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Universo MARCH 2011 WINGED WONDERS: how birds are boosting tourism TRAINING FOR SUCCESS: why studying abroad is a good career move BANKING: when growth is a pathway for investment CLASS ACT: building a new future for schools Leaping ahead Sonangol 35th anniversary sparks celebrations around the globe INSIDE: oil and gas news CONTENTS Universo is the international 44 magazine of Sonangol INSIDE THIS ISSUE 6 30 Board Members ur second edition brims Manuel Vicente (President), with good cheer as Sonan- Anabela Fonseca, Mateus de Brito, gol not only celebrated its Fernando Roberto, Francisco de Lemos, O Baptista Sumbe, Sebastião Gaspar Martins 35th anniversary but also Sonangol Department for announced buoyant provisional Communication & Image 2010 earnings. Sonangol marked the Director João Rosa Santos occasion with charitable donations, Corporate Communications sporting and cultural events as well Assistants as by holding parties across the Nadiejda Santos, Lúcio Santos, Cristina Novaes, José Mota, globe from Luanda to London, Beatriz Silva, Paula Almeida, Houston and Singapore. Sandra Teixeira, Marta Sousa More good news stories Publisher contained in this issue include Sheila O’Callaghan ‘Training for Success’ which looks Editor John Kolodziejski at the rising proportion of Angolans Art Director taking up important positions in 12 Garry Lyons the oil industry. Sub Editor Banking is a booming activity in Ron Gribble Angola. We survey recent progress Advertising Design Bernd Wojtczack and interview a director of BAI, the Circulation Manager country’s leading bank. Matthew Alexander Central Angola’s industrial Project Consultants revival continues apace and we look Nathalie MacCarthy Mauro Perillo at an innovative Huambo furniture Group President factory, which uses new technology John Charles Gasser to upgrade existing timber reserves. Universo is produced by Impact Media Lastly we reveal some of the Custom Publishing. The views expressed in the publication are not necessarily largely unknown delights of the those of Sonangol or the publishers. country’s ecology – a prospective Reproduction in whole or in part without prior permission is prohibited. niche for eco-tourism – in our story 22 This magazine is distributed to a closed on rare Angolan birds. Kamene Traca, Michael Mills, Carlos Moco, Capua. Esso circulation. To receive a free copy: [email protected] Circulation: 17,000 4 ANGOLA NEWS BRIEFING 6 TRAINING FOR SUCCESS 22 CLASS ACT SONANGOL NEWS Angola’s President Jose Eduardo dos Angolans are returning home from their A Huambo carpentry factory is expanding Santos makes his first state visit to South studies abroad and are taking up output of much-needed school furniture 38 SONANGOL NEWS BRIEFING Angola subsalt exploration; palm-oil fuel project; Africa; President dos Santos lays the increasingly important positions in the by using an innovative wood treatment The Universo team while in Superleague Formula gets underway; Angola LNG foundation stone for the Cazenga regen- oil sector, proving the success of the process which will make full use of local Luanda stay at: project moves forward; deal with Cuba signed; www.hotelrouxinol.com eration project in Luanda; Angolan GDP government’s Angolanisation policy forestry plantations Sonair expands operations; Sonangol takes interest grew at record rates through 2010; Davenport House in construction firm 16 Pepper Street, Angola pledges infant mortality cut; 12 WINGED WONDERS 30 BANKING ON ANGOLA’S London E14 9RP farm output rises; Angola runners-up in Birdlife enthusiasts and biologists are FUTURE 40 SONANGOL 35TH ANNIVERSARY Tel + 44 20 7510 9595 CHAN 2011; Road-race record combining to put Angola’s beautiful and Angola’s banking sector is expanding A run-down of Sonangol’s 35th anniversary Fax +44 20 7510 9596 largely unvisited interior on the map. rapidly. A leading banker gives Universo celebrations and details of the company’s 2010 [email protected] 5 FIGURED OUT Eco-tourists are showing an interest in an exclusive interview about the industry’s preliminary results Cover: Sonangol A brief glance at Angola in numbers following their lead course of development 2 SONANGOL UNIVERSO MARCH 2011 3 Figured Angola news briefing out South Africa state visit Health pledge President José Eduardo dos Santos made his first state The Angolan government has pledged to visit to South Africa in December, underlining the his- reduce the country’s infant and maternal 1,000 toric and economic ties between the two countries. The mortality rate by 50 per cent over the next two bank branches in Angola by 2013 president led a large delegation of top government min- years. Deputy Minister of Health Carlos Alberto isters to Pretoria to meet his South African counterpart Masseca made the commitment at the National Jacob Zuma to discuss bilateral co-operation. Accords Forum on the Eradication