GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES NEW BUSES FOR LUANDA

Luanda - Luanda province will soon benefit from a total of 923 buses, including conventional and articulated buses, with a view to improving urban mobility in the country's capital, Transport Minister Ricardo D' Abreu said.

Speaking Monday at the opening of a debate on "The challenges and solutions for the Luanda Surface Metro (MSL)," the minister explained that the increase in buses was a response to the growing socio-economic mutation of the province.

"There are few transport services for the size of the market, which is constantly growing," he noted.

According to the minister, despite the restricted capacity of public transport, as part of measures to prevent and combat Covid19, Luanda's public transport operators carried an average of 5 million passengers.

However, the governor recalled that it was already possible to introduce 1,053 means of transport to all provinces in the country, distributed to designated operators chosen via tender.

OFFICIAL PRAISES FREE TRADE ZONE NEGOTIATIONS

Luanda - The secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene said Monday in Luanda that negotiations for the implementation of this area are in good pace.

AfCFTA official said so to the press at the end of a meeting with the minister of Industry and Commerce, Víctor Fernandes, on Monday.

He said that despite the progress in the negotiations, the countries are still struggling with politically sensitive issues.

Among them, he quoted the automobile and textile sectors and agriculture.

The African Continental Free Trade Area entered into force in January this year.

Fifty-four of the 55 member countries of the African Union signed the agreement in March 2018, and 39 States ratified the deal.

In turn, Minister Victor Fernandes said that as for financial issue, the Free Trade Area has the support of the African Export and Import Bank, which has established a working capital for its support activities.

For these transactions, he pointed out, a pan-African payments platform was created, with the support of the aforementioned bank, which is being tested in six (6) African countries, whose names he did not mention.

This platform is intended to reduce the costs of transactions between countries, as each has its own currency.

  “These costs are estimated at five billion dollars. However, with this platform, commercial transactions will have a reduction in financial costs, that is, they will maximize profits and reduce costs to operators”, he stressed.

On the other hand, he stated that Angola will adapt to the new reality, in view of the dynamics that an area imposes, with the advantage of reaching markets that the country cannot reach today, due to the existing barriers.

By joining the continental market for commercial transactions, the country will have access to a market that will increase from 30 million to 1.3 billion people.

Angola actively participates in the negotiations for the operation of the agreement and should, in the next few days, submit the Tariff Offer Proposal for the AfCFTA  to the African Union Commission.

The agreement that creates the African Continental Free Trade Area was signed on March 21, 2018, in Kigali (Rwanda) during the 10th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

Angola signed the agreement along with the most African states, members of the African Union.

AFCFTA BECOMES REALITY WITH NEW TRADING STANDARD

Luanda - The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, said Monday in Luanda that the creation of the organisation he represents is a reality and soon Africa will have a new trade standard.

Wamkele Mene was speaking to the press at the end of an audience with the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, with whom he discussed issues related to the challenges and development of AfCFTA, whose main objective is to achieve continental economic integration.

"I was quite encouraged by the words of the Angolan President, who reiterated Angola's commitment, and also pledged to give full support to the leadership of the organisation," he said.

He said that during the meeting, the Angolan Head of State also stressed the importance of reducing trade barriers in Africa, having highlighted the need for increased trade between African countries in the various types of local products that can help strengthen their economies.

He said that currently the AfCFTA has 39 countries that have signed and ratified the agreement that created the zone, and they have committed to removing trade barriers.

Background

The African Continental Free Trade Area came into force in January this year, becoming the largest free trade area in the world, in relation to the number of participating countries.

The agreement establishing the organisation was signed in March 2018 by 54 of the 55 African Union member countries and ratified at the time by 31. Negotiations began in 2015.

According to the World Bank, the economic bloc adds up to more than 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of USD 3.4 trillion. The entity also estimates that, with the changes, more than 30 million people will leave extreme poverty in the region.

The percentage of trade carried out between African countries is currently low, estimated at between 16 percent and 18 percent. The remaining trade transactions are with countries of other continents, such as the export of goods.

A Free Trade Area is a regional economic bloc formed by several countries for the purpose of reducing or eliminating customs duties between member countries. The aim is to stimulate trade between the participating countries.

Thus, the African nations project to reduce tariffs on various goods and provide for "greater industrialisation and value addition" to the continent's products.

In addition to tariffs, African trade faces strong non-tariff barriers, through laws, regulations and quotas. According to the African Union, this problem will be a focus from now on.

To this end, an online monitoring system for these barriers has been set up, through which traders can report difficulties in domestic trade, such as excessive taxation and requirements or restrictive product regulations.

