LUANDA, Angola (BN24) — Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço has been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic role in advancing peace and reconciliation efforts across Africa, according to an official submission by Angolan academic and policy analyst Afonso Botáz.
Lourenço, who has served as Angola’s president since 2017, was put forward for the international honor in recognition of his efforts to mediate regional conflicts, particularly his leadership in preventing escalations in the Great Lakes region and stabilizing fragile political environments elsewhere on the continent.
Botáz praised Lourenço’s role as the African Union’s Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, citing his “firm commitment to resolving regional conflicts on the African continent, based on the principle of peace.” His diplomacy has been central to reducing tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, where his mediation helped avert open confrontation. He also played a critical role in the Central African Republic, coordinating with regional actors to avoid deepening political unrest.
“President Lourenço’s brand of diplomacy rests on dialogue and respect for the sovereignty of other states,” Botáz wrote in the nomination letter. “His work reinforces a deep commitment to the pacification of regional conflicts. It is a quiet, effective diplomacy that builds calm step-by-step rather than through mere ceremony.”
The nomination also points to Lourenço’s domestic agenda, which has prioritized national reconciliation, the strengthening of public institutions, and historical justice. His administration’s advocacy for reparations and acknowledgment of past injustices has, according to Botáz, helped rebuild public trust and contributed to Angola’s standing as a respected voice in international diplomacy.
“If the Nobel Peace Prize is meant to reward the dedicated practice of peace, then President Lourenço’s record presents the kind of steady, trusted leadership that the continent and the world benefit from,” Botáz concluded.
Lourenço, a former Minister of Defense, became Angola’s third president in 2017. His presidency has focused on economic reform, democratic governance, and expanding Angola’s diplomatic influence, particularly as a stabilizing force in African geopolitics.
