Imprensa internacional sobre Angola Setembro - Outubro 2004
Comissão Permanente disponibiliza verbas para o desenvolvimento da região sul do país
Namibe, 10/11 - O governo angolano vai disponibilizar durante o biénio 2005/2006, 20 milhões de dólares para os programas de melhoramento e aumento de oferta de serviços básicos às populações das províncias do Namibe, Cunene e Kuando Kubango, segundo decisão da Comissão Permanente do Conselho de Ministros, reunida hoje, no Namibe, sob orientação do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos.
A Comissão Permanente tomou conhecimento do processo de recepção de propostas de investidores internacionais que pretendem habilitar-se à concepção de exploração de ferro de Kassinga, (província da Huíla), cujo prazo termina em Dezembro do corrente ano.
Ainda segundo o comunicado saído da reunião, tomou-se conhecimento, do ponto de situação da elaboração do Plano Director para o desenvolvimento da Baía dos Tigres, no Namibe.
Nesta reunião foi prestada uma informação sobre o memorando respeitante ao processo de reabilitação do Porto do Namibe, cujo montante, segundo estudos do Banco Mundial, estão calculados em cerca de 45 milhões de dólares.
A Comissão Permanente tomou ainda conhecimento sobre o combate à desertificação no Namibe, tendo recomendado a criação de uma estrutura designada Unidade Técnica de Execução, com autonomia administrativa, financeira e patrimonial, vinculada ao governo da província e com assistência técnica do Instituto do Desenvolvimento Florestal, encarregue de coordenar o combate à desertificação na província.
Dentre outras medidas, propõe-se a captação de fundos internacionais, nomeadamente junto do PNUD (Programa das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento), do Banco Mundial, do Fundo Mundial para o Meio Ambiente e do Fundo Internacional para o Desenvolvimento Agrícola, para financiar o combate à desertificação.
INTERVIEW-LNG plant to boost Angola's Soyo oil base. By Zoe Eisenstein and Karen Iley 481 words 28 October 2004 15:52 Reuters News
ANGOLA GOVERNMENT LIST (UPDATED OCT 26 2004) President, Head of State...... Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS
------UNITY AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION GOVERNMENT
(Reshuffled October 2004) Prime Minister...... Fernando da Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS
Deputy Prime Minister...... Aguinaldo JAIME
------MINISTERS: Agriculture & Rural Development...... Gilberto Buta LUTUKUTA Administration, Employment & Social Affairs...... Pitra NETO Commerce...... Joaquim Icuma MUAFUMA Culture...... Boaventura CARDOSO Defence...... Kundy PAIAMA Education...... Antonio Burity DA SILVA Energy & Water Affairs...... Jose Botelho de VASCONCELOS Finance...... Jose Pedro DE MORAIS Fisheries...... Salomao Luheto XIRIMBIMBI Foreign Affairs...... Joao Bernardo DE MIRANDA Geology & Mines...... Manuel Antonio AFRICANO Health...... Albertina Julia Naove Henrique HAMUKWAYA Industry...... Joaquim Duarte da Costa DAVID Information...... Pedro Hendrik Vaal NETO Interior...... Osvaldo de Jesus Serra VAN-DUNEM Justice...... Paulo TJIPILICA Petroleum...... Desiderio Dagraca Verissimo DA COSTA Planning...... Ana Dias LOURENCO Post & Telecommunications...... Licinio Tavares RIBEIRO Public Works...... Francisco Higino CARNEIRO Science & Technology...... Joao Baptista NGANDAGINA Social Reintegration & Assistance...... Joao Baptista KUSSUMWA Territorial Administration...... Virgilio Ferreira de Fontes PEREIRA Tourism...... Jorge VALENTIM Transport...... Andre Luis BRANDAO Urbanism and Environment.....Diekumpuna Sica JOSE War Veterans...... Pedro Jose VAN DUNEM Women's Affairs...... Candida Celeste DA SILVA Youth & Sport...... Jose Marcos BARRICA
------Presidential Advisors Legal Affairs - Carlos TEIXEIRA Diplomatic Affairs - Carlos SARAIVA Economic Affairs - Archer MANGUEIRA
Special Presidential Advisors (very powerful) Head of 'Military House' (Casa Militar) - Helder Vieira Dias, known by his nom de guerre “Kopelipa” Head of 'Civil House' (Casa Civil) - Carlos Feijo
General Secretary to Presidency - Adelino PEIXOTO Secretary of Council of Ministers (cabinet secretary) - Antonio Pereira VAN DUNEM General Director of External Security - Fernando Garcia MIALA
Attorney General...... Augusto CARNEIRO Coordinator of administrative management of Luanda (there is no longer a governer of Luanda)...... Job CAPAPINHA ------Central Bank Governor...... Amadeu MAURICIO
Angola's Sonangol makes first solo oil discovery. 301 words 1 November 2004 13:35 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUANDA, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Angola's state oil company Sonangol has discovered oil at its offshore block 4, the first well it has ever drilled without foreign partners, industry sources and state media said on Monday.
"This is great news for Sonangol because it's the first time they have done it entirely on their own. They carried out all the studies and all the preliminary work and the drilling," a senior industry expert told Reuters.
"Everyone was worried that they might not find oil but they have," the source added.
The discovery is situated in 711 metres of water in the western part of Block 4, for which no commercial concession is currently in force, although the oil ministry granted Sonangol permission to drill on the block. The state Jornal de Angola reported on Monday that drilling had revealed two reservoirs that Sonangol believed could be commercially viable.
The firm would analyse the field's prospects and was already negotiating a new oil concession for its development, the paper added.
Sonangol was not immediately available for comment.
Industry sources said the discovery had yielded heavy oil and that it was unlikely to be commercially viable on its own but added that it could be tied up with future discoveries.
"Near this discovery there is another prospect that Sonangol will try to drill next year," one senior source told Reuters.
"If they also find oil there, the two perhaps can be put on development together," the source said, adding that conservative estimates put total reserves on the new discovery at around 50 million barrels.
Angola is sub-saharan Africa's second largest oil-producer after Nigeria, churning out around one million barrels per day - a figure that is slated to double by 2008.
Document LBA0000020041101e0b1008hs
Angola loses billions in diamond smuggling, paper. 135 words 10 November 2004 11:41 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited LUANDA, Nov 10 (Reuters) - At least $1.4 billion worth of diamonds have been smuggled out of Angola since 2000, the state-run Jornal de Angola said on Wednesday. "This corresponds to $350 million per year of diamonds, illegally extracted mainly by foreign citizens," the paper said. Angola has been trying to clean up the sector since its 27-year civil war ended in April 2002. It has expelled thousands of illegal immigrants who it says are plundering natural resources and smuggling diamonds abroad. As part of efforts to bring production under state control, state diamond firm Endiama had set up 8 buying offices in diamond areas where informal miners can sell their diamonds. Despite its immense wealth, most of Angola's people still live in abject poverty. Document LBA0000020041110e0ba007i4
IMF: Angola should reap oil wealth By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Published November 2, 2004
LUANDA, Angola -- A senior International Monetary Fund official said Tuesday Angola should capitalize on the recent surge in oil prices.
Concluding his visit to Angola and meetings with senior government officials, the IMF's deputy managing director Takatoshi Kato said that since the country is a major producer of petroleum, it could cash in on its oil wealth to bolster growth and help alleviate poverty.
But at the same time, Kato stressed the need for the country to reduce its deficit and boost private sector growth.
He also said that the Angolan government must ensure more transparency in budgetary and monetary policy, "including the management of oil resources."
"I look forward to rapid advances towards economic stability and effective use of resources," Kato said.
Roc Joins Sonangol in Cabinda Onshore Oil Exploration Project
10 November 2004 The Angolan state oil company, Sonangol, has announced it is to conduct onshore oil exploration in the oil-rich Cabinda enclave, ending 30 years of inactivity in non- offshore exploration in the province. Sonangol will join Australia's Roc Oil Company after a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) was agreed last month for joint exploration in the Cabinda South block and test wells will be drilled in the first half of 2005. Roc will hold an 80% stake in the block, while Sonangol will hold the remaining 20%. Angola is the sub-Saharan area of Africa's number 2 oil producer and Sonangol has reported that the country's current daily production of one million barrels will double by 2008. Cabinda is separated from the rest of Angola by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The enclave is home to some 120,000 people and has seen incessant unrest since the 1960s, and has long pushed for self-determination. Angola loses billions in diamond smuggling, paper 10 Nov 2004 10:40:04 GMT Source: Reuters LUANDA, Nov 10 (Reuters) - At least $1.4 billion worth of diamonds have been smuggled out of Angola since 2000, the state-run Jornal de Angola said on Wednesday. "This corresponds to $350 million per year of diamonds, illegally extracted mainly by foreign citizens," the paper said. Angola has been trying to clean up the sector since its 27-year civil war ended in April 2002. It has expelled thousands of illegal immigrants who it says are plundering natural resources and smuggling diamonds abroad. As part of efforts to bring production under state control, state diamond firm Endiama had set up 8 buying offices in diamond areas where informal miners can sell their diamonds.
Despite its immense wealth, most of Angola's people still live in abject poverty.
Apostolado
NÚNCIO DEPLORA OBSTÁCULOS À EXPANSÃO DA ECCLESIA 2004-11-08
O Núncio Apostólico em Angola juntou a sua voz ao coro da hierarquia católica contra os obstáculos levantados à expansão de Rádio Ecclesia a toda Angola. Dom Angelo Becciu exprimiu esta posição ao abrir hoje em Luanda o programa de formação religiosa para os jornalistas da rádio, cujas emissões se limitam presentemente a Luanda.
Também ele “não percebe o porquê de tantos obstáculos que se colocam à livre e total expansão dos seus programas». Admirado com o contraste entre as «garantias mais autorizadas» já dadas e o bloqueio na prática, fez votos no sentido de que «tais promessas não venham a defraudar as nossas expectativas». Condenou a discriminação dos cidadãos no direito de acesso à mesma emissora, subjacente ao presente estado de uma rádio limitada em Luanda. «Numa democracia sã e autêntica não se pode gotejar a liberdade nem tão pouco criar privilégios para uma camada de cidadãos em detrimento de tantos outros. Esta é a situação que se criou com a Rádio Ecclesia, autorizada na prática a fazer ouvir a sua voz somente aos residentes de Luanda», disse o Embaixador do Vaticano.
Exortou os responsáveis e quadros da emissora a não desanimarem face às dificuldades e a perseverarem na luta, mas dentro dos marcos da lei. «Não renuncieis ao grave dever de proclamar e defender os vossos direitos, mas tudo se faça sempre e somente sob a observância das leis do Estado. A Rádio Ecclesia sabe sofrer, sabe esperar, sabe lutar, mas nunca e jamais ousará violar a legalidade», asseverou.
JORNALISTA PROFISSIONAL CATÓLICO
Em termos de orientação editorial, o Núncio destacou a identidade do jornalista profissional católico. Nomeadamente: 1º ser uma pessoa íntegra, cuja vida pessoal e profissional reflecte os ensinamentos de Cristo; 2º lutar pelos ideais mais altos, ter a coragem de procurar e referir a verdade, mesmo quando não é conveniente ou não é considerada ‘politicamente’ correcta; 3º “ser sensível aos aspectos morais, religiosos e espirituais da vida humana... transmitir não só os factos tristes e as tragédias, mas também as acções positivas e edificantes ... oferecer exemplos de esperança e de heroísmo a um mundo que precisa desesperadamente de ambos os valores.“
O seminário agrupa os jornalistas da Redacção central e das projectadas delegações províncias. Estender-se-á até sexta-feira. O programa prevê abordar a Linha Editorial da emissora com Dom Filomeno Vieira Dias e a Doutrina Social da Igreja, com o Frei João Domingos. O Cardeal Dom Alexandre Do Nascimento dissertará sobre o “O papel da Igreja na Comunicação Social” e a Irmã Beta sobre o “Manual de Escrita Jornalística”. O presidente da Conferência Episcopal, D. Damião Franklin, desenvolverá o tema da “Organização Interna da Igreja Católica”.
UNITA INSISTE NO DESAGRADO COM REMODELAÇÃO GOVERNAMENTAL 2004-11-09
Continua a troca de galhardetes entre o maior partido da oposição e o Presidente da República sobre a remodelação governamental. O líder da UNITA, Isaías Samakuva, já exprimiu formalmente ao Chefe de Estado a sua discordância com a recente remodelação parcial do Governo e quer uma audiência para levantar os equívocos.
De acordo com um dos seus colaboradores, falando hoje ao Apostolado, Samakuva já expediu uma carta formal ao presidente José Eduardo Dos Santos neste sentido. A correspondência seguiu a semana passada, antes da deslocação de Samakuva para o Brasil, explicitou a referida fonte. Quanto ao teor do carta, indicou que ela reiterou o desagrado sobre «a forma parcial» da mudança efectuada e procura entender as motivações do Presidente da República. Samakuva, segundo a mesma fonte, voltou a solicitar uma audiência, partindo do princípio de que o diálogo é a «única forma pela qual se podem esclarecer equívocos». Além da orientação saída da recente reunião da Comissão Política da UNITA, Samakuva teve em conta, na sua iniciativa, o teor da carta de Dos Santos, revelado ao público pela agência ANGOP. Nesta carta, Dos Santos disse ter já comunicado ao presidente da UNITA que «o processo de reestruturação do governo continua em curso» e que as sua propostas «serão contempladas a seu tempo». Datada de 29 de Outubro passado e divulgada pela ANGOP a 1 de Novembro corrente, a carta explicitou a recusa de se mexer a actual Ministra da Saúde porque a lista da UNITA não propunha outra mulher. «Há aqui uma ingerência clara nas opções do nosso partido e é por causa de tudo isto que o encontro ao mais alto nível é necessário», comentou este dirigente da UNITA. A alteração do Governo anunciada a 22 de Outubro pelo presidente angolano apenas abrangeu três dos nove nomes propostos pela UNITA.
Nos termos do Protocolo de Lusaca, o maior partido da oposição angolana possui quatro ministros e sete vice-ministros no Governo de Unidade e Reconciliação Nacional (GURN). Relativamente aos ministros, Dos Santos só tocou no titular da pasta do Comércio, Vitorino Hossi, substituído por Joaquim Icuma Muafuma. Nem esta opção foi de encontro à preferência do Galo Negro, que recaía sobre o economista Fernando Heitor, antigo vice- ministro das Finanças, que optara pela linha ortodoxa pró Savimbi. A lista de Samakuva ainda tinha apontado Carlos Morgado, ex-médico pessoal de Jonas Savimbi, para o cargo de Ministro da Saúde, em substituição de Albertina Hamukuaya, e Alcides Sakala para Ministro da Hotelaria e Turismo, em substituição de Jorge Valentim. O único ministro indicado pela UNITA cuja mudança não foi proposta pela direcção do partido é Manuel Africano, titular da pasta da Geologia e Minas. Quanto aos vice-ministros, a Unita cabe os da Defesa, Interior, Finanças, Assistência e Reinserção Social, Administração do Território e Comunicação Social.
CIMENTEIRA PORTUGUESA ENTRA NO CAPITAL DA CIMANGOLA 2004-11-09
O maior grupo português de materiais de construção revelou ontem ter comprado 49 % do capital social da firma angolana, num comunicado enviado à entidade reguladora do mercado de capitais (CMVM). Adquiriu as partes que pertenciam às empresas nórdicas Holcim e Heidelberg Cement no seio da Nova Cimangola. Já hoje, a cimenteira lusa diz que o valor da aquisição foi de 68 milhões de dólares, um valor que vai ainda ser ajustado, no prazo de 30 dias, de acordo com o valor da dívida financeira líquida da referida sociedade à data da aquisição.
