Africa's Second-Longest Serving Leader, Jose Eduardo Of Angola Says He Will Step Down This Year

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos confirmed Friday he would step down ahead of elections due in August, signalling the end to his 37-year long reign, and naming Joao Lourenco as the candidate to run in his place.

The autocratic Dos Santos, 74, became president in September 1979, making him Africa's second-longest serving leader, one month short of Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

His reign has seen the end of civil war and an investment boom, but has also been criticised as secretive and corrupt with Angola's citizens suffering dire poverty as his family became hugely
wealthy.


Dos Santos told a meeting of the ruling MPLA party in Luanda that "the party approved the name of the candidate heading the list in the August elections as (Defence Minister) Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco".

Lourenco, a former general, emerged as the probable successor late last year at another meeting of the MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola).