rice cultivation; (iii)  reorganize the seed production  chain; (iv)  improve irrigation 
infrastructure; (v)  enhance post -harvest operations; and (vi) establish a quality standard for locally produced rice.  
Source:  MINAGRIF (2018), National Rice Development Strategy  (NRDS): Angola, 2018-2022. Viewed  at: 
https://riceforafrica.net/wp -content/uploads/2021/09/NRDS_Eng_Angola_20180910.pdf . 
4.17.   The land tenure system has not changed since Angola's previous Review. Pursuant to the 
Constitution , all land holdings  belong to the State. Land rights are accorded to rural communities 
that have traditionally occupied certain lands – known as (non -transferable) ri ghts of useful 
customary domain. Economic operators may exploit land under concession contracts (land -use 
 
5 According to the authorities, Angola's definition of food security includes different economic and 
socio-cultural  variables and mirrors the definition by the FAO as established at the 1996 World Food Summit 
for regular physical and economic access to safe and nutritious food. The parameters on how food security is 
monitored or measured has not been provided.  
6 Establ ished and regulated by the Presidential Decree No.  23/19. 
7 According to the IMF, PRODESI has created over 13 ,000 new jobs and generated AOA  196 million in 
extra revenue for the agriculture sector, combined with more than 7,500  jobs and AOA  12.5 million  revenue in 
the livestock sector, almost 6,000  and AOA  139 million  revenue in food and agriculture, 3,500 new posts and 
AOA 19 million  in the fishing sector, and another 249 jobs and AOA  1.3 million  in extra revenue for 
aquaculture. International Monetary Fund (IMF)  (2022) , Angola : Selected Issues , IMF Country Report 
No. 22/12 . Viewed  at: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2022/01/18/Angola -Selected -Issues -
512007 . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  rights) for a maximum duration of 60 years (renewable). Foreign natural and legal persons continue 
to be eligible for the granting of land -use rights,  provided that they have a representative in Angola.8 
4.1.2.2   Border measures  
4.18.   Agriculture and food pro ducts continue to receive the highest levels of applied import tariff 
protection . Some 38% of tariff lines were subject to duties of more than 25%, while around  30% 
were duty free. In terms of value, close to 65% of Angola's total agricultural imports were duty -free, 
while 18% were subject to tariffs in excess of 25%. The single MFN applied tariff average for 
agricultural goods in  2022 was 21.4% (9.4% for n on-agriculture goods). Average applied MFN duties 
for agricultural product categories are animal products (13.8%); dairy products (24.4%); fruits, 
vegetables , and plants (35.9%); coffee and tea  (23.3%); and cereals and preparations  (19.2%).9 
Some products  may be imported free of duty and consumption tax if they have been included in the 
basic basket ( cesta básica ) and in the event of a shortage in the domestic market.10 
4.19.   The simple bound tariff average for imported agriculture goods is 52.7% (60.1% for 
non-agriculture goods). Angola has no bound tariff -rate quotas (TRQs) nor special 
safeguards  (SSGs) for agriculture products in its WTO Schedule.  
4.20.   Import of agricultural products are subject to two separate licensing requirements by 
MINAGRIF  and MINDCOM  (Sectio n 3.1.6) . Imported food and beverages are also subject to testing 
by a laboratory in Angola (Section  3.3.3).  
4.1.2.3   Support  measures  
4.21.   Domestic support for the agricultural sector in Angola takes various forms . While most support 
is in the form of market price supp ort schemes , other forms of support include subsidized credit, 
and to a lesser exten t, general services support such as agricultural innovation (R&D and education), 
animal/plant health services, marketing and promotion, rural infrastructure, and public sto ckholding, 
as well as irrigation infrastructure, agro -meteorology, and mechanization for land preparation.  
4.22.   According to the Medium ‑Term Agriculture Sector Development Plan (PDMPSA 2018 -22), 
Angola has in place a number of agricultur al support programmes an d subprogrammes  (Table  4.1). 
Table  4.1 Agriculture programmes and subprogrammes, 2018 -22 
Programme  Subprogrammes  
Family Farming Development 
Programme  Extension and Rural Development Programme  
Land Preparation Programme  
Rural Marketing Support Programme  
Introduction Programme for Motomechanization and Microtractors  
Commercial Agriculture Development 
Programme  Seed Production Programme  
Coffee, Palm and Cocoa Development Programme  
Cotton Programme  
Industrial Culture Development Programme  
Animal Promotion and Meat, Egg and 
Milk Production Programme  Animal Production Support and Promotion Programme  
Poultry and Eggs Programme  
Milk Production Programme  
Camabatela Plateau Development Programme  
Sustainable  Forest Resources 
Management Programme  Forest Exploitation and Management Programme  
Programme to Combat Desertification  
Honey Production Programme  
Agricultural Activity Promotion 
Programme  Support for the Agricultural Campaign  
Agricultural Credit and Agricultural Insurance Programme  
National Food and Nutrition Security 
Programme  National Food Security Programme  
Land/Agrarian Land Management 
Programme  Land/Agrarian Land Management Programme  
 
8 Constitution , Article  98.3, and also the land tenure system governed by Law No.  9/04 ("Lei de terras 
de Angola") and Decree No.  58/07. Further information in WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 
11 December  2015. 
9 WTO Tariffs Profiles for Angola. Viewed  at: https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/tariff_  
profiles_list_e.htm . 
10 World Bank  (2021) , Angola Agriculture Support Policy Review – Realigning Agriculture Support 
Policies and Programmes .  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Programme  Subprogrammes  
Programme for Construction and 
Rehabilitation of Productive 
Infrastructures and Agricultural 
Conservation  Promotion of Agro -Industrial Hubs  
Rehabilitation and Construction of Irrigation Support Infrastructures  
Irrigated Perimeters Management Programme  
Animal Health and Veterinary Public 
Health Programme  Anti-Rabies Programme  
Animal Vaccination Programme  
Plant Health Programme  Plant Health Programme  
Agricultural Research and 
Technological Development 
Programme  Research System Restructuring Programme  
Agricultural Research Programme  
MINAGRIF  Strategic and Operational 
Reinforcement Programme  Implementation of the Project Management Programme – PMO 
MINAGRIF's Administrative Modernization and Information Management 
Programme  
Human Resources Management Programme  
National Agricultural Statistics 
Programme  Implementation of the National System of Agricultural Statistics  
Creation of the Database of Agricultural Producers and Entrepreneurs  
Source:  Medium ‑Term Agriculture Sector Development Plan (PDMPSA 2018 22) ; and information 
provided b y the authorities.  
4.23.   The Secretariat did not have access to comprehensive data on the budgetary outlays under 
Angola's agricultural support programmes. The budget outlays earmarked for the Plan for 
Development of Grain Crops (PLANAGRÃO) was reported to be US D 5.7 billion, of which 
USD 3.3 billion will target the financing of projects covering production, transformation, and 
marketing of wheat, rice, soybeans, and maize during the five -year period 2023 -2711, in addition to 
USD 300 million over three years for the Livestock Plan  (PLANAPECUÁRIA), aimed to increase the 
production of beef, pork, poultry, sheep, and goat meat, as well as milk and eggs.12 According to 
the authorities, these programmes aim to contribute to food security and nutritional targets, as wel l 
as to increase incomes for livestock producers and other stakeholders along the meat production 
value chain. The financing of both programmes are set to start once technical studies for defining 
the criteria are completed.  
4.24.   Furthermore, t he NDP and the 20 19 National Budget provide for specific agricultural 
programme s by Angola : the Agricultural Production Development Programme  (USD 192 million) ; 
the Animal Production Programme  (USD 37.3 million ); the Improving Food Safety  Programme; the 
Programme for Pr omotion of the Exploration and Sustainable Management of Forest Resources ; and 
PRODESI (USD  89 million ).13 
4.25.   Other types of support in addition to the ones listed in PDMPSA 2018 -22 were also provided 
under the national irrigation plan (PLANO IRRIGA)14; the programme for the purchase of agricultural 
products (PAPAGRO) aimed to cut post -harvest losses (currently reaching up to 50% of the 
agricultural output); and the programme to promote the poultry family farming . 
4.26.   In June  2020, Angola introduced the Integrated Plan for the Acceleration of Family Agriculture 
and Fisheries (PIAAPF) with specific production output goals for cereals, roots and tubers, vegetables 
and oilseeds, fruits, horticultural, coffee, meat, egg, honey,  and wax. 
 
11 African Union  (2023),  Angola : Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compact . Viewed  at: 
https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/angola -country -food-and-agriculture -delivery -compact . PLANAGRÃO 
aimed at improving production, productivity, and quality of large -scale farmers of wh eat, rice, soybeans, and 
maize. It is reported that the Government plans to make public funds available via guarantees and blended 
financial instruments by the Development Bank of Angola.  
12 African Union (2023), Angola: Country Food and Agriculture Deliver y Compact . Viewed  at: 
https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/angola -country -food-and-agriculture -delivery -compact . The National Pan 
for the Promotion and Development of Livestock (PLANAPECUÁRIA) aims to meet national meat consumption 
needs and incr ease producers' income in 2023 -25. 
13 For the Improving Food Safety Programme and the Programme for Promotion of the Exploration and 
Sustainable Management of Forest Resources , the amount allocated t o these programmes could not be 
obtained. All the programm es are implemented by MINAGRIF under the coordination of the MEP, except  for 
PRODESI, which is directly implemented by MEP.  
14 This Plan has the objective of rehabilitat ing and moderniz ing irrigation infrastructure throughout 
Angola . The management of the i rrigation infrastructure will be carried out by mixed capital companies: SOPIR, 
SODEMAT, SOGANJELAS, and Caxito Rega.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.27.   Other government investment plan s in the agricultural sector include the Cunene 
Water  Channel for Agricultural Exploitation, envisaging the construction of over 150  km of channels 
for agriculture and livestock and also to address drought is sues. 
4.28.   Legislation provides for f uel used in farming activities to be sold at subsidized prices , but 
according to the authorities, this measure is not being applied pending the update of the registry of 
eligible farmers15 (Section  3.3.1) . 
4.29.   According to the W orld Bank, Angola allocated US D 1.3 billion  annual ly in 2018 and 2019 as 
total support estimate (TSE) to its agricultur al sector .16 This amount represent ed 1.5% of Angola's  
total GDP, and was equivalent to 28.5% of its agriculture GDP. However, the World Bank notes that 
only 6% of the TSE was towards general services, compared with 94% provided in the form of 
producer support, mainly as market price support schemes. Producer support amounted to around 
46% of farmers ' receipts, shielding local producers from international market prices and resulting in 
an additional cost of around 8% to Angolan consumers.17 
4.30.   The World Bank's agricultural support review also highlighted that Angolan's ma ize and bean 
farmers received an equivalent to USD  258 and USD  126 per hectare, respectively , while banana 
producers received USD  45 per hectare. These differences, according to the World Bank, likely  had 
an impact on farmers' decisions, hence distorting t he market and reducing 
producers'  competitiveness.18 
4.31.   The review also noted that the already low share of the national budget assigned to agriculture 
(just 1% on average from 2010 -14), fell to 0.6% from 2015 –2019. However, as a result of the 
implementation of PRODESI, budget allocation to agriculture went up to 1.9% in 2020 and  2021.  
The Support to General Services for Agriculture (GSSE) , such as agricultural  innovation (R&D and 
education), animal/plant health services, marketing and promotion, rural  infrast ructure, and public 
stockholding represented only 1.2 % of agricultural GDP  (much lower when compared to developing 
countries' average of 2.7%, and regional average of 2.3%). In 2018, GSSE reached USD  25 million 
in disbursement by the Government ( 54% to agr icultural infrastructure and maintenance, such as 
irrigation infrastructure, agro -meteorology,  mechanization for land preparation, and support for 
adapted research ; 42% to agricultural knowledge and innovation systems , and 4.2% to marketing 
and promotion ). 
4.32.   The World Bank suggests moving away from agriculture input subsidies towards safety net 
programmes, such as direct support to vulnerable households, direct support to farmers through 
incentives for technology adoption (via cre dit programmes), as well as increased public investments 
in public goods and services, especially in rural areas.19 
4.1.3   Forestry  
4.33.   Angola  has approximately 53  million  hectares of natural forests and estimated wood reserves 
of between 26  million  m3 and 57  million  m3. For the annual timber and wood production quota 
in 2022 (230 ,000 m3), licences were granted for production reaching a volume of 185 ,000 m3. About 
80% of the population depend s on biomass for water heating, cooking , and lighting . Angola has 
about 128,0 00 hectares of planted forest.  
 
15 Presidential Decree No. 84/19 of 21  March  2019. 
16 TSE is based on OECD's methodology summing up the annual monetary value of all gross t ransfers 
from taxpayers and consumers, comprising public policy measures and budgetary expenses regardless of their 
impact on farm production, producers' income , or consumption of agricultural products.  
17 The figures from the World Bank were referred to in  this Report as a complementary source of 
information due to the lack of other official information from Angola, including the absence of agriculture 
notification on domestic support to the WTO. The support amount and estimations were obtained from 
World  Bank (2021) , Angola : Agriculture Support Policy Review – Realigning Agriculture Support Policies and 
Programmes . Angola's TSE averages are much higher than developing countries averages  (8.3%), but below 
OECD  member countries' averages (40.2%).  
18 World Bank  (2021) , Angola : Agriculture Support Policy Review – Realigning Agriculture Support 
Policies and Programmes .  
19 World Bank  (2021) , Angola : Agriculture Support Policy Review – Realigning Agriculture Support 
Policies and Programmes .  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.34.   Exports of wood (HS  44) peaked in 2018 when they reached just over USD  150 million, before 
decreasing to around USD  50 million  in 2021 and 2022 (Table  4.2). The main destinations for wood 
exports are China, Viet  Nam, Portugal , and South  Africa.  
Table  4.2 Trade on wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal (HS  44), 2015 -22 
(USD million ; unless otherwise indicated)  
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Trade balance  -48.1 39.4 61.9 128.2  7.1 19.5 27.6 22.3 
Exports  13.4 64.6 90.6 151.6  29.7 34.4 49.7 50.1 
% of total exports  0.0 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 
of which:           
HS 4413 Densified wood, in blocks, 
plates, strips or profile shapes  0.0 0.0 0.1 6.0 11.1 14.8 49.2 49.6 
Imports  61.5 25.3 28.7 23.3 22.6 14.8 22.0 27.8 
% of total imports  0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
4.35.   In 2017, Angola adopted legislation on forestry and fauna (Law No.  6/17) containing detailed 
objectives and requirements for the exploitation of forestry products and including sustainable 
management practices. The Law is regulated by Presidential Decree No.  171/18. 
4.36.   The Forestry Development Institute (IDF) is responsible f or granting licen ces under the annual 
quota limits.  
4.37.   The NDP foresees a number of actions to create economic opportunities on sustainable 
forestry activities . It targets to increase roundwood and sawn wood production s by 112% in 2022 
as compared to 2017 , and to increase exports by 116%.  
4.1.4   Fisheries  
4.38.   Angola has a continental coastline of 1,600  km and 50,857 km2 of shelf area, providing it with 
a rich aquatic resource and the potential to diversify its economy with more outputs from the 
blue economy and aquaculture.  This would also enable Angola to create further employment 
opportunities and boost food security . 
4.39.   The share of the fisheries sector in Angola 's total GDP increased from  3.5% in 2015  to 4.9% 
in 2022. It is estimated that a round 60 ,000 pe ople are  engaged in fisheries activities  (40,00 0 in the 
marine sector and 20,000 in the  inland sector ). Fisheries production was around  409,000 tonnes 
in 2019, with just 23,500 tonnes from inland waters . Around 80% of the fisheries production was 
sold to the domestic market . Aquaculture  accounted for just 1,900 tonnes in 2019 , mainly of tilapia 
and catfish.20 
4.40.   Industrial and semi -industrial sectors account for slightly more than 50% of total marine 
catches, with the remainder coming from artisanal fisheries , which has increased significantly in 
recent years.  Industrial fisheries catch es are  mainly pelagic fish ( e.g. horse mackerel, sardinella, 
and tuna), shrimp, deep sea red crab, lobster, and  a variety of demersal fish.21 
4.41.   The value of i mports was more than double the value of export s in 2018 (USD  198 million 
imports versus USD  81 million  of exports), making Angola a net fish importer.  In recent years, 
increased imports of horse mackerel, as well as of salted dried cod from  Portugal, and tilapia fillets 
from China have been registered.22 
4.42.   Fish exports essentially consist ed of high -end shrimp, crab , and tuna to the European  Union 
(particularly, Spain and Portugal) and Japan.  Accordi ng to the authorities, export of horse mackerel 
is currently prohibited to meet domestic demand. Exports of sardinella are allowed only for those 
catches in excess of domestic demand due to food security concerns.  
 