No referido comunicado, cujo teor foi publicado pela agência LUSA, Cimpor informou ter efectuado a operação no preço de 107 dólares (USD) por tonelada de capacidade instalada de Nova Cimangola. Localizada no Norte de Luanda, a cimentaria angolana tem uma capacidade de produção anual de cerca de 1,3 milhões de toneladas de cimento. O preço foi ajustado ao respectivo montante da dívida financeira líquida, explicou o comunicado da Cimpor sem especificar o valor.
Os outros accionistas da Nova Cimangola são o Estado angolano, com 39,8 %, e o Banco Africano de Investimento, com 9,5 %. A Nova Cimangola actua sobretudo no mercado de Luanda, com vendas anuais de cerca de 800 mil toneladas ou seja, 80 % do mercado nacional do cimento. Além do cimento, produz cerca de 540 mil toneladas de “clínquer” por ano. Em Angola está, também, a segunda maior cimentaria portuguesa, a Secil, que em Julho acordou com o Estado a compra de 51 % do capital da ENCIME, fábrica situada no Lobito.
No comunicado, a Cimpor regozijou-se do acesso «a um novo mercado em África com um elevado potencial de crescimento, o que permite reforçar a posição numa das zonas de interesse estratégico preferencial para a crescente internacionalização». O grupo Cimpor está actualmente presente em Portugal, Espanha, Brasil, Marrocos, Moçambique, Tunísia, Egipto e África do Sul. É classificado como o décimo maior produtor mundial de cimento em capacidade instalada, ambicionando aumentar a sua produção anual das actuais 23 milhões de toneladas para 30 milhões até 2008.
POLÍCIA IMPEDE NOVA MANIFESTAÇÃO DO PADEPA 2004-11-10
A policia frustrou hoje a manifestação convocada pelo Partido de Apoio Democrático e Progresso de Angola (PADEPA) para defronte da embaixada americana sobre as receitas petrolíferas. Desta vez, investiu nos pontos de partida dos manifestantes, não os deixando, sequer, aproximarem-se do local da concentração.
Até ao princípio da tarde, segundo o presidente do PADEPA, Carlos Leitão, cerca de 60 militantes estavam detidos na Segunda Esquadra da Polícia de Luanda, situada no bairro Operário. «Os detidos estão a sofrer várias intimidações da polícia partidarizada do regime», acrescentou, incluindo a comitiva da direcção do partido, destacada para a esquadra com vista a obter a soltura dos colegas.
INTERDIÇÃO
Nos arredores da embaixada, um forte aparato da Polícia de Intervenção, armados e com cães, foi montado para dissuadir os aderentes ao apelo do PADEPA.
O porta-voz do Governo Provincial de Luanda, Laudislau da Silva, justificou a actuação da polícia, dizendo que o PADEPA foi atempadamente notificado da interdição da manifestação. No ponto de vista do governo, a lei proíbe manifestação em horas de expediente, cercanias de determinadas instituições e lugares onde a circulação pode ser perturbada.
Carlos Leitão, que falou ao Apostolado, refutou, argumentando que «quem viola a lei é o governo ditatorial, que recusa publicar as contas do petróleo». Recordando antecedentes, entre os quais a condenação taxativa do Tribunal Provincial de Luanda de uma interdição anterior, frisou que «a questão «já não é jurídica, mas sim política». Por conseguinte, o seu partido vai reunir brevemente e anunciar o seu próximo passo.
A iniciativa de hoje foi convocada a semana passada pelo partido de Carlos Leitão, com o objectivo de reiterar a exigência de transparência na gestão das receitas petrolíferas.
FERIMENTOS INCURÁVEIS
De acordo com a sua convocatória, ele pretendia «solicitar ao Governo Americano no sentido de incentivar as suas Indústrias Petrolíferas a publicar informações sobre os pagamentos que fazem ao Regime Totalitário do MPLA».
Trata-se da terceira tentativa desta jovem formação sem assento parlamentar este ano. A primeira teve lugar no princípio de ano, culminou na entrega ao embaixador americano de uma carta dirigida ao presidente Bush e terminou sem incidentes. A segunda tentativa, feita em Setembro último, acabou com uma intervenção musculosa da unidade canina policial, que feriu um manifestante, cujos ferimentos continuam incuráveis até aqui, segundo Leitão. Presidente do Parlamento defende descentralização administrativa gradual
Luanda, 28/10 - O presidente da Assembleia Nacional, Roberto de Almeida, afirmou quarta-feira, em Luanda, que os processos de descentralização e desconcentração administrativas, estabelecidos na Lei Constitucional vigente, devem ser materializados segundo o princípio do gradualismo, por forma a terem êxitos.
Ao falar na abertura do Fórum Parlamentar sobre a Organização e Desenvolvimento do Poder Local, Roberto de Almeida sublinhou, que este processo deve ser implementado sem prejuízo da unidade de acção governativa e administrativa.
Reputando o fórum como um "evento de transcendental importância no contexto sócio-económico e cultural do país", o parlamentar frisou que, após décadas de guerra, Angola reclama um esforço nacional na busca de ideias e definições sobre o poder local.
De acordo com Roberto de Almeida, o Estado angolano tem como grande desafio promover a boa governação, a redução da pobreza e o desenvolvimento humano sustentável, no quadro de um processo consensual consultivo e inclusivo, com a ampla participação de todos os sectores da sociedade.
O fórum, organizado pela Comissão da Administração do Estado e Poder Local da AN, em parceira com o PNUD e a fundação alemã Friedric Ebert, destina-se à troca de experiências, para uma reflexão interna sobre os critérios e os princípios que deverão nortear o modelo pretendido de organização das autarquias locais.
O presidente do parlamento apelou, por isso, aos participantes, no sentido de um amplo debate em torno dos temas agendados, de modo a criar consensos abrangentes sobre a problemática do poder local.
"Os deputados aguardam com grande interesse as conclusões e recomendações deste fórum, pois, poderão beneficiar destas ideias para o aperfeiçoamento do pacote legislativo sobre o Poder Local, matéria de competência absoluta desta assembleia", concluiu.
O representante residente da fundação Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Willi Haan, considerou a descentralização como um tema de grande importância para a construção de uma sociedade democrática em Angola, tendo em conta o actual contexto de paz.
"Para construir uma sociedade democrática, é preciso ter regras claras do jogo democrático, até ao nível local", argumentou, frisando que o país encontra-se numa fase crucial para a reorganização exitosa das suas instituições, por forma a ter uma verdadeira democracia.
Interrogado sobre a viabilidade deste processo no contexto actual de Angola, marcado por diversas dificuldades, Willi Haan destacou a vontade política existente, o que, para si, é a base fundamental para o êxito deste processo.
Participam no evento, deputados, membros do Governo central, representantes da presidência da República, pessoal de Agências da ONU, governadores provinciais, administradores municipais, sindicatos, sociedade civil, ONG nacionais e estrangeiras, fundações e associações.
O evento, que deverá terminar no dia 29, comporta três painéis, subdivididos em várias palestras, sobre temas diversos.
"A Organização da Administração local do Estado versus Administração Autárquica", "As autoridades Tradicionais: passado, presente e futuro", "As Parcerias Público- Privadas e o Desenvolvimento Local", "A Descentralização Financeira" e "Urbanismo e Ordenamento do Território", são os temas em destaque.
Especialistas, da República do Chile sobre a Descentralização e Desconcentração, do Brasil no domínio das Parcerias Público-Privadas e Desenvolvimento Local e da Namíbia e Senegal sobre Autoridades Tradicionais, vão apresentar experiências dos respectivos países.
Lunda-Norte: BAI tenciona investir no sector mineiro
Dundo, 05/11 - O presidente do Conselho da Administração do Banco Africano de Investimentos (BAI), Mário Palhares, disse quinta-feira, no Dundo, província da Lunda-Norte, que a sua instituição pretende no seu plano de negócios alargar os investimentos para o sector mineiro.
"Reconhecendo a importância do sector mineiro no quotidiano da província, pretendemos também de forma modesta demonstrar a viabilidade deste negócio", sublinhou o bancário, que falava durante o acto de inauguração do balcão BAI na província da Lunda-Norte.
Na sua óptica, esta acção constitui uma mais-valia na aposta aos agentes económicos e nas oportunidades de negócios, garantindo assim uma resposta efectiva as potencialidades locais.
Na ocasião, o governador provincial da Lunda-Norte, Gomes Maiato, mostrou-se satisfeito pelo facto e disse que a província ganhou mais uma instituição, que, na sua óptica, irá contribuir para o desenvolvimento social e económico.
O BAI, que prevê abrir ainda este ano um outro balcão no municipio do Lucapa, tem serviços específicos como produtos de poupança e crédito, crédito pessoal, automóvel e salário, bem como o crédito habitacional, a ser introduzido brevemente.
UNITA reitera necessidade de remodelação dos seus quadros no Governo
Viana, Luanda, 27/10 - A Comissão Política da UNITA, reunida de 25 a 27 do mês curso, recomendou ao presidente deste partido, Isaias Samakuva, a clarificação junto do governo a sua proposta sobre a remodelação profunda do Governo da Unidade e Reconciliacao Nacional (GURN).
Esta recomendação consta do comunicado final da IIIª reunião do principal órgão politico do Partido do Galo Negro, encerrada hoje, no municipio de Viana, em Luanda.
Com a aprovação desta decisão a União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA) decide manter-se no GURN, mas indignada pela resolução parcial da proposta de rotação dos seus membros, no governo liderado pelo MPLA.
Segundo a UNITA, das nove propostas feitas sobre a remodelação dos seus quadros no GURN, apenas três foram satifeitas.
Por isso, no seu primeiro ponto do comunicado final, a Comissão Política da UNITA manifesta a sua estranheza e insatisfação pela forma como foi tratada a proposta de rotação dos membros por si indicados para o GURN.
Entretanto, reitera a sua disponibilidade para o diálogo e convivência política com o governo e com os demais partidos políticos, igrejas, autoridades tradicionais e outras organizações da sociedade civil.
Referente às eleicoes, o partido do galo negro advoga a realização do pleito elitoral à luz da actual Lei Constitucional e considera não existir qualquer incompatibilidade, por isso, entende ser urgente a definição de um periodo eleitoral de consenso.
Porém, antes de tudo urge a necessidade da nomeação de um conselho nacional eleitoral independente, orgão que deverá encarregar-se da gestão das eleições a partir do recenseamento até ao fim do escrutínio.
Neste contexto, a UNITA considera que fora desse órgão eleitoral indepedente, nem o governo, nem sequer o MPLA terão permissão de fazer a gestão inicial do processo eleitoral.
A respeito do caso Cabinda, a Comissão Política do maior partido de oposição em Angola faz um apelo às partes intervenientes no processo, particularmente ao governo, para o fim imediato do diferendo pela via pacífica.
Entretanto, à Comissão Política encorajou o governo para a criação e implementação de um programa de reconciliação que tenha um amplo consenso nacional.
No seu discurso do encerramento, o presidente da UNITA, Isaías Samakuva referiu- se ao actual momento sócio-político que o país atravessa, não deixando de apontar os problemas principais que dificultam a vida da população e do desenvolvimento económico nacional.
A III reunião da Comissão Política decorreu sob o lema "UNITA mais coesa para a afirmação da reconciliação nacional e do estado democrático e de direito em Angola" e congregou mais de 200 delegados provenientes de todo o país e do exterior.
Africa Power Firms Join to Light Up Dark Continent
October 29, 2004 — By Alistair Thomson, Reuters
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The latest scheme to spread electric light in Africa may sound familiar, but this time African leaders say they have the will, and financial backing, to succeed.
If so, the campaign to link Africa's disparate and often unreliable power grids could be the first big achievement for the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which some critics dismiss as empty rhetoric.
What everyone agrees on is that a much-talked-of economic renaissance will not happen unless African countries can repair and expand transport and power networks shattered in many parts by decades of war or neglect.
"In Africa there are 800 million people, 200 million in southern Africa, and less than 15 percent of those people have access to electricity. That is a damning statistic," said Morgan Sithole, who worked on southwestern Africa's Western Power Corridor, dubbed "Westcor," for South African energy firm Eskom.
"In the (Democratic Republic of) Congo there are 65 million people, and less than 10 percent have access to electricity. Why, in Africa, where we have sustainable hydropower resources? Can't we change that?" Sithole asked?
It is the mighty Congo River, which bisects the eponymous country as well as the continent, that is the driving force behind plans to extend a power grid from the Inga hydropower project at the river mouth to the tip of Africa.
Inga, one of the few lasting investments made in the vast country under dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, has for years provided vital power to Congo's southern mining center Lubumbashi, as well as to Zambia and as far south as South Africa. But years of neglect mean many of its turbines are out of action.
The Westcor project, signed by Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Oct. 22, aims to put a third hydro plant with 3,500 MW capacity, Inga III, on a branch of the Congo River and build a new power line through oil-rich Angola and Namibia at a total cost of some US$5 billion.
Spider's Web
Following on from the Westcor project are ambitious plans for a continental power grid with high-capacity power lines spreading out from Inga like a giant spider's web reaching to South Africa in the south and Egypt in the north.
To the north one line would stretch to Lagos in Nigeria via the Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Cameroon, while another line would stretch all the way to Cairo through Sudan and either Central African Republic or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Another would follow the outdated interconnector from Inga to South Africa via Lubumbashi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.
Energy trade is nothing new in southern Africa. South Africa buys in most output from Mozambique's 1,250 MW Cahora Bassa generator, majority owned by its former colonial power Portugal, and in turn exports power, notably to Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Zambia plans to install interconnectors to supply power to Kenya and Tanzania by 2012.
The proposed African Energy Grid, if it becomes reality, would be the modern equivalent of the "Cape to Cairo" railway line dreamed of by Cecil Rhodes, who amassed a vast fortune from mining and business across Britain's African colonies.
Rhodes' railway was never built.
As well as Inga, the Westcor project will pave the way for a number of proposed hydro and gas-fired generating stations along the transmission route, especially in Namibia and Angola.
But they are all dwarfed by the potential of "Grand Inga," a proposal to site a generating station in the main channel of the Congo River that Eskom estimates could generate 40,000 MW — more than Eskom's total current output in South Africa.
Eskom, which produces some of the world's cheapest power, says Grand Inga would not need the massive dam-building or flooding that have given such projects a bad name with environmentalists and human rights campaigners the world over.
The Congo's flow is second only to the Amazon and reliable year-round thanks to its 1.5 million-square-mile basin straddling the Equator, ensuring constant supply as seasonal rains come and go north and south of the line.
Thirst Grows as Power Drought Looms
Exploiting more of the vast power potential of the Congo River has been on the cards for decades. But the project has taken on increased urgency as southern Africa steadily increases its power usage, creeping ever closer to capacity.
South African demand is expected to exceed current supply by 2007, and the country is spending $3 billion to build three new power stations in the next five years.
Source: Reuters
Endiama celebra novos contratos com similares diamantíferas
Luanda, 05/11 - A Empresa Nacional de Diamantes (Endiama) celebrou nesta sexta- feira um contrato de prospecção de aluviões com as companhias Afrodiamond Group Lda, de direito angolano, e a Namakwa Diamond Mining West África, da Namíbia.
Este projecto diamantífero, denominado Santechifunga, tem como área de exploração a província da Lunda-Norte. Em termos percentuais, a Endiama EP detém 38 por cento, a Namankwa Diamond 37% e a Afrodiamond 25 por cento.
Pela Endiama Ep foi signatário o presidente do Conselho de Administração, Manuel Calado, enquanto Suhani Dinaura Carlos Fernandes e Nico Kruger, o fizeram, respectivamente, pela Afrodiamond e Namankwadiamond.
