Angola invites 26 heads of state to new president's inauguration, over a dozen arrive

Angola is expecting 26 heads of state and government to the inauguration of newly elected president João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço on Tuesday.

Among the invited guests are Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Teresa May, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, the Angolan foreign affairs ministry said.

However, about a dozen heads of state are already in the country for the ceremony including the Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Namibian President Hage Geingob, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, President of Cape Verde Jorge Carlos Fonseca.

President hagegeingob arrived in Angola to attend the Inauguration of the 3rd 🇦🇴 President, João Lourenço 👉 https://t.co/CygbCZTg8d pic.twitter.com/GDNmPht9G5

— Namibian Presidency (NamPresidency) September 25, 2017

Le Pdt OUATTTARA est arrivé cet après-midi à Luanda où il prendra part, le mardi 26 septembre à l'investiture du Pdt élu Joäo Lourenço. pic.twitter.com/6SEVUdLbBF

— Presidenceci (@Presidenceci) September 25, 2017

The others are Guinea Bissau President José Mário Vaz, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Zambian President Egdar Lungu, and Sao Tome and Príncipe President Evaristo do Espírito Santo Carvalho.

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma arrived late Monday night followed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Investidura2017: Jacob Zuma em Luanda para investidura de João Lourenço-Angola Press https://t.co/AKtJl8n19P pic.twitter.com/2iiXSkQYIY

— Suwedi (@suwedicom) September 25, 2017

Kagame in Angola for Inauguration of President João Lourenço – https://t.co/NHwAbfoVIy pic.twitter.com/D5IPkMM6Su

— KT Press Rwanda (@ktpressrwanda) September 25, 2017

They will be joined later on Tuesday by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and the presidents of the DR Congo and Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila and Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Phelekela Mphoko is already in the country while the prime ministers of Ethiopia, Chad and the Central African Republic are expected including representatives of other countries, international bodies and leaders of political parties on the continent.

The ceremony will be held at the Republic Square in the capital Luanda in the presence of hundreds the ruling Popular Liberation Movement of Angola (MPLA) supporters and invited guests.

There is a high security presence in the capital to ensure the ceremony is held successfully.

Former defense minister João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço won the August 23 elections with 61.07% of the vote and an absolute majority of 150 seats by his party in the 220-seater legislature.

He will succeed 75-year-old longtime ruler José Eduardo dos Santos who decided to retire after close to four decades as president.