Air Services Agreement boosts cooperation between Angola and Hungary

On Wednesday, 30 April, in Budapest, Angola and Hungary signed the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, an act that enables the operation of direct routes between the two countries, with particular emphasis on the Luanda–Budapest connection, which may be extended to other destinations in Central and Eastern Europe.

The document was signed by Angola’s Minister of Transport, Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, and Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, within the framework of the Angolan official’s visit to Hungary. It represents a structuring milestone in bilateral relations in the field of civil aviation and a decisive step towards strengthening connectivity between the two countries.

With this instrument, Angola and Hungary deepen their cooperation ties, “opening paths to diversified economic outcomes,” said Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, adding that it is “a significant step that reflects the growing importance of relations between the two countries and the alignment of their strategic visions.” “With its potential and location, Angola can play a relevant role in the southern region of the continent, just as Hungary stands out in the Central European space,” he stated.

Minister Péter Szijjártó highlighted that the signed agreement represents a new chapter in relations with Angola, “a country with which Hungary shares values based on mutually beneficial cooperation.” The Hungarian foreign minister pointed out the potential of his country’s companies in various areas of recognised expertise, placing this approach within the “Opening to the South” foreign policy, aimed at more active cooperation with Sub-Saharan African countries. The reopening of the Hungarian Embassy in Luanda in 2017 was identified as a decisive step in this path, which may be consolidated through the creation of new political and economic instruments between the two countries.

Accompanied by the Angolan ambassador who is concluding his mission in Hungary, José Filipe, and by representatives from some sectors of the Ministry of Transport, Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu also carried out working visits aimed at assessing Hungary’s potential in various domains, with emphasis on urban mobility, rail transport, logistics infrastructure, air navigation and secure printing of official documents in the transport sector, among others. In this context, meetings with public and private entities allowed not only for the consolidation of technical dialogue between the parties, but also the identification of collaboration opportunities that may contribute to the development of innovative solutions tailored to the priorities of the transport sector in Angola.

The two ministers also stressed the symbolism of the occasion, noting that the signing of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement is taking place in a particularly significant year, in which Angola and Hungary will mark, on 23 December 2025, the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of National Independence, celebrated on 11 November. Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu and Péter Szijjártó acknowledged that the convergence of these historic milestones makes this a fitting moment to strengthen existing ties and lay new foundations for a more dynamic partnership between the two countries.


Embassy of the Republic of Angola in Hungary / Jornal de Angola