President José Eduardo dos Santos (right), grants audience to GE Chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Immelt / Photo: Francisco Miudo
One billion US dollars is the amount that is being invested in Angola by the North American business group GE in sectors such as power, transportation, oil, gas and health, announced on Wednesday, in Luanda, the Chairman and CEO of the company, Jeffrey Immelt.
Speaking to the press after an audience granted by the President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos at the Presidential Palace, Jeffrey Immelt said that GE will work to increase Angola’s power grid output from 1.5 to 2 Megawatts.
He described the audience as an opportunity to update the Angolan Head of State with information related to projects that GE is developing in Angola, particularly in the power and transportation sectors.
“We are going to deliver 100 locomotives to help the country in the transportation of goods, and in the exploration and production of gas,” added Jeffrey Immelt, who in January of 2015 was received by the Angolan President, with whom he discussed aspects related to investments and projects of GE in Angola.
The Angolan government is working to join the Agreement on Trade Facilitation, given its importance for the country’s economic development and the well-being of the people, said Monday the Minister of Commerce, Fiel Domingos Constantino.
According to the minister, at the level of the Ministry of Commerce, a restructuring is under way both in trade legislation and institutional terms, which will improve collaboration between the Ministry, the Central Bank of Angola and the General Tax Administration. He emphasized that such restructuring is intended to eliminate excessive administrative barriers in imports and exports, as well as to combat unlawful acts.
Minister Fiel Domingos Constantino recognizes that, at the domestic level, there are many public bodies with work related to international trade, hence the need for better coordination. He said that the establishment of a National Commission for Trade Facilitation is expected to serve as a consultative body for the Angolan government and to provide the necessary inputs for the development of operational and strategic solutions. The commission will also draw up a plan for implementation, taking into account the objectives of a broader trade facilitation reform.
The seminar on trade facilitation in Angola that is being held between January 23 and 24, in Luanda, aims to present the results of the work of the Multisectoral Technical Group, regarding the measures adopted by Angola to facilitate trade.
The Trade Facilitation Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) sets forth various measures to facilitate trade such as expediting the clearance of goods, streamlining procedures and bureaucracy, while maintaining legitimate regulatory controls and overseeing the movement of goods across borders, making it more efficient.
President of the Republic, José Eduardo Dos Santos, receives Japanese Ambassador to Angola / Photo: Pedro Parente
The outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Angola, Kuniaki Ito, on Thursday, December 8, informed the Angolan Head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, about Japan’s interest in financing agricultural projects in Angola.
Speaking after an audience granted to him by the Angolan Head of State, the Japanese diplomat said that the amount of funding will be decided after projects are identified.
Ambassador Kuniaki Ito who is at the end of his two-year mission, also expressed the interest of his country’s businessmen in investing in Angola, even though the business environment is not very favorable.
The Japanese diplomat said that bilateral relations have been enhanced for the good of both countries and recognizes that efforts are being made to improve the business environment in Angola.
The 6th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) will be held on June 14, in Luanda.
This was confirmed on Monday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georges Chikoti, while speaking to the press following a meeting with the Special Envoy UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit.
Said Djinnit took the opportunity to praise and thank Angola for its constructive role and for the leadership of President José Eduardo dos Santos in the Great Lakes region.
The ICGLR members include Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.
As a part of the 40th anniversary celebrations for the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Angola, the Kaposoka Symphony Orchestra and the Soma Children’s Orchestra and Chorus held a concert at the Daiichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo on May 21st, 2016 attended by about 600 guests. The concert was the last of a series of 5 concerts that were held in various cities across Japan.
The Kaposoka Symphony Orchestra arrived in Japan on May 6th for a two weeks tour that took them to Hamamatsu, Matsumoto, Soma, Sendai, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Tokyo. In Matsumoto, the orchestra members attended a two-day intensive seminar at the headquarters of the Talent Education Research Institute. The workshop was led by masters of the Suzuki Method including Mrs. Hiroko Suzuki, president of the institution and niece of the founder of the Suzuki Method (Dr. Shinichi Suzuki).
The Angolan Kaposoka Symphony Orchestra is comprised of 620 youth, aged 6 to 21, with 50 currently performing within and outside of Angola. The Kaposoka Symphony Orchestra’s Japan tour is the first one is Asia.