20 FAO (2022),  Fishery and Aquaculture Profile : Angola . Viewed  at: 
https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/facp/ago . 
21 FAO (2022),  Fishery and Aquaculture Profile: Angola . 
22 FAO (2022),  Fishery and Aquaculture Profile: Angola .  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.43.   According to UNCTAD, Angola lacks data on its fish stocks and the capacity to control fishing 
activities. Also, the fishing and aquaculture sectors are mainly informal with over 90% of the jobs  
held by small -scale and artisanal fishing. Basic infrastructure , such as cold -storage facilities , is 
reported to be insufficient, resulting in high post -fishing  losses. Quality control laboratories and 
further research facilities are also lacking .23 
4.44.   According to FAO, marine fishery in Angola is carried out mainly by foreign vessels from  China, 
Japan, the Republic  of Korea , Nigeria, Russia n Federation , Spain, and Namibia. These vessels are 
either leased or operate in joint venture s with Angolan companies , with exception to tuna fishing 
vessels . Fishing is also done by wholly  owned Angolan vessels independently. A ban on fishing by 
wholly owned foreign vessels in Angolan waters continues to be in force .24 
4.45.   It is reported that companies from Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Russian  Federation , 
the Republic of Korea, Chinese  Taipei , and Italy are a ctive in the fisheries sector in Angola.25 One 
wholly  owned foreign company from Portugal processes cod fish in Angola . 
4.46.   The main agencies responsible for the sector are the Ministry of Fisheries  and Marine 
Resources , the National Directorate of Fisheries ( DNP),  the National Directorate of Maritime Affairs 
(DNAM), the National Directorate of Aquaculture (DNA), the National Directorate of Quality 
Management and Salt Production (DNGQPS), the Institute for the Development of Artisanal Fisheries 
and Aquaculture (IPA), the Institute for Fisheries Research and Marine Resources (INIPEM), the 
Institute for Support to the Fishing Industry (INAIP), and the Fund to Support the Development of 
the Fishing Industry and Aquaculture (FADEPA).  
4.47.   The legal basis for fisheries in  Angola  remains  the Fisheries Law No.  6-A/04 of 8  October  2004 
and subsequent regulations , establishing a fisheries management regime based on a n annual  total 
authorized  catch (TAC)  through  licences/quota s. Those are reviewed periodically  according to  stock 
assessment findings and estimates of the fleet's economic performance.  
4.48.   The NDP sets fish, shellfish, and crustaceans and by -products, including fishmeal and fish oil , 
as priorit y sectors for economic development .26 The Plan targeted an annual volume increase  of 
catches from industrial and semi -industrial fisheries by 3.6% in 2022 as compared to  2017. 
According to the authorities, this target was achieved, with an 8% increase in catches during 
this period.  
4.49.   A five -year Fisheries and Aquacu lture Management Plan (POPA)  for the period 2018 -22 was 
adopted via the Presiden tial Decree  No. 29/19. The Plan  seeks to enhance the sector 's contribution 
to fight hunger  and poverty ; foster social and economic development ; ensure the sustainab le 
exploitat ion of marine resources ; support and promote entrepreneurship, efficiency , and 
competitiveness in the  sector; and minimiz e losses and target investments.27 
4.50.   Under Law No.  6-A/04, fishing rights may be held by national or foreign persons that meet 
the requirements set out in the Law and the regulations, subject to several limitations and the overall 
principle that  Angolan persons have preference in the allocation of fishing rights. Regarding 
commercial fishing rights, these are granted to natural or leg al persons with the necessary technical 
capacity.  Artisanal fishing rights are only granted to Angolan nationals, as are fishing rights in 
territorial and continental waters, which may also be granted to SADC natural or legal subject to 
reciprocity. Fishin g rights at sea beyond 12 nautical miles can only be granted to foreign natural or 
legal persons who are in association with Angolan persons. The crew of fishing vessels operating in 
 
23 UNCTAD  (2023), "An gola Casts Net Wider to Scale Up Fish Exports ", 26 May. Viewed  at: 
https://unctad.org/news/angola -casts-net-wider -scale-fish-
exports#:~:text=The%20fisheries%20sector%20accounted%20for,artisanal%20fish%20processing%20and%
20marketing . According to the authorities, cold storage and conservation facilities exist, as well as quality 
control laboratories, located at the National Institute for Fisheries and Marine Research (INIPEM) and at the 
Fisheries Research Centres (CIP) in th e Provinces of Benguela and Namibe.  
24 FAO (2022),  Fishery and Aquaculture Profile: Angola .   
25 US International Trade Administration (ITA)  (2019),  Angola – Marine Technology (Fisheries and Sea 
Ports) . Viewed  at: https://www.trade.gov/country -commercial -guides/angola -marine -technology -fisheries -and-
sea-ports. 
26 According t o the authorities, fish that are suitable for human consumption cannot be used for the 
production of fishmeal nor fish oil, only their wastes , based on Presidential Decree No.  8/23. 
27 FAO (2022),  Fishery and Aquaculture Profile: Angola .  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Angolan waters cannot be composed of more than 25% foreign personnel (in terms of both the total 
number and for each personnel category), except for oceanic tuna fishing vessels.28 
4.51.   A support programme for the sector, PLANAPESCAS , was established with the objectives of 
increasing the regular supply of fish, ensur ing food safety,  promot ing competitiveness and 
productivity in the sector, ensur ing a sustainable management of living aquatic resources and 
production methods, and promot ing corporate social responsibility in protecting fishing communities. 
A total of USD  300 million ove r a five -year period has been allocated to PLANAPESCAS , according to 
the authorities.  
4.52.   In June 2020, Angola introduced an Integrated Plan for the Acceleration of Family Agriculture 
and Fisheries (PIAAPF) with goals to increase for fisheries from small -scale sea fishing in over 
95,000  tonnes annually from 2020 to 2022, aquaculture production by around 1,000  tonnes each 
year, and fisheries from small -scale inland fishing in 25,000 tonnes for the same period.  
4.53.   Artisanal fish ers are granted a monthly voucher of A OA 140,000 per vessel with a small engine 
to compensate for the increase of fuel prices as a result of the gradual elimination of fuel subsidies 
by the Government. No information on the number of fishers  entitled to receive the vouchers, nor 
the total amou nt of disbursements given had been obtained29 (Section  3.3.1) . 
4.54.   Since 2016, a single on line regist ry portal has been  created to register and issue licen ces to 
all players engaged in the fisheries sector in Angola, as well as to issue import and export 
authorizations.30 The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is also connected to the Electronic 
Public Services Portal  (SEPE) where import licen ces are obtained.  
4.55.   Four state-owned companies are reported to exist in Angola: Peskwanza , Pescangola , 
Edipes ca-Luanda , and Edipesca -Namibe.  No information on the disbursements to those companies 
had been obtained.31 
4.56.   The Government is combating illicit, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including by 
operating 15 patrol vessels purchased from China and France32, and another two  vessels funded by 
the Dutch government. Regionally, Angola collaborates with Namibia and South  Africa to protect and 
monitor fishing under the SADC programme.33 
4.57.   As of August  2023, Angola had not yet ratified the WTO  Agreement  on Fisheries Subsidies, 
adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) on 17  June 2022.  According to the authorities, 
ratification was expected for the first  half of 2024.  
4.2  Mining and energy  
4.2.1   Oil and gas products  
4.58.   The oil sector remains the  main pillar of the Angolan economy, contribut ing about 30% of 
GDP, providing more than 58% of the G overnment 's revenue, and accounting for over  90% of 
Angola's exports.  
4.59.   Angola is a  Member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Its oil and 
gas res erves are estimated at 9  billion  barrels of proven crude oil and 11  trillion  cubic feet of proven 
natural  gas. 
 
28 Presidential Dec ree No.  41/05, Article  106.  
29 Presidential Decree No. 84/19 of 21  March  2019. 
30 As of November  2023, the portal ( https://www.pescas.gov.ao ) was unavailable due to an update.  
31 Instituto de Gestão de Activos e Participações do Estado (IGAPE)  (2023),  Relatório Agregado Sector 
Empresarial Público 2022 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/njm1/~edisp/minfin3635464.pdf
. 
32 African Association of Entrepreneurs (2022), " Exploring the Non -Oil Economy of Angola: Fisheries ", 
4 April. Viewed  at: https://aaeafrica.org/angola/exploring -the-non-oil-economy -of-angola -fisheries/ . 
33 US International Trade Administration (ITA)  (2019),  Angola – Marine Technology (Fisheries and 
Sea Ports) .  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.60.   Angola's oil production output is around 1.16  million  barrels per day (bpd) , having overtaken 
Nigeria in May  2022 (1.02  million  bpd) and becoming the largest oil producer in sub -Saharan 
Africa .34 The production of liquified natural gas  (LNG) and liquids (liquified petroleum gas – LPG and 
compressed) stands at  134.81  million bpd (Tables 4.3 and 4.4).  
4.61.   For LNG, reserves are estimated at 31 0 billion  cubic meters, the 6th largest in the continent. 
Production is around 5,000 ktoe and most of it is exported (Tables  4.3 and 4.4). A plant  in the north 
of Angola , in Soyo, operated by Sonangol, Chevron, Total, BP, and Eni halted its operations in 2015 
but resumed in 2017, producing 5.2  million  tonnes per year. The Government plans to have the 
domestic LNG production supplying 25% of Angola's energy needs by 2025. Currently, gas exports 
go to Brazil, China, the  Republic  of Korea, and  France.  
4.62.   Regarding crude oil production, some of the m ajor international oil companies producing in 
Angola and their respective market shares are  Total (41%), Chevron  (26%) , ExxonMobil  (19%) , and 
BP (13%) . Other companies include Eni, Equinor, and Sonangol E &P.35 
Table  4.3 Exports of oil and gas, 2015 -22 
 2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Crude oil 
(in USD  million)  31,394  25,577  31,065  36,539  31,396  18,297  27,860  40,273  
Volume  
(in million  barrel)  628 611 576 518 481 446 394 396 
Price (US D/barrel)  50 42 54 71 65 41 71 102 
Refined oil 
(USD million)  386 331 477 433 462 256 365 745 
Volume  
(in metric tonnes) 1,262  1,226  1,304  914 1,030  875 693 1,016  
Price 
(USD/metric tonne) 306 270 366 474 449 293 526 733 
Gas (USD million)  116 458 1,770  2,436  1,507  1,032  3,614  6,472  
Volume  
(in million  barrel)  4 19 45 49 50 47 40 40 
Price 
(USD/barrel)  29 24 39 50 30 22 91 164 
Source:  Banco Nacional de Angola, Statistics. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/#/en . 
Table  4.4 Imports of oil and gas, 2015 -22 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
USD million  
Crude oil (HS  2709)  0.019  0.040  0.023  0.001  0.018  0.003  0.004  0.019  
Petroleum oils, other than crude 
(HS 2710)  1,261.1  1,525.6  1,629.3  2,368.7  1,956.7  916.0  1,862.9  3,911.1  
Petroleum gases and other 
gaseous hydrocarbons  
(HS 2711)  106.4  39.7 1.7 1.0 1.0 0.8 11.5 42.9 
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) 
(HS 271111)  0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 
% of total imports  
Crude oil (HS  2709)  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Petroleum oils, other than crude 
(HS 2710)  5.9 10.6 10.5 14.8 14.0 9.8 16.4 22.0 
Petroleum gases and other 
gaseous hydrocarbons 
(HS 2711)  0.5 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) 
(HS 271111)  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  According to the authorities, Angola 
did not import crude oil during the period 2015 -22. 
4.63.   According to the  National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (Agência Nacional de 
Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis (ANPG )), 35 oil production blocks were tendered  between 2019 and 
 
34 US International Trade Administration (ITA)  (2022), Angola – Oil and Gas . Viewed  at: 
https://www.trade.gov/country -commercial -guides/angola -oil-and-gas. 
35 US International Trade Administration (ITA)  (2022), Angola – Oil and Ga s.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  2023 on the Congo, Namibe, Benguela, Etosha, Okavango , and Kassange basins , including offshore, 
ultra-deep-waters, and onshore explorations .36 
4.64.   The refining capacity of crude oil remains low. Only two refineries exist in the country, making 
Angola heavily dependent on imported refined oil, reaching around 80% of the domestic 
consumption and amounting to over USD 2 billion  every year . 
4.65.   Currently, th e oil refinery in Luanda, run by the state-owned Sonangol  Refinarias (SONAREF) 
and Eni (Italy), has an installed capacity of 65,000 bpd, and the refinery in Cabinda operated by 
Chevron (United  States) has a capacity of 16,000 bpd. New refinery projects are  in the pipeline and 
the Government aims to attract investments via public -private partnerships (PPPs). The goal is to 
increase gasoline production from the current 280 tonnes to about 1,100 tonnes per day (Table  4.3). 
4.66.   Sonangol  (Sociedade  Nacional de Combu stíveis de Angola ) is the national oil company , 
carrying out activities in  prospection, exploration, production, processing  (liquefaction) , transport , 
distribution,  and marketing of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in Angola , as well as air transport to 
support the oil and mining sector , telecommunications , professional qualification , management of 
financial and real estate investments , medical services , promotion and development of industrial 
projects , and integrated logistics services . 
4.67.   In 2020, Sonangol  underwent a r estructuring program me, which resulted in an organizational 
structure  composed of five business units in the oil and natural gas value chain , with one b usiness 
unit dedicated to gas and renewable energy. Sonangol  Holdings owns companies in many non -core 
businesses.  
4.68.   Sonangol  currently has 909 gas stations as part of  its distribution chain in Angola , of which 
404 have their own brand. In May  2018, the National Assembly adopted Law No.  7/18, empowering 
the Executive to legislate and define the most appropriate legal system applicable for additional 
prospection activities in oil fields that have been given for concession during the ir production period.  
4.69.   The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas  (MIREMPET ) is responsible for formulating, 
implementing , controlling , and monitoring the laws and regulations  regarding geological and mineral 
activities, oil, gas , and biofuels . MIREMPET covers the entire produ ction chain from p rospecting, 
exploration, development , production, refining, storage, distribution , and marketing of oil, gas, 
petrochemicals, and minera ls. For oil and gas, the Ministry's functions are implemented by the State 
Secretary for Oil and Gas ; the National Directorate of Oil, Gas and Biofuels ; and the National 
Directorate of Training and Local Content . During the period under review, Angola introduced 
amendments, contained in Law No.  5/19, to its Law on Oil Activities.  
4.70.   The National Agency for Pe troleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) was created in February  2019 
through Presidential Decree No.  49/19 in order to ensure greater political coordination and eliminate 
conflicts of interest, support transparency and effectiveness of processes, and create conditions that 
are conducive to internal and external investments. The Agency is responsible for regulating, 
supervising, and promoting the exploration and production  of oil, gas and biofuels , including the 
concession of hydrocarbon blocks for onshore and offshore prospection and exploration, which used 
to be carried out by Sonangol  E.P. In particular , ANPG implements initiatives for managing oil and 
natural gas contracts  and implements the State's public policies in accordance with best international 
practices . In addition, it  monitors technical and technological development for the purpose s of 
legislati ve adjustment , promotes investments in the sector by disseminating technical data , and 
ensures the promotion of specialized training for staff, in close collaboration with public and private 
services. ANPG is also mandated to forward complaints from compet itors, service providers, and the 
public in general to the competent bodies.  
4.71.   The Regulatory Institute for Petroleum Derivatives (IRDP) was established in 2018. Its role is 
to regulate downstream petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, mineral and 
synthetic lubricant oils and greases ; monitor  the import ation of  refined hydrocarbons ; supervise the 
prices  to consumers ; ensure quality and standards controls and the set up of laboratory tests ; 
 
