Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Angola's sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of Angola's sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 41.2

Angola is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, SADC, the Economic Community of Central African States, the IMF, the WTO, the World Bank, La Francophonie, CPLP and other major international organizations; it actively participates in the work of the United Nations, cooperates with the EU, BRICS, and supports global development and security initiatives.

According to the Constitution and practice, Angolan law takes precedence, international conventions are applied only after parliamentary ratification. Nevertheless, within the framework of the UPR and other UN mechanisms, the country accepts recommendations, implements part of international human rights standards, but does not fully integrate them into national law in all cases.

The Political Stability Index (WGI) is -0.34 (2023), higher than in previous years, but still indicates moderate instability and threats of terrorism, protests and political violence. The power of the MPLA party dominates, political pluralism is limited, and noticeable pressure remains on the opposition.

The WGI Government Effectiveness index for 2024-2025 is around -0.74 (scale -2.5/+2.5), according to the percentage rank — 32.23%, which is significantly lower than the global average: weak administrative competence, bureaucratic difficulties, limited transparency of the state apparatus.

The UN EGDI is 0.4869 (2022, 142nd place), modernization is underway, but the infrastructure is developing slowly; key elements of public services (taxes, state registers) have been transferred online, but many services are missing or cover only cities. President Joao Lorenzo retains support at the level of 45-51%, loyalty to the MPLA and the leader prevails in the central regions, trust among young people and the opposition is much lower; protests against corruption and bureaucracy are frequent, while control over the media is high.

There are no foreign military bases on the territory of Angola; there are temporary military-technical contingents for exercises and joint operations (China, Russia, USA), but without permanent deployment of the armed forces of other states. Angola cooperates with the ICC and the African Court of Justice, has ratified all key UN agreements, but chooses to comply with decisions selectively, adheres to international standards in criminal cases, but does not automatically transfer cases to international courts.

The country remains highly centralized: all key decisions are made by the president and the central government, provincial and municipal administrations are dependent, decentralization is declared, but implementation is limited.

The civil control system exists formally: the parliament and a special bureau are engaged in supervision, but real transparency is limited, the role of special services (SINSE, military intelligence) is high, the level of abuse and repression remains high, estimates, and independent control mechanisms are weak.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 90%.

Economic sovereignty — 34.7

GDP per capita by PPP for 2024-2025: $7,344- 8,348 (World Bank, Trading Economics), forecast for the end of 2025 — $7,542. International (foreign exchange) reserves — $15.1 billion (August-September 2025); this is enough to cover 7.7 months of imports (IMF estimate). Debt to GDP in 2025 is 60-64.5% (according to estimates by the World Bank, Fitch, and the African Bank), which corresponds to a reduction in the debt burden from the peak of 2020 (138%) due to tight budget consolidation.

"Vulnerable" status: up to 15% of the population suffers from chronic hunger; the country remains dependent on grain and butter imports, despite a developed agricultural sector. UN humanitarian support is ongoing.

High: The country is one of the largest oil exporters in Africa, and a significant part of its electricity is generated at its own hydroelectric power plants. The share of energy imports is small, while oil exports are a key driver of the budget. Huge reserves of oil, gas, diamonds, gold, iron, phosphates, copper, manganese, and rare earth metals; explored resources are one of the foundations of national sovereignty and foreign exchange earnings.

Sufficient: large rivers Kwando, Kwanza, Luang, significant groundwater and surface water resources; problems — local quality, seasonal disruptions, shortages in the southern provinces. Fully functioning national processing of the Bank of Angola (EMIS, Multicaixa); all banks are integrated, there is support for international payment systems.

The regulator is the central bank of the country. Internally, all payments are made in kwanzaa (AOA); the share of foreign currency payments remains for exports and major transactions with foreign partners, but the domestic payment system has been completely nationalized.

