Africa-Press – Angola. The Chinese ambassador to Angola, Gong Tao, reiterated this Wednesday his country’s continued funding for the conclusion of works on the New Luanda International Airport, in the Bom Jesus area, in the municipality of Icolo e Bengo.
Baptized by Dr. António Agostinho Neto, first President of Angola, the infrastructure has a budget of around USD 1.4 billion and is in charge of the Chinese state company Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC).
Speaking to the press, after a meeting with President João Lourenço, the diplomat also assured his country’s government funding for the construction of the Caculo Cabaça hydroelectric dam, in the province of Cuanza Norte.
The completion of the works on the Caculo Cabaça dam will make it possible to reduce the electricity consumption deficit in the country by 66 percent, generating a power of 5,700 megawatts.
The outgoing ambassador of China announced the holding, this month, of the meeting of the Joint Economic Commission Angola/China, which will assess bilateral cooperation.
He informed that the meeting with the Angolan Head of State also served to analyze the Angola-China strategic partnership and reaffirm the will to continue supporting the Angolan State in the process of diversifying the economy.
The ambassador, who said goodbye to the Angolan President, at the end of his four-year mission in the country, affirmed the Asian country’s total commitment to encouraging Chinese businessmen to invest in Angola in the sectors of industry, agriculture, fisheries, minerals and tourism .
So far, China is Angola’s biggest trading partner, biggest export market and an important source of investment.
In sub-Saharan Africa, Angola is the second largest trading partner and the largest exporter of oil to the Chinese market.
Angola is the African country that received the most loans from China. In the last 20 years it was more than 42 billion dollars.
Audience to the French Ambassador
This Wednesday, the Angolan statesman, João Lourenço, also received, in audience, the outgoing French ambassador to Angola, Daniel Vosgien.
At the end of his mission in the country, the diplomat reaffirmed the priorities in cooperation in the areas of agriculture, agri-food, education, industry, professional training and higher education.
“The French government is available to support Angola in its program of diversification of its economy”, informed the diplomat who completed three years of mission in Angola.
France has maintained diplomatic relations with Angola since the independence of this country on November 11, 1975.
The first, an agreement signed in 1982, laid the foundations for bilateral cooperation with one of the country’s main economic partners.
More than 70 French companies operate in Angola and provide around 10,000 jobs.
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