Source: Embassy of Angola in Japan
Meeting of the Technical Group for Investment Promotion and Protection / Photo: Rosário dos Santos
Promotion and protection investment mechanisms and double taxation avoidance were discussed on Tuesday at a meeting of the Working Group for the Negotiation of Agreements on Reciprocal Protection of Investments and Double Taxation.
Created by a Presidential Decree, the group is chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The group’s members include the Ministers of Finance, Economy, Planning, Fisheries, Hotels and Tourism, Commerce, Industry, the Governor of the National Bank of Angola as well as representatives of institutions related to foreign trade.
The Secretary of State for Cooperation, Ângela Bragança, pointed out as priority agreements on promotion and protection of investments with the United Arab Emirates, China and Japan, as well as updating previously signed protocols.
Fifteen hectares of land are being used for testing the cultivation of different varieties of rice in the provinces of Huambo and Bié as part of trial project which started in 2013.
Speaking to press, Adão Gonçalves Pinheiro an expert at the Angolan Agricultural Research Institute, said that the government rice cultivation initiative is receiving technical support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
According to Pinheiro, one hundred farmers organized in cooperatives and associations are involved in the trial rice cultivation in the two provinces. He added that new cultivation techniques that yield better crops, as well as rice varieties that best suit to the weather, water and soil of the provinces of Huambo and Bié are being applied.
The expert in rice cultivation said that the tests have enabled the selection of 13 varieties of rice among the 21 initially chosen. Among the selected varieties, four are domestic and the remaining are from abroad, mostly from Japan.
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Angolans celebrate today, Monday, April 4, 14 years since peace and national reconciliation was achieved. On this day in 2002, the Angolan people witnessed with enthusiasm, in Luanda, the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding Addendum to the Lusaka Protocol (Zambia).
The document, signed by the former head of the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces, General Armando da Cruz Neto, and the then head of the Military High Command of UNITA forces, Geraldo Abreu Muendo “Kamorteiro” changed the course of history of the Republic of Angola.
The event, which marked the end of a long period of war, which resulted in thousands of internally displaced and maimed persons as well as orphans, was attended by the Angolan Head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, representatives of the international community and various national entities.
April 4, 2002 has become one of the greatest achievements of the Angolan people, after the national independence (November 11, 1975) as it marked a turning point in the political process and development of Angola. The date was established as a national holiday and recognized as an important historical event in the struggle of the Angolan people.
Today, the country is experiencing a just and lasting peaceful environment, peace which was achieved not by the imposition of external forces, but as a result of the efforts made by Angolans, who understood that there was a need for the cessation of hostilities and to engage in the process of completing the remaining tasks the Lusaka Protocol, with a view to reconciliation and reconstruction of the country.
For the first time, a protocol aimed at bringing peace was signed in the country without any external mediation, corresponding to the most legitimate interests of Angolans.
Hence, the general belief that this is a long lasting peace because it is consolidated in the day-to-day lives of Angolans, through practical steps and actions that require the contribution of all for it to become irreversible.
This reflects the will of Angolans in the sense that all the issues of the past are removed, in order to build a united, caring and mature country, guided by values such as national unity, democracy, freedom, social justice and respect for all.
“He who truly loves peace must learn to forgive, reconcile with their neighbors, and contribute to a real and solid unity among Angolans, without prejudice to the differences that each and every one of us may express,” said the President, José Eduardo dos Santos.
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola and the Prime Minister of Japan
The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola, H. E. Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, visited Japan from 21 to 25 March at the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Hon. Tadamori Oshima.
During his stay in Japan, the Speaker of the National Assembly paid a courtesy call to His Majesty Emperor Akihito as well as to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with whom reviewed the state of the bilateral relations, cooperation in the UN Security Council where the two countries are non-permanent members and the participation of Angola at the TICAD VI. The Speaker of the National Assembly took the opportunity to express the solidarity of the Angolan people with all the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the east coast of Japan in March 2011.
The Speaker of the National Assembly met separately with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tadamori Oshima and with the President of the House of Councillors, Hon. Masaaki Yamazaki. The parties discussed ways to strengthen the cooperation between the parliaments of both countries as well as visits by members of the parliament to exchange experiences.
The agenda of the Speaker of the National Assembly also included meetings with the African diplomatic corps in Japan, the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League, the Japan-Angola Parliamentary Friendship Committee as well as with senior executives of Japanese companies and financial institutions.
