On August 25, Angola’s governing People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) once again emerged victor in the country’s parliamentary elections, winning 64.5% of the vote, this time without Eduardo dos Santos as President. João Lourenço, MPLA’s deputy President and former Defense Minister is the new President. This brings to an end Dos Santos’ 38-year stranglehold over the Southern African nation, and with it his position as Africa’s second-longest serving leader. Mr. Lourenco is the country’s third President since Independence, and will be tasked with diversifying Angola’s economy to end a decades’ long reliance on oil. He is also expected to weed out corruption that has long tainted the Dos Santos administration.