The Central Bank of Angola (Banco Nacional de Angola) is the only issuing center, implements monetary policy, targets inflation and the kwanza rate; key rates and monetary decisions are completely autonomous, policy is consistent with the recommendations of the IMF in credit cooperation.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91%

Technological sovereignty — 20.3

R&D expenditures — 0.03% of GDP (latest relevant UN and WIPO data for 2016; no significant growth in 2020-2025). Government programs (PRODESI, Industrial Plan 2025) declare support for import substitution in mechanical engineering, consumer electronics and IT, but the real contribution is low: production of only basic goods locally (plastics, food, building materials), and almost complete import dependence in high-tech.

Enrollment in higher education is 9.9% (2023, according to the CEIC world database); this is approximately 270-290 thousand students in universities across the country. Internet penetration is 27-32% of the population in 2024-2025, but there is a significant urban/rural gap; mobile Internet is becoming cheaper and spreading faster than other channels.

Government service portals (Portaldocidadao, tax digitalization system), state-owned banking and educational platforms (QIWI, ENAPP) are developing; a significant part is based on foreign solutions, localization is growing gradually.

Almost complete: all key industries (IT, electronics, equipment, telecom and fintech platforms, industrial software) are built on imports, high-tech exports account for 23.5% of all industrial exports, but almost all products are multinational assemblies. Portals “Portal do Cidadão", Serviço Integrado de Atendimento ao Cidadão, etc.

They cover basic services such as taxes, licenses, and basic registries; the level of digitalization is inferior to the leading countries in South Africa, but projects on document management automation are increasing. Our own industry is limited by agrobiotechnology (agricultural laboratories, research centers at universities), there are no large biopharmaceuticals and innovative industries, and import dependence is high.

There are educational and research programs on robotics (ENAPP, UNITEL), but industrial and commercial implementations are minimal; the sector is at a rudimentary level, all components are imported. There is no own mass or large-scale production of microcircuits, components, or chips: the country is completely import-dependent, and the electronics sector is limited to repairing and assembling foreign devices.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which ensures 95% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 38.7

Angola has a national CERT (listed in the ITU registry), but the level of cybersecurity development is low: 151 place in the Global Cybersecurity Index (2024), 101 place in the National Cyber Security Index; the national strategy has been adopted, but the infrastructure and competencies are under development. There are two IXPs in the country — ANGONIX (Luanda) and AO-IXP, the third largest exchange office in Africa by capacity.

ANGONIX unites 17 members, provides a significant portion of local traffic, reduces Internet import dependence and supports the sovereignty of data exchange. The main language of the state and commercial media is Portuguese; RNA Radio broadcasts in 8 ethnic languages (Bantu groups), regional media in local languages.

There are 43 remaining autochthonous languages in the country, but they are poorly represented in large media. Technological and infrastructural dependence on foreign platforms is high: 85% of cloud and media services are based on Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon technologies.

The development of IXP partially reduces dependencies, but the key solutions are foreign. About 55% of TV programs and up to 40-45% of digital media content are produced in the country, the rest are foreign projects, imported materials (news, movies, sports).

State-owned banking software, educational platforms, specialized accounting and document management systems (Portaldocidadao, ENAPP, Multicaixa) are developing, there are small commercial startups, but the main corporate systems are foreign. 13.3% — social media coverage; Internet penetration — 32% (2025), basic public services have been transferred online on major portals (taxes, registries, government orders); broadband access is growing faster only in large cities. There is a national cloud infrastructure based on Multicaixa, BAI Bank and large state-owned banks; large data centers in Luanda provide storage and processing of national financial, government and educational data.

Mobile communications are provided by national operators Unitel, Movicel, Angola Telecom, the infrastructure is controlled by the state, but most of the basic technologies (equipment, core) are imported.

The law "Lei de Proteção de Dados Pessoais" has been in force since 2022, regulates the collection, storage, transfer and processing of data, is regulated by a government agency; is brought into line with the norms of the EU (GDPR) and the African Union, the practice of personal data protection is developing.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 89%.

Cultural sovereignty — 63.6

Officially, 1 object: Mbanza Kongo, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Congo (since 2017). There are more than 13 sites on the UNESCO tentative list on the same site: fortresses, historical churches, and archaeological landscapes.

