Africa-Press – Angola. Politicians, diplomats, businesspeople, academics and other personalities attended, with their presence, the ceremony that marked Angola’s National Day at Expo Doha 2023, held on Sunday, in the capital of Qatar.
Preceded by a courtesy meeting between the Angolan Minister of the Environment and her Qatari counterpart on the Environment and Climate Change, Abdullah Al Subaie, the event had three moments.
The first moment was marked by a solemn event during the national day, with the singing of the national anthems of Qatar and Angola and the raising of the flags of both countries, followed by speeches by the two ministers.
Before her intervention, Ana Paula de Carvalho, who heads the Angolan delegation on this visit to Qatar, representing the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, asked for a minute of silence in honor of the Head of State of Namibia, Hage Geingob, who died on Sunday.
The Angolan official focused her speech on inviting Qatari businesspeople to invest in Angola, ensuring that the country is committed to supporting foreign investment and creating a favorable business environment, with attractive incentives, including tax incentives.
“Our country is blessed with a diverse climate and fertile soils, suitable for a wide range of agricultural crops, from coffee to bananas, corn, cassava and others whose potential is not yet fully explored”, he encouraged.
He highlighted that the event is of great importance in the efforts and global cooperation on the challenges that each country faces in the search for sustainable solutions, with a view to achieving the goals established at national level and in the agreements and treaties in the various areas of the Agenda. 2030 on sustainable development.
The second moment consisted of a visit to the Qatar pavilion, as has been customary when a country celebrates its national day at Expo, and the last stage consisted of contact with the products on display in the Angolan pavilion.
The itinerary continued with the return to the international area, where lunch with typical Angolan dishes took place, thus ending the official ceremony, as the gathering continued at the end of the day, with cultural moments provided by the Banda Expo and Ballet Tradicional Kilandukilu.
The activity was attended by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, João Manuel Bartolomeu da Cunha, the Angolan ambassador to Qatar, António Coelho Ramos da Cruz, the general commissioner of Angola at Expo, Albina Assis, members of the body diplomat accredited in Qatar and several Angolan citizens.
The general commissioner said that the work was difficult, due to the enormous pressure of the event, highlighting the fact that some of the things had to be done remotely. However, she expressed satisfaction with the way the event went.
Another reason for Albina Assis’s satisfaction has to do with the fact that several businesspeople continue to express their intention to invest in Angola, not only in the agriculture sector, the focus of the country’s exhibition at this Expo, but also in other areas.
Regarding expressions of interest, an Iranian businesswoman in the health sector, invited to the ceremony, also wishes to invest in Angola and expressed her desire to the Angolan authorities present in the capital of Qatar.
Shamim Mafi, owner of the firm Atlas Internacional Holding , based in Los Angeles, United States of America, said that he has a medicine factory and that he has very advanced contacts with some Angolan companies, which he did not reveal, to invest in the country.
“I am a businesswoman, with companies in several countries. I have invitations to go to Angola and I will try to fulfill my intention of investing in the country”, she highlighted.
Who also rejoiced at the ceremony was the Angolan ambassador, Anisabel Cruz, for whom Angola showed the world that it has organizational capacity, and praised the participation of several women in the event.
“We are all to be congratulated on this event that takes place on a historic date such as the anniversary of the beginning of the armed struggle for the independence of our country. It is an honor and a source of pride for Angola. Our presence at the Expo is an opportunity to gain experience with Qatar on how to develop desert areas”, he highlighted.
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