Africa-Press – Angola. Full text of the Speech by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, this Tuesday (18), on the occasion of the opening of the 38th Edition of the Luanda International Fair (FILDA)
-Minister of Economy and Planning
-Mister Governor of the Province of Luanda
-Distinguished Members of the Government
-Dear Members
-Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Angola
-Distinguished Members of the Business Class
-My Ladies, My Gentlemen,
Over the years, the Luanda International Fair has established itself as the main business exchange in the country, bringing together investors, financiers, entrepreneurs and consumers, with the aim of identifying and promoting business opportunities.
The Angolan Executive, as a facilitator of this interaction, seeks to ensure that political and economic reforms can positively influence the strengthening of partnerships and attracting more investment.
The organization of this event takes place at a time when the national economy is challenged to find new development routes, where the private sector must, in fact, play the role of driving the country’s economic growth.
The Executive continues to prioritize and combine actions for the prevalence of a regulated, competitive and safe market for the exercise of business activity, remaining firm in its commitment to improving the business environment.
We reaffirm our conviction that diversification is the only sure path to inclusive economic and social growth.
PRODESI, Program for the Diversification of Exports and Substitution of Imports, will continue to tread its path with the aim of increasing the supply of essential consumer goods, food and industrial goods, increasing and diversifying the range of export products, ensuring a greater collection of foreign exchange and increasing the supply of jobs.
Angola has more than 50 million hectares of arable land, more than 5% of the world’s fresh water reserves – an ideal climate for agribusiness -, a blue economy to be explored, several seaports and railways that guarantee the quick flow and export of what is produced.
Within the framework of creating a good business environment, infrastructure is important in attracting private investment. This is how the Angolan Executive is concerned and invests in improving the functioning of ports, airports, railways, roads, increasing the supply of water and electricity and telecommunications.
We will soon complete the works on the EN-230 that connects Malanje to the eastern provinces of the country (Lunda Sul and Lunda Norte); this year we started work on the National Road that connects Nzeto to Soyo, in the province of Zaire; the Cabinda-Lândana-Miconge road, in the province of Cabinda; the Sanza Pombo-Buengas road, in the province of Uíge; the Luau-Marco25-Cazombo road; the Lumeje Cameia-Luacano-Luau and Luzi-Cassamba-Cangamba road, in the province of Moxico.
We will start work on the Mavinga-Rivungo road, in Cuando Cubango; from the Cunje-Camacupa road, in Bié, and Andulo-Mussende, as well as Mussende-Cangandala.
We are going to intervene on the Munenga-Calulo-Luati bypass road, in Cuanza Sul, and on the Samba Cajú-Banga-Quiculungo-Bolongongo road, in the province of Cuanza Norte.
We are finalizing the financing process for the execution of the work on the Benguela-Lubango road, which is in a critical condition and requires extensive intervention.
Parallel to these works on paved roads, the public works sector will also intervene with work on some dirt roads, selected according to well-defined criteria.
We are increasing the supply of water in provincial and municipal capital cities to serve populations and industries. We consider, however, that the cities of Luanda and Lubango are experiencing a critical situation in terms of water supply due to the large and disorderly growth of their population.
There are, for these cities, already approved projects whose execution will start as soon as we find financing solutions, on which we are working with all commitment.
Angola is producing more and more electricity, mainly from clean sources in the lower Kwanza basin; with the energy produced in the Soyo Combined Cycle, in the hydroelectric dams of Capanda, Cambambe, Laúca and the solar parks of Biópio, Baía Farta in Benguela, Caraculo in Namibe and, soon, also in Lunda Sul, Lunda Norte and Moxico.
Yesterday I received the President of the American EXIMBANK who came to work with the Angolan side in financing the large project for the production of solar energy in the provinces of Huíla, Namibe, Cunene and Cuando Cubango.
This project will transform the lives of millions of Angolan citizens in rural areas, particularly in those provinces. On behalf of all Angolans, I thank President Joe Biden for his commitment, which was decisive in ensuring that this project actually takes off, becomes a reality and a flagship of relations between Angola and the United States of America.
