Angola and France sign agreement to train Angolan students in oil industry

The memorandum of understanding was signed at a press conference at the Angola Oil & Power event in Luanda, following two days of discussion on key issues in Angola’s oil and gas sector, including local content and training.

Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum and Embassy of France in Angola sign Memorandum of Understanding in Luanda; 50 students have been selected to attend universities in France, co-financed by the French and Angolan governments.

Angola and France on Thursday signed an agreement to educate Angolan students at French universities. The memorandum of understanding was signed at a press conference at the Angola Oil & Power event in Luanda, following two days of discussion on key issues in Angola’s oil and gas sector, including local content and training.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum explained that the process to bring Angolan students to France started with a state visit to France by H.E. President of Angola, João Lourenço, in 2018. The governments of France and Angola then agreed to co-finance the education of 50 Angolan students at French universities. The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum pre-selected and tested 100 candidates in math and science – 50 were finally selected by the Lycée Française in Luanda – and they received intensive training and preparation in math, physics and French from March to June 2018.

The agreement, signed by Secretary of State for Petroleum José Alexandre Barroso and the Ambassador of France to Angola H.E. Sylvain Itté, opens the next phase of the initiative. The students will now travel to France for two months of intensive lessons and will be allocated, personal tutors.

“The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum is committed to training young people in the oil industry, which is highly demanding,” said the spokesman. “This first experiment is far-reaching and leads us to the signing of this agreement to send students to France in the coming years.”

(With Inputs from APO)