36 Presidential Decree No.  52/19. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  oversee commercial relationships between the sta keholders; and update its regulations in line with 
international good practices and recommendations .37 
4.72.   Another significant policy change in the sector was introduced by Presidential 
Decree  No. 282/20 , which approv ed Angola 's Hydrocarbon Exploration Strateg y 2020 -25 aimed to 
ensure the (i) availability and accessibility to Angola's sedimentary basin areas for research and 
evaluation activities; (ii)  expansion of geological knowledge and access to oil and natural gas 
resources; (iii)  implementation of the gen eral strategy for awarding oil concessions; and 
(iv) expansion  of research and evaluation of areas under c oncession and free areas in all sedimentary 
basins . 
4.73.   In June  2022, Angola joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative , which seeks to  
increase transparency in the oil, gas, and mineral sectors.38 
4.74.   In March  2011, Angola set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund (FSDEA) financed by Sonangol  
receipts from the sale of 100,000 barrels of crude per day; the Fund also had an initial capital 
equivalent to the value of 36.5  million  barrels of oil at the selling price obtained by Sonangol  in 2010. 
The FSDEA  reports to the President of Angola  and is an autonomous body charged with promoting, 
developing , and supporting projects, particularly infrastructure projects, in the energy and water 
sectors. The FSDEA enjoys operational freedom when it comes to choosing the means of achieving 
its goals and is ex empt from all duties, taxes , and charges (except for customs service fees).39 
4.2.1.1   Local content regime  and contracting procedures in the sector  
4.75.   Based on the objectives established in the NDP (2018 -22), the Executive adopted legislation 
on local content via Pre sidential Decree No.  271/20.40 The goal of the Decree is to promote and 
boost the supply chain of goods produced and services provided in Angola, achiev e economic 
diversification, foster the participation of local businesses in the oil sector, increas e domestic 
production , reduc e imports of goods for the sector, creat e employment for Angolans , and pursue 
the qualification of the national workforce.  
4.76.   The new Decree establishes a requirement to include a local content clause in all procurement 
contracts of goo ds and services by oil companies operating in the country. Under the Decree, 
procurement must be done under three regimes: (i)  Exclusivity – consisting of an obligation to 
acquire goods and services from companies that are deemed 100% Angolan companies (So ciedades 
Comerciais Angolanas) as listed on ANPG database; (ii)  Preferential – consisting of an obligation for 
companies in the oil sector to acquire goods and services from companies incorporated according to 
Angola's law (Sociedades Comerciais de Direito  Angolano); and (iii)  Free competition – consisting of 
an authorization to contract goods and services that are not included in the exclusivity and 
preferential lists. The lists of the good and services falling under each of these regimes are published 
on ANPG's website.41 
4.77.   An annual local content plan must be submitted by oil companies to ANPG.  Failure to do so is 
subject to fine s as per the regulation . The procurement process under the local content regulation 
is detailed in Box 4.3.  
 
37 Statute in Presidential Decree No.  133/18 and Internal Regulations in the Executive 
Decree  No. 51/19.  
38 For further information , see EITI, Race to Renewables . Viewed  at: https://eiti.org/ . 
39 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. More information at  Fundo Soberano de 
Angola : https://fundosoberano.ao/ . 
40 It revoked the Ministerial Order No.  127/03. 
41 ANPG, Conteúdo Local: Lista de Bens e Serviços. Viewed  at: https://anpg.co.ao/conteudo -local-lista-
de-bens-e-servicos/ . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Box 4.3 Local content process  
The contracting procedures for all players in the oil and gas sector as established in the Presid ential 
Decree  No. 86/18, determine the conditions for public tendering regime or direct negotiation with technical 
and financial reviews by ANPG.  
The process comprises42: 
i. Services and good providers must register on line and obtain a certificate in order to participate in  
tenders  published by contracting entities;  
ii. The contracting entities submit a public tender for their petroleum operations;  
iii. The tender  is announced on newspapers in Angola and other appropriate channels, including the 
conditions of participation;  
iv. Candidates' proposals must be submitted in a closed and sealed envelope within a maximum period of 
120 days, as indicated in the tender notice;  
v. The contractor has 12 weeks to analy ze the offers and submit the list  of competitors to the National 
Concessionaire for evaluation;  
vi. ANPG, as the National Concessionaire, must formally issue an opinion regarding the list of competitors 
within a maximum period of 15 days from receipt of the documents;  
vii. Lastly, the contractor w ill announce the final result and the winner of the competition.  
Source:  ANPG. Viewed  at: https://anpg.co.ao/conteudo -local/ . 
4.78.   Regarding employment  requirements , oil compan ies must file a human resources 
development plan annually. Whenever there are no qualified Angolan nationals for specific job 
positions, oil companies can then request authorization to the Government to hire foreigners . 
4.2.1.2   Special investment regime  
4.79.   Petroleum activities in Angola are governed by a special investment regime.  
4.80.   Oil deposits continue to be the inalienable public property of the State. Following the adoption 
of Law No.  5/19 amending the Law on Oil Activities, ANPG replaced Sonangol  as the State's sole 
"concessionaire", responsible for overseeing and regulating oil and gas activities, including the 
allocation of concessions . Prospecting licences are issued by the MIREMPET, which also defines 
concession areas by Executive Decree. Prospecting licences and concessions are granted for three -
year periods which may, exceptionally, be extended.  
4.81.   As a result of the amendments, Sonangol  enjoys "preference rights" (or right of first refusal) 
vis-à-vis other oil companies to acquire at least a 20% stake in new oil concessions and be 
designated as the operator, provided that it meets internationally recognized technical and financial 
requirements. Sonangol  has equivalent preference rights whenever the production period of an oil 
field that is nearing the e nd of its production period is extended.43 
4.82.   There have been no major changes to the tax regime applicable to the oil sector since 
Angola's  previous Review. The regime, which is described in detail in the 2015 Secretariat report, is 
defined by Law No.  10/04 of 12  November  2004 on petroleum activities, Law  No. 13/04 of 
24 December  2004 on the taxation of petroleum activities, Law  No. 11/04 establishing the customs 
regime for petroleum activities, Presidential Legislative Decree  No. 3/12 of  16 March  2012, and 
Decree -Law No.  17/09 of 26  June 2009 on the contribution towards the training of Angolan staff.44 
4.83.   Companies in the oil sector are exempt from payment of customs duties and consumption 
tax, and benefit fro m a reduced rate of general customs service fees set at 0.1% of customs value.  
4.84.   Aiming at boosting investments and maximiz ing the industrialization natural gas in Angola, 
the National Assembly adopted Law No.  8/18, in May  2018, empowering the Executive to legislate 
to define the most appropriate legal and  fiscal systems for the exploration of natural gas. Specifically, 
the law lists exemption of the "petroleum transaction tax"; reduction to the "petroleum revenue tax"  
to 25%; reduction on the "petroleum production tax " to 5%; same fiscal treatment to liqui fied 
by-products from natural gas; possibility to deduct all costs from gas production on the "crude  oil 
 
42 ANPG . Viewed  at: https://anpg.co.ao/conteudo -local/ . 
43 Law No.  5/19 of 18  April 2019, Articles 16 and 44 . 
44 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  revenue tax", as well as research costs; and any other tax benefit as justified by the economic 
context.  
4.2.2   Mining  
4.85.   The mining sector is a priority in the Government's strategy to reduce dependenc y on oil , as 
in the past Angola produc ed considerable amounts and export ed iron ore, gold,  copper , and other 
minerals . Vast mineral deposits are reported to exist and o nly about 40% of the country 's mineral 
resources  has been  explored  to date. Thus, both the Government and private sector are seeking to 
streamline the regulatory framework, facilitate trade, and promote value chain investments to boost  
the mining sector in Angola . 
4.86.   Diamond exploration and  produc tion account for about 90% of total mining revenues . 
Angola's  total mineral output s per product in 2021 are found in Table  4.5. 
Table  4.5 Minerals production, 2021  
Product  Unit 2021  
Diamonds  Carats (million)  8,723  
Lapidated diamonds  Carats  5,292  
Gold Ounces ( '000) 1.37 
Ornamental rocks  m3 ('000) 83.34 
Dolomitic limestone  m3 ('000) 15.75 
Iron ore  Tonnes ( '000) 157.83 
Manganese  Tonnes ( '000) 47.00 
Source:  Presentation at VIII Consultative Council by the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas.  Viewed 
at: https://mirempet.gov.ao/fotos/frontend_11/gov_documentos/pds_2023 -
2027_908751538645e3 f0f8cd55.pdf   
4.87.   The mining sector accounts for around 4% of Angola's total exports.  
4.88.   The general legal framework, the Mining Code (Law N o. 31/11), has remained unchanged 
since the previous Review . 
4.89.   The institutional framework comprises the MIREMPET  and the recently created National 
Mineral Resources Agency (ANRM)  (Presidential Decree  No. 161/20) with the responsibility to 
regulate the sector, includ ing on export and import aspects, and assist in the adoption and 
monitoring of sustainable  mining practices . Moreover, the Angola Geological Institute  holds the 
function of c ollectin g and manag ing geological information . 
4.90.   The ANRM  took over the functions of  Ferrangol E.P.  and also absorbed the  competence of 
National Concessionaire from the state-owned National Diamond Company ( ENDIAMA) , which now 
focuses on its activities as a mining operator , and of the state-owned National Compan y for the 
Trading of Diamonds of Angola  (SODIAM ) that now focus es on strategic diamond trading . Angola's 
Government plans to privati ze its shares in ENDIAMA under the privatization programme (PROPRIV).  
4.91.   The Government is currently pursuing the creation of t he Saurimo Diamond Development Hub 
and the Diamond Stock Exchange.  
4.92.   A National Geology Plan (PLANAGEO)  defines Angola's priorities and capabilities to produce 
critical minerals , which are essential inputs for renewable energy and clean technology applicatio ns, 
ranging from more advanced batteries  to semiconductor materials. The Plan includes the production 
in Angola of lithium, iron ore, nickel, lead, cobalt, copper , and rare earth s, as well as the  production 
of neodymium and praseodymium used in electric ve hicle batteries.  The PLANAGEO was launched 
in 2013, and the findings were presented by Angola's Geological Institute (IGEO) in August  2023.45 
4.93.   The Sectoral Development Plan for m ineral resources, oil, and gas (PDS 2023 -27) includes 
the Program me for the Development and Modernization of Geological Mining Activities to support  
production and enhance the downstream value chain  for diamond, precious stones, ornamental 
stones, ferrous metals , and non-metallic mineral resources use d in agriculture  (phosphates, 
 
45 MIREMPET  (2023), "IGEO Apresenta Resultados do PLANAGEO ", 2 August . Viewed at: 
https://mirempet.gov.ao/ao/noticias/i geo-apresenta -resultados -do-planageo/ . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  potassium minerals , and dolomitic limestone ). The Plan also foresees to i ncrease diamond cutting 
capacity and to i mplement the Integrated Management Information System for Angola's Mineral 
Resources in order to automati ze the mining licensing and registration  process es. 
4.94.   The foreign companies that have obtained prospecting licen ces in Angola  include Atabamaik  
for copper ; Chinese General Mining  for rare earth ; and Vig Worl d, in partnership with Spanish 
company Tolsa, for lithium.  Companies already op erating include AngloAmerican, Alrosa, Rio Tinto, 
Ivanhoe , De Beers, Tyranna Resources , and Pensana .46 
4.95.   A public tender for mining rights took place in August  2019 for five mining concessions  (two for 
diamond  productions, one for iron ore, and two for phosphates ). For gold, Angola has licensed 
38 gold mining projects, of which 7 are in production and 31 are in the  prospecting phase.  
4.2.2.1   Diamonds  
4.96.   Angola is the fourth -largest producer of diamond s in the world , having produced some 
8.7 million  carats in 2021 . In 2022, diamond mining  production amounted to USD  2 billion and 
corresponded to less than 4% of the country's total exports.  
4.97.   The Government aims to reap the diamond value chain potential by boosting the 
semi-industrial exploration  and creating  further emp loyment opportunities . 
4.98.   In August  2021, Angola inaugurated the Saurimo Diamond  Development Hub  to enhance  its 
diamond production capacity, as well as to develop the processing and polishing of rough diamond s 
for export.  
4.99.   Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 175/18, c ompanies are no longer obliged to sell their full 
production  via the Government, and they can now sell 60% of their output through their own 
channels  (Diamonds marketing policy , para. 4.1(a)). For the purposes of exports, all raw diamonds 
must be exported via the Single Channel ( Canal Único ) under the supervision of SODIAM . Angola 
remains a party to the Kimberley  process.47 
4.100.   Another legal change was due to Presidential Decree No.  85/19, which approve d the 
Regulation for Semi -Industrial Diamond E xploitation  and the equipment to be used . Among its 
objectives are to formalize small -scale exploitation in order to regulate the entire value chain and 
combat illegal diamonds trading.  
4.101.   The Government is also pursuing the development of cooperative activit ies to evolve from 
semi-industrial exploitation to wards  industrial  operations . The Government is also prioritiz ing 
geological prospecting after the  prepar ation of  technical feasibility studies , as well as ec onomic and 
financial  studies,  and also  environmental impact studies . These are aimed to avoid direct mining  
prospection (i.e.  without prior geological and feasibility studies ). 
4.102.   The state-owned ENDIAMA is one of the main shareholders of Sociedade Mineira de Catoca  
(Catoca),  which produces around 80% of all Angolan diamonds by volume.  
4.2.2.2   Special investment regime  
4.103.   Mining activities are governed by a special investment regime , which is explained in the 
2015 Secretariat report .48 Angolan or foreign individuals and companies wishing to conduct mining 
operations on Angolan territory may apply for mining concession rights in accordance with the 
provisions of the Mining Code and the Private Investment Code (Law  No. 20/11 of 20  May 2011). 
Mining rights for the prospecting and mining  of minerals for civil works  may only be granted to 
 
46 Pensana Rare Earth's Longonjo project on neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) is expected to be 
the first of such exploration in the African continent.  
47 Kimberley Process, KP Participants and Observers: Angola . Viewed  at: 
https://www.kimberleyprocess.com/en/angola . 
48 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Angolan citizens or companies governed by Angolan law and with a maximum of one  third of foreign 
capital. Mining rights for mineral -medicinal  waters  are subject to the same restriction .49 
4.104.   In the case of industrial operations, mining  rights are granted for up to 35 years in principle, 
including the prospec ting and assessment period; at the end of that time, the mine reverts to the 
State. This period may be extended for one or more periods of 10 years, following a duly 
substantiated re quest by the right s holder .50 
4.2.3   Energy  
4.105.   Electricity supply remains a major hurdle for improving the livelihoods of Angolans, and the 
development and diversification of the Angolan economy. Less than half of Angolans have access to 
electricity (36% in 2017 and 42.7% in 2021), with rates in rural areas much lower than the ones in 
urban zones. It is reported that over 80% of users are not metered for their electricity consumption 
resulting in significant losses for operators.  
4.106.   The current installed capacity is estimated at 7.4 GW. Electricity consumption has been rising 
continuously for the past years, and it was expected to have reached 15,730 GWh in 2022. Due to 
production shortages and infrastructure deficiencies, including in the distribution lines, coupled with 
high levels of energy loses (62%, of which 22% are technical and 40% non -technical)51, recourse 
to energy from diesel generators is a regular practice for many households and business owners.  
4.107.   According to the authorities, h ydroelectricity  accounts for  around 60% of the total supply of 
electricity, while fuels correspond to 36% and solar 4%. It is reported that just one  fifth of 
Angola's  potential hydropower capacity is currently being exploited, which makes the market for 
smaller hydropower plants a re al potential once it is structured, liberalized, and regulated by the 
Government.  
4.108.   The national electricity system is formed by three regional systems (North, Central, and 
South), plus the East Region. These systems are partly interconnected (see below). 
Seven substations with installed capacity of over 1,680 megavolt ampere ( MVA) are currently 
operational.  
4.109.   The Ministry of Energy and Water is in charge of the formulation, administration , 
implementation, and control of both energy and water  resource policies through the work of 
two State Secretaries . The Institute for Regulation of the Energy and Water Services ( IRSEA) holds 
the oversight of both areas by regulating technical and economic related matters pursuant to 
Presidential Decree No.  59/16. 
4.110.   The General E lectricity Law  (Law No.  14-A/96) was amended by Law No.  27/15 (adopted 
in December  2015), which restructur ed the sector and established a  legal framework for 
independent power generation , in addition to regulating  power purchase agreements with 
independent  power producers (IPPs), and by determining a feed -in-tariff scheme for energy 
generated through renewable  source s. Hence, electricity production can occur under (i)  general 
regime by the public electricity system (SEP); (ii)  special regime for production through concession 
and licensing; and (iii) production from private companies not bound to the SEP. The Law is 
regulated by Presidential Decree No.  76/21, while independent production of electricity is now 
regulated by Preside ntial Decree No.  43/21.52 The new legislati ve framework on energy enables 
private operators to freely compete in the production  and distribution  in Angola, but maintains a 
restriction for the t ransport  thereof . Since the adoption of the legislation, one pr ivate operator,  
 
