Angola, SADR address strengthening diplomatic cooperation

 Luanda - Angola and Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Tuesday in Luanda discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations, with stress to the political-diplomatic field, states a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mirex).

ANGOP learnt that the Angolan delegation was headed the Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Communities, Domingos Vieira Lopes, while the ambassador Hamdi El Jalil Aali represented SADR. 

The diplomat praised Angola for the polite and civic way as well as democratic environment it held the 24 August elections. 

Political and diplomatic relations between the States date back since 1976.  

Angola was one of the first countries to recognise the independence of the Arab country, months after its proclamation. 

African Group meets in New York 

Angola participated in New York in the meeting of the United Nations African Group to review progress made and emerging challenges, from the discussions and recommendations coming out of the 2019 meeting. 

According to the document, the event also aimed to strengthen the impact of the group while reflecting on the need for better cohesion, unity and solidarity in driving African priorities at the United Nations.  

Under the motto "Africa in search of a just multilateral order," the event, co-organised by the African Group and the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union, took place on 14 -15 October. 

For two days, African diplomats used the occasion to address and identify the challenges faced, as well as explore ways to improve, consolidate and revive the platform. 

The country was represented by Ambassador Maria de Jesus Ferreira, permanent representative of the Mission of the Republic of Angola to the United Nations in New York. 

TAAG signs partnership agreement to ensure convenience for passengers

 Luanda - Angola’s Airlines (TAAG) signed a partnership agreement with the Portuguese Airport Authority (ANA) this month.

The deal provides for the use of the space and ensure convenience of the lounge area (comfortable space) of this Portuguese institution at Humberto Delgado airport, in Lisbon.

The agreement allows the Angolan airline to moves from the TAP Air Portugal lounge to the ANA lounge, the entity responsible for managing Lisbon airport, states a press release reached ANGOP on Tuesday.

According to the document, this change is part of the permanent improvement of the travel experience of TAAG passengers and improving the Angolan company's operating costs.

TAAG said that the passengers traveling in premium classes (business or first class) have free access to the lounge, as do Umbi Umbi Silver and Umbi
Umbi Gold cardholders (in the latter case, the passenger can bring a guest).

Located in the commercial area of Terminal 1, in the Schengen area of Lisbon Airport, the Lisbon lounge offers passengers privacy, comfort
and tranquility, as well as a set of free and pay-per-use services.

Fight against corruption records good results

 Luanda - The fight against corruption, boosting employment and increasing the capacity of energy and water supply were given special emphasis in the Message on the State of the Nation, delivered Saturday (15) in Luanda, in the National Assembly (Parliament), by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço.

In his speech in the Angolan Parliament, the Head of State declared that the fight against corruption and impunity continues to be carried out by the concerned organs of the State.

 

According to João Lourenço, the main results of this fight, as regard the recovery of amounts embezzled from the State’s coffers, the government has recovered money and assets corresponding to about USD 5.6 billion.

 

The Head of State added that from 2019 to September 2022, goods and values totalling about USD 15 billion were seized. Of the total, USD 6.8 billion were seized in the country and the rest abroad and between 17 September 2017 and September 2022, 527 investigation proceedings were opened for corruption, money laundering and related crimes, of which 247 were concluded, resulting in the opening of 106 criminal lawsuits.

 

He revealed that these figures contrast with the 18 investigation proceedings for corruption and money laundering and related crimes opened in the period 2012 to 2017.

 

He wentr on to inform that from 2017 to September 2022, roughly 2,511 proceedings were set into motion for crimes of embezzlement, money laundering, corruption, economic participation in business and other economic and financial crimes involving holders of public office. Of these, 2,037 are in preparatory investigation and 474 have already been sent to the courts for trial, of which 40 convictions have been recorded.

 

Regarding assets declarations of the holders of public offices and other persons required by law, João Lourenço informed that 188 declarations of assets were registered from 2012 to 2017, compared to the 3,635 deposited in the Office of the Attorney General from 2017 to September 2022.

US praises Angola´s commitment to peacekeeping in Great Lakes Region

 Luanda – The Government of the United States of America praised this Tuesday the commitment of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, to peacekeeping and stability in the African continent, especially in the Central Region as well as in the Great Lakes.

The acknowledgement was made by the United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State, Ms Wendy Ruth Sherman during a telephone conversation  with the minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António. 

 

The conversation served to address issues related to bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as review multilateral issues.

 

Wendy Ruth Sherman congratulated the recent visit of minister Téte António to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in the scope of the Roadmap for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) for peace in the east of the DRC, adopted at the Luanda Tripartite Summit.

 

The Great Lakes Region tension rose at the beginning of this year between the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

 

In March this year, fighting began between the DRC and the 23 March Movement (M23), which according to Kinshasa is supported by the neighbouring country.

 

The fighting between DRC and the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Uganda is old.

 

Angola is the Chairman of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), so it has multiplied initiatives to pacify the region. 

 

The Head of State, João Lourenço, as the ICGLR Chairman, was appointed by the African Union to mediate the conflict.

 

ICGLR was created with the objective to resolve peace and security issues after political turnmoils that marked the region in 1994.

