Luanda: Seven industrial hubs and an equal number of national rural parks in Angola are set to be privatized starting this year, as announced by Juelma Pinto, the Director-General of the National Institute for Industrial Development and Technological Innovation of Angola (IDIA). The announcement was made during the Economic Forum on the Advantages of Investment in the Central Region of the Country and its Impact on the National Economy, held in Cuito, Bié province. According to Angola Press News Agency, the industrial development hubs to be privatized include Caála (Huambo), Cunje (Bié), Luena (Moxico), Lucala (Lunda-Sul), Negage (Uíge), Malanje, and Matala (Huíla). The rural parks set for privatization are located in Cacuso (Malanje), Andulo (Bié), Canjala (Benguela), Maquela do Zombo (Uíge), Tomboco (Zaire), Calenga (Huambo), and Waku Kungo (Cuanza-Sul). This move is part of the government's strategy to leverage the national economy, promote employment, and foster socio-economic development by involving th e private sector in the management and investment of these parks and hubs. Pinto emphasized that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is actively preparing for the public tender process to commence soon. The current legislative framework allows for private sector participation, ensuring legal security for both national and foreign investors. Since 1998, Angola had planned the development of 20 industrial hubs with treasury funds, but only two have been implemented. The new law facilitates private sector involvement, aiming to expedite the development process. Pinto also highlighted that Angola has reserved 40,000 hectares for the development of additional poles and parks, with 12,600 hectares awaiting infrastructure development. Additionally, 10 parks are yet to be developed, while three have been built and are equipped with necessary infrastructure. Numélia Mendes, Director of the Lobito Corridor Facilitation, Transport and Transit Agency (AFTTCL), discussed the potential of the Benguela Railway (CFB) in supporting production, logistics, and trade across the Southern African region. Mendes called for private sector investment in industrial infrastructure and service provision along the railway line to enhance community development, particularly in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. The forum, a part of the 3rd edition of Expo/Bié, addressed various topics, including the introduction of ICTs in production, infrastructure support for the productive sector, and access to financing. Expo/Bié, featuring 636 exhibitors and more than four thousand tons of products on display, aims to foster production and transformation for food self-sufficiency. The event is expected to create around a thousand temporary jobs and attract over 30,000 visitors.