49 Law No. 31/11 of 23 September  2011, Articles 332 and 347 . 
50 Mining Code (Law No.  31/11 of 23  September  2011), Article  133. 
51 Competition Regulatory Authority (ARC)  (2023) , Estudo sobre a Concorrência no Setor Elétrico . 
Viewed  at: https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/njgw/~edisp/  
minfin3680437.pdf . According to IGAPE, the commercial losses account for 59% along the supply chain 
(from  PRODEL -RNT-ENDE), while the technical losses amount to 16 .2%, questioning the sustainability of those 
companies. IGAPE  (2023) , Relatório Agregado Sector Empresarial Público 2022 . 
52 Other relevant regulations include Presidential Decrees No.  310/10 (services quality), No.  2/11 
(business relations), No.  3/11 (technical and safety requirements), No.  19/11 (access to infrastructure and 
connectivity), No.  178/20 (tariffs), No.  42/21 (pre -paid consumption for low tension), No.  45/21 (on regulatory 
informa tion); Decrees No.  27/01 (supply of electricity), No.  41/04 (licensing); Executive Decree No.  122/19 
(tariffs); Instructions No.  1/19 and No.  2/19 (on connection to distribution infrastructure).  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Caraculo Photovoltaic Plant (SOLENOVA) , a joint venture owned by Azule Energy and Sonangol E.P. , 
with installed capacity of 25  MW, started the production of solar energy in May  2023. The estimated 
production for the first  year was 59 GWh.  
4.111.   The Government  plans to reduce the amount  of subsidies  to energy sources  in the 
coming  years , seeking to eliminate market distortions and achieve cost -effective tariffs and financial 
sustainability in the supply chain, in addition to creating demand for alt ernative energy  sources . 
In July 2019, electricity subsidies through tariff compensation given to final consumers were 
eliminated, resulting in 97.8% price increase of kWh. According to data from IRSEA, 
subsidies  granted during 2016 -19 were AOA  70.6 billion  (2016), AOA  72.5 billion (2017), 
AOA 78 billion  (2018) , and AOA  44.3 billion  (2019 until July).  
4.112.   The SEP is composed by three public companies that hold prominent roles: the National 
Electricity Production Company (PRODEL), responsible for power ge neration centres; the National 
Electricity Transmission Network (RNT), which manages the operation and transmission network; 
and the National Electricity Distribution Company (ENDE), which handles the commercialization and 
distribution of electricity.53 
4.113.   According to the Competition Regulatory Authority (ARC), in 2021 PRODEL had a production 
market share of 87%, while the remainder was held by NamPower. For the transport of electricity, 
RNT is the sole authorized operator in Angola holding a monopsony positi on for the purchase of 
electricity and monopoly position for the selling to ENDE and other authorized agents. The 
distribution is done uniquely by ENDE, while for commercialization the company had 91%, with the 
other 9% spread across private companies main ly located in Luanda.  
4.114.   The Competition Authority also notes that PRODEL E .P. received in 2021 investment 
subsidies under the Public Investments Programme (PIP) corresponding to AOA  14.8 billion plus 
AOA 100 billion for operational activities. RNT received g overnment subsidies amounting to 
AOA 7.5 billion under the PIP, AOA  5.5 billion  for operational activities, and AOA  2.8 billion  for prices 
subsidies in 2018. While ENDE received AOA  18.3 under the PIP in 2021, AOA  67.5 billion in 
operational activities in 2018 and AOA  50 billion  for price subsidies also in 2018.54 
4.115.   The findings of the Competition Authority (ARC) show that competition issues in the 
electricity sector in Angola reflect two factors: (i)  the legal and regulatory framework; and (ii)  the 
competiti ve structure of the sector. Regarding the regulatory concerns, ARC states that the 
concession regime for the production of electricity enshrined in the General Electricity Law departs 
from a market regime of free competition in both production and commerci alization.  
4.116.   Furthermore, ARC points out that the waiver of public tenders for a public company or a 
company under the effective control of the State undermines competition in the sector, resulting in 
efficiency handicaps, barriers for the entry of new playe rs, monopoly powers, higher prices, lack of 
innovation, and hampers cost reduction efforts ultimately affecting the services provided.  
4.117.   Other asymmetries mentioned by ARC as a result of market structure include the fact that 
PRODEL holds shares in two other  production companies, Hidro -Chicapa (45%) and Luxervisa 
(20%), which can potentially facilitate coordinated actions and harm competition.  
4.118.   The SEP creates natural monopolies, leading to high fixed costs for infrastructure sharing 
and distorting competition . 
4.119.   The National Electric Construction Company -State Economic Unit (ENCEL -UEE) is in charge 
of the assembly of transmission and distribution lines to substations, the assembly of transformer 
 
53 Created by Presidential Decree No.  305/14, their statutory  bodies were appointed by Presidential 
Decrees  No. 60, No. 61, and No. 62/15 and later revised through Presidential Decrees No.  44, No. 45, and 
No. 46/17, respectively.  
54 Competition Regulatory Authority (ARC)  (2023) , Estudo sobre a Concorrência no Setor Elétrico . 
Viewed  at: https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/njgw/~edisp/  
minfin3680437. pdf. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  stations, distribution switchboards, and also the manufacture of va rious electrical equipment.55 
ENCEL -UEE is currently under  the final phase of the privatization process  (PROPRIV) . 
4.120.   Retail prices for consumers vary according to consumption levels and their specific 
categories. For low voltage, industries pay on average AOA  12.82 kW/h, domestic clients 
AOA 6.41 kW/h, domestic clients with low -income AOA  2.46 kW/h; medium voltage (less 
than 30 kV) the  industry pay AOA  9.61 kW/h, commerce and services AOA  11.54 kW/h; and 
high voltage (more than 30 kV) by large indus tries pay AOA  7.31 kW/h. 
4.121.   The transmission infrastructure is composed by  major grid systems ( Northern, Central, and 
Southern)  and isolated grids in the eastern part of Angola . The Northern and Central grids are 
already interconnected.  A plan to connect Angola's Southern grid to the Baynes Dam  in Namibia is 
envisaged, as Angola is a  member of the Southern  African Power Pool.  Fragmentation of the 
transmission and distribution of energy remains a challenge to Angola in order to increase the 
electrification rate  in the country.  
4.122.   The Government Energy 2025 Vision plan envisages to boost the generation of electricity 
capacity and increase distribution to 9.9 GW , in addition to reach an electrification rate of at 
least 60% of the population. According to IRSEA, 51 projects for the expansion, consolidation , and 
optimization of the energy sector under the PIP 2023 are ongoing, totalling AOA  4.7 trillion . 
4.123.   Currently, there is importation of electrical energy from  NAMPOWER of Namibia. Angola does 
not export electricity.  
4.2.3.1   Renewable energy  
4.124.   During the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow  (COP26) , Angola 
committed to having around 70% of its energy source from renewable energy by 2025.  
4.125.   Angola's solar power generation potential is estimated at 7  GW, while wind power estimation 
stands at 4  GW. 
4.126.   The first major solar panels farms were finalized in July  2022 in Benguela province (Biópio 
and Baía Farta, the former with a 144  MW capacity from 5 09,000 solar panels, and the latter with 
a 75.9 MW capacity).56 
4.127.   With regards to biofuels, Eni (Italy) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 
ANPG and Sonangol in October  2021 for the production of biofuels, though the project is still in the 
devel opment stage.  
4.128.   The Government also plans to tap into green hydrogen production. An agreement between 
Sonangol and two German engineering companies (GAUFF and CONJUCTA) for the construction of a 
plant in Barra do Dande (Bengo province) was concluded in 2021.  The objective is to produce green 
ammonia for export to Germany.  
4.129.   A MoU with an Australian fertilizer company (Minbos Resources) was also signed 
in December  2022, envisaging the construction of a plant with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes of green 
ammonia per  year. 
4.130.   Currently, no wind or geothermal production projects exist in Angola.  
4.131.   Renewable energy producers and distributors benefit from a  35% rate cut in corporate 
income tax and 60% cut in capital gains tax for four years. Renewable energy plants also benef it 
 
55 Created by Decree No.  26/82. 
56 A total of seven solar farms are planned to be built, financed by the Swedish Export Credit 
Corporation, a consortium of banks, and national development agencies. The total generation capacity of these 
solar panel farms is expected to 370  MW. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  from reduced rates of property tax.57 Electric vehicles receive a 50% reduction in customs duty and 
a 50% reduction on the motor vehicle tax.  
4.3  Services  
4.3.1   Telecommunications  
4.132.   Angola has more than 24 million  mobile telephone subscribers, 10.1 million  Internet  
users  (30% of the population and mainly through mobile networks  by radio frequency or satellite),  
over 2 million pa id-TV users , and 94,000 fixed telephone line subscribers as per the official data 
for 2022.58 
4.133.   Access to telephone and Internet in Angola remain below world and LDC averages 
(Table  4.6). 
Table  4.6 Telephone and Internet users, 2021  
 Internet 
users  
(% pop.)  Mobilea Fixed 
telephony 
linea Mobile 
broadbanda Fixed 
broadbanda Coverage 
mobile 
network  
(% pop.)  
Worldb 66.3 108 10.8 86.9 17.6 97 
LDCsb 36.1 78.7 0.6 41.9 1.6 92 
Angolac 32.6 44.4 0.3 21.2 0.8 87d 
a Subscribers per 100 inhabitants.  
b In 2022.  
c In 2021.  
d Provided by the authorities.  
Source:  International Telecommunication  Union (ITU)  (2023),  Measuring Digital Development. Facts and 
Figures: Focus on Least Developed Countries , March. Viewed  at: https://www.itu.int/itu -
d/reports/statistics/facts -figures -for-ldc/. 
4.134.   Foreign and domestic investments in recent years have increased coverage  and boosted 
competition , resulting in rapid growth of the number of mobile a nd Internet users in the country 
(Table  4.7).59 
Table  4.7 Growth of telephone and Internet users, 2017 -22 
 2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Mobile users  13,323,952  13,288,421  14,830,154  14,645,050  15,327,864  23,967,173  
Fixed line users  161,070  171,858  124,726  119,164  120,001  93,968  
Mobile Internet  4,354,043  5,820,154  6,740,418  6,637,340  7,325,997  9,349,591  
Fixed Internet  96,919  32,735  109,662  121,314  263,522  739,461  
Pre-paid mobile 
users  13,208,472  13,157,898  14,689,788  14,498,429  15,168,685  23,797,094  
Mobile users with 
plans 115,480  130,523  140,366  146,621  159,179  170,079  
Source:  INACOM data . Viewed  at: https://observatoriotic.gov.ao/dashboard . 
4.135.   Pre-paid mobile subscribers represent almost the entirety of mobile users (99.3%). 
Subscription costs for mobile broadband an d for fixed broadband remain relatively high, 
correspond ing to 12.2%  and 2.7% of the average Gross National Income (GNI) , respectively .60 
3G technology covers more than 80% of the country, while 4G technology  only covers around 13% 
of the territory.  
 
57 Law No. 35/20 of 12  October  2020, Chapter III . 
58 INACOM data. Viewed  at: https://observatoriotic.gov.ao/home . 
59 The rate of m obile users for the entire population  fell from 54% in 2 014 to 46% in 2021 in spite of 
the increase of number of users ; it did not keep pace with population growth.  
60 According to the UN Broadband Commission, 2% of the average GNI is the benchmark on the 
affordability cost for a broadband subscription. Internat ional Telecommunication Union (ITU)  (2023), Measuring 
Digital Development. Facts and Figures: Focus on Least Developed Countries , March. Viewed  at: 
https://www.itu.int/itu -d/reports/statistics/facts -figures -for-ldc/. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
- 92 - 
 
  4.136.   As of September  2023, Angola had three mobile company operators, one more than at the 
time of Angola's previous Review: Movicel (with the State represented by the National Institute of 
Social Security – INSS (25%) ), with the remainder relating to private investment , Unitel 
(50%  directly owned by the State, and the remainder 50% by Sonangol), and the new entrant 
Africell (100% foreign capital, operating in the country since April  2022). Market share as per 
number of subscribers stand s at 69.8% for Unitel , 25% for Africell, and 5.1% for Movicel.  
4.137.   For fixed telephony, there were six providers: ITA, Angola Telecom, INFRASAT, MSTelcom, 
Startel, and TV Cabo. Their market shares for 2022 were TV Cabo (44.8%), MSTelcom (36%), 
Angola  Telcom (17.2%), and Startel (1.9% ). Angola Telecom and MSTelcom both have the Angolan 
State as their shareholder . In the case of  MSTelcom by Sonangol . Angola Telecom is also a 
shareholder  (50%) of TV Cabo . 
4.138.   There were 12 Internet service providers, up from just 5 at the time of Angola's pr evious 
Review: Angola Telecom, INFRASAT, Movicel Telecomunicações S.A ., ZAP, Unitel S.A., TV  Cabo, 
Mercury Serviços de Telecomunicações SARL (MSTelcom), Mundo Startel, Africell Angola, Internet 
Technologies Angola (ITA), Net One, and Multitel.  
4.139.   For fixed In ternet, the market share is the following: ZAP (42%), followed by 
TV Cabo (26%), Angola Telecom (21%), and MSTelcom (8%). For mobile Internet, UNITEL leads 
with 90%  market share, followed by MOVICEL (10%).61 
4.140.   The public company, Angola Telecom, holds shares  in several companies across the supply 
chain: (i)  Angola Cables – commercialization of international circuits via submarine cables 
(51%  ownership); (ii)  Infrasat – satellite telecommunications (40%); (iii)  Multitel – business 
segment  (30%); and (iv)  TV Ca bo – paid TV and fixed Internet (50%).  
4.141.   The other public company, MSTelcom, also holds shares in several companies in the 
telecommunications sector: (i)  ACS – data transmission and dedicated circuits (100%); 
(ii) Angola  Cables – international circuits via s ubmarine cables (9%); (iii)  Net One – fixed Internet 
services  (51%); and (iv)  Unitel – mobile telephone services company (50%).  
4.142.   Regarding the telecommunication s infrastructure, MINTTICS has signed a 15 -year term 
contract (with the value of USD 188.8  millio n) with Gemcorp Commodities Global DMCC and 
Geoglobal Consulting Corp to rebuild and expand Angola Telecom 's rural and metropolitan 
transmission and access networks . 
4.143.   The f ibre-optic telecommunication s systems are operated by Angola Cables, which is a 
consortium by the major Angolan telecommunication companies  (Angola Telecom , Unitel, MSTelcom, 
Movicel, and Mundo Startel).  Angola domestic network system  (ADONES ) consists of 
1,800  kilometres of fibre -optic submar ine cable linking eight Angolan coastal cities .62 
4.144.   Angola has 29 satellite earth stations, in addition to fibre -optic submarine cable connecting 
it with Europe (South Atlantic Telecommunications Cable 3/West Africa Submarine Cable 
(SAT-3/WASC )), the WACS (W est Africa Cable System), and the SACS (South Atlantic Cable 
System).63 
4.145.   The airborne communication and data systems via satellite are to be operated by 
ANGOSAT -2, a satellite purchased from the Russian  Federation at an estimated cost of 
 