Criação do Gabinete de Reconstrução e Reabilitação Nacional constitui destaque do noticiário social
Luanda, 23/10 - A criação do Gabinete de Reconstrução e Reabilitação Nacional pelo Governo de Angola constituiu o destaque noticioso social da semana que hoje termina.
O Gabinete, sob coordenação do Presidente da República, tem por atribuição promover, acompanhar e supervisionar a implementação de programas específicos no domínio da recuperação económica e social.
Ele goza de autonomia administrativa e financeira e será dirigido por um director nomeado pelo Presidente da República, visando a reabilitação das infra-estruturas destruídas fundamentalmente durante o conflito armado que assolou o país durante vários anos.
Entretanto, com o objectivo de analisar a crise registada no Instituto Pan-Africano da Educação para o Desenvolvimento (IPED), Luanda albergou na semana que hoje termina a reunião tripartida de concertação entre os ministros da Educação de Angola, do Congo Brazzavile e do Congo Democrático.
O encontro serviu igualmente para a definição de estratégias para a realização da 14ª sessão ordinária do Comité Executivo, que é presidida por Angola.
Os governantes dos três países reconheceram que o IPED encontra-se numa fase de profunda letargia, situação que só poderá ser ultrapassada com a comparticipação dos Estados membros, mormente na vertente financeira.
Ainda no âmbito da educação, o vice-ministro para a Reforma Educativa, Pinda Simão, frisou mais uma vez que a instrução de adolescentes e jovens constitui preocupação do seu pelouro até 2015, em conformidade com o Plano de Acção Nacional de Educação para Todos.
O governante teceu tais declarações quando procedia a abertura oficial do Primeiro Encontro de Parceiros Sociais sobre Educação de Adolescentes e Jovens Fora do Sistema de Ensino, afirmando que, nesta perspectiva, os programas têm de reflectir as necessidades e interesses dos beneficiários (adolescentes).
Em Angola, milhares de adolescentes, jovens e adultos ainda não desfrutam do direito à educação, que lhes permitirá uma melhor interacção e reinserção social num mundo caracterizado pelo desenvolvimento da ciência e da tecnologia.
Relativamente à problemática das minas, o país testemunhou na última sexta-feira o lançamento da campanha de educação sobre o perigo das minas pela Comissão Nacional Intersectorial de Desminagem e Assistência Humanitária (CNIDAH) e seus parceiros.
A referida campanha visa reduzir os acidentes com minas no país, principalmente os ocorridos com viaturas, pois a falta de informação sobre as minas por parte de muitos motoristas e a condução descuidada em caminhos recém-abertos ou desconhecidos continuam a contribuir para a ocorrência de graves acidentes com esses engenhos explosivos.
Dados oficiais indicam que de Janeiro a Abril de 2003 foram registados 20 incidentes com minas, enquanto que em 2004, no mesmo período, houve um aumento de 32 casos, perfazendo 52, que resultaram em 40 mortes em consequência do accionamento por viaturas desses engenhos.
Outro facto em destaque no noticiário social da Angop nos últimos sete dias foi à realização do seminário sobre prevenção rodoviária. Dados da Polícia Nacional indicam que em 2003 registaram-se em Angola nove mil e 920 acidentes, resultando em mil e 597 mortos, numa média de cerca de quatro mortes dia.
No primeiro semestre de 2004 ocorreram quatro mil 493 acidentes que causaram 752 mortos, numa média de quatro mortes por dia, onde a província de Luanda se evidencia com dois mil e 73 acidentes que causaram 272 mortos e mil e 55 feridos.
O noticiário social destacou ainda que 81mil dólares americanos estão a ser investidos desde o mês de Agosto do corrente ano pela representação da Organização Não Governamental "Caritas" em projectos de formação de formadores dos ex-militares da UNITA, no município de Caconda, província da Huíla.
O projecto está a ser executado na sede municipal e nas comunas do Gungue e Uaba, com o apoio do Instituto de Reintegração Sócio-profissional dos Ex-militares (Irsem).
O objectivo da iniciativa é reintegrar os ex-militares por forma a transmitirem estes conhecimentos às comunidades desfavorecidas.
Director do Banco Mundial analisa Estratégia de Transição de Angola
Luanda, 08/11 - O director do Banco Mundial (BM) para Angola e Moçambique, Michael Baxter, encontra-se desde sábado, em Luanda, para rever, a recentemente concluída, Estratégia de Apoio a Transição de Angola (EAT).
Segundo uma nota de imprensa, a missão do responsável do BM, com termo previsto para 19 deste mês, visa igualmente estabelecer contactos com autoridades angolanas e doadores, sociedade civil e o sector privado, para se preparar a Nova Estratégia, com vista a assegurar o continuo engajamento do Banco Mundial em Angola.
A EAT do BM foi impelementada, de Março de 2003 a Junho de 2004, em Angola, tendo apoiado o Governo angolano nas tarefas de desmobilização e integração dos ex-combatentes, na estabilização da macro-economia, bem como na preparação do terreno para o crescimento nacional.
No âmbito da EAT, foram preparados e implementados quatro projectos designadamente o de Assistência Técnica a Gestão Macro-económica (EMTA), aprovado em Março de 2003, numa doação de 16.6 milhões de dólares, o de Desmobilização e Reintegração de Ex-combatentes (ADRP), apto no mesmo ano com um valor de USd 33 milhões.
O Fundo de Apoio Social (FAS III), aprovado em Julho de 2003, com um orçamento de 55 milhões de dólares e o de VIH/Sida, Málaria e Tuberculose (HAMSET), num valor de USD 20 milhões e que será aprovado em Dezembro deste ano.
Destes financiamentos 40 por cento foram em forma de doações e 60 em crédito. As condições de empréstimo incluem 40 anos de amortização, incluindo 10 anos de período de graça, e com zero por cento de juros e 0,75 de serviços de gestão.
A EAT engloba também actividades de assistência técnica e estudos, tais como os ligados a gestão de receitas petrolíferas, a interação do sector privado com o Estado, avaliação dos requisitos de reconstrução nacional, assim como a revisão dos sistemas da gestão pública financeira.
A visita de Michael Baxter a Angola insere-se ainda na nova estrategia de apoio do BM ao reforço das relações entre esta instituição e o Governo de Angola.
Durante a sua estada, o director do Banco Mundial vai encontrar-se com governantes e técnicos de vários sectores para abordar questões ligadas as actividades propostas na nova estratégia do banco para Angola, que terá o seu início em 2005 e durará até finais de 2006.
Missão empresarial brasileira está em Luanda
Luanda, 09/11 - Uma missão empresarial brasileira, encabeçada pela ex-secretária executiva da CPLP (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa), Dulce Pereira, desembarcou hoje em Luanda para, durante quatro dias, estudar o mercado e as possibilidades de negócios com os angolanos.
A visita dos brasileiros acontece em resposta a uma idêntica efectuada por membros da Associação Industrial Angolana (AIA) a este país sul americano, em meados do ano passado.
A comitiva, de catorze homens de negócios, pertence a parte industrial da cidade de São José do Rio Preto, do Estado de São Paulo.
Dulce Pereira informou à imprensa que os brasileiros representam diversificados ramos de negócios, nomeadamente alimentação, construção civil, Agricultura e Pescas.
Adiantou que alguns empresários irão visitar Benguela, já que há intenção de trabalhar-se na organização de uma feira especifica de Agricultura e Pescas.
O vice-presidente da AIA, Joaquim Almeida, que os recebeu no Aeroporto Internacional de Luanda, mostrou-se esperançoso que os empresários nacionais, tanto os industriais como os comerciais, compareçam, pois os brasileiros estarão à disposição para iniciarem contactos, fazerem negócios e culminar com parcerias.
Segundo a agenda estabelecida pela AIA, quarta-feira os visitantes receberão algumas informações sobre o Angola e manterão encontros com empresários nacionais. Quinta-feira terão dia livre, sexta-feira irão continuar as conversações e sábado deixarão o país com destino ao Brasil.
Antes de desembarcar em Luanda, a missão empresarial brasileira visitou Moçambique e África do Sul, países onde também fizeram prospecção de negócios.
Presidente da República saúda reeleição de Bush
Luanda, 04/11 - O chefe de Estado angolano, José Eduardo dos Santos, saudou hoje, em Luanda, o Presidente George Bush, pela sua reeleição ao cargo de líder dos EUA, e desejou-lhe exitos na condução dos destinos do povo norte-americano.
"O nível das relações entre os nossos dois países constitui uma base segura para o prosseguimento da parceria existente e para a diversificação e aprofundamento das relações de cooperação entre os Estados Unidos e Angola", sublinha o estadista angolano na missiva enviada ao seu homologo norte- americano.
Esta reeleição, acrescenta a missiva de Eduardo dos Santos, "permite-nos dar continuidade aos inúmeros desafios comuns que temos que enfrentar, nomeadamente, a luta em prol do desenvolvimento, democracia, da paz, da estabilidade e da segurança internacional".
"Desejo-lhe votos de sucesso, de felicidade pessoal, ciente de que a sua magistratura irá contribuir para a concretização dos sonhos e esperanças do povo norte-americano", enfatiza a mensagem do Presidente da República.
Números divulgados indicam que o Presidente Bush obteve 51 por cento dos votos populares e 254 grandes eleitores. O seu opositor, John Kerry, obteve 48 por cento e 252 grandes eleitores. ANGOLA: WFP flights take off amid landing fee dispute
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
LUANDA, 25 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - World Food Programme (WFP) flights in Angola took off as normal on Monday after the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration (MINARS) promised to help resolve a dispute over landing fees, WFP said.
ENANA, Angola's national airport administrator, had threatened to halt the flights - which transport vital food aid to around a million hungry Angolans and give access to remote areas for thousands of aid workers - unless WFP paid all airport taxes, including navigation, landing, passenger and parking fees by last Saturday.
But the UN food agency has an agreement with MINARS that all costs relating to its humanitarian flights are to be borne by the government.
"On Thursday, 21 October, we had a meeting with MINARS minister Joao Baptista Kussumua and we put our problem down on the table. The minister pledged to do something about it," WFP country representative, Rick Corsino, told IRIN.
"ENANA is looking for evidence that a solution is being worked out and I think that may have taken some of the pressure off us ... But we will continue to monitor the situation closely," he added.
Each month WFP distributes around 10,000 metric tonnes of emergency food aid to 1.1 million Angolans unable to feed themselves after a brutal 27-year conflict ended in April 2002.
The agency also offers a free passenger service for around 2,000 staff per month from the UN, NGOs and the donor community, to and from areas where humanitarian assistance is being provided but which remain largely inaccessible.
The Angolan government pays for the fuel, helping to substantially reduce the costs of the operation.
Presidente do Tribunal de Contas reeleito para mais três anos
Luanda, 08/11 - O presidente do Tribunal de Contas, Julião António, foi reeleito, sexta-feira, para um mandato de mais três anos, revelou hoje, em Luanda, à Angop fonte da instituição.
A recondução do magistrado Judicial, para este segundo (último) mandato, à luz da Lei vigente, ocorreu em plenário do Tribunal, integrado por cinco juízes, que elegeram ainda para vice-presidente, Evaristo Quemba.
Julião António foi eleito pela Assembleia Nacional, em 2001, para um primeiro mandato de três anos.
O Tribunal de Contas é um órgão jurisdicional de competência especial, tendo como função principal a fiscalização dos fundos públicos. ANGOLA: Reports call for tightening of diamond sector controls
Internal controls and fair wages critical to ending trade in conflict gems, say NGOs
JOHANNESBURG, 26 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - The Kimberley Process, a regulatory framework aimed at reducing the potential for diamonds to fuel conflict, must take cognisance of the need for proper internal controls in producer countries and ensure a fair wage for Africa's diamond diggers, say two new reports.
The first report, 'The Key to Kimberley - Internal Diamond Controls', highlights the need for proper internal controls and tracking in diamond-producing countries.
The second report, 'Rich Man, Poor Man - Development Diamonds and Poverty Diamonds', warns that controls alone will probably never work unless diamond digging pays more than a dollar a day.
Both reports were produced jointly by the NGOs, Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada.
The 'Key to Kimberley - Internal Diamond Controls', delves into internal control practices in a number of countries and reveals serious weaknesses "which, if they are not corrected, will compromise the effectiveness of the overall Kimberley Process Diamond Certification System (KPCS)".
The report noted that "huge efforts have been made by almost four dozen governments and their diamond industries to comply with the KPCS for rough diamonds. Authorities have been established, certificates printed and statistics gathered. Where the movement of diamonds is concerned, most of the emphasis has so far been placed on international transfers between countries".
This has seen the introduction of control measures such as tamper-proof containers, forgery-resistant certificates and the compilation of data regarding shipments.
"But the Kimberley Process certificate is more than a physical description of what is in a parcel when it leaves one country and arrives in another. It certifies that the diamonds in each parcel are conflict-free," the report noted.
PROBLEM OF POOR INTERNAL CONTROLS
If a government is to be in compliance, the KPCS requires the country to "establish a system of internal controls designed to eliminate the presence of conflict diamonds from shipments of rough diamonds imported into and exported from its territory".
Thus, for the KPCS to work, certificates "must be guarantees that the goods contained in shipments are clean".
"It is essential, therefore, that producing countries maintain systems that allow them to track diamonds back from the point of export to the place where they were mined," the authors said.
The study examined internal controls in seven countries: four producers, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Canada, which is also an importer, and three trading countries: the United States, Belgium and Great Britain.
"The most problematic area for internal controls ... is found in countries where alluvial diamonds are produced by artisanal miners. Angola and the DRC are major artisanal alluvial producers and Ghana is a minor producer, but the problems are the same," the report pointed out.
"In each country there is a good system for recording and formalising the diamond trade prior to export, and systems for licensing dealers and recording transfers have been articulated back through the system - but the trail runs cold one or two transactions upstream," said the researchers.
The lack of controls in countries with artisanal alluvial diamonds is an old problem. Unlike kimberlite mines, which can be fenced off and protected, alluvial diamonds are scattered over hundreds of square miles and present a very difficult regulatory problem.
"The geographic and geological nature of alluvial diamonds, and their value in relation to the poverty of the countries where they are found, makes this one of the most serious problems facing the effective implementation of the KPCS," the study warned, and would continue to hold the potential for destabilising these countries.
Angola was the first country to implement a full certificate of origin for diamond exports after the United Nations imposed sanctions on former rebel group UNITA's diamond trading in 1998, followed by investigations in 1999.
In 2000 the government introduced a certificate of origin system and implemented a single-channel marketing system, replacing the previous 'wide-open system'.
However, its artisanal alluvial diamond miners numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and implementing regulatory control over them was an immense task.
RESISTANCE TO REGULATION
"It is estimated that there have been between 270,000 and 400,000 illicit miners in Angola during the last 12 years, at least 80 percent of them Congolese by nationality," the report said.
"Many of these were brought in to mine for UNITA in the first instance. Numbers increased following the end of the war in 2002 and, in December 2003, the FAA [Angolan Armed Forces], working with the national police and migration services, was ordered to expel illegal aliens on the basis of threats to national security and territorial integrity."
The study noted that "at present there is no system for determining the origin of diamonds from the artisanal sector, beyond records of purchases kept by buying offices", and remained an "incomplete paper-based system".
"The generic culture of this type of diamond buying has historically been that no questions are asked, with the objective of ensuring supplies of rough diamonds at the lowest prices," the report commented.
However, despite the expulsion of illegal miners at the end of 2003 and again this year, "it is estimated that there are still approximately 200,000 active in Angola".
The state-controlled SODIAM diamond marketing company has estimated that US $2 million worth of diamonds was currently being smuggled out of Angola every month.