COVID-19: ANGOLA REPORTS 70 RECOVERIES, 70 NEW CASES

Luanda - The Angolan health authorities announced, Monday, the recovery of 70 patients, the reporting of 70 new infections and 2 deaths, in the last 24 hours.

According to secretary of State for Public Health, Franco Mufinda, who was speaking at the usual updating session, of those recovered 39 live in Huambo, 11 in Huíla, 7 in Malanje, 4 in Bié, 4 in Cuando Cubango, 2 in Zaire, 1 in Benguela, 1 in Luanda, 1 in Lunda Sul and 1 in Namibe.

Among the new cases, 25 were diagnosed in Luanda, 13 in Cuanza Cubango, 9 in Cunene, 7 in Huambo, 3 in Huila, 2 in Lunda Norte, 2 in Zaire, 1 in Benguela, 1 in Cuanza Sul and 1 in Namibe.

With age ranging from 11 months to 75-year old, the list included 33 men and 37 women.

The laboratories processed 2,540 samples, with a daily positivity rate of 2.8 per cent.

There are 175 people in institutional quarantine centres and 2,200 under epidemiological surveillance.

Angola totals 39,300 positive cases, with 915 deaths, 33,739 recovered and 4,646 active. Of the active cases, 14 are critical, 24 serious, 59 moderate, 9 mild and 4,540 asymptomatic.

Duchess of Cambridge forced to self-isolate due to Covid contact

The Duchess of Cambridge is having to self-isolate for 10 days after coming into contact with someone who later tested positive for Covid.

She had been due to spend the day with the Duke of Cambridge to mark the 73rd anniversary of the NHS.

The couple had planned to attend a St Paul’s Cathedral service, and a Buckingham Palace tea for NHS staff.

Kensington Palace said she does not have any symptoms, but is “following all relevant government guidelines”.

It said in a statement: “Last week the Duchess of Cambridge came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.

“Her Royal Highness is not experiencing any symptoms, but is following all relevant government guidelines and is self-isolating at home.”

image caption The Duke of Cambridge is greeted by William Russell, the Lord Mayor of London, as he arrives at St Paul’s Cathedral for a ceremony honouring the 73rd anniversary of the NHS

Catherine’s last public event was a visit to Wimbledon on Friday when she toured the venue and met staff in its museum and Centre Court kitchen.

She also sat with the Duke of Kent in the royal box on Centre Court, and with former British number one tennis player Tim Henman on Court 14 to watch Jamie Murray play in a men’s doubles match.

The duchess is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and a keen tennis fan, but is now likely to miss the men’s and women’s finals at the weekend.

image caption The duchess was last seen in public at Wimbledon on Friday

image caption The Duchess of Cambridge has received both her Covid jabs

The duchess, who has received both her Covid jabs, began self-isolating on Friday after being alerted that afternoon.

The PA news agency says she follows the royal household testing regime by taking lateral flow tests twice a week.

It reports she additionally took lateral flow tests before visiting Wimbledon and watching England’s Euro 2020 victory against Germany last Tuesday at Wembley with Prince William and Prince George. Both results were negative.

Prince William contracted Covid last spring but was able to carry on with telephone and online engagements while being treated by royal doctors.

The Prince of Wales also caught the virus during the same period but had milder symptoms, although he did lose his sense of smell and taste for a period.

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Dropping face mask rules would be gross negligence, says Unite union

Public transport workers will face even more risk of infection if face mask rules are dropped, the Unite union has said.

Boris Johnson is expected to confirm later that the majority of Covid restrictions in England will be lifted from 19 July.

These could include making face mask wearing voluntary and the end of 1m-plus social distancing.

But the union said mask-wearing on public transport should be compulsory.

A Unite spokesman said there had been a high level of Covid deaths among bus drivers even with mandatory face mask wearing.

“To end the requirement to wear masks on public transport would be an act of gross negligence by the government,” said Unite national officer for passenger transport Bobby Morton.

“Rates of infection are continuing to increase and not only does mask wearing reduce transmissions, it helps provide reassurance to drivers and to passengers who are nervous about using public transport.

“The idea of personal responsibility and hoping that people will wear masks is absolutely ridiculous, members are already reporting there is an increase in passengers ignoring the rules on mask wearing.”

There is expected to be a rise in coronavirus infections when restrictions are eased, but the government hopes that vaccinations will limit hospitalisations and deaths.

The lifting of Covid restrictions was originally planned to be on 21 June, but this was pushed back to 19 July after a rise in infections driven by the Delta variant.

Restrictions that are currently in place in England include the “rule of six” for gatherings, pubs and restaurants having to have table service, limits on how many people can be in theatres and cinemas, and nightclubs being closed.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own coronavirus rules, and the Scottish government has said it could keep some basic measures, including wearing masks, at its next review in August.

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