At least 960 megawatts will be added to the country’s power network in June this year, with the launch of the second power station of the Cambambe Hydroelectric Dam in Cuanza Norte province. According to the Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, the second Cambambe power station will generate the equivalent of twice the current capacity of the Capanda Dam, in Malanje province.

Regarding the Laúca Hydroelectric Dam, currently under construction in the Cuanza Norte province, the minister said that it is expected that the first two turbines of the dam start operations in June 2017 and generate 267 megawatts. The last turbine will start operations in December the same year and generate 77 megawatts.

As for Soyo’s combined cycle power generation plant, a project designed to produce electricity from natural gas, it will start to generate electricity in 2017 with a total output of 750 megawatts.

Source: ANGOP

The agricultural sector is considered by the Angolan government, as one of the priority areas of the economic diversification program. Currently, agriculture in Angola is characterized by a production that falls short of what is required to meet the needs of the domestic market, consequently diverting huge financial resources to food imports.

The Minister of Agriculture, Afonso Pedro Canga considered the Angola-Japan Business Forum held in Angola in March 2015, as a business opportunity to create strong partnerships in order to boost the country’s economy. According to Minister Canga, there is a greater interest by Japan in the agriculture sector, considering Angola’s favorable climatic conditions for agriculture coupled with the need to boost domestic production to make Angola self-sufficient in food.

Among the priorities areas in the cooperation with Japan, the minister pointed out the production of cereals, poultry, food processing and agricultural equipment. Minister Canga noted that Japan already finances several projects in the country, with very encouraging results, such as in the ongoing research, testing and production of rice, involving Japanese technology and know-how.

Source: ANGOP

As a follow-up to the Angola-Japan Business Forum held last March in Luanda and as a co-organizer of the aforesaid event, the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Angola, H.E. Abrahão Pio dos Santos Gourgel, visited Japan from December 3 – 9.

During his stay in Tokyo, Minister Abrahão Gourgel held talks with the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, H.E. Motoo Hayashi, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, H.E. Hiroshi Moriyama, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, H.E. Tsuyoshi Hoshino, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Seiji Kihara, the President of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League, Hon. Ichiro Aisawa and with the President of the Japan-Angola Parliamentary Friendship Committee, Hon. Koya Nishikawa .

While in Tokyo, Minister Abrahão Gourgel had a breakfast meeting with Ambassadors and Heads of SADC diplomatic missions and spoke at a seminar about Angola’s economic diversification program. The event attracted 108 participants representing 60 companies.

Minister Abrahão Gourgel also held talks with several Japanese companies and financial institutions, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and visited the Kawasaki Business Incubation Center (KBIC) where he was recieved by the Deputy Mayor of the city, H.E. Atsushi Miura.

Source: Embassy of the Republic of Angola in Japan

Security and stability in Africa, Angola-US bilateral relations and the upcoming climate change conference, which will be held in France, were among the issues discussed at a meeting on November 18, 2015 in Washington between the Minister of External Relations of Angola, Georges Chicoti, and the US Secretary of State, John Kerry.

John Kerry reiterated the willingness of both countries to continue to exchange views on various global issues, such as international terrorism.
Georges Chicoti stressed that Angola and the US will continue to work together within the framework of bilateral cooperation. As an example he mentioned the recent opening of the US Department of Agriculture’s office in Luanda.

Given the positive role that Angola has been playing as chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the US wants Angola to remain at the helm of the organization.

Source: ANGOP, Jornal de Angola

The Central Bank of Angola (BNA) released on November 9, the new 50 and 100 Kwanza coins. This completes the launching of the new Kwanza series released back in 2012, which includes the 50 cents, 1 Kz, 5 Kz, 10 Kz and 20 Kz coins.

At the launching ceremony, the governor of BNA, José Pedro de Morais, said that despite this year’s slowdown in the economic growth due to the sudden and sharp drop of oil prices, the main product of Angolan exports, the country has witnessed an increase of currency in circulation, particularly the use of coins and lower-denomination notes.

The launch of the 50 Kz and Kz 100 coins comes as parts of the various activities scheduled to celebrate the Angola’s 40th anniversary of independence.

Source: ANGOP

The Minister of Welfare and Social Reintegration of Angola, João Baptista Kussumua, paid an official visit to Japan from 20 to 26 October to strengthen the friendship and solidarity ties between the two countries as well as to review the level of cooperation in mining clearance projects in Angola where some Japanese companies are engaged.

During his stay in Japan, Minister Kussumua held talks with the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Masakazu Hamachi, the Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Hiroshi Kato, as well as with some members of the Japanese Diet and other senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Kussumua also traveled to the city of Hiroshima where he visited the Peace Memorial for the Atomic Bomb Victims and laid a wreath.

Source: Embassy of Angola in Japan

Construction works on the new Luanda International Airport will be completed by April 2017 according to the Minister of Transports, Augusto da Silva Tomás.

The Minister gave this information to the press during a field visit that by the Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos, on Monday, October 26 to the new Luanda International Airport, aimed at assessing the progress of the construction works.

Located 40 kilometers from the center of Luanda and spread over an area of 1,324 hectares, the new airport will have 31 passenger boarding bridges (PBB), two double runways capable of taking the world’s largest commercial aircraft, the Airbus A380, an underground car park for more than1,500 vehicles among other supporting infrastructures that will enable the airport to handle 15 million passengers a year.

Source: ANGOP