"Proposed control mechanisms for the remaining artisanal miners have yet to be put in place - one will require small miners to dig only on the fringes of industrial mines, which will control the miners. But diamond deposits exist in areas where no mining companies currently operate and it is not clear how such deposits will be protected," the report said.
At present there was no assurance that Angola's internal controls prevented diamonds from leaving or entering the country illegally.
Among the recommendations made in the report was that the government consider the appointment of international inspection and audit firms to help enforce local internal control regulations.
Alex Yearsley of Global Witness told IRIN that the government needed to "end the widespread involvement of the military in the diamond trade" and the "removal of involvement of the political elite in diamonds".
"One is very well aware of the role of generals at the moment [in the diamond sector], and it's causing problems in relation to smuggling of diamonds out of the country. There were systems developed a couple of years ago that worked, but they worked too well and encroached on vested powerful interests," Yearsley alleged.
Angola had started licensing middlemen, but "weren't able to get down to licensing the diggers because of the sheer numbers of people involved".
FAIR WAGES NEEDED
A second report, 'Rich Man, Poor Man - Development Diamonds and Poverty Diamonds', warned that controls alone would probably never work, unless diamond digging paid more than a dollar a day.
Although a return to war is unlikely in nations like Angola, "the future of these countries now turns on whether productive activities can be made available to the young men who fought in the wars, and the other young men coming after them: productive enterprises that outweigh the return on more dangerous activities," the report noted.
Yearsley added that "we need to make sure they [diggers] get a fair living wage, that they receive the same amount of profit and benefit as that of some of the companies in 47th Street in the main diamond district in New York".
"What we really want to see now is the diamond industry, governments in particular, and development agencies, start looking at the issue of diamonds as an issue of development, as often they [diamonds] are the largest single 'employer' or activity for the male population that is [traditionally] drawn into armed conflict," Yearsley noted.
"Until Africa's diamond diggers earn a fair wage, diamonds will always be a destabilising factor in these countries," added Ian Smillie from Partnership Africa Canada.
For the full reports go to: www.globalwitness.org and www.partnershipafricacanada.org
4 - Début du procès de Jean-Christophe Mitterrand pour fraude fiscale LE MONDE.FR | 2 Novembre 2004 | 366 mots Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, le fils aîné de l'ancien président de la République, doit comparaître mardi devant le tribunal correctionnel de Paris pour fraude fiscale lors d'un procès qui a déjà été reporté deux fois, notamment en raison de l'état de santé du prévenu.
Malaria claims 20,000 lives each year in Angola: official
Tue Nov 9, 4:26 PM ET
LISBON (AFP) - Malaria claims some 20,000 lives each year in Angola, more than half of them pregnant women and children under five years old, making it the main cause of death in the southwest African state, a top Angolan health official said.
Filomeno Fortes, Angola's director of programs to fight malaria, told Portuguese radio TSF the mosquito-borne disease infected more than two million people each year in the country of 13 millions, and cost state coffers over 100 million dollars (77 million euros) annually to treat.
He said the disease was widespread in the oil-and-diamond rich former Portuguese colony because of poor sanitation, insufficient preventive measures and widespread poverty.
Malaria kills more than one million people a year around the world -- more than 90 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Health Organization (news - web sites).
There is no vaccine to prevent malaria, but it can be suppressed by taking antimalarial medicines which are also used in larger doses to treat the illness.
Health experts recommend mosquito nets treated with insecticide as the best defense against the malaria-bearing mosquitoes, but the majority of people in Africa cannot afford these.
Endiama abre escritório em Nova Iorque Luis Costa 15 Oct 2004, 23:02 UTC
A empresa angolana de diamantes ENDIAMA deverá abrir um escritório em Nova Iorque no próximo ano, soube a Voz da América de fonte segura. A ideia de se abrir um escritório em Nova Iorque, principal centro económico e financeiro dos Estados Unidos vinha sendo alinhavada há algum tempo.
A decisão vem associada a um levantamento que a direcção da ENDIAMA está a fazer em Nova Iorque, onde participa numa conferência internacional sobre diamantes.
Fonte próxima às negociações disse à Voz da América que a estratégia de expansão da companhia passa pela abertura de um escritório em Nova Iorque o terceiro centro mundial de comercialização de diamantes, depois de Antuérpia e Tel Aviv .
Não está excluida a hipótese da ENDIAMA devolver à sua delegação na Bélgica a vitalidade que tinha no passado. A ENDIAMA tem uma “antena” em Israel, por via da sua participaçaõ na SODIAM INTERNACIONAL uma empresa sediada em Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, e detida na sua maioria pelo grupo Lev Leviev.
O relançamento internacional da ENDIAMA colocou Arnaldo Calado em contactos com reconhecidos empresários do ramo diamantífero, entre os quais, Maurice Templesman, accionista principal da Lazari Kaplan uma das principais companhias vendedoras de diamantes lapidados.
À semelhança de quase todos operadores privados, Maurice Templesman também perdeu terreno em Angola quando o estado angolano entregou o monopólio da comercialização à ASCORP.
Fonte oficial angolana disse à Voz da América que o “declínio” dos negócios de Templesman em Angola deveu- se exclusivamente ao facto deste ter procurado manter os seus negócios na área da comercialização.
A delegação de Angola esteve durante toda quinta-feira em Washington, tendo entretanto acabado por cancelar todos os encontros. O cancelamento dos encontros, por razões que a Voz da Améerica não pôde apurar, provocou algum desencanto na capital norte-americana, cuja audiência mobilizada de antemão pela Câmara do Comércio foi apanhada desprevenida.
Os empresários e políticos inscritos para este encontro pareciam sumamente preocupados com, questões relativas á legislação angolana, segurança nas áreas de exploração diamantífera, e os progressos registados desde a altura em que o nome de Angola deixou de constar da lista dos países exportadores de "diamantes de sangue” que este país foi retirado da lista de países produtores dos chamados de “diamantes de sangue".
Arnaldo Calado e sua equipa regressaram esta sexta-feira a Nova Iorque de onde partirão para Luanda na próxima quinta-feira dia 21, dia em que deverá terminar o congresso mundial do diamante.
Luís Costa
Director adjunto do FMI em Luanda Luís Costa Janeiro é entendido pelas autoridades angolanas como data provável para a obtenção de um acordo com o Fundo Monetário Internacional. Esta hipótese dependerá de como decorrerem as consultas que o governo de Angola manterá nas próximas semanas em Luanda com uma delegação chefiada pelo director geral adjunto do Fundo Monetário Internacional, Takatoshi Kato.
Observadores em Washington disseram à Voz da América que os tempos são outros, e só isto explica a inclusão de Angola nesta viagem de Kato. ? Há dois anos, uma visita desta natureza surpreenderia toda a gente?.
Por sua vez autoridades angolanas entendem que o facto de Kato ter incluido Angola na sua agenda - eventualmente apertada - é uma indicação de como as duas partes estão empenhadas na obtenção de um acordo. ?Nós estamos interessados num entendimento com o FMI, e eles estão interessados em que Angola seja um caso de sucesso, por conseguinte, se prevalecer o optimismo evidenciado pela última missão acreditamos que possamos ter um acordo na mesa em Janeiro próximo?.
Fonte familiar às negociações disse à Voz da América em Washington que conquanto o FMI ainda mantenha reservas em relação a Angola, a visita de Takatoshi é seguramente um sinal de que o programa de reformas gizado íntegralmente em Angola tem a benção do FMI.
As duas partes parecem um pouco distantes no que toca à velocidade das reformas e à dimensão do envolvimento do Estado. Um alto funcionário angolano disse à Voz da América, que tendo Angola que resolver questões como a reposição efectiva da administração do estado acolhimento de deslocados e refugiados, não há como reduzir a despesa pública, nem tão pouco o papel do estado. ? O princípio de menos governo mais cidadão, ainda não se aplica em Angola?.
Um outro impulso às negociações virá logo depois da visita de Takatoshi Kato, pois a equipa de peritos do FMI que estuda o orçamento geral do Estado e o programa de Governo para o próximo ano aprovados esta semana , também tem viagem marcada para Angola.
Questões relativas às contas angolanas, controlo de inflação, financiamento do déficit e gestão de reservas internacionais serão susceptíveis de consumirem a maior parte da próxima ronda de consultas.
Os peritos do FMI deveriam visitar Luanda há cerca de 3 semanas, mas a deslocação a Washington, de uma delegação angolana que foi assistir a assembleia anual do Fundo, e a preparação do OGE e do orçamento geral do Estado, impuseram o adiamento da consultas. Outros dados de natureza estatística retidos em Luanda teriam também postergado a deslocação da equipa do FMI.
?Não fazia sentido estarem em Luanda sem antes analisarem o projecto de orçamento para o próximo ano?. A delegação do FMI será chefiada por Michael Baxter, country director para Angola.
Interrogada sobre as metas previstas no OGE e no programa para 2005 a fonte da Voz da América disse que não se pode dizer que trabalhar para baixar a inflação até 15 por cento não seja ambiciosos sem se ter emconta o facto de a economia angolana em 2003 registava uma taxa de inflação 76 por cento. ? Ainda não podemos falar de 1 digito na medida em que a nossa economia sofre pressões decorrentes de encargos sociais, para além também de que precisamos de reestabelecer os stocks de capital?. A uma pergunta sobre as exigências feitas por grupos de pressão, sobretudo em Londres e em Washington, a fonte da Voz da Améerica disse:? O próprio FMI reconhece hoje que há progressos tangíveis no que toca à transparência; por outro a divulgação do montante e do destino a dar ao adicional proveniente do aumento do preço do petróleo, resultou de uma iniciativa exclusiva do governo, e nao por força ou imposição de ninguém; por fim só ainda não aderimos a algumas iniciativas sobre transparência porque quando o fizermos não queremos que haja discrepâncias, por conseguinte estamos a arrumar as nissas contas?.
TOTAL excluida Luís Costa 01 Nov 2004, 16:35 UTC
A TOTAL poderá estar a sentir pela primeira vez os efeitos do contencioso entre as autoridades angolanas e francesas. A SONANGOL notificou recentemente a companhia petrolífera francesa de que não veria renovado o contrato de exploração do Bloco 3, onde é empreiteira.
Em exploração desde 1980, o bloco 3 compreende os campos de Palanca, Pacassa, Búfalo e Impala. A TOTAL partilhava os benefícios da exploração deste bloco juntamente com a SONANGOL, AJOCO, AGIP, NAFTGAZ E NAFTALPINA.
A nota da SONANGOL solicitava a TOTAL que fizesse a transferência dos fundos de operação alocados ao bloco 3. A decisão tomada pela SONANGOL parece vir na esteira de promessas de Luanda de responder com uma retaliação ao processo instruído em França contra o empresário francês Pierre Falcone, intermediário na compra de armas para Angola. Consultas entre as duas partes que se arrastam há mais de 2 anos produziram poucos efeitos, tendo Luanda congelado a acreditação do embaixador francês em Angola.
A França no que pareceu ser uma cedência, permitiu a saída de Falcone para o estrangeiro, mas Luanda que acabou por dar provimento ao pedido de acreditação do embaixador francês preferia ver o assunto definitivamente resolvido, o que não consegue até agora.
Aparentemente Paris mostra alguma dificuldade em resolver o assunto na medida em que no ponto a que chegou, o desfecho do caso depende mais da justiça, do que o do executivo. Luanda pelos vistos não conforma.
A nota da SONANGOL dizia que a medida não afectava os blocos 3- 85 e 3-91, que compreende os campos Cóco e Pambi, e Oombo, respectivamente. O bloco 3, ora vedado aos franceses rende perto de 150 mil barris por dia.
China sees good future with Africa
China sees a "bright future" for its business ties with resource-rich Africa where trade has been booming since 2000, the Chinese ambassador to South Africa said.
From more than 10 billion dollars (7.75 billion euros) in 2000, trade between China and Africa has ballooned to 18.55 billion dollars in 2003, Ambassador Liu Guijin told a seminar in Pretoria.
Already two-way trade has totalled 12.68 billion dollars in the first six months of this year, said Liu who cited Africa's "abundant resources" as a "reservoir of development potential."
"China in recent years has paid attention to the exploitation of natural resources in Africa," said Liu who was speaking at the Institute for Security Studies.
But he emphasized that China was tapping into Africa's energy and mineral wealth through joint ventures and by supporting "environmentally-friendly projects."
"I think there is a bright future because many of the African governments like the Chinese companies to come here so as to give a kind of balance ... to the dominating situation, that is the western big companies that are controlling natural resources here in Africa," he said.
Despite the boom, trade with Africa only accounts for 2.3 percent of China's total foreign earnings.
"This means there is a great potential for further expanding trade," said Liu.
China sells light industrial products, textiles and small appliances among other products to Africa.
It buys oil from Angola and Nigeria, and gold, diamond and platinum from South Africa.
Trade between China and South Africa, Beijing's biggest trading partner on the continent, reached 4.3 billion dollars in the first nine months of this year, up by 50 percent from last year, the ambassador said.
AFP
Governo submetido à transparência
A Lei do Oge para o próximo ano inclui um artigo que obriga do Ministério das Finanças a divulgar trimestralmente o resultado da execução orçamental. A lei diz precisamente que o «Ministério das Finanças deve dar publicidade, trimestralmente, do resultado da execução do Orçamento Geral do Estado», voltando a obrigar essa instituição do Governo a regulamentar os modelos demonstrativos e a forma de divulgação dos dados referentes aos órgãos da administração central e local do Estado, institutos públicos, serviços, fundos autónomos e empresas públicas.
Nos termos dessa lei, as informações relativas a cada trimestre do ano fiscal devem ser publicadas no prazo máximo de 60 dias após o encerramento do trimestre, determinando-se também que para o cumprimento de tais disposições, as unidades orçamentais deverão remeter trimestralmente ao Ministério das Finanças os elementos de avaliação periódica.
Essa lei obriga, por outro lado e em artigo separado, o Governo angolano a apresentar ao parlamento um balanço de execução do OGE 2004, bem como informações circunstanciadas sobre as alterações e actualizações efectuadas sobre as previsões.
As contas do Governo no próximo ano em números Concluída proposta de Oge para 2005
O Orçamento Geral do Estado (Oge) para 2005 prevê receitas e despesas totais de 861.800.001.167,00 kwanzas (9.9 biliões de dólares), mais 22.7 por cento que no ano em curso, quando isso está cifrado em apenas 665.347.988.813 kwanzas. O Semanário Angolense teve, na semana que hoje termina, acesso à proposta governamental de Oge para o próximo ano acabada pela elaborar. De acordo com as previsões, as receitas correntes somarão 642.104.365.080 kwanzas (7.4 biliões de dólares), em que a receita tributária, ou seja, o valor cobrado dos impostos, será de 516.271.935.340 kwanzas (5.9 biliões de dólares).
No Oge corrente, a parte da receita fiscal situou-se em 496.708.027.786 kwanzas (5.4 biliões de dólares ao câmbio de hoje), enquanto que o déficit orçamental garantido por financiamento externo ficou estimado em 167.481.490.919 kwanzas (perto de dois biliões de dólares ao câmbio actual). A proposta de Lei do Oge 2005 autoriza o Governo a contrair empréstimos para financiar o défice orçamental, o que poderá ser feito em somas que atingem os 263 biliões de kwanzas (2.6 biliões de dólares).
Na sua óptica funcional, o orçamento consagrará ao sector da Educação gastos de 7,27 por cento do total da despesa, ou seja, 62.6 biliões kwanzas, dedicando 4.65 por cento do seu total ao sector da Saúde, o que constitui algo mais do que 40 biliões de kwanzas.