 

The ICGLR member countries are Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville).

President highlights non-oil sector role

 Luanda – Angolan president João Lourenço said this Saturday that Angola recorded in 2021 a growth of 0.7 percent in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as a result of an increase in the non-oil sector, of 6.4 percent.

In his State of the National Speech, the Head of State highlighted, among the non-oil sectors that contributed to global GDP growth, agriculture and livestock, fisheries, manufacturing and extractive industries, especially diamonds, trade, construction, transport and other services.

He explained that the oil sector suffered a contraction of 11.6 percent.

João Lourenço noted that the data for the first half of this year point to a GDP growth of 3.2 percent, which shows that the focus on national production is beginning to bear fruit.

"We will continue to intensify efforts  because we are on the right track. It is estimated that, in 2022, the economy will grow by 2.7 percent, once again with a performance led by the non-oil sector ", he stressed.

This economic growth, he explained, will continue to rely on the contribution of the Production Support, Export Diversification and Import Substitution Programme (PRODESI) and other sector-related programmes, as well as the Privatisation Programme (PROPRIV), started in mid-2019.

As for PROPRIV, he said that 94 privatisation processes were concluded, including 71 assets and 23 shareholdings in companies, whose signed contracts correspond to an aggregate value of 961. 014 billion kwanzas.

Of this amount, he added, the National Treasury has already allocated 565.6 billion kwanzas, which corresponds to almost 59 percent of the total value of the contracts.

"Many of these assets were abandoned or paralyzed, until the date they were privatised, and today, 47.1 percent of them are in full operation. The others (...), in the start-up phase, paying tax, contributing to the increase in jobs in the country", he concluded.

As for the general level of prices in the economy, the Head of State recalled that, after changing the growth trajectory of the inflation rate, which had dropped from 42 percent in 2016 to 17.1 percent in 2019, in 2021, due to Covid-19, this indicator increased to 30.4 percent.

However, the Holder of the Executive Power said that in 2022 there is "a clearly decreasing trajectory in inflation rates, with the year-on-year inflation rate standing at 18.16 percent, in August.

"The forecast is that the cumulative inflation rate will be below 18 percent by the end of this year," he said.

This evolution, he pointed out, is the result of the measures taken by the Executive to limit the effects of the increase in the prices of products of wide consumption on the lives of the populations.

Among the measures adopted, he highlighted exemption in the payment of customs duties and the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT), in 50 percent (out of 14 percent) of some of these products and the start-up of the Strategic Food Reserve (REA) ).

The President of the Republic clarified that the combination of these measures and the increase that is taking place in the supply of some national production has had a positive effect, under the trajectory of inflation.

Angola pledges to permanent fighting against crime

 Luanda – The President of the Republic João Lourenço reaffirmed Saturday the Executive commitment to fight against crime and delinquency, with a view to ensuring tranquility of the communities.

Delivering the State of the Nation Speech in Parliament, the statesman said that the country is also committed to actions to prevent and combat the occurrence of international threats, such as piracy.

The Holder of the Executive Power defended greater investment in means and in people, to increase the population's feeling of security.

The President of the Republic said that Angola will maintain the presence of police forces at land and sea borders.

In his message, João Lourenço said that the country will intensify migratory measures aimed at preventing, repressing and punishing illegal immigration, as well as curbing human trafficking.

He highlighted the need to continue actions to improve migratory control and prevent road accidents.

The speech by the Head of State marked the beginning of the V Legislature of the National Assembly, Angolan Parliament.

Angola graduates over 900 masters in five years

 Luanda - In the last five years Angola trained 931 masters and 183 doctors as a result of the implementation of the government's staff training strategy of 2017/2022, said Saturday the President of the Republic.

According to the Head of State, João Lourenço who was addressing in the Parliament a Message on the State of the Nation, in the same period Angola awarded 1,484 internal postgraduate scholarships.

 

He said that in less than five years, the education sector gained 9,430 new classrooms.

 

The mentioned number of classrooms is due to the construction of 772 new schools and the rehabilitation of another 313, as part of the Integrated Programme for Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM).

 

The Head o f the State pointed out as upcoming goals to achive the continuos commitment to teachers training.

 

Other plans presented by the Head of State include the continuing commitment to teacher training, building of reference schools, salary adjustment for teachers working in remote areas and the availability of resources for the efficient functioning of educational infrastructures.

 

João Lourenço added that in the same period (2017/2022), at least 20,109 new teachers were recruited, thus having increased the National Education System contingent to more than 200,000.

 

Professional Training

 

The President of the Republic highlighted the training of 230,000 citizens, 12,000 of whom received professional kits.

 

According to João Lourenço from 2017 to 2022, about 491,000 job posts were created, however, due to the constraints of the covid-19 pandemic in the life of companies, the country registered 272,000 job losses, nevertheless the balance is positive in the order of 219,000 formal jobs.

 

The State of the Nation Message of the Head of State marked the Fifth Legislature of the National Assembly.

 

In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic, the Head of State addresses to the country a message on the State of the Nation in the opening ceremony of the Parliamentary Year in the National Assembly on 15 October.