Africa-Press – Angola. The President of Namibia, Nangolo Mbumba, visited this Tuesday, in Luanda, the Sonangol Integrated Logistics Services Center (Sonils), where he learned about the functioning of this infrastructure, which supports 65 percent of the global Angola’s oil production.
Integrated in the Port of Luanda, in an area of two million square meters (2,000,000 m2), Sonils is dedicated to onshore supply, with the aim of maximizing competitiveness among oil operators and contributing to the reduction of operational costs.
On this visit, the Namibian Head of State, in addition to learning about the importance of this infrastructure for the oil industry, learned that 151 companies operated at the Sonils base, of which 40% were national, which move more than three thousand workers daily.
In brief statements to the press, the President of Namibia expressed that Angola has extensive experience in the oil sector and that Sonils’ “know-how” scientific knowledge should contribute, not only to the Angolan oil industry, but also to other African countries.
On the occasion, the Minister of Transport, Ricardo D’Abreu, reaffirmed that the Sonils logistics terminal is strategic for the country’s oil and gas production.
In turn, the Secretary of State for Oil and Gas, José Barroso, indicated that Sonils has responded to the challenges and technical operational needs that operators demand.
According to the director, the experience of this logistics center supporting the oil industry can be successfully replicated in Namibia.
From this perspective, the Secretary of State said that in 2022 Sonangol, for Angola, and Namcor Namport, for Namibia, signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to establish a logistics base, similar to Sonils in the Republic of Namibia.
The general director of Sonils, Ana Bela Marcos, reinforced that since its creation in 1995, this base has positioned itself as the main logistics support company for the oil and gas industry in Angola.
Regarding the visit of the President of Namibia to the Sonils base, the manager said that it takes place within the framework of a cooperation proposal between the two countries, since Namibia is in an emerging position in the discovery of oil and Angola has an experience of over 28 years old.
Angola and Namibia cooperate in the sectors of Defense and Security, Transport, Energy and Water, Health, Petroleum, Tourism, Fisheries, Agriculture, Finance, Geology and Mining, among others, either bilaterally or within the framework of the African Development Community Austral (SADC).
A Bilateral Agreement on the Movement of People and Goods, signed in 1992, is also in force, which provides, among other aspects, the free movement of Angolans and Namibians within a radius of 60 kilometers along the border.
The two countries established diplomatic relations on September 18, 1990, with embassies in their respective capitals (Luanda and Windhoek) and consulates.
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