Managing mutually advantageous relations

The dean of the African ambassadors in Hungary is the representative of the Republic of Angola, Lizeth Nawanga Satumbo Pena. In a recent interview with Diplomacy & Trade, she has described the amicable relations between her country and Hungary – ties that reach back four decades to when Angola gained its independence. Cooperation agreements from those times are still in place. She believes there is a great potential in bilateral relations and is convinced that “those who will decide to invest in Angola will not regret it.”

This year, Angola celebrates the 40th anniversary of independence from Portugal. Diplomacy & Trade asked the country’s ambassador to Hungary, Lizeth Nawanga Satumbo Pena what evidence four centuries of colonial rule left on her country.

“Angola is a mosaic of cultures and people, manifested in rich multi-ethnical, multi-linguistic and multi-racial variety. Colonialism's one remaining heritage is the Portuguese language. Officially, we have 64 different indigenous languages, Portuguese being the official language linking the various nationalities of our country. There have been enormous changes since colonial times. The main achievement is the sovereignty of our country and the liberty the people of Angola have acquired by it. Liberty is the basis for our development, both individual and national,” she points out.

New reality

In 1977, when diplomatic relations with Hungary were established, it was a different world order. At that time, Hungarian politicians formed relations with Angola due to the African country’s strategic location and several cooperation agreements were signed in the field of trade, culture, technology, etc. that still have ramifications today.

“Bilateral relations between Angola and Hungary were initiated immediately after our independence. All the agreements with Hungary signed since 1977 are still valid, as neither country cancelled them, despite the period which we can call ‘dead’ – that is, without any contact – after the fall of the Berlin Wall. New realities both in Hungary and in Angola have lead both governments to revise and update all these existing agreements in the fields of healthcare, economy, agriculture, etc. Nowadays, Hungary’s new reality is being member of the European Union, which means there are common rules it must adhere to. Angola also revises and adapts these agreements to fit her new reality. All these factors have to be taken into consideration when outlining new mechanisms and concepts for a mutually advantageous new agreement,” the Ambassador adds.

She says her country has taken some positive steps to secure qualified training of professionals through its relations with Hungary. Last year, certain agreements were signed between the Ministry of Higher Education of Angola and the Ministry of Human resources of Hungary, thanks to which Angola benefits from the ‘Stipendium Hungaricum’ Grants Program offered by the Hungarian government.

Angola is planning to send 30-50 students per year to Hungarian universities to be qualified as engineers, top level technicians, doctors, etc. “At this moment, we are in the final stage of the implementation of the signing of this agreement between the Hungarian Rectors' Conference and the Instituto Nacional de Gestao de Bolsas Estudo de Angola (INAGB) National Institute of Angola for Grants Management (INAGB). The aim is to bring more Angolan students to Hungary for the 2015/2016 study term.”

The second Angolan ambassador

Lizeth Nawanga Satumbo Pena is the second Ambassador of the Republic of Angola, with residence in Budapest after Joao Vahekeni who opened t he office almost 12 years ago.

She says the bilateral political and diplomatic relations between Angola and Hungary have always been good. Angola’s first resident ambassador came to Hungary only in 2003. Although Hungary has always been a priority to the Angolan Government, it was covered by the Ambassador of Angola to Belgrade. Until 1992, Hungary also had an Embassy in Angola, now it is the Embassy of Hungary to Pretoria, which covers Hungary.

Business ties

Ambassador Satumbo Pena says that from the economic point of view, there is a certain reticence on the part of Hungarian businessmen to invest in Angola. One of the reasons might be that Luanda is considered one of the most expensive capitals of the world. “It being so, why is it that other investors have had success? As a matter of fact, I am convinced that those Hungarians who decide to invest in Angola will not regret it.”

Again, economy is one of the fields where Angola would prefer increased activity. “Except for a few businessmen on site, we do not yet have much Hungarian representation in this field. For the time being, there is a very active enterprise, DESPAN, which equips nearly all the media technology firms in Angola, shipping from Debrecen, E Hungary to Angola. The oil company MOL is also actively present in our country. The Hungarian government has recently submitted to the Angolan government a draft for an Economic and Technical Cooperation project. The Parties are studying it and we hope that this agreement will be signed in the near future,” she adds.

From Students to Africa Day

According to the Ambassador, the Angolan Embassy here in Budapest is working like an enterprise where there are people for each type of job required in the different divisions – “if the organization of work is not right, the desired goals are not achieved.” As for the main responsibilities of the Embassy, she points out that “we do everything here at the Embassy – on the diplomatic level, on the administrative level, even on a social level as we have a community of Angolans here. Currently, this community numbers over a hundred people but, she says, “there will be many more in two or three years because we are waiting for new students to come. It will be similar to the 1970s and ‘80s when students from Angola came to study in Hungary, completed their courses and took their expertise back to their home country.”

Ambassador Satumbo Pena mentions that she has recently visited the north-eastern Hungarian city of Miskolc. She led a five-member delegation, which was received by Rector Prof. Dr. András Torma and was escorted and introduced to the university by Prof. Dr. Thomas Kékesi, vice-rector of science and international affairs. In an informal conversation, the parties discussed the possibility that the southwest African country, rich in oil, precious metals and other minerals, would like to send students to the University of Miskolc – mainly for training at its technical faculties. The Ambassador and her entourage also made a short walk on campus and – among others – visited the laboratories of the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering.

The Angolan Embassy is also active in organizing the annual Africa Day (see page XX for our picture compilation). “It is a day when we can show that the peoples of Africa can get together as one. We remember the founding fathers with the Organization of African Union (OAU) who started the celebration of this day in 1963. We have so many issues to discuss on the African continent: we know that we have the problems of terrorism, water management, AIDS and many more. I believe these can only be tackled if we, Africans join forces to find solutions to make Africa the ‘Continent of the Future’ as we like to call it,” the Ambassador points out.

Cultural relations

The Ambassador believes there has been a good interaction with regard to Angolan students who have studied in Hungary. “Language is a very important cultural factor. When we learn a language, we gain quite a lot of cultural information, therefore, after finishing their studies they also take with them many cultural aspects. The truth is that many of them end up settling down and establishing a family in Hungary.”

She also recalls the story of László Magyar, the explorer, who lived in Bié, in the center of Angola, in the 19th century, and even married into the royal family of that region. “In his time, there was also much cultural interaction between the peoples of the two countries,” the Ambassador concludes.

Getting to know Hungary

Lizeth Nawanga Satumbo Pena was accredited in Budapest as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to Hungary in October 2011. “Since I came to Hungary, I have tried to get to know as much of the country as possible, whenever I have time. I have wonderful souvenirs from the Tokay region, where I first went with a vintage and wine-tasting excursion organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It's a most pleasant, calm and welcoming region.”

She visited major cities such as Debrecen, Pécs, Szeged and Miskolc several times. “I went officially, seeing to tasks within my diplomatic activities, but I also went on my own initiative, to get to know Hungary more profoundly. Each city is an experience of its own. I quite adore them.”

With her family, she prefers to go to the Balaton on her leisure days. “This is a region which I am especially fond of. Normally, with my family, we like tasting Hungarian food. Gulyásleves is one of our favorites. As to the drinks, pálinka is way too strong for me. I generally like Hungarian wine, e.g. Tokaji, Villányi, Bikavér.” She only remembers these brands, however, the wine topic reminds her that “I would like to invite Hungarian wine producers to explore the Angolan market, they would not regret it. Hungary has a valuable know-how is this field, which would be quite useful to our country.”