61 Market share s for mobile Internet reflect the situation prior to the entry of Africell, when there was a 
duopoly between Unitel and Movicel. ARC (2023) , Estudo Sobre a Concorrência no Sector das 
Telecomunicações . Viewed  at: 
https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/njmx/~edisp/minfin3631482.pdf . 
62 US International Trade Administration (ITA) , Angola Information and Communications Technology , 
July 2022. Viewed  at: https://www.trade.gov/market -intelligence/angola -information -and-communications -
technology . According to the authorities, ADONES is currently inoperative due to force majeure  reasons.  
63 The SACS started operations in 2018, has a length of 6,000  km by connecting Sangano  (Angola) to 
Fortaleza (Brazil), with a 40 Tbit/s capacity. The project was unde rtaken by Angola Cables.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
- 93 - 
 
  USD 320 million. Th e satellite was launched at the end of 2022 .64 Technical work is underway to 
enable SADC countries to use the services  from ANGOSAT -2. 
4.146.   The Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication 
(MINTTICS) has the purview of formu lating, implementing, and monitoring telecommunications 
policy, as well as supervising the general infrastructure, norms, and standards of institutional 
communication to be carried out by the different ministries. The sector's regulator is the 
Angolan  Telecommunication Institute (INACOM), which operates under the auspices of MINTTICS. 
INACOM is responsible for licensing, interconnection charges, price regulation, issuing technical 
standards, allocation of frequencies, policing of frequencies, allocation of numbers, service quality 
obligations and monitoring, and universal service and applying sanctions (Presidential 
Decree  No. 234/14 and Law No.  23/11 – Law on Electronic Communications and Information Society 
Services – LCESSI).65 
4.147.   The previous  White Paper on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) 2011-2018 
(Presidential Decree No. 71/11), described in the 2015 Secretariat report66, was revoked by 
Presidential Decree No. 129/19, which also approve d a new White Paper for the period 2019-22. The 
new White Paper sets out an ICT policy that aims to ensure the optimal use, development and 
expansion of telecommunications infrastructure , promote digital inclusiveness and universal access, 
build up digital skills,  increase international connect ivity through submarine cables, and consolidate 
the liberalization of the telecommunications market, including by fostering competition. Other 
relevant telecommunications legislation is listed in Table  4.8. 
Table  4.8 Relevant legislation on telecommunications  
Legislative reference  Scope  
Presidential Decree No.  108/16 of 25  May 2016 General Regulation for Electronic Communications (RGCE), 
including safety and frequency  
Presidential Decree No.  95/16 of 10  May 2016 Radio Spectrum and Numbering Strategic Plan (PEERNUM)  
Presidential Decree No.  122/16 of 9  June 2016 Strategic Plan on the Licensing Regime for Electronic 
Communications Operators (PERL)  
Decree No.  3/04 of 9 January 2004 Price Regulation for Publ ic Telecommunications Services for 
Public Use, creating the Telecommunications Fee 
Unit (UTT) 
Presidential Decree No.  77/17 of 20  April 2017 Approves the Implementation Strategy for the Mobile 
Payment System in Angola  
Presidential Decree No.  85/17 of 10 May 2017 Space Strategy of the Republic of Angola 2016 –2025 
Presidential Order No. 129/19 of 22  July 2019 Strategy for Digital Transformation in Angola, through the 
White Paper on Information and Communication 
Technologies 2019 -2022 (LBTIC)  
Presidential Decree No.  181/19 of 28 May 2019 National Numbering Plan (PNN)  
Joint Executive Decree No.  312/19 of 4  October  2019 Regulates the value of fees relating to the provision of 
electronic communications networks and services charged 
by INACOM  
Instruction No. 4/20 of 28  April 2020 Rules on the sending of unsolicited electronic messages  
Instruction No. 5/20 of 28  April 2020  Rules for the provision of communications services charged 
in units of time  
Presidential Decree No.  243/20 of 29  September  2020 National Roaming Regulation  
Presidential Decree No.  166/20 of 12  June 2020 Organic Statute of the Ministry of Telecommunications, 
Information Technologies and Social Communication  
Presidential Decree No. 42/22 of 10  February  2022 Amends Pr esidential Decree No. 166/14 of 10  July 2014 
(Regulation on Sharing of Electronic Communications 
Infrastructures)  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
4.148.   Most types of telecommunications services are open to competition. There are no statutory 
limits on the participation of foreign investors in a telecommunications company, except for a  30% 
limit on foreign participation in operators that supply pay-TV services.67 To offer telecommunications 
services in Angola, operators must obtain a licence. The licensing system, set out in the General 
 
64 Angola's first communication satellite (ANGOSAT -1) was also built by the Russian  Federation but 
needed to be replaced due to failures. According to the authorities, the purchase of both satellites was not 
subject to public tender , which posed transparency and accountability questions for many stakeholders.  
65 INACOM, Mercado . Viewed at: https://inacom.gov.ao/ao/mercado/ . 
66 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015, Section  4.4.1.  
67 Law No.  3/17 of 23  January  2017. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Regulations on Electronic Communications (Presidential Decree No. 108/16 of 25 May 2016), 
provides for two licence categories: (i ) concessions ; and (ii)  multi-service licences.  
4.149.   Concessions are granted by t he President for the operation of networks and services of 
"essential importance for the Angolan State".68 In principle, the following are considered of essential 
importance for th e Angolan State and, as such, subject to concession: infrastructure that make s up 
the basic network; land mobile voice service (national and international); nationwide television 
content distribution service; overseas cable stations moored in national terr itory; and optical fibre 
transmission networks of national or interprovincial scope. Concessions may be granted in the form 
of "unified global titles", which permit the holder to offer any electronic communication s service, 
including fixed and mobile telep hony services and subscription TV services. Multi -service licences 
are granted following an administrative process and cover all electronic communication s services 
except mobile telephony and pay -TV services.  
4.150.   The 30% restriction for the participation of fo reign entities in electronic communications 
operators was eliminated .69 
4.151.   In 2016 , Angola  approv ed the Strategic Plan on the New Licensing Regime for Electronic 
Communications Operators (PERL)  comprising an  international public competition to award a 
4th unified global title. The company Africell, with 100% foreign capital, was granted the title. Durin g 
the period under review, INACOM launched a virtual counter where telephone and Internet 
operators, as well as other stakeholders, can apply for licen ces and authorizations, as well as fill out 
import and custom clearance declarations for their inputs and  equipment , on a single website.70 
According to the authorities, this import declaration has no costs.  
4.152.   Network interoperability and interconnectivity obligation s beyond of those contained in the 
WTO telecommunications reference paper for major suppliers are envisaged in the regulations . In 
addition, the regulations also contain provisions on infrastructure and equipment sharing among 
operators. Angola created an Electronic Communications Infrastructure Sharing Committee 
(INFRACOM)  to coordinate and control the sharing of infrastructure and equipment .71 
4.153.   Tariffs for electronic communications services are monitored by the Electronic 
Communications Pric ing Committee.72 Tariffs are expressed in Telecommunications Tariff 
Units (UTT) , which are  regulate d by INACOM through the Price Committee.  
4.154.   According to the Competition Regulatory Authority (ARC), some structural, legal , and 
regulatory obstacles, which have the potential to contributing to the emergence of asymmetric 
conditions between incumbent operato rs and new entrants, limiting or preventing market access by 
the latter , include (i)  the level of direct participation of the State as shareholder in different 
companies; (ii)  the high levels of concentration and vertical integration that makes access diff icult 
for potential entrants or enables the abuse of power by incumbents; (iii)  the conditions and refusals 
to share the infrastructure; (iv)  slowness in implementing legal initiatives, which conditions the entry 
of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) ; and (v)  conflicts of competences between INACOM 
and ARC over processes of a competitive nature, including the application of sanctions.73 
4.155.   Angola has registered trade balance deficits in telecommunication s services from  2016 
to 2021 (Table  4.9). 
 
68 Presidential Decree No.  108/16 of 25 May 2016 . 
69 ARC (2023) , Estudo Sobre a Concorrência no Sector das Telecomunicações . Viewed  at: 
https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/njmx/~edisp/  
minfin3631482.pdf . 
70 INACOM, Balcão Virtual . Viewed  at: https://inacom.gov.ao/ao/balcao -virtual/ . 
71 Presidential Decree No. 166/14 of 10  July 2014. 
72 Tariffs of electronic communications in Angola are regulated by the Electronic Communications Pricing 
Committee (Presidential Decree No.  108/16, Article  68), following  the General Regulation of Electronic 
Communications (RGCE).  
73 ARC (2023) , Estudo Sobre a Concorrência no Sector das Telecomunicações . Viewed  at: 
https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4z/njmx/~edisp/  
minfin3631482.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Table  4.9 Imports and exports of telecommunication s services, 201 5-22 
(USD million ) 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Trade balance  -34.3 -78.0 -46.9 -15.9 -29.4 -31.3 -32.7 -43.6 
Exports  30.2 21.7 24.5 30.9 20.7 12.4 31.8 22.3 
% of total services exports  2.4 3.0 2.5 4.9 4.5 18.4 34.0 27.2 
Imports  64.5 99.7 71.4 46.8 50.1 43.6 64.5 65.9 
% of total services imports  0.4 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 
Source:  WTO Stats. Viewed  at: https://stats.wto.org/ . 
4.156.   It has been reported that the privatization of the state-owned Angola Telecom  is currently 
under analysis for its viability. According to the authorities, Angola Telecom is a strategic company  
for the provision of essential services to the population , and for helping to improv e digital inclusion 
and universal telecommunication services, all of which require public investments in infrastructure 
for the creation of a primary telecommunications network.  Angola Telecom ended 2022 with positive 
results, receiving support of  more than  AOA 8 billion  (approximately to EUR  9 million ) from 
the Government.  
4.157.   The Government has authorized the privatization of Multitel through a public tender of 
the 90% public stake that it holds in the share capital  of the company.74 The first offer did not receive 
any proposals.  
4.158.   The Government has also scheduled to sell, via an IPO, Unitel mobile network operator, 
which is 50% owned by Sonangol. The IPO is planned to take place at BODIVA  in 2024. 
4.3.2   Financial services  
4.159.   The financial sector account s for around 2% of Angola's GDP, emplo ys more than 
19,700  people , and represents , according to the National Bank of Angola  (BNA) , 3% of the value of 
trade in services in the country.  
4.160.   Imports of banking, financial, insurance, and pension services reached over USD  670 million 
in 2022 (Table  4.10).  
Table  4.10 Financial and insurance services, 2015 -22 
(USD million ) 
 2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Insurance and pension servicesa 475.5  425.4  524.6  394.3  282.0  335.1  460.9  494.5  
Financial servicesb 94.3 210.5  241.0  382.7  212.5  167.0  140.5  175.5  
Total services  17,276.2  12,616.5  13,793.3  10,089.5  8,172.3  5,602.5  7,050.4  11,296.9  
a Insurance and pension services: life and non -life insurance plans , and pension services . 
b Financial services: banking, savings, capital investments, credits and loans, guarantees, foreign 
exchange commission , and financial consultancy services . 
Source:  BNA, External Statistics , annual data. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/#/en/estatisticas/estatisticas -
externas/dados -anuais . 
4.3.2.1   Banking services  
4.161.   As indicated in the 2015 Secretariat report, "[b]anking services [is] one of the three sectors, 
along with tourism and recreational, cultural  and sporting services, in which Angola has undertaken 
commitments under the GATS. These commitments cover three subsectors, which are the taking of 
deposits and other reimbursable funds, all types of borrowing, and liquidation and money transfer 
services. Angola places no restrictions on commercial presence as pertains to deposit taking. On the 
other hand, commercial presence is not bound with respect to borrowing and is subject to a market 
access restriction as regards liquidation and money transfer services, worded as follows: 'branches 
 
74 This transaction was initially planned to be done via an IPO at the Angolan Debt and Securities 
Exchange Market (Bolsa de Divida e Valores de Angola – BODIVA).  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
- 96 - 
 
  of foreign institutions obligatorily accountable for the principal order after having fulfilled the 
commitment '".75 
4.162.   Angola has 23 commercial banks in operatio n (4 have shut down since 2018 due to solvency 
issues). Of the 23 oper ating banks, 20  are privately owned, while the Government controls two 
banks (Banco de Poupança e Crédito (BPC), and Banco de Desenvolvimento de Angola  (BDA)) and 
have participation in another one  (Banco de Fomento de Angola  (BFA)). The market is relatively 
concentrated, as the top six banks hold around  80% of banking  assets, loans, and deposits. Banco 
Angolano de Investimentos  (BAI) is the largest asset -holder with arou nd USD  5.5 billion. Combined, 
the largest six banks have around 10  million  customers. There were six  foreign banks operating in 
Angola  in 2022. Their total assets amount ed to 12.3 % of banking  system assets . 
4.163.   Credit availability is very often linked to government plans and specific programmes, usually 
through obligations to establish loan quotas for businesses or operations, as in the case of the Credit 
Support Programme (PAC). Nevertheless, credit growth has been low (4.9% in  2022) and banks 
have held own re gulated funds above the regulatory minimum. BNA has made efforts to align the 
policy rate according to the overnight interbank rate ( Luibor ), as well as to ensure banks proper 
management of credit risk, and policies for an inflation -targeting strategy.76 
4.164.   In 2020, the BNA , the country's central bank  directed commercial banks via Notice (Aviso) 
No. 10/2020 to increase the minimum amount of subsidized credit (with an interest rate of no more 
than 7.5% annually for capital expen ditures (CAPEX ) and 10% for working capital) and 
corresponding to 2.5% of their assets with a view to accelerate diversification of domestic production  
with priority given to the products contained Presidential Decree No.  23/19 (Sections  3.1.6 and 
3.3.1) . According to the authorities, these measures have been successful  as at  April 2021, the 
amount of credit approved by the banking sector corresponded to slightly more than 200% of the 
minimum established in the BNA standard on credit to the real sector of t he economy.  
4.165.   BNA issued Notices No.  6/2023  and No. 7/2023  in July  2023, which determine new 
operational rules  that reduced the social capital needed for the establishment of microcredit 
companies, credit cooperatives , and microcredit operators  in order to expand these segments.  
4.166.   Non-performing loans (NPLs) continue to stand at relatively high levels (32% in 2017 and 
21.1%  in 2022). The RECREDIT asset management company was created to purchase NPLs from 
BPC, a s tate-owne d bank, which holds 80% of the banking system's  NPLs.77 
4.167.   The mobile telephony operators Unitel and Africell have offered, since August  2021 and 
April 2023, respectively, mobile money services, including mobile recharge, deposits, 
person -to-person transfers,  bill payments, and merchant payments. Th ese new products  are likely 
to help digitali zing the informal economy and assisting the large number of the population  that is 
unbanked. Future plans include other financial services  by mobile operators , such as cre dit, savings 
account, and insura nce plans .78 
4.168.   BNA, which was granted independence  in February  202179, is responsible for the  oversight, 
regulat ion, and supervis ion of financial system  institutions. According to the authorities, in 
recent  years, BNA has unde rtaken a number of measures to develop best practices to maintain 
financial stability.  Notwithstanding, the IMF points out that Angola requires further efforts to 
 
