Luanda: The Netherlands is set to increase its investments in Angola's central Huambo province, focusing on agribusiness, infrastructure, and industrial capacity enhancement, as confirmed by Henny de Vries, the Dutch ambassador to Angola.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Ambassador de Vries announced new initiatives that will bolster agricultural value chains, especially in avocado and moringa production, and enhance logistics networks to support exports. This announcement followed a meeting with Huambo Governor Pereira Alfredo.
Key projects include the construction of an industrial plant dedicated to avocado oil processing, aiming to enhance the value of local agricultural yields. Furthermore, a significant infrastructure project is underway with the development of the 65-hectare Ca¡la Agro-Logistics Platform, a pivotal hub along the Lobito Corridor. The Netherlands will finance an 800-meter railway spur connecting this platform directly to the Benguela Railway, optimizing cargo transportation.
The initial phase of the platform, covering 15 hectares, includes silos, cold storage units, dry warehouses, a container yard, phytosanitary facilities, and customs checkpoints. It is designed to handle 250,000 to 300,000 metric tons of cargo annually, targeting both domestic supply and exports to Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Leon Taljaard, director of the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), revealed plans for new financing lines to support local agro-processing. FMO has already invested 15 million euros into Angola's economic diversification efforts. Taljaard emphasized that while the first financing phase concentrated on agriculture, the next will focus on agro-processing.
Governor Alfredo highlighted that local authorities have presented plans for the Caala Industrial Development Hub and new "agro-villages" to Dutch investors. These initiatives aim to attract private investment, boost provincial revenues, and create employment opportunities.
