The Angola Forum informs international policy related to Angola and anticipates emerging trends in the countries emerging regional and international policy.

Highlights

Report: Assessing Risks to Stability
The ability of Angola's government to diversify the economy and open the business environment to attract investment in other sectors, such as agriculture, will be vital to ensuring long-term stability, says this report by Alex Vines and Markus Weimer. Read.

The US and Angola
HE Dan Mozena, United States Ambassador to Angola, spoke on the bilateral relationship between Angola and the US, and the US vision for a strategic partnership. The discussion also explored Angola's future role in its region. Summary.

Report: Oil Politics
The report provides a comparative study of the impact of Asian companies on the two leading oil producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Angola and Nigeria. The report looks what the benefits are for Angola. Read.

About the Angola Forum

Angola has been an important country focus for Chatham House since 1998, when the Angola Forum was founded. Since then, the Africa Programme has established itself as a globally influential centre for independent policy research on Angola. 

Angola is a highly complex and challenging country to understand and engage. Combined with cultural, linguistic and historical differences, most non-Portuguese speaking countries, such as the UK, have struggled to develop a strategic approach to the country until recently. Yet Angola is an increasingly significant international actor with major oil reserves and an ambitious foreign policy. It also offers corresponding challenges of weak governance, significant corruption, human rights violations, and erratic foreign policy interventions.

Funded through the contributions of its members, the Angola Forum offers a unique setting for individuals, organizations and companies, both from the UK and internationally, to participate in forward looking, policy focussed and influential debate and research. The Forum also provides administrative and intellectual support for the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Angola, ensuring the UK Government retains a basic level of expertise and strategic awareness related to Angola.

In 2011, the Angola Forum will focus on Angola's regional dynamics, and look again at the country's bilateral relations with more established, if potentially declining powers such as the UK, US and others.

Other projects for 2011 include a political risk assessment of Angola, a study on the environmental and social impacts of oil and gas production in Angola, as well as an assessment of Angolan education and training institutions and entry-points for UK based institutions. Follow up work on China and Angola will continue with the distribution of Chinese and Portuguese language versions of a Chatham House report on African oil.

Events

The Angola Forum has held briefings and seminars on Angolan business, investment, politics, human rights, the constitution and culture, and has attracted senior government officials, as well as members of the opposition, business sphere and civil society.

20 February 2012 
Angola's External Relations in Africa
HE Georges Rebelo Chikoti, Minister for External Relations, Angola

29 August 2011
Fostering the Future: Promotion and Development of Angola's Financial System
HE Alderman Michael Bear, Lord Mayor of the City of London
HE Dr Aguinaldo Jaime, Head, Angolan Agency for Private Investment
Dr Luís Lelis, Executive Director, Banco Africano de Investimentos

22 July 2011
Urban Poverty Reduction: Best Practice From Angola
Andy Rutherford, former Head of International Partnerships, One World Action
Allan Cain, Director of Development Workshop (Angola)

More Events >>

Publications

Sponsorship and Contact

The work of the Forum is sponsored by BP, Banco Africano de Investimentos, De Beers, Exxon, Chevron, Standard Chartered Bank, Marathon Oil and Gas, Statoil and Roc Oil Co. Ltd.

If you would like more information please contact:

Markus Weimer, Research Fellow, Africa Programme
Tel: +44 (0)20 7957 5733
Email Markus Weimer