The Luachimo dam, in Lunda Norte, will start operating later this year with all its turbines, to power not only the Dundo but also the Lucapa, the Nzagi and some diamond projects in the region, which will represent a great saving of fuel.
In order for this produced energy to benefit the country as a whole, since the north and center systems are already interconnected, we need to extend them to the south and east of the country.
This is how we are working on the projects for the transmission lines from Laúca-Malanje-Xá Muteba-Saurimo and, from there, to the entire east of the country; on the Gove-Matala transmission line; Gove-Menongue and on the Belém do Huambo-Lubango-Moçâmedes-Tômbua transmission line.
When these high voltage power transmission lines and respective substations are completed, the thermal power stations in Saurimo, Lubango and Moçâmedes will be deactivated, which will represent a great environmental gain with the considerable reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, and a great saving of financial resources spent on the daily consumption of diesel that will no longer be used.
On the 4th of July, we officially handed over the management of the Lobito Corridor to the Lobito AtlanticRailway consortium , a 30-year concession that will include investments in carriages and locomotives to boost the mobility of people and goods in this new economic artery in Southern Africa.
We are convinced that the Lobito Corridor will be an important artery for national and regional economic diversification, connecting not only the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), but also allowing the aggregation of value of the most diverse geographies.
If until now we have been implementing the program of privatization of State assets, with this concession of the Lobito Corridor to a European consortium we have given a very clear signal that the State is really giving the private sector the space and importance that it deserves. belongs, reserving to the State the role of market regulator and creator of the business environment favorable to free entrepreneurial initiative.
We recently announced a set of measures to stimulate national production, of which I highlight the mandatory inclusion of goods with the ‘Made in Angola’ seal in all public contracts that may be launched by Executive bodies.
We would like to see our teaching establishments equipped with desks made in Angola, the large public buildings and beyond, using doors, windows and floors in wood and ornamental stones extracted and processed locally, as was done with the new António Agostinho Neto International Airport.
We are expanding the national network of hospital units at the three levels, in a major effort by the Angolan Government, which took the right decision to considerably reduce medical boards abroad and use these resources in the construction and equipment of hospitals, in training and admission massive number of health professionals.
However, a major unresolved problem prevails, which is related to the fact that the country imports all the medicines and vaccines it consumes.
The country lacks a pharmaceutical industry for the production of medicines and vaccines, and the investment must be private with the guarantee that the State will always be the largest buyer to ensure the supply of the growing number of hospital units in the public sector that enter into operation every year.
The substitution of imports must represent a real business opportunity and our country’s geographical position must continue to be explored as a great gateway to the entire southern and central region of Africa.
Distinguished Guests,
My Ladies, My Gentlemen,
The motto for the 2023 Luanda International Fair could not have been better: “ The digital economy as the new frontier of the world economy ”.
The digital economy plays a key role in the development and growth of countries. As the world becomes increasingly digitally connected, it is essential for Angola to keep up with the trend and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital economy to drive its economic and social progress.
By removing physical or geographic barriers, the digital economy allows markets to be closer, technological innovation more accessible and entrepreneurship more vibrant.
The adoption of digital technologies can improve the efficiency and productivity of companies and organizations. Process automation, digitization of documents, implementation of management systems and data analysis can help to optimize operations, reduce costs and improve the quality of products and services, including in the public sector.
In order to take full advantage of the benefits of the digital economy, Angola will continue to invest in digital infrastructure, in broadband networks, expand the fiber optic network, make the most of the capabilities that ANGOSAT offers us and expand access to the internet, promote digital inclusion and the development of digital skills, create a favorable regulatory environment and encourage technological innovation and digital entrepreneurship.
My Ladies, My Gentlemen.
I would not like to end my brief speech without thanking national and foreign businessmen for their confidence in the political and economic reforms that the Executive is carrying out and for having accepted the invitation to exhibit their products and services at this International Fair.
The Angolan Executive has great confidence and great hope in the role of the private sector in the economy, because it believes that Angola will only have a strong and competitive economy if it has a strong business class.
Therefore, it is with great satisfaction that I declare the Luanda International Fair 2023 open, wishing you all our welcome, hoping that very good business will be done during this edition.
Thank you for your attention!
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