Angola celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence from Portugal on Tuesday at the Republic Square in the capital, Luanda, where a military parade was held in front of President João Lourenço.

Soldiers, marching bands and tanks paraded through the central square to mark the occasion before Lourenço addressed the nation.

"We've made a difficult journey in these 50 years," said Lourenço, citing political difficulties during the Cold War and overcoming Portuguese colonialization.

Lourenço also said that Angola continues to face "enormous" and "highly complex" challenges.

"The volatile situation in the African Sahel countries, the wars in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which threaten the balkanization of those countries, deserves our full attention. The scourge of coups d'etat and unconditional changes in Africa has regained strength and worrying contours," he said, speaking from the stands of the Independence Memorial in Luanda.

Lourenço said his government will focus on building an "inclusive society with equal opportunities for all citizens."

Angola declared independence from colonial ruler Portugal on Nov. 11, 1975, but quickly entered a devastating civil war that killed between 500,000 and 1 million people before ending in 2002.

Oil-rich Angola has been governed by one party, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola, since independence.

AP video produced by Nqobile Ntshangase