Summer 1996 (4.2) Page 41 Angolan President Graduated from Baku's Oil Academy Oil has always been the driving force behind Science in Azerbaijan. Baku's Oil Academy was known for training oil specialists from all over the Soviet Union and many foreign countries. Over the years, it has graduated approximately 75,000 students. Photo: Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos. One of the Oil Academy's most prominent graduates is José Eduardo dos Santos, who is currently the President of Angola. Dos Santos graduated in 1969 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering after studying six years on scholarship there. The Administration and faculty remember Dos Santos as "a tall, handsome, young man who was an excellent, well-organized student and who always worked very hard. It didn't come as a surprise to them when he became President of Angola in 1979. Dos Santos was especially admired for his ability in Russian. Left: Map of Angola in reference to Africa. Even today, the Chair of the Russian Language Department, still keeps one of his compositions written in Russian which expressed his gratitude to his Russian teacher, Leyla Khanum. It seems Dos Santos' training in Baku proved to be a good choice for his future political career. Oil is considered the "Engine of Angola's Economy." Petroleum refining and petroleum products are its most important industry. Production runs at nearly 600,000 barrels a day making it the second largest producer of oil in the sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria. From Azerbaijan International (4.2) Summer 1996 © Azerbaijan International 1996. All Rights Reserved. Back to Index AI 4.2 (Summer 1996) AI Home | Magazine Choice | Topics | Store | Contact us