Oil-Rich Angola Grows Stronger and More Stable Each and Every

CABINDA WSJ 8 pages (2).qxd 11/6/10 13:54 Página 1 CabindaADVERTISEMENT OIL & GAS EDUCATION ALSO INSIDE CABINDA PROJECT PANORAMA REPORTS LTD.: New investment inflows are As the province focuses on Finance 2 MANAGER: Old Fire Station, 140 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4SD upping production rates and eductation, students of all ages Infrastructure 4 Alex de la Mare Tel: +44 (0)20 7300 7228 social development projects are headed back to school Industry 5 [email protected] Page 3 Page 6 Tourism 7 www.panoramareports-ltd.com FACTS AND Oil-rich Angola grows stronger and FIGURES Location: more stable each and every day An enclave of Angola, separated from the mainland by the Democratic Republic The province of Cabinda no doubt plays a key role in adding wealth to the nation’s coffers of Congo and the Congo River Angola has the potential to be one Capital: of Africa’s richest, most successful Cabinda City countries. Its 18 provinces boast enormous mineral wealth and the Population: country is already the second- Approximately 300,000, of biggest oil producer on the conti- which half is rural and the nent, after Nigeria. other half urban Following the peace agreement in 2002 that ended the 27-year civ- Industry: il war, President José Eduardo dos Oil extraction and refining, Santos and his government have construction materials, food worked diligently through trying produce, wines, palm oil and times to find internal solutions that palm oil products, tobacco, have brought peace to the country crude rubber, hardwoods, and promoted its presence at the timber and furniture international level. Those efforts have already made Agriculture: a huge difference in the lives of or- Mainly bananas, coffee, dinary Angolans. Gross domestic cacao and cassava product has grown rapidly, at an average pace of more than 15% from Area: 2004 to 2007, and more than 10% 7,823 km2 (3,020 sq mi) in 2008, before contracting slight- ly in 2009. The economy will ex- Municipalities: pand between 6.5% and 7.5% this Belize, Buco Zau, Cabinda year, according to the World Bank’s and Cacongo estimate. Dos Santos’s economic team has Founded: also had great success in fighting 1885, by Portuguese inflation, which disproportionate- explorers ly hurts the poor by reducing the value of their already meager in- Independence: come and savings. Price increases 1975. Cabinda was the scene plunged from an annual rate of of heavy fighting during the 325% in 2000 to less than 13% war for independence from in 2008. Portugal (1961-75) One of the government’s sig- nature efforts has been a nation- Geography: al reconstruction program whose Largely tropical forest objective is to modernize the country’s infrastructure after the war. Religion: The goal of the projects funded Excluding its oil industry, Cabinda is the second largest contributor to Angola’s GDP after Luanda 74.9% Catholic by the program is to rebuild An- gola’s biggest and most important has ruled the country since the end Diamond production, though and cobalt. Moxico has the coun- rest of Angola by a 25-mile-wide Ethnic groups: infrastructure assets, with the ul- of the armed conflict in 2002, and greatly reduced by the war, has been try’s second-biggest timber in- strip of the Democratic Republic Bawoyo, Bacongo, Babaling, timate objective of improving the its efforts have won the strong sup- another success story since the end dustry, after Cabinda, and also of Congo. The province, which is Bassundi, Bavili and quality of life of the country’s port of Angolans. The party won the of the conflict. Angola is already the contains exploitable deposits of also rich in other natural resources, Bacotche residents. national elections in September of world’s sixth-largest diamond pro- copper, gold, diamonds, uranium has undergone a huge change for The program has been very suc- 2008 with about 80% of the vote, ducer, according to Endiama, the and other substances. the better since 2006, when a Climate: cessful in spurring the rapid ac- a huge margin signaling to the rest state-owned monopoly. Other inland provinces include peace agreement with a separatist Equatorial climate, the celeration of economic growth. of the world that Angola is a sta- Angola’s 18 provinces offer mar- Kwanza Norte, one of Angola’s group was signed. average temperature being When the country gained its inde- ble democracy, dedicated to im- velous diversity. The seven provinces richest agricultural areas, produc- Cabinda is Angola’s biggest oil- 25ºC (77ºF), with an altitude pendence from Portugal in 1975, proving the lives of its citizens. along the country’s 1,000-mile- ing corn, peanuts, pineapples, peas, producing province, with most of of 209 meters (686 feet) it possessed one of Africa’s best and Most of the economic growth long coast on the