75 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015, para.  4.87. 
76 International Monetary Fund (IMF)  (2023),  Staff Report for the 2022 Article  IV Consultation , IMF 
Country Report No.  23/100 . Viewed  at: https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2023/100/  
002.2023.issue -100-en.xml . 
77 Pursuant to Presidential Decree No.  200/23, credit recovery services by RECREDIT w ere expanded to 
cover all national banks. According to IGAPE, the average NPL of state-owned banks, including BPC and BDA, 
were 48% in contrast to 22% of the five largest private banks. IGAPE  (2023),  Relatório Agreg ado Sector 
Empresarial Público 2022 . Viewed  at: https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/  
aw4z/njm1/~edisp/minfin3635464.pdf . 
78 Comms Update (2023), " Africell Angola Launches Mobile Money", 24 April. Viewed at: 
https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2023/04/24/africell -angola -launches -mobile -money/ . 
79 Law No.  24/21. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  strengthen financial stability  by fully implement ing the Financial Institutions Law  (Law No.  14/21) 
on bank recovery and  for better administering  troubled  banks.80 
4.169.   BNA established in 2020 the Council of Financial System Supervisors  (CSSF) , a supervisory 
body constituted by all financial sector agencies .81 
4.170.   Angola l aunched in 2019  the Deposit Guarantee Fund (DGF) corresponding to 
approximately  2% of insured deposits. It has also established a  Bank Resolution Fund , which was  
not in operation as at September  2023. 
4.171.    Financial activities are governed by a special investment regime.  
4.172.   The conditions for foreign investment in the financial sector are contained in Law No.  14/21, 
which replaced Law No.  12/15 on financial institutions, and in Notice (Aviso) No.  09/2020 . Foreign 
banks and other financial institutions may o pen subsidiaries or establish representative offices in 
Angola, subject to BNA authorization, as foreseen in Notice (Aviso) No.  11/2020. There are no 
foreign ownership limits on banks and other financial institutions established in Angola.  
4.173.   Most of the cond itions and requirements for the establishment of foreign banks remained 
broadly the same as in the previous legislation, and are contained in Articles 83 to 98 of 
Law No. 14/21. To open branches, foreign banks must submit to the BNA, inter alia, their 
programme of activities and organizational structure; a certificate from their national supervisory 
authority stating that they are licensed and that there is no impediment to their opening a branch 
in Angola; evidence of sufficient technical and financial mea ns for the type and volume of operations 
that they plan to undertake; projected accounts for each of the first three years of activity of the 
branch; a copy of their statute; and an undertaking to deposit an amount not less than that required 
from Angolan banks to demonstrate capital adequacy.  
4.174.   Representative offices of foreign banks must be listed in a special register kept by the  BNA. 
They must be set up within three months following their registration (extendible by a further three 
months). They are prohi bited from undertaking operations within the purview of credit 
establishments and from acquiring company shares or immovable property not essential to their 
installation and functioning.  
4.175.   In 2016, a relevant milestone in the banking sector of Angola was the  sale of 48.1% of the 
state-owned BFA. In 2021, the privatization of Banco de Comércio e Indústria (BCI) via PROPRIV  
was carried out through the selling of representative shares of the social capital held by the State of 
Angola. Yet in 2021 under PROPRIV took place the dispersion of the capital of BAI (10%) and of 
Banco Caixa Geral Angola (BCGA/Caixa Angola) (25%). Thos e transactions took place at the national 
stock exchange, the Debt and Securities Stock Exchange (BODIVA ). 
4.3.2.2   Capital market and stock exchanges  
4.176.   BODIVA  was created in 2014 and began operations on the spot market in 2015. This was 
followed by the operation of the treasury bonds market, the market for registered stocks, and the 
centre for custody, clearing, and liquidation of stocks in 2016. BODIVA trades total approximately 
to USD 2 billion every  year. 
4.177.   The Capital Market Commission (CMC) has responsibilities in the areas of regulation, 
oversight, surveillance, and promotion of the stock exchange market of Angola.  
4.178.   During the period under review, BNA abolished the licensing requirement that previously 
applied to foreign investors to  import  capital via a capital account82, as well as to repatriate  income  
 
80 International Monetary Fund (IMF)  (2023),  Angola: Staff Report for the 2022 Article  IV Consultation , 
IMF Country  Report No.  23/100. Viewed  at: https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2023/100/  
002.2023.issue -100-en.xml . 
81 Members of the CSSF include the Governor of the BNA, the president of the Angolan Insurance 
Regulation and Supervision Agency (ARSEG), the president of the Securities Market Supervision Body , and the 
members of the bo ards of directors of those supervisory bodies. The CSSF replaced the National Council for 
Financial Stability (CNEF). The CSSF was created pursuant to Article  30 of Law No.  14/21. 
82 Notice No.  15/2019.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  from investments . These changes largely benefited operations at BODIVA and were undertaken to, 
inter alia, encourage  foreign investors to acquire  state-owned assets from PROPRIV.  
4.179.   A total of 23 commercial banks and 2 brokerages a re registered a s members  of BODIVA. 
Only local commercial banks can currently list at the stock exchange. Investment s by individuals 
only represent ed 16% of total transactions .83 According to Law No.  22/15 (Securities Code Law ), 
complemented by Regulation No.  6/16 of the CMC, private companies whose capital is open to 
investment by the public  can list their shares and other securities for trading on BODIVA. This 
include s public companies that have securities admitted for trading on a regulated market. Further  
requirements for admission of securities at BODIVA are found in  Instruction No.  13/20. Securities 
distributors and brokerage firms are operating in BODIVA.  
4.180.   BODIVA itself is listed for privatization under PROPRIV following a three -phase process 
expected to be completed in  2024.  
4.3.3   Insurance  
4.181.   Angola's insurance sector continu ed to grow during the period under review. As 
of September  2023, 23 private insurance companies and 1 company owned by the Government 
(ENSA  Seguros) were authorize d to operate in the country . Only three of those companies were 
authorized to operate in the "life insurance" segment .84 
4.182.   Premiums a ccounted for AOA  223 million  in 2020, AOA 278 million  in 2021 , and 
AOA 312 million in 2022. Compensations, on the other hand, stood at AOA  92 million in  2020, 
AOA 109 million in 2021, and AOA  102 million  in 2022, amounting to an accident rate of 
around  32%, lower than in 2021 (39.3%) and 2020 (41.3%) . 
4.183.   The market is concentrated i n a few main players , with four companies having a market 
share of slightly more than 66% . State -owned ENSA Seguros has the largest market share (30%), 
followed by Nossa Seguros (14%), Fidelidade Angola  (11.7%), and Sanlam Angola (10.9%) . The 
insurance pen etration rate is still below 1% of GDP (0.7% in 2020, 0.6% in 2021 , and 0.6% 
in 2022).85 
4.184.   In 2022, the shares  of the different insurance categories by premiums paid  were 
illnesses  (38.6%), petrochemicals (15%), automobiles (9.4%), accidents (9.3%), life (8. 1%), other 
damages (7.5%), fire and natural events (3.7%), transportation (2.3%), civil liability (2.1%), and 
others (3.1%).86 
4.185.   The segment of reinsurance counts with a number international players ( Africa Re , Swiss  Re, 
Munich Re , Mapfre Re , Trust Re , Chubb European Group Ltd, Hannover Rück Re , Scor Global P&C , 
Fidelidade Seguros , Seguradoras Unidas , and Santam Ltd), as well as brokerage firms for 
international reinsurance . The conditions for establishing and engaging in the activity of reins urance 
in Angola are basically the same as for insurance companies.  
4.186.   The petrochemicals sector has a reinsurance rate of 94%, followed by fire and natural 
disasters with 77%, and other damages with 62%.  
4.187.   The Angolan Insurance Regulation and Supervision Agenc y (ARSEG) is responsible for 
regulating, supervising, inspecting , and monitoring insurance, reinsurance, pension fund s, and 
insurance and reinsurance mediation activities, under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance 
(MINFIN) and as defined by Presidentia l Decree No.  141/13. It collaborates with BNA and BODIVA 
to ensure the effectiveness of the supervision of the financial system, the balance of public accounts , 
and prevention of systemic risks.87 
 
83 US Department of State , 2022 Investment Climate Stat ements: Angola . 
84 The sector had 28 operational companies in 2019, 23 in 2020, and 22 in 2021.  
85 Angolan Agency for Regulation and Supervision of Insurances (ARSEG) , Insurance Market, 
Pension  Funds and Insurance Mediation Report 2022 . 
86 ARSEG , Insurance Ma rket, Pension Funds and Insurance Mediation Report 2022 . 
87 ARSEG has also among  its responsibilities monitoring the relationships between  stakeholders  to 
ensure the provision of services according to the sectoral regulations . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.188.   Compulsory insurance is required for occupational accident risks, in addition to certain 
personal accident risks, damages, fire, and civil liability pursuant to specific legislation.88 
4.189.   As part of its efforts to improve the business environment, Angola adopted a new 
Insurance  and Reinsurance Activity Law (LASR) , which is contained in Law No.  18/22. LASR, which 
entered into force in July  2022, established the conditions for the authorization process  and 
operation of insurance companies, including rules on external audit s, risk management system, 
internal control sy stem, and certification of insurance accounts.  The LASR also institutionalized the 
micro -insurance in Angola , aiming to boost coverage to the low -income population.  
4.190.   Under LASR, insurance and reinsurance activities in Angola can be carried out by limited 
liability companies ( sociedades anónimas ) with domestic or foreign capital, or by branches of foreign 
insurance or reinsurance companies, subject to authorization.89 In addition to the conditions set out 
for national insurance companies, foreign co mpanies must prove a minimum of five  years of activity 
in the country of origin before applying for authorization to operate in Angola. LASR is regulated 
by Presidential Decrees No.  21/21 and No.  2/02. 
4.191.   Norms for the determination of insurance fee system we re adopted via Executive 
Decree  No. 58/02 from the MINFIN . The fees in the sector are regulated by the Institute for 
Supervision of Insurances.  
4.192.   A timetable for adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on 
insurance contracts and on  financial instruments before December  2026 is in place. The insurance 
market is regulated under a Solvency I -type framework by ARSEG, and with weak compliance by 
the players.  
4.193.   In July  2023, IFC and ARSEG signed a partnership agreement to boost access to ag riculture 
insurance products in Angola to protect small -scale farmers, both family and commercial, from crop 
damages.  
4.194.   Under the privatization programme (PROPRIV), the Government initiated the process of 
privatizing the Group ENSA in 202090, first through the sale of 51% via a bidding process. In 
June 2022, the Government cancelled the process due to lack of offers that met the desired value, 
inter alia, because of the economic effects from the pandemic. The Government announced it would 
carry out the privatization of 100% of the shares of ENSA via an IPO at BODIVA.  
4.4  Transport  
4.4.1   Maritime transport  
4.195.   Angola's maritime trade figures are shown in Table  4.11. In 2021, t he national flag fleet 
registered 321 ,000 DWT, comprising 55 ships.91 The authoriti es state that no Angolan -flagged ship s 
for international cargo transport currently exist.  This explains the absence of any maritime cargo 
exports for Angola and the importance of maritime cargo imports.  
 
88 Legislation for t hose sector s was viewed at: https://www.arseg.ao/seguros/tipos -de-seguros/seguros -
obrigatorios/ . 
89 Law No.  18/22 of 7 July  2022, Article  22. 
90 ENSA, "Mensagem do Presidente do Conselho de Administração – Processo de Privatização da ENSA – 
Seguros de Angola". Viewed  at: https://www.ensa.co.ao/ensa -noticias.aspx?i=4185 . 
91 UNCTAD Stat  (2021) , Maritime Profile: Angola . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Table  4.11 Main maritime transport indicators, 2015 -23 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  2023a 
Exports (USD  million)  . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 
Imports (USD  million)  3,770.8  2,827.1  2,795.6  3,066.2  2,753.5  1,931.0  2,367.0  3,296.7  .. 
Liner Shipping 
Connectivity Index  21.1 27.6 26.3 24.4 28.3 27.9 23.3 23.3 23.5b 
Merchant fleet ownership  
('000 DWT)  5,760.5  5,532.5  5,452.5  5,716.4  5,192.0  5,322.7  5,144.9  5,097.2  4,779.0  
% of total fleet (DWT)  0.33 0.31 0.29 0.30 0.26 0.26 0.24 0.23 0.21 
Registered national fleet  
('000 DWT)  320.9  321.0  317.7  317.7  317.2  320.9  321.4  322.3  322.3  
.. Not available.  
a Preliminary data.  
b Period average. Higher index means better connected to global shipping networks. The 2023 data 
only cover the Q1-Q3 period.  
Note:  DWT = dead weight tonnes.  
Source:  WTO Stats. Viewed  at: https://stats.wto.org/ ; and UNCTAD Stat. Viewed  at: https://unctadstat.  
unctad.org/ . 
4.196.   In June  2021, the Government adopted the National Master Plan for the Transport Sector 
and Road Infrastructures (Presidential Decree No.  157/21) including a number of structural reforms 
in the sector.  
4.197.   Specifically on maritime and port activities, the National Plan focuses on the modernization 
of the infrastructure; updating the legal framework; re -assessing the current model for port 
concessions; seeking international partnerships and ratifying internat ional sectoral agreements; 
strengthening the management and control of maritime traffic; and training the 
sector's  professionals. Following the launching of the Plan, the Government begun renovating the 
ports of Namibe and Luanda, and started the construct ion of a new oceanic terminal in Barra 
do Dande.  
4.198.   During the period under review, Angola adopted Law No.  34/22, which revised the Law on 
Merchant Marine, Ports and Related Activities (Law No.  27/12). Under Law No.  34/22, the 
National  Maritime Authority (AMN ) under the Ministry of Transport  (MINSTRANS) regulates the 
maritime and port sectors and ensures abidance to international maritime conventions from the 
International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other related agreements. The AMN was created by 
Preside ntial Decree  No. 292/21 from the merge r of the Maritime and Port Institute of Angola (IMPA) 
and the Hydrographic and Maritime Signalling Institute of Angola (IHSMA).92 
4.199.   Law No.  34/22 abolished the requirement that the following activities be reserved exclus ively 
for Angolan nationals: loading and unloading of bulk carriers; stowage, unstowage, transhipment , 
and handling and stationing of merchandise; pilotage, towage , and mooring of the ship; waste 
collection; operation of infrastructure for sport and leisur e ships; operation of fishing ports; 
passenger transport; and water supply to vessels.93 
4.200.   The instruments on cargo reservation pursuant to the United Nations Code of Conduct for 
Liner Conferences and described in Angola's previous Reviews are still in force .94 The 
legislation  designates the majority SOE Secil Marítima as the beneficiary of the cargo reservation 
scheme. Yet, Secil Marítima only relaunched operations in 2022. Specifically, it is  engaged in 
cabotage, mainly connecting the northern ports of Cabi nda, Soyo, and Luanda. In  December  2022, 
Secil Marítima and DHL signed an exclusivity agreement for cargo transportation and logistics in 
Angola. The privatization process of Secil Marítima is under consideration. It was reported that the 
company was deeme d to be technically bankrupt, and that it had received A OA 9.1 billion of 
government subsidies in 2022 to sustain its operations.  
 
