Category: Key Issues

Lubango – The Angolan government will invest USD 600 million in strengthening the capacity and quality of electricity in the southern region of the country, in 2022, announced this Tuesday in Lubango city, southern Huila Province, the minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges.

Speaking to the press at the end of his visit to Huíla, which aimed to verify the levels of execution of projects under development in the two sectors, he said that negotiations are advanced with the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Kingdom of Spain.

 

One of the projects, to be carried out over three years, includes the construction of a high voltage line, 400 kilometers long (Huambo – Lubango), as well as the demining of the connection route, financed by the ADB, with the amount of  US$300 million.

 

The Huambo/Matala link costs US$100 million, while the Lubango/Namibe line is valued at between US$70-80 million.

 

The minister assured that the Huambo-Lubango connection has guaranteed financing and approved by the ADB, through an agreement signed with the Ministry of Finance, and is under consultation for the launch of the public tender. So, ADB also participates in the financing of AFOMAT.

 

Minister Borges said that such solutions bring more energy availability to the province of Huíla, associating the solar energy project planned to be installed in the municipality of Caraculo (Namibe), in a private investment by Sonangol, as well as by Arimba (Lubango), financed by Sonangol and TOTAL, with the installation of solar parks.

 

The Lubango/Namibe line has financing approved by the Japan Cooperation Fund, while the Huambo/Matala line, which will bring energy to Jamba Mineira region, is financed by the Kingdom of Spain.

 

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

MAPUTO – Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on a visit to the troubled northern Cabo Delgado province Monday, unveiled the Southern African troops sent to fight the region’s insurgents.??The Southern African Development Community’s Standby Force includes troops from?Angola,?Botswana, Lesotho,?South Africa?and?Tanzania.?The SADC troops are being deployed as?Mozambican and Rwandan troops on Sunday say they retook a key port city that the Islamist militants held for two years.??

In a live broadcast on state radio and television Monday from Cabo Delgado’s provincial capital, Pemba, President Filipe Nyusi addressed southern African troops deployed to the region to fight insurgents.

Southern African Development Community members Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Tanzania are the first in the 16-member group to send troops to Mozambique.

Nyusi thanked SADC for its engagement and underscored the need to coordinate in battling the Islamist militants.

To the SADC standby forces who are here, he says, we appeal once again for greater coordination on the operational theater and rigorous observation of the benchmarks of responsibility, strategically defined. Nyusi says they demand communication, exchange of operative information on the ground, discipline and respect for human life.

The total number of soldiers the group is sending to Mozambique has not been made public. But experts from SADC, who were in Cabo Delgado, suggested that the mission should comprise around 3,000 troops.

Botswana in late July announced it was sending almost 300 troops to fight in Mozambique, and its president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, attended Monday’s unveiling.

The?commander?of the?SADC standby force?is South African Major General Xolani Mankayi. Speaking on a state broadcaster from Pemba, he said they would do everything possible to restore peace in the affected areas.

“The SADC region state as described above is (to) facilitate the creation of a secure environment, to ensure that the state authority is in full control of the Cabo Delgado affected areas, and normal lives can resume,” Mankayi said.

Nyusi had been reluctant to allow foreign troops into Mozambique’s conflict, but in July confirmed that outside help was needed to defeat the insurgents.

Rwanda, which is not a SADC member, sent 1,000 troops in early July to Cabo Delgado, where they say they are making gains fighting alongside Mozambique’s.

Spokesman for Mozambique’s Ministry of Defense, Omar Saranga, late Sunday announced they had regained control of the port town of Mocímboa da Praia.

He says it is important to highlight that the success of the operations is due to the effective collaboration of the local communities, which is why they call for the reinforcement of collective vigilance. Bear in mind, says Saranga, that due to the push of the ongoing offensive, terrorists will tend to infiltrate, with the aim of disrupting searches, as well as registration of rescued populations.

The ministry said the insurgents, who call themselves Al-Shabab but are not connected to the Somali Islamist group of the same name, had controlled the port for more than two years.

Since the insurgents began fighting in 2017 near rich oil and gas deposit projects, more than 2,500 people have been killed.

More than 800,000 people have been displaced by the fighting since April 2020, while gas projects worth billions have been put on hold.