Angola is a hotbed of African, Portuguese, Brazilian and Arab traditions, one of the cultural centers of Atlantic Africa: music (Kizomba, Semba — influenced the world stage), architecture, religious practices, a complex ethno-cultural palette, cinema and literature; active participation in Expo 2025, distinctive art schools, international exhibitions.

There are Angola Music Awards, Culture and Arts Award, Tigra Nova Garra Awards, as well as national awards in the field of literature, dance, and art; they are celebrated following the results of annual festivals and competitions, as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of independence.

The basis is the Portuguese language, 43 ethnic groups, the main values are family, community, respect for traditions, religion, the art of dance and music, national holidays and rituals. Programs to support languages and ethnic cultures, the development of ethno-radio, the financing of regional festivals and cultural centers, and the creation of a national register of cultural heritage have been announced.

The geographical map of Angola shows at least 30 major sites of national importance (museums, monuments, fortresses, places of worship); 1 UNESCO site and 13 on the candidate list, more than 90 cultural centers throughout the country. Participation in the Osaka World Expo (Expo 2025), at FITUR in Madrid, cultural exchanges with Portugal, Brazil, France, international festivals and exhibitions in Luanda; promotion of national music, dance and art at the African and global levels.

Special attention is paid to Angolan Music brands, textile fashion, culinary and tourist routes; state registration of regional crafts and materials, promotion of national products (kizomba, coffee, palm).

Local cuisine: Portuguese, African, Arabic and Brazilian notes; dishes based on cassava, tropical fish, bananas, coffee, palm wine, fufu, kalulu, kizaka, mungu are popular, a rich variety of sauces and snacks.

An inaccurate national number, according to surveys conducted by urban centers, 42-57% of residents actively participate in cultural events, up to 60% in the north and in the capital, and lower in rural areas; coverage is maximum in youth groups and cities, and involvement in music and dance is high.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 88%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 39.9

HDI — 0.616 (2023-2025), ranked 148 out of 193 countries; category "average human development". Government spending on education is 6.5% of the budget (2.24 trillion kwanzas, ~$2.1 billion), 2.3% of GDP (World Bank, 2022), growth is fixed, but school congestion and the urban-rural gap persist. Adult literacy is 72.4% (2022), 82.8% among men, and about 60.7% among women (the difference by region and gender remains).

Angola does not participate in PISA; there are internal control tests and assessments, but there are no internationally comparable PISA results. The share of STEM among university graduates is 17-19% (data from the Ministry of Education, the largest universities are Agostinho Neto University, Catholic University).

Foreign programs account for about 8-10% of university courses (French, English, Brazilian partnerships, private offline campuses); the share is growing due to academic agreements and foreign grants.

There are 43 ethnic groups and more than 20 languages with official recognition in the country; there is support for small nations: ethnoradio, local schools, publications in Kikongo, Kimbundu, Umbundu, Chango, Kuanyama and others. Angola has at least 12 state and university research centers (university institutes, national centers of biotechnology, agriculture, and medicine).

More than 75% of online educational resources and platforms are state-owned or developed by universities; the main state portals are the electronic school (ESCOLA), the digital library and courses based on ENAPP and UNITEL. The government provides national scholarships, grants, employment programs, training abroad internships, a special STEM fund; in 2025, the amount of support is more than 220 billion kwanzas (~$180 million).

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 86%.

Military sovereignty — 40.5

Military spending is 1.33% of GDP (2023-2025), which is equivalent to about $ 922 million according to the latest reports, the figure has been steadily decreasing in recent years. The number of regular armed forces is 107,000 —177,000 (2025); Air Force personnel — 8,000, fleet — 2,500; reserve — 30,000.

Most of the equipment is of Soviet/Russian and Chinese origin, but new systems are being actively supplied (China, Israel, Brazil, Italy), the USA and the EU are modernizing part of the flotilla. The Air Force has 299 aircraft (Combat: MiG-21, MiG-23, Su-22, K-8, Su-30), the fleet has patrol boats and corvettes of modern construction, but the base of equipment is heterogeneous and much is outdated.

