Overview
- The government is staging high-profile ceremonies for the November 11 anniversary, capping a year of official commemorations.
- Mid-July protests over fuel price increases were met with a harsh police response that left 30 people dead and led to hundreds of arrests, according to activists and Human Rights Watch.
- International interest is intensifying, with EU Global Gateway funding for the Lobito Corridor to the DRC and Zambia, a recent German delegation focused on green hydrogen, and a high-profile U.S. outreach including a presidential visit.
- Domestic strains persist, including repeated delays to promised municipal elections, repression of critical journalists, and the displacement of informal vendors in Luanda.
- Youth unemployment is officially estimated at about 54 percent for ages 15 to 24, and experts warn this could drive larger, youth-led mobilizations unless policy responses improve.