Africa-Press – Angola. The First Forum for Investors in the Angolan Okavango Region will take place from the 17th to the 22nd of January 2024, in Menongue, headquarters of the province of Cuando Cubango, with a view to presenting national and foreign investors the potential and business opportunities that exist in this region locality.
The announcement was made on Thursday (30/11), in Luanda, by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Filipe Zau, who also highlighted the exchange of experiences between businesspeople operating in tourism in the cross-border region of Angola as another objective of the Forum.
Under the motto “Exploring business opportunities”, the official said that the event includes the presentation of thematic panels and a safari that will cover the entire length of the Okavango, allowing direct contact between potential investors and local authorities, communities and nature .
When speaking at the official launch of the Forum, the minister considered the event to be extremely important, as it allows targeting businesspeople who wish to invest in this region and reinforces the promotion of tourism in Angola, particularly in the province of Cuando Cubango.
The coordinator of the Multisectoral Organizing Committee of the First Forum for Investors in the Angolan Region of Okavango, created through Presidential Decree 91/23 of 2 May, highlighted this area, integrated by territorial portions of six provinces (Huambo, Bié, Moxico, Huíla , Cunene and Cuando Cubango), as the country’s main tourist asset.
He pointed out the preservation of the vast natural landscape and the diversity of wildlife, characterized by the emblematic species of the world’s fauna (big five), as well as the cultural and historical richness as the main factors that place this region in the line of priorities for the development of tourism in Angola.
To these potentialities, he added, gastronomy and the traditional hospitality of the people are added, factors that allow us to build the idea of offering a rich and diversified tourist product, which can position Angola as one of the largest tourist destinations in Central Africa and Southern.
Additionally, the official said that Okavango will also be populated with eight thousand elephants that will come from Botswana, to boost tourist attraction and the desire for internal and external investment in this region.
For the full use of the respective natural resources and integration into the Okavango-Zambezi market, Filipe Zau recalled that the Angolan Executive has dedicated special attention to this region, with the approval of several structuring projects, such as demining actions, the protection of life wilderness, improving access, construction and rehabilitation of border posts.
With tourism being one of the key sectors for Angola’s economic diversification strategy, the minister also highlighted the opening of the new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport and the construction of new other airports in different provinces, as well as visa exemptions for 98 countries of the world as relevant aspects for the real commitment to the country’s tourism development.
On the other hand, the provincial governor of Cuando Cubango, José Martins, assured that his province has “open arms” to welcome all businesspeople or economic agents who wish to explore the region’s enormous potential.
Speaking to the press, the government official invited Angolan and foreign citizens to take advantage of the Forum’s opportunity to visit Cuando Cubango, in order to contemplate the encounters that nature offers and exchange experiences.
It guaranteed that the structuring projects designed by the Executive are progressing satisfactorily, with the construction and rehabilitation of the main sections that provide access to tourist attractions, a fact that motivates businesspeople to invest in the region.
As an example, he said, the provincial government has already received expressions of interest from several investors from different parts of the world, to provide added value to the vast potential of the fauna and flora of Cuando Cubango.
The official launch of the First Forum for Investors in the Angolan Region of Okavango was witnessed by businesspeople, members of various ministerial departments, diplomats, academics, among other individuals, who had the opportunity to enjoy Angolan music, accompanied by a dinner based on of typical national dishes.
With this ceremony, those interested in participating in the Forum, in January 2024, can now register via the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s digital platforms or through the event’s Multisectoral Committee.
The holding of this event is part of the Okavango/Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (ATFC-KAZA) project, which, in addition to Angola, covers Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
ATFC-KAZA Project
This project covers an area of approximately 520 thousand square kilometers. Of this number, Angola has the second largest share with 90 thousand square kilometers, while Zambia has 97 thousand, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia have a total of 98 thousand kilometers, with Namibia having the smallest territorial share.
In Angola, ATFC-KAZA is located in the province of Cuando Cubango, covering the municipalities of Cuito Cuanavale, Dirico, Mavinga and Rivungo, where the Mavinga and Luengue-Luiana national parks are located.
ATFC-KAZA aims to promote the creation of transnational collaboration, cooperation between SADC member states, promote alliances in the management of biological and cultural resources, encourage social and economic cooperation.
This area includes, on the Angolan side, the Luengue-Luiana and Mavinga national parks, which are interconnected with several tourist attractions in other member countries, such as the Victória Falls (Zimbabwe), Okavango Delta (Botswana), Bwabwata park (Namibia) and Kafue Park in Zambia.
The program is the largest eco-tourist destination worldwide, connecting 36 conservation areas in five countries, having the largest freshwater reserve in the universe, the largest contiguous population of African elephant, more than 200 thousand, more than 600 species of birds, 128 reptiles, 50 amphibians and several types of invertebrates, as well as several types of animals on the verge of extinction.
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