Angolan Minister of Culture Advocates for Better Management of Copyright

Luanda: Angolan Minister of Culture Filipe Zau on Friday advocated for strengthening the management of copyright and related rights in the country, an initiative of the Executive Branch aimed at reinforcing the commitment to valuing arts professionals. Speaking at the end of a dialogue meeting on challenges and perspectives of the music sector, the minister considered the debate extremely positive and said it served to identify immediate priorities, particularly copyright and the utilization of new performance venues across the country. According to Angola Press News Agency, the minister stated that many musicians do not register their works with SENADICA (National Secretariat for Copyright and Related Rights), a fact that essentially hinders the payment of intellectual property rights. "By not registering their music, they cannot think about having copyright," he said. He added that copyright is a right of each individual and must be respected; payment is the way to remunerate the work of composers and perf ormers in the field. He also appealed to the managing institutions to rigorously fulfill their duties, stressing that the discharge is provided for in the Constitution. On the other hand, the minister pointed to overcoming the lack of performance venues as a recent advance, highlighting spaces such as the Huambo Cultural Center, Namibe, and the venues planned for Dalatando and Uíge, in addition to the units in Luanda. He added the need to decentralize shows in the capital. "It is necessary to take music to other provinces as well," he argued. On that occasion, he said that the strategic plan involves integrating cultural activities with tourism, including performances in hotels, through existing agreements between UNAC and the Angolan Resorts and Hotels Association. He assured that the concerns raised will be analyzed to define priorities and policies for cultural development. The meeting with musicians, producers, composers, cultural agents and representatives of associations linked to the sector, at the National Archives of Angola (ANA), aimed to promote dialogue and reflection on the challenges and perspectives of Angolan music. The initiative is part of the Executive's commitment to strengthening the arts and valuing its professionals, creating a space for consultation and sharing of ideas around the sustainable development of the music sector in the country. The meeting was also part of a consultation cycle with artists' associations that the Ministry of Culture has been promoting to define the sector's next policies. During the debate, topics such as artistic training, music production, cultural public policies, and institutional partnerships that can contribute to the growth and affirmation of Angolan music at the national and international levels were addressed.