Audio By Carbonatix
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged Angola to hold credible elections and address the country's past poor human rights record.
Mrs Clinton was speaking after talks with senior Angolan officials in Luanda - the third stop of her African tour.
Presidential polls in Angola were due to be held this year, but delays mean they are likely to be held in 2010.
Mrs Clinton will meet Angola's leader on Monday to discuss closer trade links with the oil-producing nation.
Speaking in Luanda, Mrs Clinton praised Angola for its progress since the end of a devastating civil war in 2002.
She said she was "encouraged" by Angola's "peaceful and credible" parliamentary elections last year, although she stopped short of calling them free or fair.
She also reiterated the need for good governance and strong democratic institutions and said it was important to be vigilant against corruption.
China factor
Mr Clinton was speaking after meeting Angolan Foreign Minister Assuncao Dos Anjos and the country's senior oil executives.
Angola has been heavily criticised for its management of oil revenues, the BBC's Louise Redvers in Luanda reports.
Despite Angola's enormous wealth, two-thirds of the population live on less than $2 a day, our correspondent says.
In Luanda, Mrs Clinton is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with American oil giant Chevron and the US Agency for International Development (USAid) to promote investment in Angola's agricultural sectors like coffee and bananas.
Asked about China's growing influence in Angola, Mrs Clinton said she was not interested in what other people were doing in Angola because her focus was on what the US was doing.
Last year, Angola overtook Saudi Arabia as China's leading source of crude oil.
The US gets about 7% of its oil from the southern African country.
On Monday, America's top diplomat is expected to hold talks with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos before leaving for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mrs Clinton travelled to Angola from South Africa, where she held talks with President Jacob Zuma in Durban.
Source: BBC
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Tony Elumelu appointed chairman of Seplat Energy
10 minutes -
Education Minister raises alarm over indiscipline in SHSs, announces national reform conference
11 minutes -
Lom Ahlijah advocates tech-based monitoring in schools after assault case
15 minutes -
UTAG threatens nationwide strike over delay in book and research allowance rate
23 minutes -
Boundary Commission urges border residents to protect boundary pillars and support national security
26 minutes -
Ghana to grow at 5.0% GDP in 2026, but faces huge investment financing gap – AfDB
27 minutes -
Deputy AG, 14 CSOs appear at Supreme Court for hearing on challenge to OSP’s prosecutorial powers
32 minutes -
Minority MPs meet Ghana High Commissioner to Canada to discuss diaspora welfare and bilateral relations
41 minutes -
GNAT threatens WASSCE boycott over detained Nyinahin SHS teacher
49 minutes -
Free SHS: Education Minister hails end of school food shortages
53 minutes -
NLA Director-General calls for a concerted effort in fight against illegal gambling
54 minutes -
74% of returned Ghanaians had overstayed visas – South Africa’s Int’l Relations Minister
58 minutes -
Ghana’s National Vaccine Institute joins WHO-backed Global Clinical Trials Forum
1 hour -
World Bank set to approve US$300m for expansion of Ghana’s school infrastructure
1 hour -
South Africa says investigations ongoing, no decision yet on compensation for returned Ghanaians
1 hour