Angola's new president: reforming to survive

Lourenço has opened the political space – the real challenge now is reducing poverty and reviving the economy.

President João Lourenço – who replaced José Eduardo dos Santos in 2017 – has been credited with significant progress in fighting corruption and opening up the political space in Angola. But this has been achieved against a backdrop of economic decline and deepening poverty. Lourenço’s first two years in office are also characterised by the politicisation of the security apparatus, which holds significant risks for the country.

About the author

Paula Cristina Roque is an independent analyst. She has been an adviser on sub-Saharan Africa for the Crisis Management Initiative, senior analyst for Southern Africa with the International Crisis Group, and senior researcher with the Institute for Security Studies. Paula is a founding member of the South Sudan Center for Strategic and Policy Studies in Juba and has a PhD in International Development from Oxford University.