Angola Newswire

Luanda – Angola government has congratulated the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the high commitment to the general materialisation and mobilisation of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR), worth 650 billion dollars (456 billion SDR).

The amount will be added to strengthen the global economy liquidity and boost the response capacity of all countries’ policies.

Of this amount, Angola gets 1.007 billion dollars, equivalent to 709.35 million SDR, based on equal distribution among the Monetary Fund member countries.

Angola will spend the resources on promotion of resilience and ensure the stability of national economy.

The value will also be used to strengthen the external position and reviving the speedy economic recovery of the country, states a press release from the Ministry of Finance sent to ANGOP.

The Minister of Finance clarifies that the amount has not to do with a new loan incurred from the IMF, in other words, an additional funding under the current Extended Fund Facility (EFF) between Angola with the International Monetary Fund.

“The allocation is part of a IMF’s response to the request made by the international community in framework of Paris Summit held on 18 May, aimed to mobilise a package of a massive help to support the countries, particularly the African countries hit by Covid-19 pandemic”, reads a note from Ministry of Finance.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Saurimo – Roughly 5,508 carats will be polished monthly in two diamond factories at the Saurimo Diamond Development Hub, in the eastern Lunda Sul Province, out of the three scheduled for inauguration this Friday, by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço.

These are the “KAPU GEMS” factories with the capacity to cut five thousand carats/month, and Stardiam” with 508 carats monthly.

Speaking to ANGOP, the chairman of the Board of Directors of KAPU GEMS, Kalpeshi Vaghani, said that the company had invested US $5,000,000 in the installation and training of personnel.

He added that the company will start with 50 workers, with the possibility of reaching 300 employees sooner.

Kalpeshi Vaghani said the unit will work with first-rate equipment to cut, shape and polish the diamond.

The Indian multinational KAPU GEMS has been working in the cutting market for over 50 years and is located in Switzerland, Dubai, China and Sweden, with a total of 1,200 employees.

The director of the legal and human resources office of the Stardiam factory, Carlos Augusto, also informed that the factory will operate with first-rate equipment to ensure the progression of production capacity.

According to the person in charge, the unit guaranteed employment to 100 nationals and 35 foreigners, who will also serve as trainers for local employees, in order to, if possible, have more specialists in three years.

Carlos Augusto underlined that the company invested US $8,000,000 in the implementation and training of employees.

The Saurimo’s Diamond Development Hub is a space whose main objective is to bring together companies related to the mining economy, with a focus on the diamond value chain.

The creation of this hub will allow the country to develop the Diamond Exchange Market, but also to increase production, reduce illegal mining and increase the cutting capacity, which should reach 20% of the total diamond production in Angola.

The project, with an investment of US $77 million, in the first phase, will have four diamond cutting factories that will join the four already existing in the country.

Built in an area of 305.185.74 square meters, the hub is divided into three main areas: commercial, industrial and the one reserved for the hybrid plant.

The commercial area pleased the public access nucleus with shops, restaurants, food court, banks, tax offices, other offices, convention center, professional technical school, medical center and accommodation building.

The industrial area consists of 26 lots of different dimensions for the implementation of a diamond cutting training center, cutting factory and industries in the diamond sector.

Located four kilometers off the city of Saurimo, the hub, in its entirety, will guarantee five thousand jobs.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – National Electoral Commission (CNE) Wednesday gave thumbs up to the update period for electoral registration in-person.

This was confirmed by its spokesperson, Lucas Quilundo, who said that the process is running from September 2021 to March 2022.

The body recommended the Ministry of Territory Administration, the entity that proposed the approved period, to take into account the rainy season, so that the process runs smoothly.

The source explained that the registration will take place in the Municipal Administrations, where one-stop shops will be set up.

Electoral registration in person is supervised by the CNE, which is also responsible for pre-mapping the polling stations.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Luanda – The Multisectoral Commission for the Prevention and Combat of Covid-19 recommended Tuesday that the measures imposed to deal with the new variants of SARS-Cov-2 in the country be more stringent, with greater incidence in border provinces.

According to the deputy coordinator of the commission, Carolina Cerqueira, who was speaking to the press at the end of the weekly briefing, the local authorities and the Ministry of the Interior should step up controls on the movement of people at border posts with neighbouring countries, particularly Namibia, Zambia and DR Congo, as a way of preventing the spread of the disease in Angola.

Carolina Cerqueira also expressed satisfaction at the vaccination campaign for minority populations (khoisans) located in the province of Cuando Cubango, saying that it was a planned action in the process of social inclusion of Angolans.

The Minister of State for Social Affairs also called for the reinforcement of awareness campaigns for the populations to adhere to the vaccination process in the country.

Carolina Cerqueira welcomed the support received from the USA, consisting of the donation of 586,170 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, saying that it reinforces Angola’s capacity to vaccinate citizens over 18 years old.

During the meeting, the members of the commission were informed of the weekly balance of the actions of the security forces throughout the country, as well as those carried out in favour of vaccination and testing against Covid-19.

Data disclosed point out to the registration of 264 infractions, throughout the week, which resulted in convictions, with penalties converted into fines, having been collected Kz 3.1 million.

Source: Angola Press News Agency