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Adalberto Costa Júnior (born 8 May 1962) is an Angolan politician who is the current president of
UNITA The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Liberat ...
and a member of the
National Assembly of Angola The National Assembly () is the legislative branch of the government of Angola. Angola is a unicameral country so the National Assembly is the only legislative chamber at the national level. The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (M ...
. He previously worked abroad as UNITA's representative, before returning to Angola in 2003 and becoming spokesperson of the party. In 2009 he became a national secretary party and later vice-president of UNITA's parliamentary group, then president of the group.


Early life

Costa was born on 8 May 1962 in Kunje, which was part of
Portuguese Angola In southwestern Africa, Portuguese Angola was a historical Evolution of the Portuguese Empire, colony of the Portuguese Empire (1575–1951), the overseas province Portuguese West Africa of Estado Novo (Portugal), Estado Novo Portugal (1951–1 ...
at the time of his birth. His father, Adalberto Costa, was a UNITA militant, and he had eight other siblings. He was also the godson of UNITA founder and leader
Jonas Savimbi Jonas Malheiro Sidónio Sakaita Savimbi (; 3 August 1934 – 22 February 2002) was an Angolan revolutionary, politician, and rebel military leader who founded and led the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( UNITA). UNITA was on ...
. At the age of ten he started going to the Minor Seminary of Quipeio (
Huambo Province Huambo is a Provinces of Angola, province of Angola. With an area of 34,270 km2, it is one of the geographically smaller provinces, situated in the Central Region approximately 450 km south east of the capital, Luanda. The province had ...
) for his primary education. After completing his studies there he did his secondary studies at the Venâncio Deslandes Industrial and Commercial School. He trained in electrotechnical engineering at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto and in public ethics at the
Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private university, private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyo ...
in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. However, during the proclamation of Angola's independence and subsequent civil war in 1975 he lost contact with his family.


Political career

From 1991 to 1996 he was UNITA's representative in Portugal, and was then representative of UNITA in Italy and to the Vatican City from 1996 to 2002. From 2003 to 2008 he returned back to Angola and became spokesperson for the party. He was also Provincial Secretary of UNITA in
Luanda Luanda ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Angola, largest city of Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Ang ...
during this time. Afterward, from 2009 to 2011, he was National Secretary for Patriomonial Affairs of UNITA and then from 2012 to 2015 was vice-president of the UNITA Parliamentary Group. He assumed the role of president of the UNITA deputies from 2015 to 2019. In November 2019, Júnior was elected as president of UNITA, ending Isaias Samakuva's 16-year term.


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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Costa, Adalberto Living people Members of the National Assembly (Angola) UNITA politicians 1962 births People from Bié Province Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Leaders of political parties in Angola