King Felipe and Queen Letizia traveled to Angola earlier this month for a state visit that included meetings with business and civil society leaders.

During remarks, His Majesty discussed “plans and programs that have been put in motion to increase our presence and cooperation with African countries and to establish a strategic association that would allow us to address together numerous global challenges.”

Officials from Spain and Angola, a former Portuguese colony, signed memorandums of understanding on sports, the economy and diplomacy.

Angola’s former president, José Eduardo dos Santos, who served almost 40 years, died in Spain last year.