Category: General

Luanda – Angola’s capital, Luanda, hosts Thursday a Mini-Summit of the heads of State with the focus on the security matters of the Central African Republic (CAR).

The event is taking place at the initiative of the Angolan statesman, João Lourenço, in his capacity as president of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

Speaking to the press, on Thursday in Luanda, the Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, said that the meeting will analyse several issues.

He said that among the topics, the event will address the report on implementation of the decisions adopted at the 2nd Mini-Summit held in April this year in Luanda.

The participants will also assess the Joint Road Map for Peace in the Central African Republic, drafted by Angola and Rwanda.

Téte António was speaking at the end of the audience the Angolan head of State granted to the President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki.

Mini Summit agenda foresees the speeches to be delivered by

The host President João Lourenço and the Congolese leader, Denis Sassou-N´Guesso, who is also the acting president of the Economic Community of the Central Africa States (ECCAS).

Also expected to deliver speech CAR president, Faustin Archange, and the president of African Union Commission, Moussa Faki.

On the other hand, the presidents of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Cameroon, Sudan and Rwanda have sent their representatives at the Mini Summit.

Last January, Luanda hosted the first mini-summit which discussed the political and security situation of the Central African Republic.

In April of this year, Luanda hosted the second mini-summit on the same topic.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Ndalatando – The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, declared this Wednesday, in Ndalatando, that the great housing solution for the majority of the Angolan population is through directed self-construction instead of the construction of Centralities by the Government.

The Head of Angolan Government made this statement after visiting a project of directed self-construction in Quilometer 11, on the outskirts of the city of Ndalatando, in the province of Cuanza Norte, where he worked for two days.

For the President of the Republic, the illusion that the Centralities are the ones that will solve the housing problem should be left behind.

The State’s responsibility, he said, involves building infrastructures, providing land, guaranteeing water and power, as well as creating incentives for each person to build his or her own residence.

“It is evident that there will be houses on the market, but there should be houses for everyone through directed self-construction,” he said.

For this reason he said he hoped that other provincial governments would follow the example of Cuanza Norte. They should identify spaces for directed auto-construction and offer infrastructed land, avoiding construction under water lines, high tension lines and slopes, which put human lives at risk.

Governance of proximity

On the other hand, he expressed his interest in visiting all the provinces, without the programme being related to political campaign or pre-campaign, because it is a year away from the elections.

“The objective of the visit is proximity governance, in which on the spot we debate, with the local authorities, the main problems that afflict the populations of those provinces,” he said.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angolan president João Lourenço formalised Wednesday the opening of the Simplified Contract Procedures, in terms of material criteria.

The move is meant to ensure the acquisition of goods and services related to expenditures of the study, supervision and consultancy, ahead of the alteration to the Political and Administrative Division.

The decision, which comes simultaneously with the authorisation of the opening of a spending estimated at 4 billion kwanzas, also aims at acquiring data processing equipment assets and transports.

The information is expressed in the Presidential Dispatch no. 156/21 of 14 September, published in Official Gazette, which delegates the Secretary General the task to sub-delegate for the approval of procedure document, as well as checking the validity and legality of all actions practiced in the framework of the above procedure, including the award of the contract.

Angolan government is conducting, since 16 August to 17 September this year, a public consultation on the alteration to the political and administrative division of the biggest provinces of the country.

The process covers the provinces of Cuando Cubango, Lunda Norte, Malange, Moxico and Uíge.

The objective is to ensure better control of the national territory, address the most pressing issues and put an end to the regional asymmetries.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – Angola has announced relief measures on the prices of essential goods widely consumed by the population, through the suspension of customs duties.

The measures entered into force on Tuesday (14), after the publication of the Provisional Presidential Legislative Decree No. 1/21 in the country’s Official Gazette.

This legal Act, expected to last 70 days countrywide, states that the measures are intended to protect the public interest on mitigation of the impact of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on prices of essential goods widely consumed by populations.

The document also stresses the need to guarantee access to basic foodstuffs, as well as the maintenance of the purchasing power of citizens.

The products covered by suspension of tariffs include rice, pork, beef jerky, chicken thigh, corn grain, powdered milk and cooking oil.

The document also states that the measures aim to increase the national production of essential goods widely consumed by the populations and reduce the cost of their import as well as increase the speed of flow and supply of essential goods countrywide, cutting of red tape in acquisition and distribution process.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda- The financial ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s), in New York, United States of America, Monday raised the long-term foreign and local currency issue rating of the Angolan government from Caa1 to B3, maintaining a stable outlook.

