ANGOLA BBW part 3 new.qxd 23/11/11 15:43 Page 1 ADVERTISEMENT Part 3 See this report, and parts 1 and 2, at worldfolio.co.uk ANGOLA Peace and progress Economic growth and from a one-state party to a democ- ratic and multilateral regime.” progress in human The government managed to get development have been spiraling inflation under control while growing the gross domestic the hallmarks of product (GDP). Nevertheless, Afonso Angola’s peacetime era dos Anjos noted that these steps were means to a greater end. “Economic growth has never been ast April marked nine years seen by us as an end in itself but as since the signing of the a means to reach higher levels of peace treaty in Angola, and human development.” the progress made since the Of course, robust economic 2002 ceasefire has been growth, reforms, anti-corruption Lnothing short of phenomenal. The laws, and not to mention vast nat- country has matured and stayed on ural resources, have also made of course towards reconstruction with Angola an attractive destination for the help of both its significant oil rev- After nearly 36 years of independence and only nine years of both private foreign investors and n enues and of international peace, Angola is repositioning itself as a major economic player in foreign financial institutions and investments. the region, under the leadership of President dos Santos. governments. Various countries This evolution could not have including China, Portugal, Brazil, come about if it weren’t for the government’s total commitment to devel- Russia, Germany and the United States have opened credit lines in response opment and its strong stance on eradicating corruption in the public sector. to Angola reaching international credit standards. The Paris Club and the Though Angola still faces many challenges in terms of fighting poverty, International Monetary Fund are also working closely with Angola, help- diversifying its economy and rebuilding infrastructure destroyed during ing the nation rebuild itself. the 27-year conflict, the African Development Bank recently described it Thanks to international collaborations and partnerships, Angola is build- as “a thriving country with a booming economy and legitimate aspirations ing up a strong infrastructure base, from roads, ports and airports to to play a preeminent role in Africa.” telecommunications, housing, city planning and water networks. Angola’s former Minister of Foreign Relations, Assunçao Afonso dos Anjos, Under a ‘new era’ of political, social and economic affairs set out by the affirmed in a September 2009 speech in New York that the West African new Constitution approved in 2010, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos country has turned itself around under rather challenging circumstances, and his administration remain committed to building a fairer and balanced saying there were “three extremely difficult transitions that Angola had society where human and economic development grow hand in hand. And to undergo almost simultaneously: transition from war to peace, the tran- with the U.S. as a formally recognized strategic partner, Angola is on the sition from a concentrated economy to a market economy, and the transition right path towards building a brighter future G ANGOLA BBW part 3 new.qxd 23/11/11 15:44 Page 2 ADVERTISEMENT Infrastructure revival Both the public and private sectors are reinvigorating Angola’s transport and telecoms systems nfrastructure development in a country like Angola is of paramount importance. Expansion of telecommunications infrastructure – a direct result of the competition among the country’s telecoms oper- ators for greater market share – is well underway, offering exciting investment opportunities and huge potential for growth. For recon- Istruction to continue in this post-war era, decent roads, functioning railroads and efficient ports are a must, and the Angolan government “In 2006 we came to the conclusion that it would is doing everything in its power to bring these up to standard. not be worth expanding the port. Instead, it would Ports alone are gateways for up to 90% of imported construction mate- rials, and as a result, the main ports of Luanda, Lobito, Malongo and be more logical to build a bigger, brand new port.” Namibe are often overcrowded. The government has turned its attention Armando Ferramenta, CEO of Porto Amboim to alternatives, such as Porto Amboim, the site of a former port that dete- riorated to the point of closing in 1997. important outlet for exports, as well. Rather than invest in its modernization, the government has opted “This is potentially an agriculture area, and therefore our intention is to start from scratch. “In 2006 we came to the conclusion that it would also to promote agriculture for export purposes, with products like bananas, not be worth expanding the old port. Instead, it would be more logical coffee