Day: July 19, 2022

Luanda – The consortium Trafigura Group Pte Ltd, Vecturis, SA and Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção África, SA will manage the Lobito Corridor for a period of 30 years.

The consortium will take on the operation, running and maintenance of rail transport of goods between Lobito and Luau, as well as maintenance of the entire existing infrastructure along the Corridor.

With a concession signature prize of USD 100 million, the Ministry of Transports, in a press release to which ANGOP had access, said that it will allow differentiating the competitors based on their financial capacity in relation to the size of the assets in question.

With the rents negotiated, the Angolan state expects to receive, over each 10-year period, revenues of US$319.4 million in the first 10 years, USD 787.4 million between the 11th and 20th years, and US 919.05 million in the last 10 years.

In terms of cargo to be transported, the forecasts are for 1,677.70 tonnes in the 5th year of the concession, 2,982.31 tonnes in the 10th year, 4,979.23 tonnes in the 20th year, and 4,979.23 tonnes in the 30th and final year.

Under the terms of the concession now awarded, the concession holder will invest USD 256.03 million in infrastructure, USD 73.3million in equipment and rolling stock, and an additional USD 4.3million in miscellaneous activities.

This concession is for 30 years, and can be extended to 50 years if the concession holder opts to build the Luacano (Moxico) – Jimbe (Zambia) railroad branch.

Through the connection to Zambia, it is possible to reach the city of Beira, in Mozambique, and Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania, by the Indian Ocean, facilitating trade.

It is also indirectly linked to South Africa’s railway system, forming part of a transcontinental railway network.

Specifically, it is equipped with modern infrastructure, with 67 stations.

The railway line started being built in 1903 and was completed in 1929, with a 99-year concession agreement. The 99-year operation concession contract, awarded to Companhia do CFB SARL, ended on 28 November 2001, with all the company’s fixed and circulating assets reverting to the Angolan State.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – International companies participating in the 37th edition of the Luanda International Fair, to be held from 16 to 20 July, in the Special Economic Zone (ZEE), expect to publicise their brands and establish sustainable partnerships.

Speaking to ANGOP, the project manager of the German company Voith Group, Edmar Filho, said that FILDA is an opportunity to get to know the Angolan market better, understand the needs of customers and have partnerships that allow for economic development in Angola.

The manager said he was familiar with the market, noting that the company operates in the electric power sector, supplying electromechanical equipment for power plants such as the Cambambe Hydroelectric Dam, which is on the Kwanza River, between the provinces of Luanda and Cuanza Norte.

The technical director of South African company Lekwa Cooling Tower Services, Phuthi Boshielo, said this was his first time in Angola and that he hoped to return in the near future because he had been well received.

In his opinion, Angola should attract more manufacturing companies and cooling towers, as it is very important for economic growth.

The businessman said he had noticed that most of the companies are suppliers, “some provide services, but the future is to attract more companies to the manufacturing sector, because they will contribute more to economic growth, in terms of sustainability, and may create many jobs.

Phuthi Boshielo plans, in an initial phase, to have agents distributing the material in Angola, who will be able to do field work, getting to know the country and the companies.

In her turn, Norma Briffe, of Austrian company Andritz Hydro, said that her aim was for customers interested in products for building hydroelectric and mini hydroelectric plants.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Talatona- The National Communication Monitoring Centre, an institution designed to regulate and monitor the communications market in the country, was inaugurated Tuesday in Luanda.

The institution, which will employ 30 professionals with specific specializations in the area of management, monitoring and compliance control of communication services across the country, was budgeted at USD 10 million (4.2 billion kwanzas).

The National Communications Monitoring Centre, which is under umbrella of the Angolan Institute for Communications (INACOM), aims to manage radio frequencies in a harmonious way for maritime, aeronautical, radio, television, as well as mobile telephony and mobile broadband to access the internet, in order to prevent interference that can harm and affect the normal functioning of the most diverse commercial activities.

Installed in a three-storey building, whose work began in late 2021, the infrastructure is part of the programme for standardization, regulation and modernization of the communications sector in Angola.

Regarding the inauguration of the centre, the minister for Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Media, Manuel Homem, said that one of its missions was to prevent interference from the improper use of the communication spectrum by unauthorized entities.

According to Manuel Homem, the centre is a landmark for the country, as it guarantees more security, both in terms of aeronautical services that use frequencies, as well as in terms of maritime services, telecommunications and all entities that use electronic communications services.

Manuel Homem said that the equipment could scan the perimeter within a radius of 180 kilometres, identifying everything that happens in terms of telecommunications operations.

According to the Cabinet minister, centres of this kind will soon be set up in other provinces of the country, noting that Cabinda, Cunene, Huambo, Benguela and Huila already had similar services.

