20120519
AFP
The leaders of Argentina and Angola said Friday they plan to sign new cooperation agreements soon, though Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner wrapped up a visit to Luanda with no news on an oil-for-food pact.

"Our economies are complementary because of Angola's immense wealth in oil, diamonds and gas and our own potential as the world's largest agricultural producer," Kirchner said during a reception at Angola's presidential palace.

"I believe we have the opportunity to show the world that another development model is possible, different from that of financial accumulation."

Her counterpart Jose Eduardo dos Santos cited upcoming education and cultural agreements "without a doubt as a good base for the enrichment of our mutual knowledge with new information."

During Kirchner's two-day visit she pushed for a deal to exchange her country's food for Angolan oil, though no agreements for this were signed.

The nations discussed cooperation in trade, agriculture, technology and science.

Closer relations "can mean for Angola the diversification of its economy" and "the improvement of work ethic, especially for young Angolans," Kirchner said.

Argentina's profile as an emerging economy and Angola's as a country under reconstruction after a three-decade civil war meant they needed the same public policies, she added.

Angola, Africa's second-largest oil producer, is wooing foreign investors to push their money into developing its infrastructure and economy.

Its dependence on food imports has caused prices to skyrocket.

The southwest African country's main trading partners are the United States, China, Brazil and Portugal.

Trade with Argentina has grown from $18 million to $150 million from 2001 to 2010.

Dos Santos visited Argentina in 2005.