92 Angola is a member of IMO since 1977, but full implementation of the standards, protocols and 
practices established in the STCW -95 convention is still pending.  
93 Law No.  34/22 of 13  September  2022, Article  117.3 . 
94 WTO document WT/TPR/S/1 58/Rev.1 , 3 April 2006 , para.  30 and WTO document 
WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015, para.  4.108 . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.201.   In December  2020, Angola established the Angolan Cargo and Logistics Certification 
Regulatory Agency (ARCCLA), responsible for  regulating, monitoring, and supervising related 
logistical activities, as well as traffic operations of goods by sea, land, and air95 (Section s 3.1.1 
and 3.2.1) . 
4.202.   UNCTAD notes that Angola's average waiting time to load ships reduced 34% from  2019 
to 2022, reaching 19.2 hours , while the average for discharge decreased by 47% for the same 
period, corresponding to 17 hours.96 
4.203.   Port cargo handling performance for tankers in Angola averaged 115 tonnes/minute, 
basically matching the global average (116 to nnes/minute). For tanker -port operations, Angola 
ranked first in the world in terms of productivity for loading oil cargo (113 tonnes loaded/minute). 
Angola also had one of the lowest average waiting time to load tankers, only 37  hours, for  2018-21.97 
4.204.   Angola has four operational seaports: the Port of Luanda handling 11,166  (TEUs) 
corresponding to 70% of Angola's total imports and with five specialized terminals: Multiterminais 
(break -bulk terminal), Unicargas (multipurpose terminal), Sogester (container ter minal), Sonils 
(oil & gas terminal), and Soportos (multipurpose terminal); the Lobito Port; the Cabinda Port (mainly 
for the oil and gas industries); and the Namibe Port.98 The Caio Port is under expansion, while the 
Port of Dande and the deepwater Port of  Cabinda are under construction.  
4.205.   Angola established the Single Window for Logistics (Janela Única da Logística (JUL)) through 
Presidential Decree No.  127/21 for planning, implementing , and supervising logistics management 
throughout the logistics chain. Th e JUL is under the purview of ARCCLA covering the entire 
intermodal transport of goods by sea, cabotage, road, railways, and air. This initiative aim ed to 
streamline and expedite cargo transportation in Angola by reduc ing logistics costs and simplify ing 
administrative procedures . 
4.4.2   Air transport  
4.206.   Air transport services play an important role to  facilitate trade and foster domestic tourism 
and supporting national, regional, and international integration. Table  4.12 features the main 
economic indicators for Angola's commercial civil aviation  sector.  
Table  4.12 Air transport, 2015 -23 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  2023  
Exports (USD  million)  25.3 32.6 23.0 27.8 31.8 8.4 14.6 19.3 .. 
Passenger  8.2 5.4 4.4 12.6 11.1 2.6 0.5 4.6 .. 
Freight  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.2 .. 
Other  17.1 27.2 18.5 15.0 20.3 5.8 13.9 14.5 .. 
Imports (USD  million)  287.2  282.6  312.5  253.8  371.6  111.4  188.4  324.9  .. 
Passenger  243.3  228.6  238.6  207.0  247.5  76.1 171.2  240.5  .. 
Freight  3.8 2.4 1.9 0.7 2.3 6.1 4.5 4.0 .. 
Other  40.2 51.6 72.0 46.2 121.7  29.2 12.7 80.5 .. 
Air freight (million ton ne-km) 46.0 43.9 67.3 78.2 68.0 28.9 31.0 .. .. 
Air passengers ( '000) 1,244.5  1,482.5  1,375.5  1,516.6  1,437.0  356.7  311.5  .. .. 
 
95 Created by the Presidential Decree No.  326/20, it replaced the National Council for Shippers (CNC), as 
well as the Cabinet for the Lobito Corridor. The fees charged for imports of long -distanc e maritime shipments 
are found in the Presidential Decree No.  189/19 (Article  3), exemption of the same fee for exports (Article  4), 
reduction of the Port Use Fee (TUP) for exports (Article  5), and fee for weighing loaded containers for exports 
(Article  7). 
96 UNCTAD (2022), Review of Maritime Transport 2022 , p. 88. Viewed  at: 
https://unctad.org/system/files/official -document/rmt2022_en.pdf . 
97 UNCTAD (2021), Review of Maritime Transport 2021 . Viewed  at: 
https://unctad.org/system/files/official -document/rmt2021_en_0.pdf . 
98 US International Trade Administration (ITA)  (2022),  Angola Country Commercial Guide – Maritime 
Technologies . Viewed  at: https://www.trade.gov/country -commercial -guides/angola -marine -technologies -
fisheries -and-sea-ports. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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    2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  2023  
Registered carrier departures 
('000) 13.1 15.5 13.5 14.0 13.6 3.8 3.8 .. .. 
.. Not available.  
Source:  WTO Stats. Viewed  at: https://stats.wto.org/ ; and World Bank, DataBank World Development 
Indicators. Viewed  at: https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world -development -indicators# . 
4.207.   Angola has 13 operational airports with the Luanda Airport certified for serving international 
flights by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) . Luanda Airport (IATA: LAD, 
ICAO:  FNLU) is the largest airport in Angola with direct passenger flights to 34 destinations in 
21 countries and 11 domestic flights. It will soon be replaced by the New Luanda International 
Airport  (NAIL), located approximately 40  km southeast of the city centre with the capacity 
for 15 million passengers/year, a volume of goods of 50 ,000 tonnes/year and 2 double runways 
designed to accommodate B747 and A380 aircrafts. The new airport had an estimated cost of 
USD 3.85 billion. T he State is the owner and manager of all airports . 
4.208.   Angola has eight domestic airlines, but the sector is broadly dominated by the state-owned 
national airline, Transport Aéreo de Angola (TAAG S.A.). TAAG, founded in 1938, operates 
14 domestic destinations and 13 international destinations.99 In addition to pa ssenger transport, it 
also operates cargo transports. TAAG became a public limited company in 2018 based on Presidential 
Decree No.  276/18. Twelve airline companies operate international flights to and from  Angola. 
Of those, eight have code -sharing agreeme nts with TAAG . 
4.209.   While the level of activity of TAAG remains below its pre -pandemic level (in terms of available 
seat-kilometres ( ASK), passengers, etc.), revenues have recovered. However, TAAG registered 
operational losses of USD  480 million  in 2022.100 According to the authorities, the company also 
halted some domestic flight routes due to the need to acquire smaller and more suitable aircrafts.  
4.210.   In April  2023, TAAG and GOL (Brazil) signed a codeshare agreement that allows both 
companies to sell tickets of each other's  destinations  and increas ing network coverage. At the 2023 
Paris-Le Bourget International Air Show,  TAAG order ed nine new aircraft  (Airbus  A220-300). 
4.211.   The other large state-owned airline, SonAir fro m Sonangol  Group , confirmed in  August  2020 
its exit from the carrier air transport market, further increasing TAAG 's market power in the domestic 
market.  
4.212.   MINSTRANS is responsible for formulatin g, implem enting , evaluatin g, and supervising 
transport and logistics  policies, including for air transport . Pursuant to Presidential Decree 
No. 206/19, the National Airport Exploration and Air Navigation Company (ENANA E .P.) was 
terminated and replaced by the public company National Air Navigation Company ( ENNA  E.P.), 
responsible for developing, installing, managing , and operating air navigation services and 
infrastructure, as well as other infrastructure related to navigation support systems, routes , and 
airspace within the flight information region under the responsibility of Angola.  The Airport 
Management Society ( Sociedade Gestora de Aeroportos  (SGA)) manages and commercially operates 
Angola's airport services. Both operate under the purview of MINSTRANS.  
4.213.   The SGA is responsible for granting  the rights to exploit  the public airport service in support 
of civil aviation, supervising the management and development of airport infrastructure, controlling 
the quality services on departure and arrival of aircraft, and boarding, disembarking , and forwarding 
of passengers, and cargo. SGA had its statute adopted via Presidential Decree No.  207/19. SGA is 
scheduled to have 51% of its capital privatized in 2023, but no further information ha s been 
obtained.  
 
99 Lisbon (twice a day), Porto, Madrid, Havana, Lagos, S ao Tom é, Ponta Negra, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, 
Maputo, Cape Town, Windhoek, and Sao Paulo.  
100 Available seat -kilometres (ASK) – 6.7 million  in 2019 and 3.4  million  in 2022; passengers – 
1.4 million in 2019 and 0.9  million  in 2022; departures – 13,000 in 2019 and 10 ,000 in 2022. Total  operational 
revenue in 2022 basically matched the figure of 2019  – USD 392 million  (2019) versus USD  390 million 
(2022), as the revenue for ASK increased from USD  5.94 cents (2019) to USD  11.45  cents (2022). Operational 
costs decreased, but are higher than revenue – USD 596 million  (2019) versus USD  480 million  (2022).  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.214.   The new Civil A viation Law, Law No.  14/19, determines the principles and rules to be 
observed in air services, auxiliary services, aeronautical infrastructures, and certification of 
aeronautical equipment and personnel, as well as an organization and the exercise of the powers of 
aeronautical authority, in the field of civil aviation.  
4.215.   The regulatory framework for issuing flight operation licen ces is governed by the Regulations 
on Access and Exercise of Air Transport Activity.101 Under the Regulations, to provide regular 
domestic air transport services, private companies must enter a concession contract with the 
National Civil Aviation Authority. During the period under review, Angola eliminated  the requirement 
that at least  51% of the share capital be held by Angolan citize ns for the purpose of awarding a 
concession contract to private companies .102 
4.216.   TAAG is the only airline authorized to operate scheduled domestic flights. According to the 
national competition authority (ARC), this situation grants TAAG with a monopoly position on 
passengers transported, seat -kilometres offered and sold, and cargo tra nsported for scheduled 
flights. ARC further notes that the "current licensing regime of scheduled airlines constitutes a barrier 
induced by regulation to private operators, since they can only access the exercise of the activity of 
scheduled domestic air t ransport, through a Concession Contract, under the terms of No.  2 of 
article  11 of Presidential Decree No.  217/16, of 31 October. Whilst public companies do so by mere 
authorization from the aeronautical authority" .103 Finally, a ccording to the ARC, 19 airl ine companies 
entered the Angolan market between 2008 and 20 20, while 25 companies withdrew from it during 
the same period, resulting in a negative balance and, thus, increased competitive concerns regarding 
potential high prices, as well as lower frequenc y and quality of services provided.  
4.217.   Angola ratified the new Constitution of the African Civil Aviation Commission  (AFCAC) 
through Resolution No.  18/17. 
4.218.   The following regulatory regime applies to the sectors covered by the GATS Annex  on Air 
Transport. There  are no aircraft repair and maintenance workshops established in Angola and 
certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration and/or by the European Air Safety Agency 
(EASA). There are no particular restrictions on computer reservation services , and prov iders are free 
to enter into partnerships with airlines and travel agencies. Nor are there any restrictions on ticket 
sales by airline companies.  
4.219.   As regards ground -handling services, self -handling and mutual assistance are not allowed. 
Airlines must contra ct the services of local ground -handling companies. Apart from TAAG and SGA, 
there are independent providers such as Ghassist and Bestfly.104 
4.220.   Angola continues to be served by airlines from the following  countries : Belgium, Ethiopia, 
France, Gabon, Germany, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, 
Portugal, Qatar, South  Africa , Türkiye , and the United  Arab Emirates . 
4.221.   Aviation s ervices to and from Angola are governed by a number of  bilateral air transport 
agreement s, whose main features, o rganized in accordance with the WTO  Secretariat's ALI index for 
assessing the degree of liberalization in the sector105, are shown in Table  4.13. 
 
101 Presidential Decree No.  217/06 of 31  October  2006, as amended by Presidential Decree No.  364/19 
of 30 December  2019.  
102 Presidential Decree No.  364/19 of 30 December  2019. 
103 African Competition Forum (undated), ACF Cross -Country Study on Airlines , p. 177. Viewed  at: 
https://arc.minfin.gov.ao/PortalARC/#!/estudos -e-publicacoes/estudoseconomicos . 
104 For SGA , the tariff s are regulated by Airport Fare Regulation – Joint Executive Decree No.  494/15.  
105 See WTO document S/C/W/270/Add.1 , 30 November  2006. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Table  4.13 Air transportation agreements  
Country  
Date of 
Signature  
5tha 
7thb 
Cabotagec 
Cooperationd 
Designatione 
Withholdingf 
Pricingg 
Capacityh 
Statisticsi 
ALI St  
Belgium  26/10/2010  Y    S   PD Y 6.0 
Botswana  27/04/2011   N N N M   PD Y 4.0 
Brazil  18/03/2009   N N N   PD PD Y 0 
24/09/2019  N N N Y M PPoB FP PD Y 23.0 
Bulgaria  n.a.           
Cabo Verde  07/05/2004  Y N N N M    Y 10.0 
Cameroon  24/04/2011  N N N Y     Y 3.0 
Central  African  Republic  29/10/2010  Y N N N M    Y 6.0 
China  17/12/2008  N N N N M SOEC  DA PD Y 4.0 
Congo  31/03/2015  Y N N N M    Y 10.0 
Cuba 18/05/1976  N N N N S SOEC  DA PD  0 
Democratic  Republic  of 
the Congo  17/01/2005  Y N N N M    Y 10.0 
Egypt  26/11/2010  Y N N N S    Y 6.0 
Equatorial Guinea  16/02/2016  N N N Y S   PD Y 3.0 
Ethiopia  20/05/1977  Y N N N S    N 7.0 
France  14/06/1976  N N N N     N 1.0 
Gabon  04/04/2013  N N N N S    N 1.0 
Germany  21/03/2014  Y N N Y S  DA PD Y 9.0 
Guinea -Bissau  03/05/2007  N N N N S    Y 0 
Italy 10/04/1976  N N N N S SOEC  DA PD N 1.0 
Kenya  10/09/2014  N N N N M    N 5.0 
Kuwait, State of  13/07/2010  Y N N N M SOEC  DA PD Y 10.0 
Morocco  03/10/2010  Y N N Y     Y 9.0 
Mozambique  28/08/2014  N N N N     Y 0 
Namibia  20/03/1996  Y N N N  SOEC  DA PD Y 6.0 
Netherlands  n.a.           
Nigeria  10/06/1976  Y N N N     Y 6.0 
Poland  26/06/1976  Y N N Y S SOEC  DA B1 Y 13.0 
Portugal  04/08/1977  N N N Y S SOEC  DA PD Y 3.0 
14/10/2010  Y N N N M    Y 10.0 
18/09/2018  N N N N S COI DA PD Y 4.0 
Russian  Federation  15/03/1976  N N N N S SOEC  DA PD N 1.0 
26/06/2009  N N N N M SOEC  DA PD Y 4.0 
Rwanda  23/05/2018  N N N Y M SOEC  DD FD Y 21.0 
Sao Tom é and Principe  30/11/2005  N N N N S   PD Y 0 
Singapore  19/04/2018  Y N N Y M PPoB FP PD Y 29.0 
South  Africa  09/04/2009  Y N N Y M  DA  Y 13.0 
Spain  Rubricated 
30/05/2011  Y N N Y M  DD PD Y 19.0 WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  Country  
Date of 
Signature  
5tha 
7thb 
Cabotagec 
Cooperationd 
Designatione 
Withholdingf 
Pricingg 
Capacityh 
Statisticsi 
ALI St  
Türkiye  28/02/2014  N N N N    PD Y 0 
United  Arab Emirates  12/12/2007  Y   Y S   PD  9.0 
United  Kingdom  16/10/2002      M      
United  States  22/04/2010  Y N N N M   PD N 11.0 
Zambia  27/03/2014  Y N N N M   PD Y 10.0 
Zimbabwe  30/04/2013  Y N Y  S     13.0 
n.a. Not available.  
a If fifth freedom rights are subject to approval by the aeronautical authorities, they are coded as NOT 
granted.  
b If seventh freedom rights are subject to approval by the aeronautical authorities, they are coded as 
NOT granted.  
c If cabotage rights are subject to approval by the aeronautical authorities, they are coded as NOT 
granted.  
d Clauses allowing cooperation between airlines , e.g. code-sharing . 
e Single is represented by an "S" or multiple by an "M" . 
f Substantial Ownership and Effective Control = "SOEC", Princ ipal Place of Business = "PPoB",  
Community of Interest = "COI" . 
g Double Approval = "DA", Double Disapproval = "DD", Country of Origin = "CoO", Free Pricing = 
"FP". 
h Pre-Determination = "PD", Bermuda I = "B1", Free determination = "FD". 
i If an exchange of statistic s is foreseen by the agreement.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat, based on information provided by the authorities . 
4.4.3   Rail transport  
4.222.   Angola has three main railways. In order of importance , they are (i) the Benguela Railway 
(CFB) , which connects the Port of Lobito (Province of Benguela) to the border town of Luau 
(Province  of Moxico), with a length of 1,037  km; (ii) the Luanda Railway (CFL) , comprising 434  km 
and connecting the capital Luan da to the city Malanje (Province of Malanje)  and three branches 
(Dondo, Golungo Alto , and Cacuaco) with a total length of 541  km; and the Namibe Railway (CFN) 
from the city of Namibe, crossing the provinces of Huíla and Kuando -Kubango, and ending in the 
city of Menongue, with a total length of 907  km. According to the authorities, it is envisaged to 
merge the three companies into just one.  
4.223.   Four important projects are underway: (i) the Calenga project, which re -establishes rail 
traffic between Caála and Huam bo and the Lobito Cubal project, with a length of 153  km; (ii) the 
Luena -Luau project; (iii) SITLOB, a system Interurban Passenger Transport in Lobito and Benguela; 
and (iv) the construction of the Baia –NAIL railway extension.  
4.224.   The National Terrestrial Transport Agency (ANTT) was created from the merger of the 
National Railway Institute of Angola (INCFA) and the National Institute of Road Transport (INTR) 
through Presidential Decree No.  309/21. It operates under the auspices of the State S ecretary for 
Terrestrial T ransport  in MINSTRANS . ANTT is in charge of the planning, technical regulation, 
inspection, licensing, safety , and sustainability of land transport for passengers and cargo.  
4.225.   In April  2023, the Government approved the construction of a 260  km railway to serve the 
provinces of Moxico and Lunda Sul. Odebrecht (Brazil) in partnership with Bento Pedroso 
Construções (Portugal) won a contract of the CFB worth USD  1.2 billion . The project aims to serve 
the local mining and agricultural sector s, connecting the region with the Port of Lobito as foreseen 
in the Government's PLANAGRÃO  programme.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.226.   In July  2023, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced a joint project 
to rehabilitate the railway line linking the Congolese mining re gions to the Atlantic Ocean. In this 
respect, both granted a 30 -year concession to the consortium that includes commodities trader 
Trafigura and Portuguese construction company Mota -Engil with the goal to develop exports of 
copper ore and cobalt. The Lobit o railway has an extension of 1,300  km in Angola and 400  km in 
DRC, connecting with the rail network from the National Railway Society of the Congo (SNCC).  
4.227.   In February  2020, the government s of Angola and Germany signed an agreement for the 
construction of a surface metro in Luanda with a cost of USD  3 billion  and to be built by 
Siemens  Mobility.  
4.228.   Angola has also recently purchased seven suburban trains of diesel multiple units  (DMU) 
from Singapore, with the capacity of 700 passengers.106 
4.4.4   Road transport  
4.229.   Angola's road network has been deemed a priority for the country's economic development 
as reflected, inter alia, in the National Development Plan. Most important  are the investments 
needed to rebuild infrastructure for roads and bridges, which was destroy ed during the country's 
civil war.  
4.230.   Public expenditures show that spending on construction and restoration of roads and bridges 
reached an estimated value of USD  27.5 billion  from the period 2002 -18, one of the biggest on the 
continent. The current road net work is around 76,000  km. 
4.231.   In 2017, 176  million  passengers used the roads to travel in Angola, while 377 ,000 tonnes of 
cargo were transported via roads.107 
4.232.   The sector's regulatory framework is laid out in General Law No.  20/03 of 2003 on land 
transport and in three Presidential Decrees on occasional passenger transport (No.  128/10), regular 
passenger transport (No.  154/10) and goods transport (No.  160/10). Licences are issued on the 
basis of three criteria: commercial capacity, professional cap acity, and financial capacity. Road 
transport charges are state-regulated for regular collective passenger transport and taxis, but are 
unregulated for all other types of road transport, including cargo transport.108 
4.233.   As mentioned in the subsection on rail t ransport, the National Terrestrial Transport Agency 
(ANTT) was created from the merger of the National Railway Institute of Angola (INCFA) and the 
INTR. It operates under the auspices of the State S ecretary for Terrestrial T ransport  in MINSTRANS . 
ANTT is i n charge of the planning, technical regulation, inspection, licensing, safety and sustainability 
of land transport for passengers and cargo.  
4.234.   The National Master Plan for the Transport Sector (Presidential Decree No.  157/21) shows 
that as of 2017 the condit ions of roads were 57% not paved, 27% asphalted , and 16% under 
construction. Furthermore, 45% of roads were in critical or degraded condition, while just 18% in 
fair condition or good, and the remaining not known. The Plan also envisages the construction o f 
tolls and vehicle balances throughout the country.  
4.235.   Angola's main roads are divided into corridors: Corridor 1 (North –South) of 1,812  km of 
which 95% is paved; Corridor 2 (Luanda –Soyo–Cabinda connecting to Congo Brazzaville, DRC) of 
539 km with 74% paved;  Corridor 3 (Lobito –Angola, connecting to DRC and Zambia) with  1,206  km 
and 45% paved; Corridor 4 (Malanje –Angola linked to DRC) with 1,155  km and 97% paved; and 
Corridor 5 (Namibe connecting with Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia) with  1,502  km of which 56% 
paved. Corridors 1 and 3 are also part of the Trans -African Highways.  
 
