The civil war had a crippling effect on the Angolan economy, especially agriculture and infrastructure, created hundreds of thousands of refugees.

In that key post, he presided over the most important sector of the Angolan economy and was considered a close associate of President José Eduardo dos Santos.

In a weeklong visit scheduled to end this weekend, he also presented his plan for the structural rehabilitation of the devastated Angolan economy and urged foreign investment there.

Today the petroleum industry is the engine of the Angolan economy.

With the flight of the Portuguese, the demise of tourism, the collapse of the Angolan economy and the spread of the insurgency, Angola's school system fell on hard times.

The enormous differences between the regions pose a serious structural problem in the Angolan economy.

The Angolan economy, said Alfred S. Fawundo, the deputy representative of the United Nations Development Program here, "really defies conventional description."

"The Angolan economy has disappeared," she said.

The importance of rehabilitating the Angolan economy was emphasised.

Respect for human rights and the demilitarisation of Angolan society was important and the recovery of the Angolan economy was essential for lasting peace.