Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço, GCIH (born 13 April 1957) is an

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

n economist, politician and former government minister. She has served as the First Lady of Angola since September 2017 as the wife of

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

João Lourenço João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (born 5 March 1954) is an Angolan politician who is currently serving as the third president of Angola since 26 September 2017. Previously, he was the minister of defence from 2014 to 2017. In September 2018, ...

Early and personal life

Lourenco was born on 13 April 1957 in

Luanda Luanda ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Angola, largest city of Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Ang ...

in Angola. She had her primary education in Primary School No. 83 in Luanda from 1962 to 1966. She attended Preparatory School Marta Rescue Salazar, Luanda from 1966 to 1968. She attended General Course of High Schools and High School Dona Guiomar of Lancaster Luanda from 1968 to 1974. She completed her Degree in Economics (Planning) in the University of Angola in Luanda from 1979 to 1983. She completed her course on Analysis Course and Project Evaluation by African Development Bank Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire in 1984 and a course on Macroeconomic Policy Management Institute World Bank Economic development (IDE), in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

during 1992. Lourenco completed her graduation from the University of Agostinho Neto in Angola and also has a certificate in Macroeconomic Policy and Management. Lourenço is

multilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When the languages are just two, it is usually called bilingualism. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolin ...

: in addition to Portuguese, she speaks English, French and Spanish. She is the mother of six children.

Career

She served in various capacities as the President of the National Council of Statistics, President of SADC's National Commission, National Coordinator of the FED Fund, Angola's Governor for the World Bank and African Development Bank and Member of the Government's Economic Cabinet. She was the Senior Advisor to Provincial Planning Cabinet, Benguela, Angola, Head of Investments Department, Ministry of Planning of Angola from 1986 – 1997 and the National Director of the Investment Department. Lourenco was the Vice Minister and Minister of Planning of Angola from 1997 to 2012. She served as the Vice Chairman of the Board's Ethics Committee and on the Human Resources Committee between 2014 and 2015. Lourenco served as an Executive Director at the Board of the World Bank Group. As the head of Ministry of Planning Investment, she was responsible for the development programs of Benguela Province. Between 1997 and 1999 she served as Planning deputy minister and was twice president of the Council of Ministers of SADC. As the Governor of Angola to the World Bank and national coordinator of EDF funds. Lourenço has been in the Ministry of Planning since 1997, first as Deputy Minister of Planning from 1997 to 1999 and national Minister of Planning from 1999 to 2012. Since September 30, 2006, she has been the chairperson of the

Southern African Development Community The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Goals The SADC's goal is to further regional socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and se ...

. Lourenço was the sixth candidate on the MPLA's national list in the September 2008 parliamentary election.. She won a seat in the election.

Honours

Foreign Honours

*: ** Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (31 January 2023) *: ** PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Cross BAR

Dame Grand Cross of the

Order of Prince Henry The Order of Prince Henry () is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese ''infante'' Prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of the Age of Discovery. M ...

(22 November 2018)

References

External links

Interview on World Investment News, 16 August 2004

ANGOP 30 September 2006
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lourenco, Ana Dias 1957 births Living people First ladies of Angola Members of the National Assembly (Angola) Economy ministers of Angola Planning ministers of Angola Politicians from Luanda 20th-century women politicians 21st-century Angolan women politicians 21st-century Angolan politicians Women government ministers of Angola MPLA politicians Agostinho Neto University alumni