Nessa mesma óptica, prevê-se destinar 6,82 por cento das despesas, algo como 58.8 biliões de kwanzas, à Segurança e Assistência Social, e apenas 3.42 disso, qualquer coisa como 29.5 biliões de kwanzas, à função Habitação e Serviços Comunitários.
Comparando, as somas consagradas aos mecanismos de repressão e coerção são de longe superiores: a função Defesa Nacional, que inclui a defesa civil, tem consignados 12.2 por cento do total do Oge, o que atinge os 103.5 biliões de kwanzas, enquanto que a função Segurança e Ordem Pública, os serviços policiais, de inteligência e de protecção contra incêndios, têm previsto absorver em conjunto 7.87 por cento do total das despesas, uns 67.8 biliões de dólares.
No Oge em execução, os gastos totais com os mecanismos de repressão e coerção somavam 32 por cento das despesas, prevendo-se que, na totalidade, em 2005 eles apenas representem 19.8 por cento, o que pode ser encarado tendência para a redução desse tipo de despesa.
Funções económicas como a Agricultura, Pescas e Ambiente; Transportes e Comunicações; Indústria e Mineração; e Comércio e Serviços, têm projectados desembolsos que se situam em percentagens de 3.37, cinco, 0.88, 0.04 por cento das despesas do Oge.
Em contra partida, os gastos para a acomodação do aparelho administrativo, designados como sendo a função Serviços Públicos Gerais, absorverão 24,42 por cento do total do Oge, pouco mais que 210 biliões de kwanzas, enquanto que os Encargos Financeiros do Estado, consubstanciados no reembolso da dívida interna e externa contraída pelo Governo, reterão 18.80 por cento do OGE, quase 162 biliões de kwanzas.
O Oge para o próximo ano foi elaborado para estar adaptado a um quadro macro- económico em que o preço do barril do petróleo esteja cotado em 26.5 dólares e em que a inflação acumulada entre Janeiro e Dezembro daquele ano se situe em 15 por cento.
Para o ano em curso, o Governo previa reduzir o crescimento da inflação numa média anual de 20 por cento, mas já em fins de Setembro esse indicador tinha atingido os 24 por cento mais quatro pontos percentuais do que o preconizado. O Oge de 2005 não faz referências ao crescimento estimado do Pib para aquele ano. Deve ser aprovado pela Assembleia Nacional a 16 de Dezembro próximo.
Cotação Indicativa de Câmbios
Luanda, 10/11 - O Dólar americano está hoje cotado, no Banco Nacional de Angola (BNA), a 86,89143 KZ (compra) e a 87,32588 KZ (venda).
No mercado informal ou paralelo, o Dólar americano está cotado 84,00000 KZ (compra) e a 89,00000 KZ (venda).
Huambo: Iniciaram trabalhos de reabilitação do troço rodoviário no Tchindjenje
Tchindjenje (Huambo), 10/11 - Os trabalhos de reabilitação do troço rodoviário Tchindjenje-Babaera, a cerca de 118 quilometros a oeste da cidade do Huambo, iniciaram terça-feira última.
A recuperação do troço, a cargo da empresa de construção civil Monte e Monte, vai minimizar as condições de trânsito para os automobilistas que fazem ligação entre as províncias de Benguela e Huambo.
No local já estão pás carregadoras, camiões e basculantes, aguardando-se, apenas, por uma niveladora.
Angola declines renew licence for Total November 5, 2004 http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=&fArticleId=2288968
Luanda - Angola's national oil company Sonangol has refused to renew an oil production licence to France's Total oil group for offshore fields located in the north of the country, a company spokesperson said on Friday.
"The licences for several oil companies have not been renewed, including Total's," said Joao Rosa Santos, a spokesperson for Sonangol.
Total, which produces 160 000 barrels per day (bpd) in Angola, was told on October 20 that renewed, the Jornal de Angola reported.
The decision came amid repeated threats by the Angolan government to scrap the licence to protest France's decision to seek the arrest of arms dealer Pierre Falcone.
Falcone, who also holds Brazilian nationality, is suspected of playing a pivotal role in selling arms to Angola in 1993-94 during the southern African country's 27-year civil war.
Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's second largest oil producer after Nigeria, producing more than one million bpd of oil which make up 90 percent of the country's total exports. - Sapa-AFP
Sexta, 5 de Novembro de 2004 Decisão Sonangol não renova licença de exploração petrolífera à companhia francesa
Total cessa operações no bloco 3
Alberto Cafussa
A Total (companhia petrolífera francesa) vai cessar as operações numa parcela do Bloco 3, na sequência da decisão da Sociedade Nacional de Combustíveis de Angola (Sonangol) de não prorrogar a licença de exploração de petróleo, de acordo com fonte da concessionária angolana dos blocos de exploração. A decisão da Sonangol refere-se ao sub-bloco 3/80, que inclui os poços de exploração Palanca, Pacaça, Búfalo e Empala. A Total é a operadora do sub-bloco 3/80, possuindo 50 por cento do capital, estando o restante distribuído pela Ajoco (25 por cento), Agip (15 por cento), Naftagas (5 por cento) e INA Naftaplin (5 por cento). Num comunicado distribuído aos trabalhadores, a Total Exploration e Prodution Angola refere que foi notificada a 20 de Outubro pela Sonangol da decisão de não conceder a prorrogação da licença de exploração. Nesse sentido, a Sonangol solicitou à Total que se prepare para transferir as funções de operador naquele sub-bloco, em termos a definir em negociações que serão realizadas proximamente. Até à conclusão des tas negociações, a companhia petrolífera francesa vai continuar as suas operações naquele sub-bloco. As negociações, segundo o porta-voz da Sonangol, João Rosa Santos, vão definir as modalidades e o calendário da transferência das operações a outra companhia, cujo nome não revelou. Para João Rosa Santos, a não prorrogação do acordo com a petrolífera francesa representa um acto normal, enquadrando-se na estratégia do Governo angolano. A decisão está tomada e é irreversível”, acentuou, descurando qualquer motivo anormal que esteja na base da decisão. Aliás, “a Sonangol reconhece o trabalho realizado pela companhia”. A Total mantém ainda os seus direitos de exploração sobre os sub-blocos 3/85 e 3/91, onde também é operadora Em Junho, as autoridades angolanas tinham decidido não renovar as licenças de operador da Total nos blocos 3 e 17, mas, em Setembro, autorizaram que a empresa francesa retomasse as suas operações no Bloco 17. Total é operadora nos blocos 3, 17 e 32, estando este último ainda em fase de exploração, além do on-shore do Soyo, na província do Zaire. A petrolífera francesa possui ainda participações nos blocos 0, 2 e 14 (operados pela ChevronTexaco), no bloco 31 (operado pela BP) e no bloco 33 (operado pela ESSO). No ano passado, a Total produziu em média 160 mil barris de petróleo por dia no país, cuja produção total ascendia na altura a cerca de 950 mil barris diários. Angola é o segundo maior produtor de petróleo da África Subsahariana, atrás da Nigéria, possuindo reservas petrolíferas estimadas em cerca de 12 biliões de barris. No ano passado, as receitas fiscais da exploração de petróleo totalizaram 3,2 biliões de dólares. A proposta de Orçamento Geral do Estado para 2005 prevê que a produção de petróleo represente cerca de 66 por cento do total das receitas do Estado angolano no próximo ano.
i bumped into the finmin yesterday at the tropico who (again) personally assured me i can interview him...seeing is believing. also, did u know there had been a minor gvt reshuffle. i didn't do a reuters story on it but i will send you the updated gvt list. there's also this new office for national reconstruction that's been created with kopelipa at the head of it. people are saying he's the new super-minister and that it's a kind of vice-presidency for reconstruction role. hope all's well with you...zoe
Futuro da Comissão Constitucional será decidido na próxima plenária Luanda, 03/11 - A Assembleia Nacional remeteu hoje para a próxima plenária, a ser convocada oportunamente, a decisão de revogar ou manter o mandato constituinte atribuído à Comissão Constitucional (CC), após informar-se do estado de elaboração do projecto da futura Constituição.
A elaboração da nova Constituição, de que está encarregada a CC, encontra-se paralisada desde 12 de Maio último, altura em que a oposição decidiu suspender a sua participação na feitura desta lei magna.
O início de consultas aos partidos políticos por parte do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, com vista à marcação de uma data para as próximas eleições, a calendarização das tarefas eleitorais e a criação do Conselho Nacional Eleitoral figuram das condições postas pela oposição para o seu regresso.
Ao apresentar a informação, o presidente da CC, Bornito de Sousa, propôs, para a saída da crise, duas hipóteses, nomeadamente o cumprimento do mandato, que culminaria com a aprovação da nova Constituição antes das próximas eleições gerais, ou a renúncia do exercício constituinte.
Relativamente à primeira hipótese, retomar-se-ia o curso normal do processo através da CC, com base na metodologia estabelecida, acrescida da aprovação de um cronograma para a conclusão de todos os trabalhos pendentes.
Ainda em relação à esta hipótese, a outra possibilidade seria deslocar da CC para a AN (enquanto Assembleia Constituinte) todo o encargo de conclusão do processo, mediante o apoio das suas comissões permanentes, e também com base num cronograma.
No caso de renúncia ao exercício do mandato, segundo Bornito de Sousa, esta deliberação torna indispensável que preliminarmente se solicite ao Supremo, enquanto Tribunal Constitucional em exercício, um pronunciamento sobre a constitucionalidade de tal medida.
Na hipótese favorável, adiantou, exigiria ainda a necessidade de revogação da Lei 18/96, na parte que condiciona a realização das próximas eleições à prévia aprovação da Constituição, e que consagra que se leve em conta os compromissos políticos e institucionais assumidos ao abrigo dos acordos de paz.
A deliberação num ou noutro sentido pelos deputados só será conhecida na próxima sessão plenária da Assembleia Nacional, a ser convocada oportunamente pelo seu presidente, Roberto de Almeida, conforme ficou determinado hoje, no termo de cerca de quatro horas de debate.
Nesta altura, servirá de base à deliberação um projecto de Lei que será proposto pelo Grupo Parlamentar do MPLA.
A plenária de hoje apreciou também os programas de oito das nove comissões permanentes da Assembleia Nacional, designadamente a dos Assuntos Constitucionais, Jurídicos e Regimento, a de Defesa, Segurança e Ordem Interna e das Relações Exteriores, Cooperação Internacional e Comunidades Angolanas no Estrangeiro.
Apreciou também os programas das comissões de Economia e Finanças, de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, Cultura, Juventude, Desporto, Assuntos Religiosos e Comunicação Social e de Saúde, Ambiente, Acção Social, Emprego, Antigos Combatentes, Família, Infância e Promoção da Mulher.
Mereceram também apreciação os planos de actividades das comissões de Mandatos, Ética e Decoro Parlamentar e de Direitos Humanos, Petições, Reclamações e Sugestões dos Cidadãos, bem como do Grupo Parlamentar das Mulheres.
A comissão da Administração do Estado e Poder Local não apresentou o seu programa, por estar a elaborar uma nova versão.
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 6:51 AM Subject: Comunicado do Conselho de Ministros
COMUNICADO DE IMPRENSA
A Comissão Permanente do Conselho de Ministros, reuniu-se hoje dia 03 de Novembro de 2004, no Palácio Presidencial, sob orientação do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos. A reunião debruçou-se fundamentalmente sobre as questões de natureza económica que visam o relançamento da produção nacional e a recuperação das infra-estruturas.
Nesse âmbito, a Comissão Permanente tomou conhecimento do ponto de situação sobre a linha de crédito do EXIMBANK da República Popular da China, como uma das fontes de financiamento do Programa de Investimentos Públicos previstos para o período 2004/2006.
Deste modo, o Governo deliberou no sentido de se adoptar uma correcta articulação entre todos os intervenientes na execução da referida linha de crédito, por forma a assegurar a sua correcta gestão e implementação.
A Comissão Permanente tomou conhecimento dos preparativos para a realização da 1ª Conferência Internacional do Registo de Menores dos Países de Língua Oficial Portuguesa que deverá ter lugar em Luanda, no primeiro trimestre de 2005.
Luanda, aos 03 de Novembro de 2004.
