German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on Friday, pledged to help Angola investigate corruption allegations against Isabel dos-Santos, the daughter of former long-term President Jose dos-Santos and reportedly Africa’s richest woman.
Isabel dos-Santos has recently come under investigation and international scrutiny after being accused of embezzling millions of dollars of public money from a state oil company she headed.
“If German companies or financial institutions also play a role here, then, of course, Germany agrees that we want to help in a very transparent manner,” Merkel said.
The chancellor, who was accompanied by a delegation of business leaders, also showed her support for reforms made by Joao Lourenco government, particularly in the fight against corruption.
“I can only welcome the fact that corruption is being tackled very strongly here, “ she said.
Angola’s political elite have been accused of endemic corruption for the past four decades.
Merkel also promised to support Angola in building its infrastructure.
The chancellor, however, added that Germany was prepared to be a strong partner in the development of the Southern African nation.
Meanwhile, Lourenco requested a delivery of German coastal defence boats to control his country’s 1,600-kilometre coastline, prone to piracy.
Merkel and Lourenco also signed agreements on expanding air traffic between Germany and oil-rich Angola and a scholarship programme that would award 30 master’s degree scholarships annually, financed by the Angolan Oil Ministry.
Earlier, the chancellor and the president opened a German-Angolan economic forum and engaged in a conversation with representatives of civil society.