Luanda – At least 14 heads of State and two prime ministers from variouscountries and continents visited the Republic of Angola during the year 2012.

Of the heads of State, 13 were Africans and one South American, while prime ministers wereall Africans.

May recorded the biggest flow of visitors, due to the Extraordinary Summit of Heads ofState and Government of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), held from31 May to 1 June, in Luanda.

The first guest was the president of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe,Manuel Pinto da Costa, who arrived in the country on January 30, for a 48-hour officialvisit aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries.

Jacob Zuma, head of State of South Africa, was the second to arrive in Angola, on February19, on transit to his country, from Benin, where he attended the Extraordinary Summit of the African Union.

In the Presidential Complex of the Luanda International Airport, on February 4, Jacob Zumadiscussed with his local counterpart, José Eduardo dos Santos, matters relating to the specialsummit that reviewed issues of peace, security, governance and democracy in Africa, held in Cotonou.

On March 1, Jacob Zuma arrived in the country for the second time that year, for a workingvisit of 24 hours and exchange of views relating to SADC and the African Union.

On April 22, the president of the Republic of The Gambia, Sheikh Alhajl Ahya Jammeh,arrived in Angola for a two-day official visit, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.

On May 17 Angola witnessed the arrival in Luanda of the president of Argentina, CristinaKirchner, for a two-day official visit.

Seven days later, May 24, the guest was the head of State of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina,who arrived in Luanda for a 24 hour working visit to Angola.

On May 30, the presidents of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, Zambia, Michael Satan, and primeminister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsivangirai arrived in Luanda to participate in the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of SADC.

With the same purpose, the presidents of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, Namibia, HifikepunyePohamba, arrived in the country on May 31, as well as the prime minister of the UnitedRepublic of Tanzania, Juno Pindus, and the King of Swaziland, Mswati III.

Also to attend the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of SADC, landed in Luanda, on June 1, the president of Botswana, Ian Khama, while five days laterarrives in Luanda for the second time, the president of Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Manuel Pinto da Costa, for a 24 hours official visit.

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, arrived in Luanda onJuly 26 for a few hours work visit.

The last visitor was the President of Uganda, Yoweri Musseveni, who arrived in the countryon July 31, as part of the relaunch of bilateral relations between the two countries.