Atlantic Ocean sweet potatoes and a variety of that production coming from off- most extensive road networks. Re- recorded in recent years has come range from the lush jungles of Cabin- beans. It is also the home to the shore wells. Cabinda keeps 10% Governor: building the country’s transport from the country’s oil production, da and Zaire provinces in the north country’s largest hydroelectric sta- of the oil income generated by the Mawete João Baptista arteries is now a priority because which represents about 85% of to the plains and deserts that pre- tion at the dam at Cambambe, offshore oil rigs that produce about of their importance to moving con- GDP. The government is aware of dominate in the southern province which supplies power to local res- half of Angola’s total oil output. struction materials for other pro- the country’s dependence on oil, of Namibe. Bengo, Benguela and idents and businesses. That revenue, combined with wise jects around the countryside. and the need for a more varied Kwanza Sul are known for their Huambo and Bie provinces have governance on the part of the lead- There are other projects that will economy to spur new job creation, beautiful beaches, with Bengo clos- excellent hydroelectric potential ers in Luanda, Angola’s capital, help Angolans even more directly. and has been working to promote est to the Luanda capital district. because of the numerous rivers that and in Cabinda City, are reshap- One of the government’s most am- other industries, including tourism, The inland provinces also boast cross them, while Huila province has ing the province. bitious programs aims to build 1 mining and agriculture. beauty, for example in the dense rain great tourist potential. Huila’s pic- Angola has made great progress million new houses around the coun- Before the civil war that began forests of Uíge, along the Congo bor- turesque tablelands, small moun- under the governance of Presi- try by 2012, for about $50 bil- in 1975, following the country’s in- der, and Cuando Cubango, with its tains, valleys and rushing streams dent dos Santos, and has already lion. Angolans have taken note of dependence from Portugal, Ango- abundant wildlife. They’re also and rivers provide many sites that begun to play a bigger part in in- all these efforts and shown their sup- la was an iron ore exporter and a where much of the country’s under- visitors might like to see. ternational affairs. As soccer fans port for the government in recent diamond producer. The war de- exploited mineral wealth lies, with No discussion of Angola’s already know, Angola hosted the elections. stroyed most of the country’s iron the important exception of oil. provinces would be complete with- CAN2010 African soccer cham- The governing party is the Pop- mining infrastructure, but the in- Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul are out mentioning Cabinda. Cabinda pionship tournament this year, ular Movement for the Liberation dustry has been making a come- both diamond-mining centers, is the small, oil-rich part of An- which was won by Egypt on Jan- of Angola, or the MPLA. The group back in the past few years. while Uíge has deposits of copper gola that is separated from the uary 31 in Luanda. NEW ADMINISTRATION REFORM Carrying forward Living a new era of stability Cabinda’s legacy of and prosperity progress Health care and education are at the forefront as a stable economy and government emerge er illnesses, and provide women with After the long, post-independence Cabindans positions in the pres- The new governor acceptable conditions at maternity period of civil strife in Cabinda ident’s cabinet. has taken up the wards around the region,” Baptista and the rest of Angola, the gov- To date the central government said during a speech in February. ernment is serious about its re- has been diligent about fulfilling banner of his His goal is always to offer the sponsibility to provide its citizens its responsibilities under the region’s residents the best, most with the necessities of life, in- MOU. The government has bud- predecessor’s efficient public services possible. cluding political, social and eco- geted funds to carry out two of reforms He recently told Cabindans that nomic stability, health care, ed- the most important tasks re- he plans to oversee the operation ucation, and the opportunity to maining, which are helping fight- Cabinda’s Provincial Governor, of public companies more close- earn a living. ers from the Front for the Lib- Mawete João Baptista, has been ly, to make sure they’re managed Cabinda has now enjoyed more eration of the Enclave of Cabin- on the job since November, 2009, correctly and for the benefit of than three years of relative peace da return to civilian life, and help- and has spent the time since he the people of the province.

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