Source: Voice Of America

 

 

Luanda – The new Angolan ambassador to Chad, António Luvualu de Carvalho, presented Monday, in Djamena, his credentials to the President of the Transitional Military Council of the Central African country, General Mahamat Idriss Deby.

The diplomat is also the head of Angola’s diplomatic mission in Equatorial Guinea, where he is resident.

Angola and Chad, with bilateral relations considered as good, signed, on 15 April 2014, in Luanda, legal instruments on which bilateral cooperation is based, namely the General Cooperation Agreement, the Agreement establishing the Bilateral Cooperation Commission and the Memorandum of Understanding on Regular Political Consultations.

In recent years, the financial and agricultural sectors have been the most dynamic in relations between the two countries.

Due to Angola’s great potential, the Chad authorities intend to broaden the scope of cooperation to the sectors of energy and water, mining, oil industry, trade, economy, industry, agriculture, environment, transport, civil aviation, science and culture.

The Governments of Angola and Chad have been in regular contact at the highest level. On 2 June this year, the President of the Transitional Military Council and President of the Republic of Chad made a working visit to Angola.

As the rotating Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Angola invited Chad to be part of the work of the various Summits and Mini-Summits already held to address Peace and Security issues in the region, as Chad is a strategic country for the Central African and Sahel regions.

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Angolan government is working on the new framework of the postal code to respond, in the shortest possible time, to citizens with the capacity to develop electronic service, at a time when Covid-19 accelerates this technological need.

According to the Minister of Telecommunication, Information Technology and Media, Manuel Homem, who was speaking on the sidelines of the 27th Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress, in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Covid-19 shows the need to improve and perfect the technical conditions of this universal service, “of great impact for Angola.

For Manuel Homem, it is an “extremely important tool in e-commerce” and he believes that there are “particular challenges that have to do with modernising the postal services infrastructure itself, but also with improving the legislative environment so that the country can be better off.

Representing the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, at the event’s opening ceremony, the minister justified that the challenges of modernising the postal service gain another dynamic, with the advent of new technologies, which changes its character and the way it operates, making e-commerce a reality.

 

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

A 1,000-strong Rwandan force has hit the ground running since its deployment in Mozambique to fight poor insurgents who have carried out devastating attacks in the far north of the country.

In two weeks, the troops – the first foreign force to be deployed against the insurgents – have taken a key road junction, held by the militants for the past year, and have reached the port town of Mocímboa da Praia.

In four years the insurgents have taken control of most of five districts in Cabo Delgado province in the north east of Mozambique.

So far 3,100 people have been killed and 820,000 displaced – more than the entire population of the five districts.

When in March the insurgents captured Palma, the gas boom town adjoining Total’s $20bn (£14bn) development of the second largest gas field in Africa, the French oil giant abandoned the massive construction site.

Mozambique’s defence forces are widely regarded as corrupt, poorly trained and ill-equipped and were no match for a growing but still rag-tag band of insurgents.

Despite opposition within his own party, President Filipe Nyusi called for foreign help.

There is broad agreement that the uprising was begun by young people without jobs protesting about growing poverty and inequality, as well as the lack of any gains from mineral resources including rubies and gas.

This is compounded by social injustice – the lack of a voice and abuse by government officials, police and soldiers.

The conflict started with a symbolic attack on Mocímboa da Praia in 2017 and escalated as the young people captured weapons from soldiers and gained local support.

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

Luanda – Angola president, João Lourenço, left Ghana Wednesday back to Angola following a two-day state visit, during which he developed an intense political and investment agenda for the country.

During his stay in the West Africa country, João Lourenço had a private meeting with his counterpart, Nana Akoufo-Addo, and attended the signing of a Memorandum of Intent between the two countries and participated in a business and investment forum on Angola.

Businesspeople from Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, among other guests, participated in the business forum held at the headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area, where the Angolan head of State  appealed and encouraged investment in Angola.

President João Lourenço also paid tribute to the Pan-Africanist and father of Ghana’s independence, Kwame Nkrumah, by laying a wreath at the Mausoleum in his loving memory.

The President of the Republic, accompanied by the First Lady, Ana Dias Lourenço, and his delegation attended an official dinner, during which he made a speech recalling the historical ties that unite the two countries.

