The director of Institutional Relations of the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) and director of the FUNIBER Chair of Iberoamerican Studies and Iberophony publishes an opinion article entitled: “Angola and Spain, Ibero-Africa” in the Jornal de Angola.
Dr. F. Álvaro Durántez Prados, pioneer, and promoter of the pan-Iberian space, addresses the deep relationship between Angola and Spain, emphasizing the importance of Iberophony as a cultural and linguistic bond that unites these two countries.
“Last November 11, Angola commemorated the forty-eighth anniversary of its independence, a milestone that is not only significant for the African nation but also marks the close relationship it has cultivated with Spain since that time,” Dr. Durántez Prados emphasized.
Angola, the largest Portuguese-speaking country in Africa, has emerged as a key player on the continent. Its strategic position, active diplomacy, demographic, and economic growth, as well as its cultural uniqueness, make it a reference in the sub-Saharan region. Dr. Durántez Prados highlights the objective importance of Angola, both in the continental context and in the convergence between the two thirds of sub-Saharan Africa.
Relations between Angola and Spain have developed based on mutual respect and shared interest, avoiding conflicts that often arise from colonial legacies. This smart approach has translated into concrete actions and projects, such as economic diversification and infrastructure improvements in key sectors for Angola.
Cooperation between the two countries is not limited to economic matters but also encompasses language, culture, and education. Angola, being the balance between Anglophone and Francophone Africa, is the main country of the continental Iberophony, connected to approximately thirty Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries on all continents.
In September 2021, during an official visit to Spain, the President of Angola declared that Spain was its strategic partner in Europe. This recognition has been translated into tangible actions, such as the inauguration of the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza (International University of Cuanza, UNIC) in the province of Bié, an institution sponsored by the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER).
Dr. Durántez Prados has expressed these ideas in an article for the Jornal de Angola, underlining the importance of collaboration and understanding between the two countries within the framework of the promotion of a space composed of all the countries belonging to the Iberophony, without geographical exceptions. This strategic vision has been fundamental in consolidating cooperation ties and promoting shared development between Angola and Spain.
FUNIBER, through its network of universities, will continue to promote academic and cultural cooperation in this strategic region, building bridges that strengthen Iberophony and foster sustainable collaboration.