After wrapping up the official agenda in Tokyo, the Speaker of the National Assembly went to Hiroshima where he held talks with Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki and Mayor Kazumi Matsui. In Hiroshima, the Speaker of the National Assembly paid a visit to the Itsukushima Shrine, toured the Peace Memorial Museum, visited the Peace Memorial Park and laid a wreath in honor of the victims of the atomic bomb. [:pt]
Presidente da Assembleia Nacional da República de Angola com o Primeiro Ministro do Japão
O Presidente da Assembleia Nacional da República de Angola, S. E. Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, visitou o Japão de 21 a 25 Março, a convite do Presidente da Câmara dos Representantes do Japão, S. E. Tadamori Oshima.
Durante a sua estadia no Japão, o Presidente da Assembleia Nacional efectuou uma visita de cortesia a sua Majestade o Imperador Akihito e foi recebido em audiência pelo Primeiro Ministro Shinzo Abe com quem passou em revista o estado das relações bilaterais, cooperação no Conselho de Segurança da ONU onde os dois países são membros não-permanentes e a participação de Angola na TICAD VI. O Presidente da Assembleia Nacional aproveitou a ocasião para expressar a solidariedade do povo angolano para com as vítimas do terramoto e do tsunami que devastaram a região consteira do leste do Japão em Março de 2011.
O Presidente da Assembleia Nacional reuniu-se em separado com o Presidente da Câmara dos Representantes, S. E. Tadamori Oshima e com o Presidente da Câmara dos Conselheiros, S. E. Masaaki Yamazaki. Nas reuniões foi discutido o reforço da cooperação entre os parlamentos dos dois países e visitas de deputados para a troca de experiências.
Constou igualmente da agenda da visita do Presidente da Assembleia Nacional encontros com o corpo diplomático africano acreditado no Japão, com a Liga Parlamentar de Amizade Japão – União Africana, com o Comité Parlamentar de Amizade Japão-Angola e com altos representantes de empresas e instituições financeiras japonesas.
Após cumprir a sua agenda em Tóquio, o Presidente da Assembleia Nacional deslocou-se a Hiroshima onde foi recebido em audiência pelo Governador Hidehiko Yuzaki e pelo Administrador Municipal Kazumi Matsui. Em Hiroshima, o Presidente da Assembleia Nacional efectuou uma visita ao Santuário de Itsukushima, percorreu o Museu Memorial da Paz, visitou o Parque Memorial da Paz e depositou uma coroa de flores em homenagem às vítimas da bomba atómica. [:]
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola and the Prime Minister of Japan
The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola, H. E. Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, visited Japan from 21 to 25 March at the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Hon. Tadamori Oshima.
During his stay in Japan, the Speaker of the National Assembly paid a courtesy call to His Majesty Emperor Akihito as well as to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with whom reviewed the state of the bilateral relations, cooperation in the UN Security Council where the two countries are non-permanent members and the participation of Angola at the TICAD VI. The Speaker of the National Assembly took the opportunity to express the solidarity of the Angolan people with all the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the east coast of Japan in March 2011.
The Speaker of the National Assembly met separately with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tadamori Oshima and with the President of the House of Councillors, Hon. Masaaki Yamazaki. The parties discussed ways to strengthen the cooperation between the parliaments of both countries as well as visits by members of the parliament to exchange experiences.
The agenda of the Speaker of the National Assembly also included meetings with the African diplomatic corps in Japan, the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League, the Japan-Angola Parliamentary Friendship Committee as well as with senior executives of Japanese companies and financial institutions.
After wrapping up the official agenda in Tokyo, the Speaker of the National Assembly went to Hiroshima where he held talks with Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki and Mayor Kazumi Matsui. In Hiroshima, the Speaker of the National Assembly paid a visit to the Itsukushima Shrine, toured the Peace Memorial Museum, visited the Peace Memorial Park and laid a wreath in honor of the victims of the atomic bomb.
Speaker of the National Assembly with His Majesty the Emperor
Speaker of the National Assembly with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Meeting between the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Angolan Parliamentary Delegation at the Official Residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Meeting between the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the House of Councillors
President of the National Assembly with Members of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League
Speaker of the National Assembly with Members of the Japan-Angola Parliamentary Friendship Committee
Speaker of the National Assembly at the Itsukushima Shrine
Speaker of the National Assembly at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Speaker of the National Assembly laid a wreath in honour of the victims of the atomic bomb
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