of Poverty held in were signed in the areas of public works, infrastructure Luanda in January. The minister said there were development, telecoms, information technology, energy plans to build new hospitals and improve local and agricultural co-operation. health services, and focus on improving 6,800 A declaration of intent on the use of finance facilities sanitation in a bid to reduce diseases such as km of roads currently being rebuilt was also signed, paving the way for new South African polio and cholera. credit lines for Angola. The first, from the Development Years of conflict and poor infrastructure have Bank of South Africa, will be worth $255 million and left Angola with one of the highest child-mortality managed in Angola by Banco Africano de Investimen- rates in the world, although government spend- tos. The funds will be used for development and infra- ing in recent years is starting to have an impact. structure projects. Further credit lines from the Getty Industrial Development Corporation and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation mean the total could Road-run record reach $3 billion, said Angola’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ethiopian running legend Haile George Chicoty. Gebrselassie won the 55th edition 25new electricity substations to be Business leaders from both countries met on the of Angola’s São Silvestre year-end race, built in Luanda by 2012 sidelines to discuss opportunities in Angola. setting a new course record time of 28 President dos Santos, who travelled with his wife Ana minutes and 5 seconds and taking the gold Paula, made a short trip to Robben Island to see the medal. The 10-kilometre event takes place prison where former president Nelson Mandela spent in the capital Luanda every year on Decem- 18 years. In recognition of his personal contribution to ber 31. Kenya’s Josphap Menjou came sec- the South African liberation struggle, dos Santos was ond followed by 15-year-old Ethiopian bestowed the Order of the Supreme Companion of O. runner Bonsa Diba Direba. Ethiopians took R. Tambo (Gold), the highest honour that can be given all three medals in the women’s race. Dire Angop 7.6%Government’s growth forecast for to a non-South African citizen. The order is named after Tune won the gold, Almaz Ayana Eba the Angolan economy in 2011 the late Oliver Tambo who was the African National Achievement silver and Rehime Redir the bronze. Kenyan Congress’s president-in-exile for many years. Angola’s national soccer team succumbed Grace Momanyi, who won in 2007, 2008, Getty 0-3 to Tunisia in the final of CHAN 2011, and 2009, came fourth. the African Cup of Nations for home-based Fastest growth players on February 25. The runners-up Green shoots Cazenga regeneration Angola was the world’s fastest- position was the first major achievement Government investment in agricultural President dos Santos has laid the first stone to launch growing economy in the last of recently-appointed coach Lito Vidigal. projects is starting to pay off with in- $200 a major inner-city regeneration project in the Angolan decade, its GDP increasing by 11.1 per Rogerio Silva, chairman of the Angolan creased yields during 2010. Cereal crops reg- million – Japanese investment into capital Luanda. cent between 2001 and 2010. A study in Olympic Academy, described the second- istered a rise of 125,000 tonnes (12 per cent a new textile factory in Luanda The project will run in four phases, with 20,000 The Economist magazine citing IMF place as “extraordinary”. up on 2009), according to the Ministry of homes being built in the first two years in the Cazenga data found Angola in pole position, Angola beat Sudan 4-2, the competition’s Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishing. district, currently home to 1.8 million people. followed by China (10.5 per cent growth host nation, on penalties in the semi-final Production of green and root vegetables There will be a mix of apartments and houses for over the same period), Myanmar (10.3 after disposing of Cameroon in similar were also up significantly on the previous 12 people currently living in unsuitable conditions in that per cent), Nigeria (8.9 per cent) and fashion in an 8-7 quarter-final shoot-out. months, while fish caught off Angola rose by part of the city. Ethiopia (8.4 per cent). Angola grew the In the group stages, Angola beat Rwanda 3 per cent to over 180,000 tonnes. 10,000 The regeneration area covers close to 40 square most between 2004 and 2008, peaking 2-1 and drew 0-0 with Senegal. In terms of rural development, 20 new health kilometre fibre optic network kilometres and will include new water, electricity and at over 20 per cent in 2007, thanks to an Angola also drew 1-1 with eventual posts were built serving more than 18,000 completion due this year sanitation infrastructure, as well as local services. increase in oil exports and high levels of champions Tunisia.