Month: July 2022

Addis Ababa – African Union Commission (AUC) appointed Friday the Angolan Lieutenant General António Lamas Benedito Xavier Chief of Staff of the African Standby Force (ASF), Angop has learnt.

The appointment, by AUC chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, is in line with the final declaration from the Extraordinary Summit on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa held on 28 May in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

The declaration determines the operation of the aforementioned Force “without further delays” and the strengthening of “coordination with the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms on its use”.

According to the final declaration of the Malabo Summit, one of the main tasks of the ASF is the creation of a Counter-Terrorism Unit.

The Angolan Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU), Francisco José da Cruz, said the appointment complies with the country’s strategic importance and its active role in the prevention, management and conflict resolution in Africa to enable the continent’s development and economic integration.

Recalling the Angolan President’s speech delivered to the Nation on October 15, 2020, the diplomat João Lourenço highlighted the strategic importance of the insertion of the Angolan staff in international organisations, specially in this current context of Angolan foreign policy.

António Lamas served, since February of this year, as a military adviser to the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the continental organisation, Bankole Adeoye.

The service record of Lieutenant General António Lamas Benedito Xavier include the positions of Brigade Commander, Deputy Chief of the Operations Directorate of the National Air Force and Head of the Anti-Air Defence Directorate of the National Air Force of Angola.

He took part in various humanitarian and peace support events and operations.

He was the National Contingent Planner and Commander of the SADC Humanitarian Air Exercise BLUE CLUSTER in Limpopo, South Africa.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola and Nicaragua agreed Friday in Managua to continue consultations at all levels for the establishment of a true bilateral cooperation in several areas.

The intention was expressed during a meeting between Angola’s non-resident ambassador to the Central American country, Maria Cândida Pereira Teixeira, and Nicaragua’s Foreign Minister, Denis Colindres.

The two interlocutors reviewed a set of relevant issues in bilateral plans and the global situation, and both concluded that there is evidence of the emergence of a new world order based on dialogue, mutual trust and strengthening of universal human values.

The parties spoke of the need to open embassies in both countries and the creation of a joint bilateral commission to identify areas of cooperation, both public and private, thus allowing for the exchange of businesspeople from both countries to strengthen relations between the South and South.

The Angolan diplomat who lives in Havana, Cuba, took advantage of the meeting to inform the Nicaraguan diplomatic chief of the holding, in 2022, in Luanda, of the 10th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OEACP).

Cândida Teixeira gave, equally, detailed information on the electoral process in course in the country and invited the Nicaraguan society to join in the celebrations of the 100 years of the founder of the Angolan nation, Antonio Agostinho Neto.

Nicaragua, a Central American country located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is experiencing great growth in the tourism sector, and is currently the country’s second most successful industry.

It is dominated by agricultural production and its territory is covered half by forest and extensive deposits of gold, silver, salt and copper.

The country produces coffee, cotton and bananas, as well as sugarcane, corn, fruit, rice, cassava, sorghum and beans. It is also one of the main cattle breeders in Central America.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The period for voluntary payment of Motor Vehicle Tax (IVM), which officially ended Thursday (30 June), has been extended to the 8th of this month.

For the payment of the IVM, the owners of motor vehicles can go to the tax offices or access the website www.agt.minfin.gov.ao and the portal https://portaldocontribuinte.minfin.gov.ao, according to a press release from the General Tax Administration (AGT), to which ANGOP had access this Friday.

The non-payment of the IVM implies the application of a fine, at a rate of 25% of the value of the tax.

The tax, which substitutes the old Road Tax (extinct in 2020), is paid voluntarily, every year, between 1st January and the last working day of June.

The IVM is levied on light and heavy automobiles, motorbikes, mopeds, tricycles and quadricycles, aircraft and boats.

The Motor Vehicles Tax was approved by Law 24/20 of 13th June, which revoked the Road Tax – approved by Legislative Decree 3837 of 30th July 1968.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola will have, as of 2025, the first training and high performance centre called “Complexo Desportivo Paralímpico-José Sayovo Armando”, in honour to the adapted sprinter of the same name.

The first stone of construction of the building, located in the Bucula (Caxito) area of Bengo province, was laid this Friday by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto.

Budgeted at US$70 million, the facilities will be built in an area of eight hectares, over a period of three years, and will include a football field with an athletics track, an Olympic swimming pool and multi-use courts.

According to the model of the project, which is being built by construction company “Kora-Angola,” the project includes a gymnasium, residential area with capacity for 250 athletes, a secondary school, cafeteria, social and administrative areas.

The centre, which pays tribute to the greatest reference in Angolan sport, with podium finishes in three consecutive editions of the Paralympic Games (Athens’2004, Beijing’2008 and London’2012), will serve Paralympic and Olympic athletes.

This is the second time that the current sport vice-president of the Angolan Paralympic Committee sees his achievements recognized by the Angolan Government, after a competition with his name was instituted in 2005.

At the activity, the holder of the portfolio was flanked by the Minister of State and Head of the Security House of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado.

Also present were the governor of Bengo province, Mara Quiosa, federation leaders, athletes of adapted sports, especially basketball and football, the latter preparing for the World Championship in September, in Turkey.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, visits this Saturday the city of Caxito, northern Bengo Province’s chief town, to assess for a few hours the region’s overall situation with the local government members.

The information was provided on Friday, in Luanda, by Luís Fernando, the President’s secretary for Institutional Communication and Press Matters, who announced that the statesman’s return to Luanda, the coungtry’s capital, is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Before returning, in his capacity as president of the ruling MPLA party, João Lourenço will be engaged in a party activity in the scope of the ongoing political action ahead of the official campaign for the general elections scheduled for August this year.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Members of the National Assembly are due to consider, in general terms, on Thursday, 7, the proposals for the Civil Service and General Labour Laws and the organisation of the Courts of Appeal.

Recently, in an ordinary session of the Council of Ministers, guided by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, the Government approved the new Basic Law of the Civil Service that removes the limit of 35 years of age for the entrance in the Civil Service, making unlimited the access by this criteria, changes the limit of time of the fixed term work contract, known as determined work contract, from 12 to 24 months.

However, it also reduces the weekly working hours to seven and introduces the telework regime, given the dynamics imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, among other innovations.

Speaking to the press at the end of the Parliamentary Leaders’ Conference, chaired by the Speaker of the Parliament, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, MP Manuel Lopes Dembo referred that in the extraordinary session of the 7th, the proposals of legislative authorization to the President of the Republic, as Head of the Government, will also be appreciated.

These are the proposals of the special tax regime for Cabinda province, the termination of the concession awarded to the National Concessionaire for Oil and Gas, under Decree-Law no. 11/07, of 5 October, and the amendment of the Tax Regime Applicable to the Oil Concession in the Maritime Area of Cabinda.

The parliamentarian informed that on the 21st, in an ordinary session, the proposed Law on the Exercise of Television Activity, the organic law of the relationship courts and the basic law of the civil service will go to final vote.

Members will also discuss the draft resolution that approves Angola’s accession to the International Mobile Satellite Communications Organisation Convention, including the amendments of 6 October 2008.

Source: Angola Press News Agency