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 3:00 AM Subject: Controversial businessman talks to Russian radio about Angola
Controversial businessman talks to Russian radio about Angola
Arkady Gaydamak, a controversial businessman of Russian origin who is reportedly facing criminal charges in France, has given a 24-minute interview to the Russian state radio, which described him as a citizen of Angola and an adviser to that country's foreign minister. The charges against Gaydamak never came up during the interview. Gaydamak gave details of how he used his political connections in Angola to negotiate a deal to write off Angola's Soviet debt in 1996 and briefly outlined the opportunities for Russian energy and diamond-mining firms in present-day Angola. The following are excerpts from the interview by Radio Russia on 25 October; subheadings inserted editorially: [Presenter] This is the programme "At first hand". Good afternoon, dear Radio Russia listeners. I am Natalya Bekhtina and I am happy to present our guest. Today we are joined by Mr Arkady Gaydamak, a citizen of the Republic of Angola and an adviser to the foreign minister of that African country. Please don't be surprised that a person with a totally Russian name represents this country, which lies so far away from us in Africa. Russia has strong cultural links with it - an Angolan cultural centre has opened in Moscow recently - and economic ties. Good afternoon, Arkady. I would like to make it a little clearer why we have made Russian-Angolan relations the topic of our conversation. It would appear that there are no visits under way, no recent developments that would prompt us to take up this subject. Still, I saw a very interesting TV report recently on Russian specialists building a power station in Angola and working at diamond mines. Africa generally is a continent that has largely disappeared from most Russians' radar screens. But this is probably wrong. [Passage omitted: known facts about Angola] Let's talk about Russian interests in Angola. When the Soviet Union existed and it had corresponding relationships - military aid. We will not speak here about who fought whom, who helped whom to fight, who was on whose side. Nevertheless, even back then, in the times of the Soviet Union, some money was invested in Angola's economy. [Passage omitted: known facts about Cold War] What is the Russian role in building Angola's peaceful economy today? Angola's Soviet debt [Gaydamak] It is colossal. The first thing to consider is the following factor. Consider the restructuring of Angola's debt to the Soviet Union. Thanks to just that one operation, Angola was able to rebuild its economy. I will tell you exactly how that happened - [Presenter] A specification is necessary: We Russians forgave Angola's debt. [Gaydamak] No, no. No-one can forgive anyone anything. [Presenter] That is to say, the restructuring does not mean - [Gaydamak] The restructuring simply means a revision of the conditions of repayment of debts, in no way is it forgiveness or a write-off, nothing of the sort ever happens. It is another matter altogether that the obligations endorsed are sometimes not complied with. But in this case, where the obligations were restructured and signed by Russia and Angola. they were honoured in full and still remained entirely advantageous to both Russia and Angola. I will tell you briefly why. When the Soviet Union ceased to exist in legal terms, this did not mean that all of its financial and economic relationships with the rest of the world would go away, it is unthinkable, it is impossible. So Russia as one of the republics - [Presenter] Legal successors. [Gaydamak] Exactly. A successor to the Soviet Union. First it agreed with the other republics which had been members of the Soviet Union that Russia would be the legal successor to all the debts other countries owed the Soviet Union, but at the same time it would shoulder the obligation to pay the Soviet Union's own debt to other countries. Angola had for many years received military aid, and not just military aid, from the Soviet Union. Naturally, since the main reason why that aid was provided to Angola was to pay the way for the Soviet ideology into Africa, nobody was really pursuing any economic agenda, so hardly anyone ever thought that debt would ever be paid back. Nevertheless, the book-keeping was done. When the Soviet Union disappeared, the balance sheets revealed that Angola owed the Soviet Union approximately 6bn dollars. That was pretty much all of Angola's foreign debt. Because the war went on in Angola for decades, virtually no-one else would lend it money. For this reason, virtually all of Angola's foreign debt was to the Soviet Union. Political connections Furthermore, all of Angola's budget revenue came from oil exports. As most of the oil production took place on rigs, which were far out in the open sea and thus out of danger of any attack, the oil was extracted safely and the Angolan state oil company had a high financial rating. Western banks would always lend to Angola under the guarantee of Angolan oil supplies. [Passage omitted: details] When the Angolan budget owed the Soviet Union 6bn dollars, even though the Soviet Union's successor Russia did not demand repayment, the debt was still technically on the books and each time Angola sold its oil, it got the money minus credit cost. And credit was very expensive, as the so- called rating of the borrower was low because the debt was high. [Passage omitted: more details] If Angola had not owed that debt to Russia, it would have earned 3 per cent more from the oil it sold. Selling 7bn dollars' worth of oil annually, Angola could have saved 200m dollars per year just by writing off the Russian debt, which is exactly what I calculated. Enjoying access to the highest leadership of Angola, I told the council of ministers and the president of Angola in person that it would be much more advantageous for Angola to restructure the Russian debt and pay it off because we are on Paris Club conditions. [Passage omitted: known facts] In Paris Club terms, a country like Angola belongs to the category of poorest countries and is entitled to a write-off of up to 86 per cent of its debt. In return for this, Russia's debt would also be written off. [Passage omitted: Paris Club rules]. Russia was to write off up to 86 per cent, but it wrote off only 70 per cent. That is to say, the write-off option that was the most profitable for Russia - Angola should have received a discount of up to 86 per cent. This happened in 1996. On 20 November 1996, the agreement was signed on the following conditions: Angola must repay 30 per cent of the sum, that is 1.5bn dollars instead of 6bn. [Passage omitted: argument with presenter] Debt relief [Presenter] We are speaking about the benefits for Angola. What about Russia? [Gaydamak] It was beneficial for Russia too. I am just about to speak about this. [Presenter] We seem to be always concerned about what we pay back, what we forgive and our budget is not too rich either. [Gaydamak] Of course. You are taking an entirely correct view of the matter. Let's go back to Russia. Today I can confidently say that Angola's debt was fundamental to Russia. To remind you, it was 1996. There were all sorts of difficulties, particularly to do with meeting various spending commitments: teachers, health care, defence. The Finance Ministry was looking for ways to pay for this. [Passage omitted: generalities]. It was then that the finance minister said: let's consider the Angola case. Angola fully repaid its debt on 20 November 1996. It was for this reason that the finance minister was able, in early 1997, to make a precedent out of the Angola case. And the 120bn dollars Third World countries owed Russia were discounted, with certain qualifications. [Passage omitted: known facts about Angola] Economic cooperation [Presenter] The final question, regarding the prospects of our economic relations. [Gaydamak] Historically, a great number of civil servants in Angola have been trained in Russia, in various educational establishments in Russia. The attitude to Russia is traditionally very friendly. I would even say that the attitude to Russians is better than to any other non-Africans. At present, Tekhnopromeksport is one of the leading Russian companies. In the past few years, it successfully completed and launched the first two turbines of Africa's third most powerful hydroelectric power station, Kapanda Dam, and it is about to embark on the implementation of the next two turbines. This will provide up to 550 MW of cheap electricity for Angola's economy, which in turn would enable us to consider building an aluminium smelter. Some oil companies are now sending their experts to Angola to explore cooperation opportunities, although of course the American and European oil majors are very active in the oil sector and are securing their positions. Then there are the various mining projects, that is, metals and diamonds. The Alrosa company has proven its worth on the Angolan market and is now very successfully developing a very large deposit. I think, it has been awarded some more new concessions lately, which it will be developing. [Passage omitted to end: concluding remarks] Source: Radio Russia, Moscow, in Russian 0930 gmt 25 Oct 04
ANGOP 2 de Novembro
Campanha agrícola prevê ultrapassar um milhão de toneladas em cereais
O Ministério da Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural (Minader) prevê ultrapassar, no final da campanha agriocola 2004/05, a cifra de um milhão em toneladas de cereais nas províncias do centro e sul do país.
Estes dados foram fornecidos hoje à margem da 21ª reunião do conselho da rede de recursos fitogenéticos da Comunidade de Desenvolvimento da África Austral (SADC), que decorre de um a três do mês em curso em Luanda.
De acordo com o ministro da Agricultura, Gilberto Buta Lutucuta, está em curso um programa de extensão o e desenvolvimento rural, que consiste em capacitar os pequenos grupos familiares de agricultores com instrumentos de trabalho, sementes e fertilizantes.
Para além de aumentar os índeces dos produtos agrícolas básicos, o programa, consiste igualmente em minimizar a pobreza no meio rural e tornar as populações auto-suficientes.
No quadro do programa nacional da rede de recursos fitogenéticos está orientado o regresso do Instituto de Investigacao Agranómica, na Chianga, província do Huambo.
Segundo o governante, um outro banco activo será instalado na estação experimental de Malanje, para apoiar a actividade de investigação nas regiões centro-norte e leste do país.
VOA 1 de Novembro
TOTAL excluida
Luís Costa
A TOTAL poderá estar a sentir pela primeira vez os efeitos do contencioso entre as autoridades angolanas e francesas. A SONANGOL notificou recentemente a companhia petrolífera francesa de que não veria renovado o contrato de exploração do Bloco 3, onde é empreiteira.
Em exploração desde 1980, o bloco 3 compreende os campos de Palanca, Pacassa, Búfalo e Impala. A TOTAL partilhava os benefícios da exploração deste bloco juntamente com a SONANGOL, AJOCO, AGIP, NAFTGAZ E NAFTALPINA.
A nota da SONANGOL solicitava a TOTAL que fizesse a transferência dos fundos de operação alocados ao bloco 3.
A decisão tomada pela SONANGOL parece vir na esteira de promessas de Luanda de responder com uma retaliação ao processo instruído em França contra o empresário francês Pierre Falcone, intermediário na compra de armas para Angola. Consultas entre as duas partes que se arrastam há mais de 2 anos produziram poucos efeitos, tendo Luanda congelado a acreditação do embaixador francês em Angola.
A França no que pareceu ser uma cedência, permitiu a saída de Falcone para o estrangeiro, mas Luanda que acabou por dar provimento ao pedido de acreditação do embaixador francês preferia ver o assunto definitivamente resolvido, o que não consegue até agora.
Aparentemente Paris mostra alguma dificuldade em resolver o assunto na medida em que no ponto a que chegou, o desfecho do caso depende mais da justiça, do que o do executivo. Luanda pelos vistos não conforma.
A nota da SONANGOL dizia que a medida não afectava os blocos 3- 85 e 3-91, que compreende os campos Cóco e Pambi, e Oombo, respectivamente. O bloco 3, ora vedado aos franceses rende perto de 150 mil barris por dia.
Angola Press Agency November 1, 2004 Monday
International Monetary Fund Willing to Strengthen Relations
The assistant director-general of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Japanese Takatoshi Kato, has expressed today in Luanda, the intention of his institution in strengthening the co-operation with the Angolan authorities. "Angola is a very important and serious country", Mr Kato told journalists at the end of an audience with the Angolan Head of State, Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The IMF official has promised more personal engagement for the improvement of the relations between the world financial institution and the Southern Africa country, but he did not mention any direct reference, in terms of dates, for the signing of the Monitored Accord. On his turn, the Angolan deputy Prime-Minister, Aguinaldo Jaime, who attended the meeting along with the Finance Minister, Jose Pedro de Morais, congratulated himself by the fact that the IMF considers Angola as an "important partner" and it is interested in reinforcing, more and more, its relations with the war-ravaged nation. According to Mr Jaime, the trip of this IMF mission to Angola "is a recognition of what has been positively done either in macro-economic management or in transparency and good-governance matters". The deputy Prime Minister has announced, the coming, soon, of a technical delegation from the International Monetary Fund which, "will discuss aspects linked to the State Budget for next year, which has already been approved by the Cabinet Council.
041003Quando governar não é prever PR tira da cartola um Gabinete de Reconstrução Nacional
A direcção da nova estrutura foi confiada ao general Kopelipa, um homem conhecido pela facilidade com que finta e usurpa as competências alheias e, sobretudo, pela sua grande propensão para compras do Estado
Factos que ocorrem desde o princípio do ano fazem crer que o Presidente da República adoptou um novo estilo de governação. Pode dizer-se, à luz das evidências, que a gestão política e administrativa do país deixou de ser algo previsível no cômputo de qualquer teoria, passando a ser, ao contrário, uma permanente «caixinha de surpresas». Em Janeiro deste ano, o Presidente da República surpreendeu o país, quando ao invés de nomear um governador para substituir Simão Paulo no Governo de Luanda, tirou da cartola uma Comissão de Gestão, que nomeou com o compromisso público da erradicação dos problemas de saneamento que a capital de país enfrenta. José Eduardo dos Santos concedeu a essa comissão, integrada por Higino Carneiro (coordenador), António «Toninho» Van-Dúnem e Job Capapinha, um mandato de seis meses para resolver as astronómicas dificuldades de Luanda, sobretudo em termos de saneamento básico. Seis meses depois, quando a opinião pública tinha para si que a Comissão de Gestão não tinha cumprido a missão que lhe fora confiada, tendo, antes pelo contrário, faltado à promessa feita, o Presidente da República voltou a surpreender quando foi ao palácio do Governo Provincial de Luanda reiterar a sua confiança à comissão e ao seu coordenador. Vencido pelos elogios proferidos a seu favor pelo Presidente da República, o general Higino Carneiro, um homem temperado na caserna e no campo de batalha, não conseguiu, sequer, conter as lágrimas. Reconduzido no cargo e com o lixo a resistir estoicamente aos esforços da Comissão de Gestão, Higino Carneiro julgou-se legitimado para exigir muito mais da Urbana 2000, a empresa que detinha o monopólio sobre o que já é o mercado de saneamento básico da cidade de Luanda e que é parcialmente atribuída a Isabel dos Santos, a filha mais velha de José Eduardo dos Santos. As negociações encetadas em Julho deste ano com o envolvimento das mais altas instâncias do poder político do país não foram bem sucedidas. Com o Presidente da República em gozo de férias no exterior, foi Roberto de Almeida quem avalizou a ruptura entre o GPL e a Urbana 2000. Aqui pode ter começado a desgraça de Higino Carneiro. É que já no passado, quando Simão Paulo tentou «endireitar» a Urbana 2000 e favorecer a abertura desse mercado a outras empresas, recebeu no dia seguinte a visita de um Presidente da República profundamente irado e especialmente decidido a depreciar o papel daquele governador provincial, declarando não estar convencido com as explicações que lhe haviam sido dadas para justificar os problemas que Luanda enfrentava naquela altura. Voltando à vaca fria. Passados três meses sobre a comovedora cerimónia da sua recondução, o Presidente da República anunciou surpreendentemente o afastamento de Higino Carneiro da Comissão de Gestão Administrativa de Luanda, com um argumento que já em Janeiro, quando o general foi lá posto, toda a gente usava: na qualidade de ministro das Obras Públicas, Higino Carneiro já vivia demasiadamente assoberbado de trabalho, para ter que sobrecarregar-se também com os problemas de Luanda. Na verdade, porém, deve considerar-se que é no histórico do confronto com a Urbana 2000 onde deve ser encontrada, pelo menos parcialmente, a explicação para a decisão presidencial de afastar Higino Carneiro da Comissão de Gestão de Luanda, e não no argumento oficialmente publicado de que isso se devia ao «crescimento das tarefas ao nível do Ministério das Obras Públicas», também capitaneado por esse general. Duas semanas depois disso, o Presidente da República voltou a espantar o país quando mandou constituir um Gabinete de Reconstrução Nacional. Trata-se, segundo dizem fontes oficiais, de uma entidade que tem por objectivo auxiliar o Chefe do Governo nas tarefas de articulação de todos os projectos afins ao processo de reconstrução do país. Mas essas garantias não conseguem, contudo, afastar os temores de que se esteja perante uma estrutura que dificilmente resistirá à tentação de sobrepor-se aos organismos governamentais instituídos para projectar as políticas de desenvolvimento do país. Para começar, esse gabinete foi instituído num clima de alto sigilo, sendo o ministro das Finanças, José Pedro de Morais, a uma das poucas pessoas que partilhou com o Presidente da República o segredo da criação de tal órgão, exactamente por ter sido quem o propôs. Até o primeiro-ministro ficou a leste dos desenvolvimentos que deram lugar a essa decisão. A explicação dada no Conselho de Ministros é a de que esse gabinete passará a ser um órgão de articulação das questões do processo de reconstrução nacional entre as instituições ministeriais, não havendo por isso qualquer possibilidade de que arrebate as funções do Governo. Isso é bom de ouvir, mas não é seguro que assim seja. É necessário reter que está a falar-se do relacionamento entre os homens que conformam as instituições, e que o gabinete será liderado pelo actual chefe da Casa Militar da Presidência da República, Hélder Vieira Dias «Kopelipa». No anedotário político, o general que agora também dirige o Gabinete de Reconstrução Nacional, é igualmente conhecido por «Robinho», uma referência ao exímio driblador do Santos Futebol Clube (do Brasil), feita para estabelecer uma comparação com a capacidade que «Kopelipa» tem de fintar e usurpar a «bola», sobretudo quando se trata de conduzir as aquisições do Estado. O general «Kopelipa», que trouxe da África do Sul o Grupo Five, hoje um dos mais prósperos construtores imobiliários do país, detém a carteira da produção e fornecimento de fardas e botas para as Forças Armadas Angolanas (Faa) além de altos interesses no perímetro de irrigação da Matala. É também o rosto da Brigada Especial de Limpeza, uma entidade constituida por efectivos da Unidade de Guarda Presidencial (Ugp) e que reparte com outras empresas o dinheiro que o Governo de Luanda disponibiliza para a limpeza e saneamento da cidade. Antes, teve sérios conflitos com João de Matos em decorrência de aquisições de material de guerra não sancionadas pelo Estado-Maior General das Faa. E agora que os dignitários vivem na expectativa de gastar os dois biliões de dólares emprestados pela China, os conflitos deslocam-se da luta pela ascensão política, para a da obtenção do comando das aquisições institucionais angolanas, o que vai fazendo com que o general Higino Carneiro perca cada vez mais influência no seu Ministério das Obras Públicas (Minopu). Tornou-se recorrente ao longo do tempo em que teve preponderância sobre a edificação das infra-estruturas do país, que o general Higino teria «comido demais», o que trocado por miúdos significa que teria usurpado significativas somas de dinheiro. Para barrar-lhe o caminho para o dinheiro chinês, o Presidente da República, que prima por dar do seu Governo uma imagem de estabilidade, não o exonera, mas ata-lhe as mãos com artifícios institucionais. Mas se Higino Carneiro é, como se diz, um insaciável «comilão», as aquisições institucionais no âmbito da reconstrução nacional também não ficam melhor protegidas com a entrada em cena do general Kopelipa. Pelo contrário: aí os problemas são elevados à fatalidade. É que além da sua enorme capacidade de drible, Kopelipa é também conhecido pela sua insaciável «fome». Nos próprios círculos do poder diz-se que quando se trata de «comer», o general não tem sequer tempo para parar e fazer digestão. Por mais ligeira que seja.