The senior rating, unsecured long-term foreign currency rating and the senior MTN programme ratings, also unsecured, were thus raised from Caa1 to B3, respectively.

The short-term foreign and local currency issuer ratings were affirmed at Not Prime (NP).

The decision to upgrade the rating is driven by Moody’s assessment that Angola’s sovereign credit profile is improving, to be consistent with its peers at the B3 rating level.

Stronger governance, particularly in the quality of the country’s executive and legislative institutions, although at weak levels, is reflected in several aspects of the credit profile which Moody’s expects to be maintained.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Ndalatando – Angolan minister of Finance Vera Daves Wednesday said that the increase in non-oil revenues and the prospects of rising oil prices contribute to the outlook of the rating agencies on national economy.

The minister said so in Ndalatando city, northern Cuanza Norte province, stating that the outlook stems from the results of the economic reforms implemented by the Executive.

According to her, the situation is improving the fiscal performance and public accounts, despite the Covid-19 pandemic that has further aggravated the country’s financial conditions and the fragility of revenues.

Vera Daves was speaking to the press of the decision of the financial rating agency Moody’s to revise Angola’s sovereign debt rating upwards, predicting economic growth this year.

The minister explained that Angola’s credit risk rating with “Up Great” provides, in practical terms, benefits to the country, in the way the financial institutions and foreign investors perceive it.

It also helps the country in its ability to obtain financing on better terms and at lower interest rates.

“The higher Angola’s credit rating, the easier it will be to get low-interest financing. This impacts the country’s ability to finance projects, debt service and the way potential investors look at the country. Therefore, the narrative of attracting private investment is also easier”, explained the minister.

In this new notation, she pointed out, exchange stability, the growth of liquid international reserves and debt management were praised.

The minister also said that Angola is adopting a conservative attitude in granting of new financing, with a commitment to broadening the tax base so that the indebtedness is within the limits of the country’s needs.

Vera Daves highlighted the resilience of public accounts that allowed reaching, in 2020, a deficit lower than expected, adding that the Government is working so that the year 2021 ends without a budget deficit.

“Everything is going well, there are indicators that the country may have a surplus in this financial year”, she stressed.

She noted that the Executive is doing everything to maintain the good performance of public accounts, despite the adversities.

The official added that the Ministry will continue to advocate the improvement of the quality of public expenditures, through the interaction it has had with the different budget units, taking into account the country’s financial limitations.

Vera Daves stressed that the government will continue to focus on the tax reform agenda, fiscal consolidation, macroeconomic stability, with stress to the real economy, improvement of the business environment and job creation.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Ndalatando, 14/09 (Angop) – The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, delivered today (Wednesday) the keys of two residences, from the 12 houses already concluded in the Quilómetro 11 housing project, in Ndalatando, province of Kwanza Norte.

The beneficiaries of the two houses are: Virginia Aguiar and António Domingos Ebo, both disabled.

The two citizens benefited from the residences, already furnished, as a gesture of solidarity of the Provincial Government, due to the conditions in which they lived and their physical condition.

João Lourenço, who was on a two-day working visit to the city of Ndalatando, made a verification visit to the referred housing project (Quilometro 11).

On the occasion, the Angolan Head of State highlighted the importance of self-building projects aimed at improving housing conditions for citizens.

The Head of the Government urged the other provincial governments to also invest in projects of this type, so that the population would stop building in risk areas.

The infrastructure works of the Quilómetro 11 project started in May 2020, and are being financed with contributions and donations from private individuals, which according to the local governor, Adriano Mendes de Carvalho, is delaying its conclusion.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Brazzaville/Conakry – Guinea today declared the end of the Marburg virus disease outbreak having recorded no new cases over the past 42 days—two incubation periods, or the time between infection and the onset of symptoms. The virus was confirmed on 9 August, marking the first time the disease emerged in the country and in West Africa.

Only one case—the index patient who was diagnosed with the virus posthumously—was recorded and more than 170 high-risk contacts monitored for 21 days. The disease, a highly infectious virus that causes haemorrhagic fever, was detected in southern Guinea, the same region where the initial cases of the February—June Ebola 2021 outbreak as well as the 2014—2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak were detected.

Guinea’s health authorities, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), promptly mounted emergency response, deploying expert teams to carry out further investigations, step up disease surveillance, assess the risks and bolster community mobilization, testing, clinical care as well as infection prevention and control measures.

