This newsletter was produced in partnership with Abreu Advogados (a partner firm in Portugal).

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On the 7th of May 2025 the Angolan Parliament passed Resolution nr. 20/25, approving Angola’s accession to Montreal Convention 1999 for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air (including airline’s liability).

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This is a significant step forward in the modernization of Angolan aviation law, as until now, Angola is only bound to the Warsaw Convention of 1929 (as amended by the Hague Protocol of 1955). The Warsaw Convention is an outdated international convention, no longer providing adequate response to pivotal key issues such as liability in cases of injury, death, delay, baggage, and cargo issues.

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While this development represents meaningful progress for Angola’s civil aviation, Montreal Convention 1999 is not yet applicable to international flights departing from or arriving to Angolan airports. For Angola to fully accede to Montreal Convention it must still deposit its accession with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). As of now, Angola has not yet completed this step.

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Once these formalities are completed, Angola will benefit from an international convention much more suited to modern times, as the Montreal Convention sets liability limits for airlines, ensuring fair compensation for passengers, while allowing for the use of electronic air waybills, significantly reducing paperwork and operational costs for airlines.

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Thus, facilitating paperless air carriage global initiatives by IATA such as the e-freight (e-AWB) initiative. It also promotes global sustainability (with a clearly positive environmental impact) while improving accuracy, shipment times and security.