João Lourenço also addressed a special session of the Ghanaian Parliament and granted audiences to several entities.

In his three speeches, the Angolan Head of State emphasized the need to give a new dynamic to bilateral relations between the two countries and encouraged leveraging the free trade market in Africa.

Joaõ Lourenço called for all countries to have access to vaccines against Covid-19, allowing the world to come out of the pandemic in equal conditions and circumstances.

Ghana was the last stage of João Lourenço’s tour, which began on July 27 with state visits to Turkey and Guinea.

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

 

Accra – The Angolan President, João Lourenço, is fulfilling this Tuesday his second and last day of his state visit to Ghana, with an intervention in parliament and participation in a Business Forum.

In the morning, the Angolan Head of State is to visit the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the place that will host the business forum, and he is also to meet with the organization’s secretary general.

 

In the afternoon, President João Lourenço will participate in a special session of the parliament, where he will make an intervention.

 

The Angolan statesman – who has been in Accra since Sunday, as part of a tour that has already taken him to Turkey and the Republic of Guinea – held a private meeting on Monday with his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akoufo-Addo, and honoured the “Father of Ghana’s Independence”, Kwame NKrumah.

 

Also on Monday, a joint press conference was held by the two statesmen, after honouring with their presence the signing of the Memorandum of Intentions, which defines the areas of bilateral cooperation, by the Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs and Ghana’s minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

 

At the press conference, João Lourenço said that the two countries are trying to keep the flame of friendship alive, which dates back several years.

 

In the framework of the Memorandum of Intent, Angola will be able to count on Ghana’s experience in agriculture, due to its potential in this field, with an emphasis on cocoa production, while the Ghanaians see Angola as an opportunity for their oil industry.

 

Angola and Ghana, which share a common history in the struggle for national independence, signed the first legal and cooperation instruments in 1976.

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

Ankara – Angolan Head of State João Lourenço left Ankara (Turkey) on Thursday for Conakry, the capital of the Republic of Guinea, for an official visit from 30-31 July.

João Lourenço left Ankara after a working visit to Turkey, as part of his first official trip to that country, focusing on strengthening cooperation between both countries.

President Lourenço’s mission to Turkey versed on assessing existing bilateral cooperation between both countries and seeking new investments.

In his two-day stay in Ankara, President Lourenço held contacts with high figures of the Turkey State and influential business people, to whom he presented Angola’s vision of the future of bilateral cooperation.

During his visit to Turkey, the first of an Angolan Head of State since diplomatic relations were established in the 1980’s, João Lourenço spoke of the economic reforms underway in the country and their impact on improving the local business environment.

He also spoke of the legislation drafted by his government to improve the business environment and protect investments, and assured the Turkish that Angola is currently an attractive investment market.

While in Ankara, President João Lourenço met with his local counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with whom he discussed the need for expanding the bases for cooperation to other sectors.

The meeting between the two statesmen paved the way for official talks between delegations from both countries that led to the signing of ten relevant deals seen by the parties as crucial to improved trade, political and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

New erea of cooperation

The two countries signed agreements in various spheres, with highlight to economy, trade and diplomacy, seen by both sides as strategic and mutually advantageous.

The parties signed a deal on visa waiver on diplomatic, service and special passports, seeking to facilitate trade and boost tourism and regular investors exchange.

The two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of political consultations between the foreign ministries of Angola and Turkey.

Angola and Turkey also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between diplomatic academies of both countries.

Another deal signed involves reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, including a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Support to Micro, Small and Medium-size enterprises of Angola and Turkey.

The parties also signed a MoU between the ministries of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas of Angola and its counterpart of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey, providing for cooperation in the domains of hydrocarbons and minerals.

The two countries also signed a MoU covering cooperation in the fields of renewable energies and energetic efficiency.

A cooperation protocol between the State-run “Televisão Pública de Angola” television station (TPA) and Turkey Radio and Television (TRT) was also signed, including a Verbal Process for the 2nd session of the Joint Commission for Commercial, Economic and Technical Cooperation between Angola and Turkey.

Angop learned that left to be signed is the Air Services Agreement between both governments, setting up the bases for the launch of the Luanda/Istanbul route, scheduled to start operating in October this year by Turkish Airlines.

