The Republic of Angola is the United States' third largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa and Nigeria. The country is one of the world's most important frontiers in new oil exploration and production. Current production levels of nearly 1 billion barrels of oil per day make the country the second largest producer in Sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria. New discoveries could allow production to double within the next decade. Already, close to five percent of American oil imports come from Angola.

Efforts to upgrade infrastructure and industry are generating immense opportunity for U.S. companies across a wide variety of commercial sectors. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, economic growth in Angola will exceed 10 percent in 2002.