AfDB announces plans to invest USD 150mn in Lobito Corridor

 Luanda - African Development Bank (AfDB) intends to invest around USD 150 million in plant production along the Lobito Corridor, mainly in the eastern region of Angola, the minister of Economy and Planning Mário Caetano João has announced.

The minister announced so to the press at the end of an audience granted to President and Chair of the Board of Directors of Export-Import Bank of the United States (Eximbank) Reta Jo Lewis on Wednesday.

 

He expressed the AfDB commitment to the investment in the strategic corridor for the country's development.

 

The corridor, stretching from Port of Lobito, crosses Angola from West to East,  through the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Bié and Moxico.

 

It covers the mining areas of Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) and Copperbelt in Zambia.

Privately managed, the Lobito Corridor integrates the infrastructures of the Port of Lobito, the Mining Terminal, Catumbela Airport and the Benguela Railway (CFB).

 

SADC sees the corridor as crucial for development in the region, with benefits for Angola and neighbouring countries (DRC and Zambia).

 

The official put the consortium investment at between USD 300 and 400 million to increase the fleet of trains, while the World Bank has pledged around USD 300 million to help with grain production.

 

According to Mário Caetano João, the World Bank plans to bring some logistics platforms to Angola to help create the value chain.

 

Still this Wednesday, the Angolan official evaluated with the Chinese ambassador to Angola, Gong Tao, issues related to bilateral cooperation.

 

During the audience, the parties spoke of the new forms of cooperation, especially in the fields of Industry, Agriculture, Fisheries and new information technologies.

 

The 40-year cooperation between the two countries intensified in the

last 20 years, with commercial transactions reaching USD 27.34 billion dollars in 2022, according to data from the Chinese Government.

 

From the process of reconstruction and construction of infrastructures of

development of Angola, started in 2002, the trade balance between

the two States stood at 150 million dollars, according to the same data. LIN/VM/TED/NIC

Cabo Verde seeking strengthened cooperation with Angola

 Luanda – Cabo Verde sets the strengthening of cooperation with Angola in the economic, political and diplomatic fields as one of the priorities.

The desire was expressed by the new ambassador of this Archipelago Júlio de Morais, who began his duties Wednesday (19).

“Let's do more. We have ambitions and we will focus our efforts on the connectivity of both countries in the air and maritime transport sectors”,  Cabo Verdean diplomat told the press, after the handover ceremony of his Credentials to the President João Lourenço.

Also delivered Credentials to the Angolan Head of State João Lourenço, was the diplomat from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Salem Al Shamsi, who also defended the strengthening of business ties between investors in both countries.

João Lourenço accredited also the Turkish ambassador, Ufuk Ekici, who recalled that political and economic relations with Angola have intensified over the last three years.

Ufuk Ekici expressed Turkey's intention to intensify bilateral cooperation, especially in the areas of trade and investment.

Still today, the President João Lourenço received Letters of Credence from the ambassadors of Uganda Julius Katumbela,  Vietnam Duong Chuce and Senegal Ndao Malik. AFL/AL/ADR/NIC

Angola, Botswana revitalise bilateral relations

 Luanda - Angola and Botswana have decided to give new impetus to historic bilateral cooperation relations, after a relative "apathy" registered over the last few years.

It is an old dream of the two countries whose diplomatic relations date back to February 1976, just a few months after the National Independence of Angola, in 1975.

The details of the new plan to revive bilateral ties will be completed during the state visit the   President João Lourenço is due to make to Botswana, between 21st and 23rd of this month, at the invitation of his Tswanese counterpart, Mokqweetsi Eric Masisi.

The two Member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) intend to update their General Cooperation Agreement, signed in February 2006, and sign new legal instruments, with a view to deepening the partnership and widening its scope.

One of the most immediate common concerns is to revive the Joint Bilateral Commission, which has not held meeting since 2016 and which, since then, has seen the resumption of its work successively postponed.

According to the Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the re-launch of the Joint Commission's work will allow identifying areas of interest for both countries, from the perspective of reciprocity of advantages.

The intention is, namely, a cooperation focused on areas in which the two countries have “comparative advantages” and that facilitate the implementation of concrete actions.

The common understanding is that the two sides "do not need" to make a long list of areas of cooperation, but "put emphasis" on those that offer guarantees that the two countries will have mutual advantages capable of producing concrete results for both.

Angola and Botswana have potential areas of cooperation in the sectors of diamonds, education and the environment.

Diamond production accounts for 60% of Botswana's exports, a country ranked as the world's second largest producer behind Russia.

At the regional level, Botswana hosts the SADC headquarters in its capital city, Gaborone.IZ/NIC

Spain to meet EU, AU countries

 Luanda - Spain has announced a High Level Meeting with the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) countries for December 2023 to discuss industrial investments in Africa that generate jobs.

This was announced by the Spanish ambassador to Angola Manuel Lejarreta, while speaking to the press on Wednesday at the end of a meeting with the MPs of the third commission of the National Assembly.

The diplomat, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, hopes that Angola will have an active participation in this high-level meeting.

He considered the event crucial for Africa, because it fits in the vision of the 2063 agenda of the African Union (AU).

Among other goals, the AU Agenda 2063 aspires for Africa to have a strong culture of human rights, democracy, gender equality, inclusion and peace.

The agenda also aspires for Africa to have prosperity, protection and security for all its citizens, mechanisms for the promotion and defence of the continent's collective interests, as well as continental integration.

In his speech, the diplomat praised the relations between Angola and Spain, adding that they (ties) are recommended and "are in very good health", having been strengthened with the visit to Angola of the King of Spain, Felipe VI, in February this year.

Both countries’ relations are governed by the General Cooperation Agreement, signed on May 20, 1987. The two countries established diplomatic relations on October 19, 1977.

Cooperation between the two countries has intensified in the business sector. There are more than 60 companies operating in the country in different sectors.

While, trade balance between Angola and Spain recorded, from 2020 to 2022, a surplus situation for Angola, in which the main imported products were machinery, mechanical devices and instruments, motor vehicles, tractors and other land vehicles, in addition to electrical materials.

Among the most exported products include fuels, minerals, mineral oils and products from their distillation, bituminous materials, mineral waxes, fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates, salt, sulphur, earth and stones, plaster, lime and cement, machines, devices and mechanical instruments, as well as coffee and teas and spices. DC/AL/ADR/NIC

President briefed on expansion of cycling projects

 Luanda - Angolan head of State João Lourenço Wednesday in Luanda learnt of the expansion of the cycling projects and the difficulties this sport category faces in Angola.

At the meeting, the President of the Angolan Cycling Federation Cremilda da Chagas Rangel, informed the Head of State about the annual plan for the sport, with stress to  the “Volta Internacional Cucumber” tour, scheduled for October this year.

According to Cremilda Rangel, who was speaking to the press at the end of the meeting, the race will start in Huambo province, passing through Benguela and Cuanza Sul, ending in Luanda.

She also said that the audience served to inform the President João Lourenço about the aspects of Angola's participation, in February this year, in Accra (Ghana), in the African Cycling Championship, where the national team ranked fourth, among 34 teams.

Cremilda Rangel said the African Cycling Confederation recognises that Angola is in a position to host the continental championship of the sport in 2024.

During the meeting, the athletes also presented to Head of State the three national road champions, absolute and female.

On the occasion, the federative leader gave the President souvenirs related to the sport. AFL/SC/ADR/NIC