The event was attended by the Chairpersons of the Boards of Directors of ANGOP, TPA, TV Zimbo and other guests.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, is due Wednesday to travel to Benguela province, where he will inaugurate two photovoltaic power plants.

The information was provided Tuesday in Luanda by the secretary of the President of the Republic for Institutional Communication and Press Affairs, Luís Fernando, for whom João Lourenço will carry out a mission of a few hours in the south-west province.

In Benguela, the Angolan Head of State will visit the localities of Biopio and Baia Farta, before returning to Luanda.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The governments of Angola and Japan Tuesday in Luanda analysed the level of bilateral cooperation in the most varied areas of political, economic and social life.

The issue was addressed during an audience granted by the Angolan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, to the Japanese ambassador to Angola, Jiro Maruhashi Joro.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to ANGOP, the Angolan minister also discussed with the Asian country’s diplomat issues related to the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8), to be held next 27-28 August, in Tunisia.

TICAD is a forum for sharing knowledge on African development.

At the end of the audience, ambassador Maruhashi Jiro also spoke about Toyota’s participation in the Luanda International Fair.

Cooperation between the two countries began in 1988, with an emergency aid via the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Since the 1990s, Japan has supported Angola in several de-mining programmes, among other projects of common interest.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Cuito – One of the cities most affected by the war that ravaged the country, the city of Cuito, Bié province, is developing with each passing year, a fact that has deserved the due recognition of several tourists who visit it.

Today, fifty tourists on board of the luxury train “RUVOS”, coming from Tanzania, visited the square “Espelho-d’-Água”, the Monument Cemetery and the Embala Ekovongo, where they were delighted with the respective infrastructures, upgraded within the scope of PIIM.

Therefore, they encouraged the Government to continue carrying out more social, economic, cultural and environmental actions for the welfare of the citizens.

Speaking to ANGOP, the Italian Ambro Nela, who came to Cuito for the first time, underlined that the locality “is on the right path of development”, since it is gaining several infrastructures as well as recovered others.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luau – The border post of the municipality of Luau, in eastern Moxico province, which separates Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was Tuesday reopened after two years of suspension due to Covid-19 pandemic containment measures.

The reopening ceremony was witnessed by the provincial governor of Moxico, Gonçalves Muandumba, and the DRC minister of Tourism and Development of Lualaba province, Tchinhama Mutombo.

On the occasion, governor Gonçalves Muandumba highlighted the measure taken between the governments that will allow a greater exchange of several products between the population of the two regions, boosting the economy of the two neighbouring countries.

The governor appealed to the need for the referred commercial exchanges to be carried out in an organised and legal way, demanding better action from the authorities, in order to avoid practices that contribute to smuggling and human trafficking.

“There is all the need to fine tune all the security mechanisms, so that there is a functional border, without stimulating smuggling”, appealed the governor.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

The U.N. refugee agency says a voluntary repatriation program for Congolese refugees wishing to return home from Angola resumed after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UNHCR says a first convoy of 88 Congolese refugees left northern Angola and is due to arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo Wednesday. The agency says they will stay in a transit center for the night before crossing the border into the DRC.

UNHCR spokesman Boris Cheshirkov said more than 600 other Congolese refugees, so far, have indicated they too want to go home. He said other convoys are scheduled to travel through the Chissanda border crossing in the coming weeks.

From there, he said, the refugees will head to various destinations in the western DRC, including Kasai, Kasai Central, and Kinshasa, the capital.

“Although conflict continues in eastern DRC, improvements in security in the West have re-opened the possibility for Congolese to return to their country in dignity and safety. Returning refugees have told UNHCR they were excited to restart their lives in their country after years in exile,” he said. “Many have not seen family since fleeing political and ethnic violence in DRC’s Kasai region in 2017.”

At that time, conflict and violence sent some 35,000 Congolese fleeing for their lives to Lunda Norte Province in Angola. Since then, thousands of refugees have spontaneously returned to their places of origin in response to reports of improved security.

Conditions in eastern DRC, on the other hand, remain extremely volatile. The United Nations says most of the 5.6 million people displaced by conflict and violence inside the country reside in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika.

Cheshirkov said in recent weeks there has been a dramatic rise in the number of people killed and displaced due to attacks by armed groups in those areas.

“At the same time, in other parts of the country, we see that the security situation has improved,” he said. “And what is important is that UNHCR will always continue to advocate for the full support and essential services to be provided by the government, by the authorities to those that are going back, especially when it comes to security. So, they are able to rebuild their lives.”

Cheshirkov said the returnees receive a re-integration package upon their arrival in the DRC. That, he said, includes cash assistance to help pay their rent and cover basic needs such as personal hygiene and household items. He added that additional support is given in enrolling children in school and helping people gather crucial civil documentation essential for their re-integration process to begin.

