Day: September 15, 2022

Luanda- The new Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa, was sworn in at a ceremony led by the Presiding Judge of the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Cardoso.

Esperança da Costa, who was elected through the MPLA list, is the first woman to take the vice presidential office.

Vice President´s profile

Esperança Maria Eduardo Francisco da Costa was born in Luanda and studied biology at the Agostinho Neto University, where she obtained her degree in 1985.

She has a PhD in Phytoecology from the Technical University of Lisbon and a Masters in Plant Productivity from the Higher Institute of Agronomy of the Technical University of Lisbon.

Between 1997-2002 she was Deputy Director of Scientific Affairs and National Coordinator of the SADC Network for Biodiversity Studies (SABONETE) and Focal Point for Southern Africa of the International Science Network (IFS), among other positions.

From 2020 to the current date, she was the Secretary of State for Fisheries.

Between 2010 and 2020, she was director of the Botany Centre of the Agostinho Neto University, while in the period 2007-2010 she held the position of National Director of Higher Education Expansion of the Ministry of Higher Education.

Her curriculum also includes the position of Vice-Chancellor for University Expansion of the Agostinho Neto University (UAN) from 2002-2007 and she is the founder of the Botany Centre of UAN.

Esperança da Costa, who is a member of the MPLA Central Committee since 2019, has passed through the various structures of the party, namely in the Angolan Woman Organization (OMA), the female wing of the MPLA, and the youth wing, JMPLA, of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angolan president of the Republic João Lourenço has announced his commitment to address the nation’s issues in his second five-year term, which begins Thursday (15), with inclusive governance.

Speaking for the first time as President-elect on Thursday, he promised to work on the stability and consolidation of the Democratic and Rule of Law.

“I will be the President of all Angolans”, said João Lourenço in his address to some 15,000 people, who joined the heads of State and Government, having reiterated his personal commitment to improving the living conditions and well-being of Angolans. .

In this political cycle, legitimised at the polls, the president said he will continue to be guided by the Constitution and the Laws will be the criterion for decision-making, for the defence and protection of minorities.

The inauguration ceremony of the head of the MPLA list, the winning party in the August 24 general elections, was chaired by the presiding judge of the Constitutional Court, Laurinda Cardoso.

The MPLA and its candidate for President of the Republic, João Lourenço, won Angola’s fifth elections, after those held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017, with 51.17 percent of the valid votes, electing 124 deputies to the National Assembly.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola’s president João Lourenço said on Thursday in Luanda that Angola will continue to live up to its commitments on combat climate change.

João Lourenço was speaking at the inauguration ceremony marking the beginning of the fifth legislature.

More than 15,000 people joined the heads of State from several countries at the swearing-in ceremony.

João Lourenço said Angola will contribute with concrete actions to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, aimed to protect the planet from climate change and its consequences for humanity.

In his speech, the president said that the country will work with non-governmental organisations to launch the environmental education programmes.

He said that the objective is to curb deforestation and force the re-plantation of native species or eucalyptus.

The head of State recommended, on the other hand, the fight against burning in dry weather, reportedly regarded an ancestral tradition, but which destroys flora and fauna and impoverishes arable soils.

The Statesman spoke of the country’s permanent commitment to implement policies and concrete actions to reduce the consumption of oil derivatives and the use of firewood for domestic or industrial consumption”.

He pledged investment in clean sources of energy production that are environmentally friendly, building more and more photovoltaic parks based on solar energy and green energy projects.

The president announced the government plans to support all initiatives aimed to protect the threatened or endangered plant and animal species such as mangroves, sea turtle, elephants, hippos and rhinos, among other species.

MPLA and its candidate for President of the Republic, João Lourenço, won Angola’s fifth elections, after those held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017, with 51.17 percent of the valid votes, electing 124 deputies to the National Assembly.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola’s president João Lourenço promised Thursday to work, over the next five years, on the search for the best solutions for the country and to pay particular attention to the social sector.

Delivering his inauguration speech for the second term, João Lourenço pledged to continue investing in the training of human capital, focusing on the country’s sustainable development.

Among the priority sectors of his governance in the period 2022-2027, he pointed to education, health, housing, drinking water supply, electricity and basic sanitation.

He reaffirmed the continuity of policies and good practices, to encourage the private sector of the economy, to increase the supply of goods/services, national production, as well as exports and employment.

Re-elected for the second term, João Lourenço announced plans for the completion, in this mandate, of public projects for the construction of the Commercial Port of deep water quay, in Cabinda, and the António Agostinho Neto International Airport, in Luanda.

The infrastructure to be completed are also those of Cabinda, Soyo and Lobito oil refineries, along with the Barra do Dande development hub (Luanda) and the Caculo Cabaça dam (Cuanza Norte).