and cotton,” says Ferramenta. “In fact, we’d better prepare our port to build a bigger, brand new port,” explains Armando Ferramenta, CEO so the volumes of agriculture production doesn’t catch us unawares.” of Porto Amboim. Porto Amboim boasts a naturally calm bay and water retention works Located midway between Lobito and Luanda, the future port of by Painal (a company that manufactures material for deep water oil explo- Amboim would serve Angola’s central region, and rather than compete ration) have further slowed the currents. Short-term plans for the port see with the two larger ports, it would complement them and boost over- a wharf with the capacity for two large vessels and one small one simul- all national development. taneously. The government has already approved the project and funding In addition to serving as an ideal entry point for goods destined for of $30 million; all that remains is for Porto Amboim’s board of directors to the central hinterland and coastal areas, Porto Amboim should be an choose from the various construction proposals it has received G b ‘Under Obama, relations Forecast of Amboim Port, reestablishing itself again have developed faster’ as a unique port In 2009, Angola and the U.S. signed reaching all destinies a strategic trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) to enhance trade and investment relations between the two countries, which have been going from strength-to-strength. “We experienced remarkable growth in terms of bilateral relations with the previous administration, however under the Obama administration relations have Josefina Pitra Diakite, Outgoing developed faster,” said the Ambassador of Angola to the U.S. outgoing Ambassador of Angola to the U.S. Josefina Pitra Diakite. Mrs. Clinton made the country her “Secretary of State Hillary Clinton first stop on her tour of Africa in has also said that the U.S. really 2009 as Angola is the second wants to be part of the largest oil and gas producer in Sub- rehabilitation, reconstruction and Saharan Africa and one of the top building of a new Angola.” suppliers of crude oil to the U.S. This supplement was produced by VISTA REPORTS: 100 Pall Mall, St. James, London SW1Y 5NQ PORTUÁRIA DO AMBOIM-EP Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7664 8655, E-mail: [email protected], www.vista-reports.com [email protected] PROJECT: Joel Malo, Fatima Ruiz and Saturnino Izquierdo P.O.BOX 36, Tel: 236240474 PORTO AMBOIM See this report also at facebook.com/worldfolio ANGOLA BBW part 3 new.qxd 23/11/11 15:44 Page 3 ADVERTISEMENT BESA. OFFICIAL BANK OF THE PLANET EARTH-UNESCO HONOUR AWARDED BY UNESCO. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. ANGOLA BBW part 3 new.qxd 24/11/11 13:35 Page 4 ADVERTISEMENT Unitel, the leading cellular operator From cellular phones to cellular Internet access, Unitel is improving communications for millions Q&A with Amilcar Safeca, Deputy CEO of Unitel Q. Is the current state of 2015. What’s the outlook for Angola’s telecoms network growth in the sector in the next more of a help or a hindrance to few years? investors? A. Well, it’s difficult to say if that A. It’s a help. We’ve already made number is correct. All I can say is that great strides since achieving peace, the Angolan economy is going to but we can’t forget that the sector grow a lot, and that growth will affect still has some ways to go. Today we the telecom market. There will also be have functioning telecoms in every more and more sophisticated services province of Angola, and since on offer to people and to companies. November 2011, each of our 164 municipalities has cell telephones and Q. Unitel has approved an $800 cellular Internet access. So, to million strategic investment respond to your question, plan. How will that be financed communications are now a positive and carried out, and what element in the Angolan economy. improvements can we expect For example, I would cite the large from the plan? investments that are being made in A. It’s an investment made with our the so-called information own funds. But we’re aware that superhighway, in other words, in fiber- Angolan and international banks can optic infrastructure that’s being offer us a lot because we’re the #1 b extended throughout the country. In company in the market, which means the next two years Angola will have we have to invest a lot. about 6,000 miles of fiber-optic cable The investment will go primarily to linking all the provincial capitals and improving the quality of service we many municipalities. It’s an investment can offer our clients by expanding our Unitel is Angola’s biggest telecommunications company that’s being made by the private sales network, to operational sector and by the state, and that will processes, and to reinforcing the nitel has grown rapidly since it began commercial opera- completely change the way technology in our network.