João Lourenço facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
João Lourenço
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Lourenço in 2017
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| 3rd President of Angola | |
| Assumed office 26 September 2017 |
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| Vice President | Bornito de Sousa (2017–2022) Esperança da Costa (2022–present) |
| Preceded by | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| 23rd Chairperson of the African Union | |
| Assumed office 15 February 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Mohamed Ould Ghazouani |
| Chairman of the MPLA | |
| Assumed office 8 September 2018 |
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| Preceded by | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| Minister of National Defence | |
| In office 22 April 2014 – 24 July 2017 |
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| President | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| Preceded by | Cândido Pereira dos Santos Van-Dúnem |
| Succeeded by | Salviano de Jesus Sequeira |
| Chairman of Southern African Development Community | |
| In office 17 August 2023 – 17 August 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Felix Tshisekedi |
| Succeeded by | Emmerson Mnangagwa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 March 1954 Lobito, then part of Portuguese Angola |
| Political party | MPLA (since 1974) |
| Spouse | Ana Afonso Dias |
| Children | Manuel Dias Pereira more 5 |
| Alma mater |
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| Nicknames | Ti Mimoso, JLo |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Angola |
| Branch/service | Angolan Army |
| Years of service | 1974–2017 |
| Rank |  Army general |
| Battles/wars |
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João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (born on March 5, 1954) is an Angolan politician. He is currently the third president of Angola, a role he has held since September 26, 2017. Before becoming president, he served as the Minister of Defence from 2014 to 2017. In September 2018, he also became the chairman of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which is the ruling political party in Angola. He was also the party's secretary-general from 1998 to 2003.
João Lourenço was chosen in December 2016 to lead the MPLA in the August 2017 election. According to Angola's constitution, the person leading the party that wins the most votes in a general election becomes the President. Since the MPLA won most of the seats (150), Lourenço automatically became President of Angola. He took over from José Eduardo dos Santos, who had been president for 38 years. Lourenço officially started his term on September 26, 2017.
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Early Life and Family
Born in 1954, João Lourenço grew up in a large family with ten children. His family was very involved in politics. His father, Sequeira João Lourenço, was a doctor and a nationalist. He was even imprisoned for three years in Portuguese Angola because of his political activities. His mother, Josefa Gonçalves Cipriano Lourenço, was a seamstress. João Lourenço went to primary and secondary schools where he learned in Portuguese, in Bié Province and Luanda.
Education and Military Service
João Lourenço studied at the Industrial Institute of Luanda. In August 1974, he joined the fight for Angola's freedom in Ponta Negra. He was part of the first group of MPLA soldiers to enter Angola after the Portuguese colonial rule ended.
He started his military career fighting against the Portuguese during the Angolan War of Independence. He also fought as a member of the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War. Lourenço trained in artillery and later became a political officer for the MPLA. In 1978, he went to the Soviet Union to study at the Lenin Military-Political Academy. There, he continued his military training and earned a master's degree in Historical Sciences. He returned to Angola in 1982. As an artillery general, Lourenço then moved into politics. In 1984, he was appointed as the Governor of Moxico Province.
Political Journey
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João Lourenço's early political work was mostly within the MPLA. He was responsible for keeping the spirits of the guerrilla soldiers high. After becoming Governor of Moxico Province in 1984, he continued to move up in the ruling party. He also served in other important roles, such as the provincial commissioner for the MPLA in Moxico Province. He was also the president of the Regional Military Council and the First Secretary of MPLA in Benguela Province. From 1992 to 1997, he was the MPLA's Secretary for Information. Then, from 1993 to 1998, he led the MPLA group in the National Assembly.
In December 1998, he was elected as the Secretary-General of the MPLA. Many believed this was because President José Eduardo dos Santos favored him. People thought Lourenço might become the next president. However, when dos Santos said in 2001 that he would not run for re-election, Lourenço openly showed his interest in becoming the MPLA's presidential candidate. This seemed to upset dos Santos, who apparently did not truly plan to leave office. Lourenço was replaced as MPLA Secretary-General in December 2003.
From 2003 to 2014, Lourenço was the First Vice-president of the National Assembly. In April 2014, he was appointed as the Minister of Defense. He became the vice-president of the MPLA in August 2016. In September 2018, he took over as the Chairman of the MPLA, replacing José Eduardo dos Santos.
In December 2016, the MPLA chose Lourenço as their main candidate for the 2017 election. He was elected president of Angola on August 23, 2017. He officially took office on September 26, becoming the third president in Angola's history. On September 8, 2018, he was elected president of the MPLA, the party that has ruled Angola since 1975.
In June 2018, Lourenço's government made Angola's first LGBT collective legal. The following January, he changed an old law from 1886 that banned certain acts. He also made it illegal to treat LGBT people unfairly.
Since February 15, 2025, he has been serving as the President of the African Union. Before this, he helped solve a conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lourenço also helped create an agreement with Gabonese president Brice Oligui Nguema. This agreement allowed the previous president, Ali Bongo, to go into exile in Angola after he was overthrown in the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état.
Personal Life
João Lourenço is married to Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço. She is a Member of Parliament for the MPLA and used to be the Minister of Planning. She also worked at the World Bank in Washington D.C. until October 2016. They have six children. All of their children are currently involved with the MPLA party. Besides his native Umbundu language and Portuguese, he can speak Russian, Spanish, and English. People often call him by his nicknames "Ti Mimoso" and "JLo".
Honours and Awards
João Lourenço has received many special awards from other countries. These awards recognize his important work and leadership.
Awards from Other Countries
Brazil:
- Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross (August 25, 2023)
Cape Verde:
- 1st Class of the Amílcar Cabral Order (March 16, 2022)
Cuba:
- Order of José Martí (July 1, 2019)
France:
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (January 16, 2025)
Guinea:
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (July 30, 2021)
Italy:
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (May 19, 2023)
Ivory Coast
- Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast (June 28, 2024)
Namibia:
- First Class of the Order of the Welwitschia (May 4, 2018)
Portugal:
- Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (November 22, 2018)
Senegal:
- Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion (October 23, 2022)
Serbia
- 2nd class of the Order of the Republic of Serbia (February 15, 2022)
South Africa:
- Order of South Africa (December 12, 2024)
Spain:
- Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (January 31, 2023)
See also
In Spanish: João Lourenço (político) para niños
