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Take 2' / 24 Apr 2022

Living and working in Angola

Angola is rich in nature’s gifts, yet its people are mostly poor. It’s a country that presents opportunities and challenges in spades.

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Angola is rich in nature’s gifts, yet its people are mostly poor. It’s a country that presents opportunities and challenges in spades.
GAC Angola’s MD Kosala Wijesinghe and team members Nisa de Almeida and Chelsia Bras offer some key points anyone considering living and working in the country need to bear in mind.

GAC Angola Nisa Kosala Chelsia
  • When the Portuguese colonisers departed in November 1975, the War of Independence finished - and Angola went to war with itself. The crippling civil conflict lasted 27 years from 1975 to 2002, and its effects are still felt today. You have to watch out for landmines when travelling outside Luanda.
  • Portuguese is the most widely spoken language, both for daily conversations and most business communications. Exceptions are usually senior company managers, who speak English and can use it as an advantage when speaking with foreign investors.
  • The Angolan approach to business is very formal, right down to the final handshakes, and gives great value and respect to titles and social standing. This can slow down the process of establishing and growing a business compared to other parts of the world.
  • All income earned in Angola is taxed. Anything earned from abroad is not. However, if an organisation working abroad is registered in Angola, industrial tax is payable. Duties payable on certain necessities like vehicles, lodging, and so on add to the high cost of living in Angola.
  • Despite the hardships they face, Angolans find ways to enjoy themselves. Weekends mean parties with music and dancing (kizomba and samba are favourites). For those able to go a little further from home, there are many beach resorts and nature reserves – the waterfalls at Kalandula are a top attraction. There is also a golf course at Mangais resort, along with a mangrove nature reserve.
Angola City scenic with township in background

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