By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG (AA) – Angola’s former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has died aged 79, the presidency announced on Friday.
He died at a clinic in Barcelona, Spain, where he was being treated after a prolonged illness, according to a statement.
Dos Santos ruled Angola for nearly four decades from 1979 to 2017.
He was also the leader of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the party that has held power in Angola since its independence in 1975.
He stepped down in May 2017 and was succeeded by current President Joao Lourenco.
In a statement, Lourenco hailed dos Santos’ dedication to the country, lauding him as a “unique figure of the Angolan homeland.”
He announced five days of national mourning, during which the national flag will fly at half-staff and public events will be canceled.