When Angolan President João Lourenço was first elected in September 2017, few could have predicted that six years later, he would be invited to the White House to pose for photos with US President Joe Biden—and a year after that, host Biden in Luanda. Lourenço, a Lenin Military-Political Academy graduate, had spent his entire life in the MPLA, once a communist party with strong ties to the Soviet Union and its allies. At the time of his election, Russia was still Angola’s largest arms supplier, and China was by far its biggest creditor, with sizable interests in the country’s economy.

In an interview during a private trip to Madrid shortly after his election, Lourenço was asked if he’d like to be remembered as a reformer like Mikhail Gorbachev. “Not Gorbachev,” he replied, laughing. “Deng Xiaoping. I prefer to be compared to him.” Deng Xiaoping led China from 1978 to 1989, dramatically reforming the country’s economy, raising living standards, and ushering in a period of sustained export-led growth. Lourenço, eager to diversify Angola’s economy away from its over-reliance on oil exports, saw himself in a similar light. He did not, however, see Xiaoping’s country as the key to Angola’s economic diversification. 

Even before assuming power, João Lourenço had already been eager to improve US-Angola relations. In 2017, while serving as Minister of Defense and after being designated as then president Dos Santos’ successor, he made a strategic official visit to the US; during this trip, he was warmly received by US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and hosted a presentation at the prestigious Atlantic Council think tank. After assuming the presidency, Lourenço quickly sought to gain favor with the Biden administration and had the Angolan government hire a lobbying firm to enhance the country’s reputation within the Capital Beltway.

Early in his tenure as President, Lourenço exhibited his preference for strengthening ties with the US (and the EU) over maintaining Angola’s traditional alliances with Russia and China, signaling a shift in the country’s political, military, and economic orientations.

Several factors drove this shift: Lourenço’s anti-corruption campaign, his efforts to repatriate allegedly stolen funds from European capitals, his criticism of expensive yet subpar Chinese infrastructure projects, and his aim to reduce Angola’s dependence on oil-backed Chinese loans. Angola is, by far, China’s largest African debtor. Moreover, China had become closely associated with his predecessor’s regime. The China International Fund, owned by Sam Pa, whose current whereabouts are unknown, once controlled a significant portion of Angola’s reconstruction projects and was among the country’s most influential companies. Lourenço sought, and continues to promote, a decisive break from Dos Santos’ legacy.

It is telling how many trips abroad Lourenço has taken since becoming President, ostensibly to attract foreign direct investment to Angola, and how many of those trips have been to G7 countries. In seven years, he’s visited China only twice, while making at least three official state visits to the US. His wife, Ana Dias Lourenço, worked for the World Bank, and the couple still owns a house in Bethesda, Maryland. Additionally, Lourenço has made three visits to Portugal, two to France, and one to each of the remaining G7 countries, except Canada.

The Americans have enthusiastically welcomed Lourenço’s pivot. With Africa largely neglected by the last two presidential administrations—both Republican and Democratic—Biden and his cabinet have eagerly seized opportunities for engagement. Several high-ranking US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Deputy Assistant to the President Amos Hochstein, have visited Luanda within the last two years. Lourenço’s visit to Washington during his time as Minister of Defense clearly paid off: between 2020 and 2023, the US provided more than USD18 million in military assistance to the Angolan government, a substantial increase from previous years. It’s important to note that this will be Biden’s first and only visit to Angola while President, and he will do so as a lame duck.

Lourenço’s overture to Western nations isn’t happening in a vacuum, nor should it be surprising. It’s been a concerted effort throughout his presidency—not just economically, but also politically and socially. The Lobito Corridor has become perhaps his most important trump card, offering an opportunity for the President to welcome Western investment and financing while deftly maneuvering between global superpowers. Biden’s visit to his palace is the diplomatic cherry on top.