"Angolan exports depend very little on the United States of America [USA]. What Angola exports most to that country is oil, worth around 700 million dollars, and even there it is exempt," said the economist.
Speaking to Lusa from Luanda, Flávio Inocêncio admitted that if this country "had a more diversified economy, the impact would already be different", but this is perhaps one of the few cases in which the strong impact of oil on the national economy is an advantage.
According to the most recent official data cited by the economist, Angola exported 783.7 million dollars worth of oil to the United States, well below the more than 16 billion dollars, equivalent to almost 14.5 billion euros, exported to China, Angola's main trading partner.
"The US was the biggest customer of Angolan oil 20 years ago, but the map has changed completely, today almost everything goes to Asia," said the economist, highlighting that US purchases represent two billion dollars, well below the 20 billion dollars in products and services purchased from China and the 17 to 18 billion dollars imported from the European Union (EU).
The new rules presented at the beginning of the week by Donald Trump increase tariffs on Angolan products to 32 percent, compared to the average of 11 percent customs duty, "but as Angola has not increased its customs tariff, the new tariffs have no impact on Angolan products sold to the US", said Flávio Inocêncio.
In addition to Angola, the other members of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) covered by the measure announced by the US president will register tariffs of 16 percent in Mozambique and 13 percent in Equatorial Guinea, with the others (Brazil, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde and East Timor) facing tariffs of 10 percent, while Portugal is included in those that fall on the EU.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced new 20 percent US tariffs on EU imports, in addition to 25 percent tariffs on the automotive, steel and aluminum sectors.
Trump's new tariffs are an attempt to grow U.S. industry while punishing countries for what he says are years of unfair trade practices.