Source: Voice Of America

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today restarted the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees from Angola after departures were halted in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first convoy of 88 Congolese refugees departed from the Lôvua settlement in northern Angola this morning towards the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The convoy is expected to arrive in the DRC tomorrow.

The voluntary repatriation is organized by UNHCR, together with the Governments of Angola and the DRC, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and various partners.

Refugees traveled in IOM trucks towards the border of Chicolondo, where they will stay in a transit centre for the night before crossing the border. Other convoys are scheduled to travel through the Chissanda border in the coming weeks. The refugees will head to various destinations in western DRC including Kasai, Kasai Central, Kwilu, Sankuru, Lomami, Lualaba and Kinshasa, the capital.

Although conflict continues in eastern DRC, improvements in security in the West have re-opened the possibility for Congolese to return to their country in dignity and safety. Upon arrival in the DRC, repatriated Congolese will receive cash assistance to help cover basic needs such as personal hygiene, household items, and initial assistance for rent. Additional support will also be provided for integration, for example helping children enrol in school. UNHCR will keep advocating for and supporting essential aspects of reintegration into Congolese life like continued security, livelihood support, and assistance with crucial civil documentation.

Returning refugees told UNHCR they were excited to restart their lives in their country after years in exile. Many have not seen family since fleeing political and ethnic violence in the DRC’s Kasai region in 2017. Over 35,000 people crossed the border to find safety in Angola at that time. Most of them were hosted in the Lôvua settlement in Lunda Norte region. In recent years, many refugees have spontaneously returned to the DRC. Today, Lôvua hosts some 7,000 refugees.

Already, over 600 Congolese refugees have expressed willingness to be repatriated. More are likely to show interest with the resumption of the operation.

The voluntary repatriation programme from Angola started in 2019 but was interrupted in 2020 because of the condition of the roads and the bridge over the Kasai River, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to border closures. Almost 3,000 refugees returned to the DRC in the first phase of the programme.

UNHCR assists some 57,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Angola, mostly in urban areas. This year, the operation has received US$10.3 million of the US$29.8 million needed, leaving a significant gap in addressing the basic needs of the refugees and asylum seekers. Meanwhile, UNHCR has received just 19 per cent of the US$225 million required to respond to the growing needs of displaced people in the DRC.

Globally, last year, nearly 430,000 people were able to return home in safety and dignity, a 71 per cent increase on the previous year. Nearly two-thirds of refugee returns were to South Sudan. That number represents just 2 per cent of the world’s refugees.

Most refugees want nothing more than to go home.

The international community has the power to reduce the number of years refugees spend in exile. We must address the causes of conflict and help make it safer and easier for people to return.

Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Ghana’s Health Service says more than a third of the people quarantined after an outbreak of the Marburg virus, a relative of Ebola, have been cleared to leave isolation. Authorities quarantined 98 people this week following two deadly cases of the virus in Ghana.

It is the first time ever the disease has been confirmed in the West African country, although nearby Guinea recorded a single case last year.

The director-general of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye, told VOA that 39 out of the 98 contacts have completed their quarantine.

He said there is no cause for alarm.

“We’ve had 98 contacts; health workers, mortuary workers, family members,” he said. “We’ve randomly tested 13 of them and they have all been negative so far. There is nothing to worry (about) except to know what to look out for and what to avoid.”

Kumah-Aboagye said Ghana’s surveillance mechanism has been on red alert to catch suspected cases of Marburg.

“We have general surveillance for all conditions including Marburg,” he said. “That’s why the system was able to pick it that early. If we didn’t pick it early, it would have spread to other places and it becomes difficult to contain it.

“We have a response team in the regions who are responsible for all these. We also have community volunteers who have been trained to identify any strange disease and report it for immediate response.”

The World Health Organizations said fatality rates for past Marburg outbreaks have ranged from 24 to 88 percent, and there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments.

The WHO, in a statement to VOA, commended local health officials for being proactive in detecting the disease and said it is mobilizing resources to help Ghana control the virus.

“Health authorities have responded swiftly, getting a head start preparing for a possible outbreak,” the country’s WHO representative, Dr. Francis Kasolo, said. “This is good because, without immediate and decisive action, Marburg can easily get out of hand.”

Anita Asamoah, an independent public health advocate, said more must be done to educate the public about the symptoms of Marburg and safety measures.

“Awareness should be more in the rural communities,” she said, adding that strictly following precautionary measures will be the best approach against Marburg until there is a vaccine, as well as reporting suspected cases.

Symptoms, Asamoah said, include fever, bleeding, coughing blood and blood in the urine.

Apart from Guinea and Ghana, Marburg has also appeared in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.

Source: Voice Of America