041103Presidente resistiu a pressões e abdicou do próprio estilo de governar
Saída de Isalino Mendes encoraja combate à corrupção
Sousa Neto
No quadro de decisões desde há muito ponderadas, o Presidente José Eduardo dos Santos livrou-se finalmente do peso de um dos seus representantes mais abominados pela opinião pública, o antigo governador da província do Bengo, exonerado das suas funções no passado fim-de-semana. Há muito que Isalino Mendes era amplamente criticado pelo que aparentava ser um misto de inépcia e falta de vocação para desempenhar altas funções no aparelho do Estado. Dessa combinação resultava a sua responsabilidade directa pela «letargia» que se verificava na vida económica e social da província do Bengo. O que, no entanto, veio a confirmar-se mais recentemente, é que ao invés de governar, Isalino Mendes estava a enriquecer-se à custa do erário público, um facto que acabou por explicar, por si só, aquilo que as pessoas já não tomavam apenas como inépcia ou «letargia»: o homem estava a tecer as teias da corrupção, com o que, só em operações parcialmente conhecidas, desviou uns 2.5 milhões de dólares de fundos petrolíferos consignados ao Bengo entre 2001 e Abril deste ano. A pergunta que perdura desde o fim-de-semana em que o governador do Bengo foi exonerado, persegue saber se o poder público ficar-se-á pelo seu afastamento, sem o responsabilizar civil e criminalmente pelos desvios que este ano lhe foram imputados pela Inspecção-Geral da Administração do Estado (Igae). A opinião pública parte do princípio que por via de regra, membros do Governo e dos seus arredores envolvidos em crimes de corrupção e peculato são sancionados com o seu afastamento, não sendo encaminhados para a justiça, para serem castigados pelos seus desacatos. É como se estivessem «acima de lei», onde o próprio Presidente José Eduardo dos Santos disse, por mais de uma vez, que «ninguém está». Por causa disso mesmo, aliás, é que se acredita que o Presidente da República está diante de uma soberana oportunidade de castigar Isalino Mendes de forma exemplar, para que com isso todos os outros gestores públicos recebam o inequívoco recado de que a farra que consiste na a apropriação ilícita de fundos públicos está a chegar ao fim. O castigo exemplar que a opinião pública exige para Isalino e todos os outros da sua laia está alinhado com a visão de combate à corrupção recentemente proposta às autoridades angolanas pelo Fundo Monetário Internacional (Fmi), uma estratégia com a qual a instituição sugeriu que o Governo iniciasse a luta contra a corrupção levando para a prisão figuras do topo afectas ao próprio partido governamental. Embora Isalino Mendes não seja o exemplo acabado do «peixe graúdo» que é o alvo da matéria profiláctica proposta pelo FMI, a verdade é que a sua punição deve ser encorajada, porque encorajadores já foram os passos dados pelo Presidente da República para chegar ao seu afastamento do posto de governador provincial do Bengo. Neste caso particular, José Eduardo dos Santos resistiu a enormes pressões exercidas por pessoas do círculo familiar de Isalino Mendes, que, seguindo uma prática muito comum em situações do género, assediaram o gabinete do Presidente da República com súplicas de perdão para o governador que persistia no posto já preso por um fio de linha. José Eduardo dos Santos também não se deixou impressionar por uma feroz campanha de «marketing» envolvendo a Tpa, que ineditamente foi levada a produzir um «talk show» em directo, a partir da cidade do Caxito, o Jornal de Angola, que anunciou a edificação de 500 casas como parte de um projecto de construção de uma nova cidade capital do Bengo, assim como a Rádio Nacional de Angola, que editou uma reportagem do tipo «aqui está-se bem». Mais importante, contudo, é que com Isalino Mendes, o Presidente da República não utilizou uma prática que lhe é muito peculiar, que é a de congelar as suas decisões quando são antecipadas pela imprensa (dias antes da exoneração de Isalino Mendes, o Semanário Angolense publicou uma matéria em que se dava conta do facto do inspector geral da Administração do Estado, Joaquim Mande, ter solicitado que José Eduardo dos Santos exonerasse o então governador provincial do Bengo). No geral, há em todo o país um ambiente favorável ao combate à corrupção. Isalino Mendes aguarda que o Tribunal de Contas se pronuncie definitivamente sobre uma causa que tem por fim a justificação de gastos não explicados ocorridos no Bengo. Esse mesmo Tribunal de Contas instou recentemente o actual embaixador de Angola na África do Sul, Isaac dos Anjos, a ressarcir o Estado num montante de um milhão e meio de dólares, no quadro de actos de malversação de fundos protagonizados quando o diplomata chefiava a Gestão de Fundos. Na semana que hoje termina, essa instituição condenou o antigo director do Instituto Nacional de Bolsas (Inabe), Domingos Ebo, a devolver ao Estado a quantia de três milhões de dólares inerentes ao pagamento de subsídios de manutenção de estudantes bolseiros no estrangeiro de que se terá apropriado ao longo de vários anos. O Tribunal Supremo, por seu turno, emitiu recentemente um mandado de captura contra o antigo governador provincial do Kuando Kubango, Jorge Biwango, exonerado depois de ter caucionado o massacre de um grupo de idosos acusados de feitiçaria. O ambiente está propenso a que a Justiça seja levada aos redutos do poder, onde governantes e seus protegidos reinam numa total impunidade, em parte, por uma questão que o Presidente da República tem que resolver imediatamente, em nome da justiça pela qual clamam os governados. É que o arrastamento de casos como o de Isalino Mendes na Justiça só pode ser compreendido no quadro dos critérios políticos que presidem a nomeação dos magistrados judiciais, entre os quais consta a sua fidelidade às causas políticas e ideológicas ao partido no poder. Na verdade, essa forma de nomear magistrados judiciais pode vir a afigurar-se perversa, porquanto constitui uma forma de contaminação política dos processos de administração de Justiça que quebra o ímpeto generalizado de combate judicial à corrupção que, ainda que timidamente, aparenta estar a desenhar-se no país. Com o afastamento de Isalino Mendes e de Manuel Pedro Pacavira, um outro «sanguessuga» que deixou pesados danos no Kwanza Norte, o Presidente da República acabou por mostrar que pode levantar o cacete para reprimir a corrupção. Espera-se, agora, faça a devida correcção do tiro para desferir certeiramente os seus golpes contra os que forem apanhados em tramas desse género, o que exigirá a remoção de obstáculos como os tabus e os critérios políticos que ainda impedem a luta.
Presidência da República tranquiliza UNITA sobre reestruturação do Governo
Luanda, 02/11 - O Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, assegurou ao líder da UNITA, Isaías Samakuva, que o processo de reestruturação do Governo, iniciado a 22 de Outubro último, continua em curso, pelo que as propostas deste partido serão contempladas a seu tempo.
Fonte da Presidência da República, contactada pela Angop, revelou segunda-feira que o Chefe de Estado deu conta deste facto ao líder do maior partido da oposição, em carta a si endereçada a 29 de Outubro passado.
Na carta, segundo ainda a fonte, o Presidente José Eduardo dos Santos esclareceu que manteve Albertina Hamukwaya no cargo de ministra da Saúde em virtude de não constar nenhuma mulher na lista plurinominal enviada pela direcção da Unita para prover os diferentes cargos a que tem direito no GURN (Governo de Unidade e Reconciliação Nacional).
O Presidente da República recorda também ao líder da UNITA que a sua carta, na qual propõe as alterações dos membros do seu partido que integram o Governo é datada de 24 de Agosto de 2004 e não do início do corrente ano, como havia declarado à imprensa.
O presidente da UNITA, no discurso que proferiu no passado dia 25 de Outubro, em Viana (arredores de Luanda), na abertura da terceira reunião ordinária da Comissão Política do seu partido, considerou "insuficientes" as mudanças feitas pelo Presidente da República em relação a membros do seu partido no GURN.
Nessa ocasião, disse que pretendia a substituição de nove dos seus membros, ao invés dos três feitas pelo Chefe de Estado.
No comunicado final saído dessa reunião, terminada a 27 de Outubro, a Comissão Política recomendava ao presidente do partido a clarificação, junto do Governo, da sua proposta sobre uma remodelação profunda do executivo.
Na mais recente remodelação do Governo, o Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, exonerou os ministros da Administração do Território, do Comércio e do Urbanismo e Ambiente, nomeadamente, Faustino Muteka, Vitorino Hossi (UNITA) e Virgílio Fontes Pereira, nomeando para os seus lugares Virgílio Fontes Pereira, Joaquim Ekuma Muafumua (UNITA) e Diakunpuna Sita José.
Foram também exonerados os vice-ministros das Pescas, do Interior, e da Comunicação Social, nomeadamente Henrique André Júnior, Diamantino Kungulo (UNITA) e Graciano Tulumo (UNITA), substituídos nos respectivos cargos por Victória Francisco Lopes de Barros Neto, Júnior Kuamutali Uambique Kanavanaqui (UNITA) e Fonseca Manuel Chindondo (UNITA).
As mudanças atingiram igualmente os governadores provinciais do Bengo, Isalino Mendes, e do Kwanza-Norte, Manuel Pedro Pacavira, assim como o vice-governador do Zaire para a Esfera Económica e Social, Domingos Dilu Kumbo, substituídos por Jorge Inocêncio Dombolo, Henrique André Júnior, e José Simão Helena.
Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Júnior foi nomeado director do Gabinete de Reconstrução Nacional, e Adriano Estevão da Silva Maiano substituído por Manuel Ferreira Clemente, no cargo de director do Gabinete de Obras Especiais.
REPÚBLICA DE ANGOLA
MINISTÉRIO DAS FINANÇAS
NOTA DE IMPRENSA
Governo envia para o Parlamento a proposta do OGE 2005
O Governo submeteu hoje à Assembleia Nacional a proposta do Orçamento Geral do Estado para o ano de 2005 (OGE 2005). Esta proposta foi elaborada com base nos pressupostos do Programa Geral do Governo para biénio 2005-2006, que também será apreciado pela Assembleia Nacional. A proposta do Governo levou em conta os seguintes indicadores: objectivo de inflação acumulada anual de 15 por cento; produção anual de petróleo bruto de 441,4 milhões de barris; preço médio de exportação do petróleo bruto de USD 26,50/barril; taxa de crescimento real do Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) a preços de mercado de 16,1 por cento, sendo de 21,4 por cento para o sector petrolífero e de 10,4 por cento para o sector não petrolífero; e PIB a preços correntes de Kz 1.874 mil milhões.
A receita fiscal total foi estimada em cerca de Kz 638.234,3 milhões, da qual cerca de 66,7 por cento é de origem petrolífera. Já a despesa orçamental total foi fixada em cerca de Kz 805.584,3 milhões. Isso resulta num défice orçamental de cerca Kz 167.349,9 milhões, o equivalente a 8,9 por cento do PIB. O défice previsto para o ano que vem deverá representar um aumento de cerca de 3,6 pontos percentuais em relação ao que se projecta para o ano de 2004. Tal resultado decorre, fundamentalmente, da combinação de factores como a redução da taxa efectiva de tributação do sector petrolífero de 27,4 por cento para 22,7 por cento do PIB e do aumento das despesas de capital de 5,8 por cento para 13,0 por cento do PIB. Há a referir, entretanto, que o nível das despesas correntes cai de 36,2 por cento para 30,0 por cento do PIB. É consequência da redução da despesa com bens e serviços de 14,5 por cento para 10,0 por cento do PIB e da redução da despesa com subsídios de 4,5 por cento para 1,1 por cento do Produto Interno Bruto.
Défice orçamental
A fonte de financiamento do défice orçamental, que equivale a cerca de USD 1.889,4 milhões, está estruturada do modo seguinte: 4,2 por cento de doações; 49,0 por cento de financiamento externo; e 46,8 por cento de financiamento interno. O financiamento externo comporta desembolsos calculados em cerca de USD 2.233,0 milhões, dos quais cerca de USD 1.089,3 milhões estão por contratar e cerca de USD 1.308,2 milhões de amortização da dívida. Já o financiamento interno inclui a utilização líquida de cerca de USD 600,0 milhões de reservas do Tesouro constituídas com os ganhos de preço do petróleo e de desembolsos de financiamentos de 2004. Pagamentos
A distribuição funcional do total de pagamentos previsto no OGE 2005 tem a seguinte composição: Administração: 23,0 por cento, menos 7 pontos percentuais comparativamente ao projectado para 2004; Defesa e Ordem Pública: 17,9 por cento, mais 5,4 pontos percentuais comparativamente ao projectado para 2004; Sector Social: 23,0 por cento, mais 2,9 pontos percentuais comparativamente ao projectado para 2004; Sector Económico (produtivo): 14,8 por cento, mais 9,1 pontos percentuais comparativamente ao projectado para 2004; e Encargos Financeiros (serviço da dívida): 21,3 por cento, menos 10,4 pontos percentuais comparativamente ao projectado para 2004.
Dessa forma, o Executivo dará suporte financeiro às acções perspectivadas para 2005 no Programa Geral do Governo com vista a realizar os objectivos gerais estabelecidos, que são a consolidação da paz, da reconciliação nacional e do processo democrático; a edificação das bases para a construção de uma economia auto-sustentada; o restabelecimento da administração do Estado em todo o país; o desenvolvimento dos recursos humanos; e o desenvolvimento harmonioso do território. Luanda, 29 de Outubro de 2005.-
SECRETARIADO DO CONSELHO DE MINISTROS COMUNICADO DE IMPRENSA
O Conselho de Ministros reuniu-se hoje, dia 29 de Novembro de 2004, no Palácio Presidencial, sob orientação do Presidente da República José Eduardo dos Santos, tendo-se debruçado particularmente sobre matérias atinentes ao Ministério das Finanças e ao Banco Nacional de Angola.
Deste modo, o Governo aprovou o projecto de Lei de Revisão das Instituições Financeiras com vista a tornar o quadro jurídico mais operacional e transparente criando condições para o desenvolvimento de um sistema financeiro, moderno, eficiente e sólido, indispensável para que a economia nacional evolua de forma positiva. A Lei de Revisão das Instituições Financeiras integra-se no âmbito das reformas estruturais que visam a estabilidade económica, conforme preconiza o Programa do Governo. Nessa perspectiva, o projecto da nova lei visa pois propiciar um melhor desenvolvimento do mercado financeiro, organizar o seu funcionamento, controlar o seu desempenho e sancionar os seus infractores. Neste sentido, o Governo aprovou também o projecto de Lei dos Valores Mobiliários, que tem por finalidade regular e promover o desenvolvimento ordenado e a transparência do mercado de capitais. A Lei será aplicável às ofertas públicas de valores mobiliários e seus emissores, aos agentes de intermediação, às bolsas de valores, às instituições de compensação e liquidação de valores, aos fundos mútuos de investimento e, em geral, aos demais participantes no mercado de valores mobiliários. No quadro destas medidas, o Governo aprovou o Decreto que cria a Comissão do Mercado de Capitais e aprova o seu Estatuto Orgânico. A referida Comissão é dotada de personalidade jurídica, autonomia administrativa e financeira e de património próprio, funcionando sob a tutela do Ministério das Finanças. Por outro lado, o Governo aprovou a proposta de Lei que institui a comparticipação dos usuários no financiamento dos serviços de limpeza e saneamento, tendo em conta a necessidade de se estabelecer o equilíbrio entre os objectivos e interesses do Estado e as necessidades dos utentes destes serviços. Deste modo, o Governo pretende que a comparticipação dos cidadãos se efectue através da facturação mensal da energia eléctrica. Para esse efeito, os Ministérios das Finanças e da Energia e Águas deverão adoptar os actos e medidas necessárias para a sua concretização. O Conselho de Ministros aprovou o Decreto que estabelece o Regime Jurídico das Empreitadas de Obras Públicas, com vista a regular este mercado, por forma a tornar o processo do concurso e adjudicação de obras mais rigoroso, imparcial e transparente. Nesta sequência, o Conselho de Ministros aprovou o diploma referente ao Regime Jurídico das Concessões de Obras Públicas e Serviços Públicos que define as normas mediante as quais o Estado transfere poderes próprios para entidades empresariais, em matéria de construção, reconstrução, ampliação e exploração de infra-estruturas, bem como no que respeita à prestação de serviços e bens públicos. Finalmente, o Governo tomou conhecimento das reflexões que têm vindo a ser feitas sobre a tutela das águas residuais.