This deal was one of the most highly mentioned by the businesses on both official delegations who regard it as a relevant landmark in the new era of cooperation between both countries.

Seeking to improve cooperation between both countries, the parties signed a deal for the creation of a Business Council. Signing the agreement were representatives of Angola’s Agency for Private Investments and Promotion of Exports (AIPEX) and Turkey’s External Economic Relations Council (DEIK).

.

This, according to AIPEX chairman, António Henriques da Silva, is being put in place to bring Turkish and Angolan businesses closer, through the two agencies tasked with dealing with private investment.

Strategic partnerships

Another remarkable point on President João Lourenço´s official agenda was his participation in the Angola-Turkey Business Forum that looked into existing various advantages and opportunities in both States.

The Angolan Head of State said on the occasion that Angola is willing to establish economic, financial and business relations with Turkey, with a view to laying the bases for a strategic cooperation.

He further stressed the need for Angola to attract more investors bringing money, advanced technology and know-how with a rapid and efficient impact on the production of goods and services.

João Lourenço also mentioned the real advantages in investing in Angola, the main sectors awaiting Turkey’s private investment and what Angolans expect from this strategic partnership with the Turkish sides.

During the event, DEIK chairman, Nail Olpak, announced an increase in trade with Angola currently estimated at Usd 500 million.

He said trade between both countries stands at Usd 178 million, admitting business between Angolans and Turkish counterparts is still far from the real potential the two countries can reach.

On the other hand, on the last day of his official visit to Turkey, the Angolan Head of State gathered with seven influential local business people who expressed their wish to invest in Angola.

Angola and Turkey enjoy diplomatic relations since 1980 and regular cooperation in such sectors as trade, agriculture, education, culture, defence, justice and sport.

According to the authorities from both countries, the relations are still to reach desirable level, but there is hope new horizons could be attained.

AIPEX data show that between 2006 and 2006, Turkey’s firms invested Usd 22.55 million in 16 projects in Angolan provinces of Luanda and Uige, covering the fields of industry, trade, education, civil construction and creating 123 jobs.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Angolan President, João Lourenço, holds Friday and Saturday a working visit to the Republic of Guinea Conakry, at the invitation of his West African country’s counterpart Alpha Condé.

The information was released Wednesday by the Secretariat for Institutional Communication and Press Affairs of the President of the Republic.

The document states that the visit includes a private meeting with the host Head of State, while the visiting ministers (of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas and Defence and Homeland Veterans) will work with a Guinean ministerial delegation to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During the visit, president Joao Lourenço will be decorated with the Grand National Order of the Republic of Guinea, in a ceremony to be held Friday afternoon.

The same distinction has already been given to the former president António Agostinho Neto, “in the midst of the liberation struggle against Portuguese colonialism, in 1973,” at a time when Guinea was ruled by the “independence leader Ahmed Sékou Touré.

The Angolan leader ended a two-day state visit to Turkey on Wednesday and will leave Ankara on Thursday.

The friendly relations between Angola and Guinea date back to the beginning of Angola’s struggle for independence. In recent years, the two countries have undertaken concrete actions for their reinforcement in the economic, scientific, technical and cultural segments.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, Sunday in Luanda, praised the role played by the Tocoist Church in actions of solidarity with the most disadvantaged and that aim at the consolidation of peace.

In a message addressed to this religious congregation, on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of its remembrance that is marked today, the Head of State congratulated the faithful, bishops and other leaders, for the work carried out in the moral and spiritual education of Angolans.

“The formation and educational action of the Tocoist Church has contributed to instil, within the faithful, the need to achieve peace, harmony and mutual help among Angolans, as well as solidarity with the most disadvantaged,” reads the letter.

For President João Lourenço these are more than enough reasons for the State to recognise the importance of his role.

As part of the celebrations of its 72nd anniversary, the Tocoist church held the I Council, in which it analysed its dogmas and precepts, besides having held the V Ecclesial Congress, which addressed the fulfilment of the schedule approved in the 2016 conclave.

The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the World (Tocoist) was remembered on 25 July 1949, by the prophet Simão Gonçalves Toco. It is implanted in several African, European, Asian and Latin American countries.

Source: Angola Press News Agency