“Without immediate and decisive action, highly infectious diseases like Marburg can easily get out of hand. Today we can point to the growing expertise in outbreak response in Guinea and the region that has saved lives, contained and averted a spill-over of the Marburg virus,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

While the outbreak has been declared over, flare-ups can occur. WHO continues to support Guinea in its efforts to remain vigilant, maintain surveillance and build capacity to respond quickly to a possible resurgence of the virus.

Guinea’s health authorities, WHO experts and scientists are deepening investigations into the source of the Marburg outbreak, including analysis on bats as well as undertaking serological surveys to not only help understand how the virus emerged, but also help prevent potential future outbreaks.

Marburg, which is in the same family as Ebola, is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.

Although there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus, supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival. A range of potential treatments, including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies, are being evaluated.

In Africa, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.

Source: World Health Organization. Africa

Amid increasing global pressure, India says it is closely examining the resumption of COVID-19 vaccine exports to the world, particularly Africa, which is badly in need.

India is the largest manufacturer of vaccines, but it stopped exporting them in April to fight a major surge of the virus that it now largely has under control.

A source with knowledge of the decision, who requested anonymity as he is not authorized to speak with the media about it, told Reuters that with at least 61% of India’s population of 944 million people having received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, the country now has a surplus.

The apparent decision to restart exports comes as Indian President Narendra Modi prepares to visit Washington next week for a summit of the leaders of the so-called Quad countries — the United States, India, Japan and Australia.

“The export decision is a done deal,” the source said. “India wants to help out Africa with both vaccines and its COVID operational model.”

On Tuesday, the World Health Organization said it is in ongoing discussions with Indian officials to resume those supplies with the global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX.

“We have been assured that supply will restart this year,” senior WHO official Bruce Aylward said.

Meanwhile, the African Union lashed out at vaccine makers, saying they are not giving them a decent chance to buy vaccines. It implored manufacturing countries — especially India — to remove the export controls. Of the 5.7 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines injected globally, just 2% have been in Africa.

The European Union is pledging to donate 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries by mid-2022.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the pledge Wednesday in Strasbourg, France, during her annual State of the European Union speech before the European Parliament. Von der Leyen said the 200 million doses the EU plans to contribute will be in addition to an earlier promise of 250 million doses, which she described as “an investment in solidarity, and it is an investment in global health.”

Von der Leyen said “the scale of injustice and the level of urgency is obvious,” with less than 1% of all global doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in low- and middle-income countries.

“Let’s do everything possible so that it does not turn into a pandemic of the non-vaccinated,” she told EU lawmakers.

Source: Voice of America

The European Union is pledging to donate 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries by mid-2022.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the pledge Wednesday in Strasbourg, France during her annual State of the European Union speech before the European Parliament. Von der Leyen said the 200 million doses the EU plans to contribute is in addition to an earlier promise of 250 million doses, which she described as “an investment in solidarity, and it is an investment in global health.”

Von der Leyen said “the scale of injustice and the level of urgency is obvious” with less than 1% of all global doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in low- and middle-income countries.

“Let’s do everything possible so that it does not turn into a pandemic of the non-vaccinated,” she told the EU lawmakers.

US Army requirement

Meanwhile, U.S. Army officials issued a mandatory vaccination order for all uniformed personnel. Officials said Tuesday that the Army expects all active-duty soldiers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 15, while imposing a deadline of June 30, 2022 for all Reserve and National Guard soldiers.

The statement said soldiers who refuses the vaccine will “be first counseled by their chain of command and medical providers,” but warns that if they continue to refuse and have not been exempted from the vaccine, they will be suspended from their duties or even dismissed from the service.

Alaska situation

In the United States, the largest hospital in the remote northwest state of Alaska announced Tuesday that it has begun rationing care due to a raging outbreak of new COVID-19 infections. Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, the state’s largest city, said Tuesday it is now operating under a policy of “crisis standard of care,” meaning the hospital is unable to provide an equal quality of medical care to all patients.

The hospital said in a statement that an overflow of COVID-19 patients in its emergency room has left other patients waiting in their cars for hours before they are seen by a doctor for urgent care.

Providence Alaska Medical Center joins a growing number of hospitals across the U.S. who have been forced to ration or even deny medical care to their communities as COVID-19 patients fill their halls beyond capacity.

Source: Voice of America