106 US International Trade Administration (ITA) , Angola – Country Commercial Guide, Transport 
(Aviation and Rail). Viewed  at: https://www.trade.gov/country -commercial -guides/angola -transportation -
aviation -and-rail. 
107 Guide for  Investments in Angola . Viewed  at: https://www.missionangola.ch/telechargements/  
guia_investimento_angola_isnow.pdf . 
108 WTO doc ument WT/TPR/S/321/Rev .1, 11 December  2015. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.236.   The National Master Plan for the Transport Sector states among its objectives the need to 
connect the provincial capitals, the main cities , and economic activity centres.  
4.237.   Regarding interp rovincial transportation, Angola registered around 3.6  million  passengers 
annually (about 10,000 per day). Around 80% of all bus trips either stop or finish in Luanda. 
Operators (around 87) are private companies, except for TCUL.  
4.238.   Concerning the transport o f cargo, 69 licensed operators with fleets of 10 or fewer trucks 
operate in the country. The market is dominated by Macon, a private company holding the 
concession  for public road passenger transport services ( urban and interprovincial) , with 
around  60% of  the market share and also covering international transport to the Republic of Congo.  
4.239.   The Road Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program me (PRIR)  secured the asphalt of more 
than 13,232  km from 2011 to 2020.  
4.240.   Angola is currently implementing the procedures, rul es, and principles established by the 
Tripartite Programme for Facilitation of Transport and Transit (PTFTT) for COMESA -EAC-SADC to 
facilitate transit and cross -border circulation in the region to foster competitiveness, integration, and 
liberalization bet ween the three economic regions. The PTFTT aims to harmonize policies, laws, 
regulations, standards, systems, and procedures to boost transport, logistics, and cross -border 
transit.  
4.241.   Angola is in the process of adhering to the Yellow Charter from COMESA on automobile 
liability insurance. Hence, vehicles coming from other COMESA member states without a Yellow 
Licence must be insured at the border through insurers licensed to operate in Angola.109 
4.5  Tourism  
4.242.    Angola's nascent tourism sector was hard hit by the COV ID-19 pandemic, but its inbound 
tourism revenues had already started to fall before the outbreak of the pandemic (Table  4.14). 
Approximately half of the tourists in Angola were from Europe. Angola ha d 1,489 hotels in 2021, 
down from 1,780 in 2019. Hotel occupancy rates prior to COVID -19 pandemic were above 60%, but 
decreased to just 25% in 2021. Travel agencies peaked in  2019 with 469 companies, versus 306 
in 2021. Restaurants were around 4,304 in 2021, also down from 5,763 in 2018. The tourism sect or 
employed 579 ,000 people in 2018, and less than  10% of that figure in 2021 (50 ,000). 
Table  4.14 Tourism sector, 2015 -23 
  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  2023  
Arrivals by main purpose 
('000)  592.4  397.4  260.9  217.9  217.5  63.6 63.7 .. .. 
Personal  320.0  290.8  187.3  167.2  168.0  57.3 57.6 .. .. 
Business and professional  272.4  106.6  73.6 50.7 49.5 6.3 6.1 .. .. 
Receipts (USD  million)  1,171.0  628.0  884.0  557.0  395.0  19.0 22.5 .. .. 
Travel  1,163.0  623.0  880.0  544.0  384.0  16.0 22.0 19.7 .. 
Passenger transport  8.0 5.0 4.0 13.0 11.0 3.0 0.5 .. .. 
Expenditure (USD  million)  389.0  823.0  1,216.0  762.0  717.0  691.0  800.0  .. .. 
Travel  146.0  594.0  977.0  555.0  469.0  615.0  629.0  1,657.5  .. 
Passenger transport  243.0  229.0  239.0  207.0  248.0  76.0 171.0  .. .. 
Accommodation for visitors 
in hotels and similar 
establishments (No.)  196.0  220.0  233.0  238.0  235.0  235.0  229.0  .. .. 
Number of employees by 
tourism industries ( '000)  219.3  221.0  223.0  579.0  215.5  64.2 50.2 .. .. 
Accommodation services for 
visitors (hotels and similar 
establishments)  92.3 93.0 94.0 161.0  107.2  35.7 28.5 .. .. 
Food and beverage serving 
activities  104.0  105.0  106.0  169.0  55.4 18.4 14.7 .. .. 
 
109 ARSEG. Viewed  at: https://www.arseg.ao/seguros/actividades -transfronteiricas/ . WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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    2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  2023  
Travel agencies and other 
reservation services 
activities  23.0 23.0 23.0 249.0  52.9 10.1 7.0 .. .. 
.. Not available . 
Source:  BNA, External Statistics , annual data. Viewed  at: https://www.bna.ao/  
#/en/estatisticas/estatisticas -externas/dados -anuais ; World Tourism Organization (2023), UNWTO 
Tourism Statisti cs Database. Viewed  at: https://www.unwto.org/tourism -statistics/tourism -
statistics -database . 
4.243.   The Ministry of Culture and Tourism  (MINCUL TUR) is mandated to formulate, implement, 
monitor, evaluate , and execute the Executive's policy on tourism, a s well as to develop strategies, 
program mes, and projects to promote culture and develop tourism.  
4.244.   The Institute for Promotion of Tourism (INFOTUR),  supervised by MINCULTUR, promotes the 
development of tourism, in addition to the country's image at national and international level s as a 
brand and tourist destination, implementing actions to attract investments, supporting the sector 
qualification and professional technical training.110 
4.245.   Angola's Private Investment Law (Section  2) lifted the obligation for foreign investors to 
have national partners in the tourism sector  for their projects . The regulations governing the hotel 
and restaurant industries do not contain restrictions on the number of suppliers, the value or volume 
of services, the assets of providers, legal forms, foreign participation , and the reservation of certain 
advantages, such as land ownership, to national providers alone. However, a local staff training 
obligation applies to foreign enterprises, along with the obligation to employ a maximum of local 
staff (applicable to both dom estic and foreign investors).  
4.246.   The sector is subject to nationwide regulation. The hotel industry is now governed by 
Presidential Decree  No. 36/16, and restaurants by Presidential Decree No.  66/23. Neither of the new 
regulations distinguishes between nation al and foreign investors.  
4.247.    As indicated in the 2015 Secretariat report, for the hotel industry , "[a]part from the 
obligation to employ a maximum of local staff (the proportion being determined based on the scale 
of the project), local staff training obliga tions applicable only to foreign enterprises and the 
reservation of subsidies exclusively to Angolan operators ; these regulations contain no market 
access or national treatment restrictions on commercial presence within the meaning of the GATS, 
in other wo rds, restrictions, whether discriminatory or not, on the number of suppliers, the value or 
volume of services, the assets of providers, legal forms, foreign participation and the reservation of 
certain advantages, such as land ownership, to national provid ers alone. "111 
4.248.   The restaurant industry continues to be  governed by Joint E xecutive Decree  No. 23/15 
of 23 January  2015 on "the provision of restaurant and similar services". As indicated in the 2015 
Secretariat report, "[a] part from the obligation to employ  a maximum of local staff (the proportion 
being determined based on the scale of the project), local staff training obligations applicable only 
to foreign enterprises and the reservation of subsidies exclusively to Angolan operators ; these 
regulations cont ain no market access or national treatment restrictions on commercial presence 
within the meaning of the GATS, in other words, restrictions, whether discriminatory or not, on the 
number of suppliers, the value or volume of services, the assets of providers , legal forms, foreign 
participation and the reservation of certain advantages, such as land ownership, to national providers 
alone. L icences are awarded on a  non-discriminatory basis. "112 
4.249.   For travel agencies, there are no restrictions on the number of supp liers, the value or volume 
of services, the assets of providers, foreign participation , and the reservation of certain advantages 
such as land ownership to national providers alone. Foreign travel agencies are subject to the same 
local staffing provisions as hotels and restaurants. In addition, they must set up a company 
under  Angolan law. 
 
110 INFOTUR . Viewed at : https://visit -angola.ao/ . 
111 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December  2015, para. 4.138.  
112 WTO document WT/TPR/S/321/Rev.1 , 11 December 2015, para. 4.139.  WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  4.250.   The Programme for Public Investments disbursed AOA  52 million  between 2018 and 20 22 in 
the tourism sector, below the expected amount as in the Hotel and Tourism Developme nt 
Program me and in the  Development Support Expenses (DAD)  for the sector . 
4.251.   Two sectoral associations play a role in the sector, i.e.  the Association of Hotels and Resorts 
of Angola (AHRA) and the Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators of Angola (AAVOTA).  
4.252.   AHRA aims , inter alia, to enforce compliance with hygiene and food safety standards, 
through the implementation of the international HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) 
system by all the players in the sector.  
4.253.   An online portal, the Sigtur system, registers and i ssues licen ces for luxury and large hotel 
developments in Angola;  the Portal Mun ícipe handles licen ces for restaurants, bars, guesthouses , 
and similar services.  
4.254.   The new Presidential Decree No.  189/23 exempts tourists from 98 nationalities from visa 
require ments for stays of up to 30 consecutive days and a maximum stay of 90 days in Angola in a 
given year. For the remaining countries, tourist visas are granted by Angolan diplomatic and consular 
missions abroad, which must be used within 60 days following the  date of issuance and are either 
valid for one or multiple entries for a period of up to 30 days, extended once for an equal period. 
Angola has several visa bilateral facilitation agreements  in force .113 
 
113 Viewed at: 
https://www.ucm.minfin.gov.ao/cs/groups/public/documents/document/aw4x/mjq3/~edisp/minfin1247728.pdf
. WT/TPR/S/ 452 • Angola  
 
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  5  APPENDIX TABLES  
Table  A2.1 Angola's notifications to the WTO, 2015 -23 
WTO  Agreement  Description of 
requirement  Periodicity  Most recent notification  
Agreement on Agriculture  
Articles 10 and 18.2 
(ES:1)  Export subsidies (volumes 
and outlays)  Ad hoc  G/AG/N/AGO/1 , 07/07/2020  
Articles 10 and 18.2 
(ES:2)  Total exports in the context 
of export subsidies  Annual since 
1996 G/AG/N/AGO/2 , 19/04/2023  
Agreement on the Implementation of Article  VI of the GATT  1994  (Anti -Dumping Agreement)  
Article  16.4 Anti-dumping actions taken  Semi-annual  G/ADP/N/193/AGO , 18/08/2020  
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  
Article  25.11  Countervailing actions taken  Semi-annual  G/SCM/N/202/AGO , 06/08/2020  
Article  32.6 Notification of laws and 
regulations  Ad hoc  G/SCM/N/1/AGO/1 , 28/11/2018  
G/SCM/N/1/AGO/1/Corr.1 , 08/07/2020  
Agreement on Safeguards  
 Specific national legislation 
relating to safeguard 
measures  Ad hoc  G/SG/N/1/AGO/1 , 18/10/2018  
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade  
Annex  3 WTO TBT Code of Good 
Practice  Once G/TBT/CS/N/190 , 12/05/2017  
Agreement on Rules of Origin  
Paragraph 4 of 
Annex  II Preferential Rules of Origin   G/RO/N/176 , 27/11/2018  
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures  
Article  5   G/LIC/N/2/AGO/1 , 30/10/2018  
G/LIC/N/2/AGO/2 , 30/10/2018  
Agreement on Preshipment Inspection  
Article  5 No laws or regulations 
relating to preshipment  Ad hoc  G/PSI/N/1/Rev.3/Ad d.2, 21/12/2018  
TRIPS  Agreement  
Article  69 Contact Points  Ad hoc  IP/N/3/AGO/1 , 01/05/2019  
Source:  WTO Secretariat , based on notification documents . 
__________