President João Lourenço promised to conclude, within the next five years, the interconnection of the north, centre, south and east systems of the national electricity grid, as well as to continue the construction of solar energy parks across the country.

The President of the Republic reiterated his commitment to the protection of minorities, the most vulnerable, the elderly, children and the less favoured.

The Head of State took the opportunity to congratulate the Angolan people on their civic participation in the August 24 general elections and their commitment to the MPLA.

João Lourenço, began, this Thursday, his second five-year term at the helm of the Angolan Nation.

MPLA and its candidate for President of the Republic, João Lourenço, won Angola’s fifth elections, after those held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017, with 51.17 percent of the valid votes, electing 124 deputies to the National Assembly.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The modernization of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) is one of the President João Lourenço’s priorities in his mandate that begins this Thursday (15).

The President João Lourenço, who was addressing an inauguration ceremony of the fifth legislature,  explained that the move is intended to bring the Armed Forces to the level of prestige they have gained over the years.

He added that the defence of territorial integrity and internal public order is sacred for a country like Angola that has lived through decades of armed conflict.

Meanwhile, he said, having achieved peace and stability 20 years ago, Angola has to preserve these goods at all costs.

In his speech, João Lourenço said that the best solutions will be found for the re-equipping and modernising of the FAA.

The Angolan Statesman noted that the permanent training of the staff, as well as the improving the conditions of barracks to accommodate the staff and their salaries is a priority in the functioning of the Executive on the first days.

Diplomacy

He said that Angola has a dynamic diplomacy open to the world, with beneficial results for the country’s image and economy.

According to João Lourenço, the country has gained prestige and respect on the continent and in the world due to the crucial role it plays in resolving conflicts in the SADC region and in the Great Lakes, such as the Central African Republic, and in the border conflicts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He expressed concern about the conflict in the Tigris region of Ethiopia, whose humanitarian situation is worsening every day because it was simply forgotten after the outbreak of a new conflict in Europe.

The MPLA and its candidate for President of the Republic, João Lourenço, won Angola’s fifth elections, after those held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017, with 51.17 percent of the valid votes, electing 124 deputies to the National Assembly.

In total, the MPLA obtained 3. 2 million of valid votes, according to definitive data released by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) and upheld  by the Constitutional Court.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Nigeria is facing a record reduction in oil production, oil cartel OPEC reports, dropping from the first largest producer in Africa to the fourth, behind Angola, Algeria and Libya.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries monthly oil market report for August showed that Nigeria’s production stood at 980,000 barrels a day, a decline of more than 100,000 barrels per day compared to July.

The figure was about 50% of OPEC’s target for the west African nation in August.

For decades, Nigeria has been Africa’s largest oil producer. But in recent years, theft and sabotage at production sites have hampered output. Petroleum authorities say more than 200,000 barrels are lost daily as a result, and that the trend is costing the country millions of dollars in revenue.

Oil was once Nigeria’s biggest earner and contributor to national GDP, but the latest data shows information and communications technology and trade contributed more during the second quarter this year.

Abuja-based oil and gas expert, Emmanuel Afimia, said he’s worried about Nigeria’s current situation.

“At this particular point in time when the oil prices are rising, Nigeria is supposed to sit back and be enjoying revenue and inflows of forex [foreign exchange trading] through the sales and export of crude oil. But the reverse is the case, so it’s really a negative thing for the country falling from that position of being the biggest producer, Nigeria will slowly be losing its influence in the global oil market,” Afimia said.

Nigerian authorities also are raising concerns. Last Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari said the situation was putting the economy in a precarious situation.

And earlier this week, Nigerian lawmakers sent a delegation to oil-rich Rivers State to investigate the problem and report back their findings to the Senate.

But oil and gas expert Faith Nwadishi said authorities must share the blame, too.

“It’s a question of pointing one finger when four fingers are pointing back at you,” Nwadishi said. “If government was doing enough, I don’t think that we’ll close our eyes and see our major source of revenue being stolen up to 90 percent. I want to see a situation where government is taking more action than crying out.”

Petroleum authorities and security operatives have been working to halt the oil theft.

Raids in late August led to the arrest of more than 100 oil thieves and the recovery of millions of liters of crude oil and diesel.

Mele Kyari, head of the National Nigeria Petroleum Company, said the clampdown is making progress.

“What is most difficult to manage today and daring for us to live with is the issue of crude oil theft, [but] we’re not helpless and our efforts are paying off,” Kyari said.

Authorities in August awarded a pipeline surveillance contract to a former militant who once stole oil and vandalized pipelines. The move was criticized by citizens, but officials say the former militant’s expertise will help prevent theft.

Source: Voice Of America