Africa-Press – Angola. The National Assembly (AN) approved, this Friday, in Luanda, the Draft Resolution for Angola’s ratification of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on the Mining Sector.
The Draft Resolution was approved with 154 votes in favor, no votes against and no abstentions at the 4th Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the 2nd Legislative Session of the V Legislature.
The strengthening of cooperation relations between the Government of Angola and SADC, in the mining sector, constitutes an added value for the development of Angola and the member states of the regional organization, taking into account the advantages that will result from this cooperation.
Among the advantages, the exchange of technical and scientific information, the development of concrete projects in the field of mining resources, the creation of business opportunities and support for intervention and boosting business cooperation stand out.
The Heads of State and Government of SADC member countries signed on September 8, 1997, in Blantyre, Malawi, the SADC Protocol on the Mining Sector.
The guiding principles of this Protocol are based on the recognition that a prosperous mining sector contributes to economic development, poverty alleviation and the improvement of the standard and quality of life of citizens in the Southern region.
The organizational structure of the Mining sector comprises three bodies, namely the committee of ministers for the mining sector, the technical committee of experts in the mining sector and the coordinating unit for the Mining sector.
Angola’s ratification of the SADC mining protocol is a way of legitimizing the transport of minerals from the east for export from Porto do Lobito, province of Benguela.
The Lobito Corridor, for example, will connect to the mining areas of Katanga province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Copperbelt, in Zambia, offering a shorter route that connects the main mining regions of those two countries to the sea.
In addition to contributing to economic development, SADC countries recognize that a prosperous mining sector also contributes to alleviating poverty and improving the standard and quality of life in the region.
The Cooperation Protocol in the mining sector is systematized by a preambular part and a dispositive part, containing 22 articles written in Portuguese.
Also this Friday, the Plenary of the Assembly also approved draft resolutions for the ratification of protocols linked to SADC on Statistics, Tourism, and Protection of new seed varieties.
SADC is a regional community that seeks to guarantee economic well-being, improvements in the quality of life, freedom, social justice, peace and security for its population.
It is made up of 16 Member States, namely Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius, Seychelles, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, DRC, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