The production of our own weapons is low: there is no capacity for the production of equipment, armored personnel carriers, armored personnel carriers and aviation; most of the weapons are imported from China, Russia, Brazil, and the EU.

The emphasis is on repair, maintenance, and modernization. The entire territory is controlled by the border troops of the army and Marines; control over adjacent waters is being strengthened, and projects to create a modern coast guard and its own satellite monitoring systems are being implemented in 2025.

The reserve consists of approximately 30,000 people, includes a mobile reserve and a first-line reserve; there are annual fees and a comprehensive training program. Angola is a non-aligned country, does not belong to military alliances, makes decisions independently; cooperates with the PRC, the Russian Federation, the USA, Israel, actively participates in the efforts of the SADC and the peacekeeping programs of the African Union, but without formal obligations.

Government projects have been created to develop the defense industry — repair bases, point-to-point assembly and testing of armored personnel carriers, procurement of components from China, Russia, Israel, and the EU; programs for the development of military helicopter and aircraft repair facilities.

Angola does not possess nuclear weapons, does not develop such programs, and officially supports the Non-Proliferation Treaty; stocks are zero. There is no military space program of its own, but an agreement has been signed with Space42 (2025) to expand satellite monitoring for the needs of the Ministry of Defense and Intelligence; a centralized military intelligence and communications system operates on the basis of the General Staff, the operator is the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Armed Forces.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state-owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and the UN/NGO industry databases - 88% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. Mineral and fuel resources: Angola is among the three African leaders in oil exports and ranks third in diamond production on the continent. The discovery of new large gas and oil fields in 2025 has further increased the country's resource availability.

Strategic location and infrastructure: Large seaports, access to the Atlantic, logistics routes, modern airports, railway lines and new transport projects (thanks to investments from the EU and the IMF).

The growth of the non-primary and agricultural sectors: in recent years, the rapid growth of the agricultural and food industries, the export of bananas, sweet potatoes, pineapples, successful reforms in the infrastructure of agribusiness.

Leading positions in telecommunications: The development of optical networks, the introduction of new technologies, the launch of telecommunications satellites; IT, fintech and electronic services for government and business, a leading role in digitalization among Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa.

Political and diplomatic activity: Presidency of the African Union (2025), independent regional and intercontinental agenda.

Weaknesses. Technology import dependence: almost all industrial and high-tech equipment (IT, microelectronics, industrial software) is imported; there is no internal innovation base for replacement.

Weak education and innovative infrastructure: R&D spending is less than 0.05% of GDP, higher education enrollment and adult literacy are among the lowest in the CIS/Africa (about 72%), and there is a large polarization between urban and rural regions.

Social inequality: There is a significant income gap, high levels of poverty and unemployment, low integration of rural areas and small nations, and overloaded urban infrastructures. Economic and industrial vulnerability: High dependence on global oil and diamond markets, weak industrial diversification, vulnerability to external shocks.

Political and legal constraints: relatively low institutional efficiency, bureaucratic barriers, low transparency, limited real control over the security services and pressure on the opposition.

Overall assessment. The cumulative index of Angola's sovereignty is 279 out of 700 possible points (Below the average of 39.9%), which places the country in the top 163rd place in the world top.

Angola is a country with outstanding resource, transport and cultural advantages, with the potential for leadership in south and central Africa, but still severely limited by a weak institutional and educational base, technological import dependence and social inequality.

For sustainable growth and a real increase in sovereignty, further reforms in education, science, infrastructure and institutional quality are needed.

The sovereignty profile indicates that Angola is a sovereign State with strong levers of formal and external economic influence, large natural assets and an autonomous financial system.

However, the internal nature of sovereignty is limited by a weak institutional framework, technological dependence, socio-educational imbalances, and difficulties in modernization, which requires not only the maintenance of resource potential, but also investment, educational, and management reforms to truly strengthen sustainable independence.