Luanda, aos 29 de Novembro de 2004.
INTERVIEW-LNG plant to boost Angola's Soyo oil base. By Zoe Eisenstein and Karen Iley 481 words 28 October 2004 15:52 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited SOYO, Angola, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Soyo's Kwanda base, the logistical hub for oil firms operating off northern Angola, is expecting a business boom once much-heralded Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project begins, a senior official said on Thursday. The base, which has seen turnover double in three years with rising oil output, hopes the LNG project will further swell coffers and spur development in the area, where unemployment is a major problem. "Any time there is a new discovery, this leads to new platforms ... and logistical activity as well. This is all bringing business for us," said Guy Moreau, deputy operations manager of Kwanda Ltd, the firm responsible for the complex. A joint venture between Angolan state-owned oil company Sonangol and Saipem, part of Italian energy group Eni (ENI.MI), Kwanda supports the industry with accommodation, catering, maintenance, port facilities, warehousing and fuel. Helping lift business further will be the $5 billion, five million tonne LNG plant, slated to start production by the end of the decade. While earlier fears that the LNG project would not get off the ground have waned, questions remain on the potential market for Angolan LNG. Nevertheless Moreau said he was confident Kwanda would feel the benefits from the project soon. "I'm quite sure that in the coming year the LNG project will really start to move," Moreau told Reuters. "We'll certainly be involved in one way or another. Definitely at the beginning we'll be handling material coming in by boat. For sure it's good for business because it's such a large project," he added. Sonangol, with 22.8 percent and U.S. firm ChevronTexaco (CVX.N) with 36.4 percent, co-lead the LNG project. The other oil majors BP (BP.L) of Britain, France's Total (TOTF.PA) and U.S. giant ExxonMobil (XOM.N) each have a 13.6 percent interest. Industry sources say a final engineering study is likely to start soon and that Bechtel and Kellog, Brown and Root (HAL.N) are possible candidates to carry it out. Moreau said planning for the project was gathering pace. "We have been told to expect the arrival of 70 people at the beginning of next year followed by another 300 to do the first soundings, the fencing of the area, that kind of work. I think the project is really on the rails," he said. Kwanda Limited, which employs 300 local and 26 expatriate staff, counts Esso, Petromar, Halliburton, Total and Sonangol among its biggest clients. Britain's BP is expected to join the ranks by the middle of next year. The area offshore Soyo includes several producing blocks and its output is expected to overtake that of Cabinda, served by the ChevronTexaco run Malongo terminal, perhaps by next year. Document LBA0000020041028e0as006hm More Like This
AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE - Edition française - 20/10/2004 ANGOLA/CONGO - B - Bientôt plus de frontière ? La ligne de démarcation entre les eaux angolaises et congolaises traverse un nombre croissant de gisements.
Après un premier puits décevant foré l'an dernier (AEI n°475), Chevron vient d'annoncer une découverte effectuée cette été sur la Zone d'Intérêt Commun, le permis de 696 km2 à cheval sur la frontière maritime entre le Congo-B (permis Haute Mer) et l'Angola (bloc 14). (...). [Total : 244 mots].
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Angola's state oil company, SONANGOL, announced Tuesday that the country now produces over 1 million barrels of oil a day and expects to double the output over the next four years.
SONANGOL was quoted by local media as saying that until production began in Kizomba-A field in offshore block 15 last August, its daily oil output reached about 950,000 barrels.
Block 15 lies about 370 km northwest of Luanda and is operated by Esso Exploration Angola, an Exxon-mobil subsidiary, which has a 40 percent stake in the project.
Angola is currently No. 2 oil producer after Nigeria in sub- Saharan Africa.
SONANGOL said crude output is likely to rise to 2 million barrels daily by 2008.
Endiama abre escritório em Nova Iorque Luis Costa 15 Oct 2004, 23:02 UTC
A empresa angolana de diamantes ENDIAMA deverá abrir um escritório em Nova Iorque no próximo ano, soube a Voz da América de fonte segura. A ideia de se abrir um escritório em Nova Iorque, principal centro económico e financeiro dos Estados Unidos vinha sendo alinhavada há algum tempo.
A decisão vem associada a um levantamento que a direcção da ENDIAMA está a fazer em Nova Iorque, onde participa numa conferência internacional sobre diamantes.
Fonte próxima às negociações disse à Voz da América que a estratégia de expansão da companhia passa pela abertura de um escritório em Nova Iorque o terceiro centro mundial de comercialização de diamantes, depois de Antuérpia e Tel Aviv .
Não está excluida a hipótese da ENDIAMA devolver à sua delegação na Bélgica a vitalidade que tinha no passado. A ENDIAMA tem uma “antena” em Israel, por via da sua participaçaõ na SODIAM INTERNACIONAL uma empresa sediada em Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, e detida na sua maioria pelo grupo Lev Leviev.
O relançamento internacional da ENDIAMA colocou Arnaldo Calado em contactos com reconhecidos empresários do ramo diamantífero, entre os quais, Maurice Templesman, accionista principal da Lazari Kaplan uma das principais companhias vendedoras de diamantes lapidados.
À semelhança de quase todos operadores privados, Maurice Templesman também perdeu terreno em Angola quando o estado angolano entregou o monopólio da comercialização à ASCORP.
Fonte oficial angolana disse à Voz da América que o “declínio” dos negócios de Templesman em Angola deveu- se exclusivamente ao facto deste ter procurado manter os seus negócios na área da comercialização.
A delegação de Angola esteve durante toda quinta-feira em Washington, tendo entretanto acabado por cancelar todos os encontros. O cancelamento dos encontros, por razões que a Voz da Améerica não pôde apurar, provocou algum desencanto na capital norte-americana, cuja audiência mobilizada de antemão pela Câmara do Comércio foi apanhada desprevenida. Os empresários e políticos inscritos para este encontro pareciam sumamente preocupados com, questões relativas á legislação angolana, segurança nas áreas de exploração diamantífera, e os progressos registados desde a altura em que o nome de Angola deixou de constar da lista dos países exportadores de "diamantes de sangue” que este país foi retirado da lista de países produtores dos chamados de “diamantes de sangue".
Arnaldo Calado e sua equipa regressaram esta sexta-feira a Nova Iorque de onde partirão para Luanda na próxima quinta-feira dia 21, dia em que deverá terminar o congresso mundial do diamante.
Luís Costa
Metalex Ventures Ltd - Exploration Update
KELOWNA, BC, Oct. 25 /CNW/ - Metalex Ventures Ltd (MTX - TSX Venture Exchange) ("Metalex" or the "Company"). The Company is pleased to provide an update for six of its active exploration projects.
Angola
Metalex has a 3,000 km(2) licence to explore for alluvial diamonds in the Chitamba area of Angola. The foreign partner pays 100% of the exploration costs (its "Investment") and its project interest is 51% prior to payback of its Investment and 33% after repayment of its Investment. There is an underlying agreement between Metalex and four private companies (the "Consortium") whereby Metalex funds US$400,000 of exploration costs to earn 51% of the foreign partners' interest and thereafter each of Metalex and Consortium fund their proportionate share of ongoing costs. A non-contributing party will dilute on a straight line basis. Currently only two of the four members of the Consortium have executed this agreement and discussions are in progress with the remaining two. Agreement has been reached with Endiama (the state diamond company) with respect to exploration and development of kimberlites within the Chitamba license but this has yet to be approved by the Council of Ministers of Angola. Should this go ahead Metalex may be liable for certain payments to the Consortium. The Chitamba licence is located in north central Angola and contains part of the Chitamba - Lulo kimberlite field, a field containing more than 60 kimberlite occurrences. The Cuango River passes through the eastern part of the license and drains part of the Chitamba - Lulo kimberlite field. The Cuango River is mined downstream from the Chitamba licence by SDM and others. In years 2000 to 2003 inclusive SDM produced approximately 1.6 million cts of diamonds and generated US$331 million in revenue with an average price of US$202/ct. Metalex has not seen any records of alluvial diamond mining within the Chitamba licence but Endiama, its joint venture partner, has informed the company that a 216 ct diamond has been recovered from within, or near, the licence. The Company has also been told, by an independent expatriate explorer, that test sampling by diving recovered more than 12,000 cts of diamonds over a 3 week period from one river within the licence. This result has yet to be confirmed by the Company. The Chitamba licence is considered prospective for alluvial diamond deposits, as it contains rivers draining the Chitamba - Lulo kimberlite field, a field that is the potential source of the alluvium diamonds mined in the Cuango River. If so, Chitamba has the potential to produce an early cash flow. Field sampling commenced on September 6, 2004, and to date more than 100 drainage samples and several hundred auger samples have been collected. The drainage samples will be sent shortly to the CF Mineral Research laboratory for analysis. The auger samples will be processed on site and, after inspection for diamonds, the concentrates will be sent to the CF Minerals Research laboratory. The Company has committed a budget of US$1.5 million to the project for the period ending December 31, 2004. Contributions by partners may reduce Metalex's share of this amount.
ANGOLA: Reports call for tightening of diamond sector controls
JOHANNESBURG, 26 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - The Kimberley Process, a regulatory framework aimed at reducing the potential for diamonds to fuel conflict, must take cognisance of the need for proper internal controls in producer countries and ensure a fair wage for Africa's diamond diggers, say two new reports.
The first report, 'The Key to Kimberley - Internal Diamond Controls', highlights the need for proper internal controls and tracking in diamond-producing countries.
The second report, 'Rich Man, Poor Man - Development Diamonds and Poverty Diamonds', warns that controls alone will probably never work unless diamond digging pays more than a dollar a day.
Both reports were produced jointly by the NGOs, Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada.
The 'Key to Kimberley - Internal Diamond Controls', delves into internal control practices in a number of countries and reveals serious weaknesses "which, if they are not corrected, will compromise the effectiveness of the overall Kimberley Process Diamond Certification System (KPCS)".
The report noted that "huge efforts have been made by almost four dozen governments and their diamond industries to comply with the KPCS for rough diamonds. Authorities have been established, certificates printed and statistics gathered. Where the movement of diamonds is concerned, most of the emphasis has so far been placed on international transfers between countries".
This has seen the introduction of control measures such as tamper-proof containers, forgery- resistant certificates and the compilation of data regarding shipments.
"But the Kimberley Process certificate is more than a physical description of what is in a parcel when it leaves one country and arrives in another. It certifies that the diamonds in each parcel are conflict-free," the report noted.
PROBLEM OF POOR INTERNAL CONTROLS
If a government is to be in compliance, the KPCS requires the country to "establish a system of internal controls designed to eliminate the presence of conflict diamonds from shipments of rough diamonds imported into and exported from its territory".
Thus, for the KPCS to work, certificates "must be guarantees that the goods contained in shipments are clean".
"It is essential, therefore, that producing countries maintain systems that allow them to track diamonds back from the point of export to the place where they were mined," the authors said.
The study examined internal controls in seven countries: four producers, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Canada, which is also an importer, and three trading countries: the United States, Belgium and Great Britain.
"The most problematic area for internal controls ... is found in countries where alluvial diamonds are produced by artisanal miners. Angola and the DRC are major artisanal alluvial producers and Ghana is a minor producer, but the problems are the same," the report pointed out.
"In each country there is a good system for recording and formalising the diamond trade prior to export, and systems for licensing dealers and recording transfers have been articulated back through the system - but the trail runs cold one or two transactions upstream," said the researchers.
The lack of controls in countries with artisanal alluvial diamonds is an old problem. Unlike kimberlite mines, which can be fenced off and protected, alluvial diamonds are scattered over hundreds of square miles and present a very difficult regulatory problem.
"The geographic and geological nature of alluvial diamonds, and their value in relation to the poverty of the countries where they are found, makes this one of the most serious problems facing the effective implementation of the KPCS," the study warned, and would continue to hold the potential for destabilising these countries.
Angola was the first country to implement a full certificate of origin for diamond exports after the United Nations imposed sanctions on former rebel group UNITA's diamond trading in 1998, followed by investigations in 1999.
In 2000 the government introduced a certificate of origin system and implemented a single- channel marketing system, replacing the previous 'wide-open system'.
However, its artisanal alluvial diamond miners numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and implementing regulatory control over them was an immense task.
RESISTANCE TO REGULATION
"It is estimated that there have been between 270,000 and 400,000 illicit miners in Angola during the last 12 years, at least 80 percent of them Congolese by nationality," the report said.
"Many of these were brought in to mine for UNITA in the first instance. Numbers increased following the end of the war in 2002 and, in December 2003, the FAA [Angolan Armed Forces], working with the national police and migration services, was ordered to expel illegal aliens on the basis of threats to national security and territorial integrity."
The study noted that "at present there is no system for determining the origin of diamonds from the artisanal sector, beyond records of purchases kept by buying offices", and remained an "incomplete paper-based system".
"The generic culture of this type of diamond buying has historically been that no questions are asked, with the objective of ensuring supplies of rough diamonds at the lowest prices," the report commented.
However, despite the expulsion of illegal miners at the end of 2003 and again this year, "it is estimated that there are still approximately 200,000 active in Angola".
The state-controlled SODIAM diamond marketing company has estimated that US $2 million worth of diamonds was currently being smuggled out of Angola every month.
"Proposed control mechanisms for the remaining artisanal miners have yet to be put in place - one will require small miners to dig only on the fringes of industrial mines, which will control the miners. But diamond deposits exist in areas where no mining companies currently operate and it is not clear how such deposits will be protected," the report said.
At present there was no assurance that Angola's internal controls prevented diamonds from leaving or entering the country illegally.
Among the recommendations made in the report was that the government consider the appointment of international inspection and audit firms to help enforce local internal control regulations.
Alex Yearsley of Global Witness told IRIN that the government needed to "end the widespread involvement of the military in the diamond trade" and the "removal of involvement of the political elite in diamonds".
"One is very well aware of the role of generals at the moment [in the diamond sector], and it's causing problems in relation to smuggling of diamonds out of the country. There were systems developed a couple of years ago that worked, but they worked too well and encroached on vested powerful interests," Yearsley alleged.
Angola had started licensing middlemen, but "weren't able to get down to licensing the diggers because of the sheer numbers of people involved".
FAIR WAGES NEEDED
A second report, 'Rich Man, Poor Man - Development Diamonds and Poverty Diamonds', warned that controls alone would probably never work, unless diamond digging paid more than a dollar a day.
Although a return to war is unlikely in nations like Angola, "the future of these countries now turns on whether productive activities can be made available to the young men who fought in the wars, and the other young men coming after them: productive enterprises that outweigh the return on more dangerous activities," the report noted.
Yearsley added that "we need to make sure they [diggers] get a fair living wage, that they receive the same amount of profit and benefit as that of some of the companies in 47th Street in the main diamond district in New York".
"What we really want to see now is the diamond industry, governments in particular, and development agencies, start looking at the issue of diamonds as an issue of development, as often they [diamonds] are the largest single 'employer' or activity for the male population that is [traditionally] drawn into armed conflict," Yearsley noted.
"Until Africa's diamond diggers earn a fair wage, diamonds will always be a destabilising factor in these countries," added Ian Smillie from Partnership Africa Canada.
For the full reports go to: www.globalwitness.org and www.partnershipafricacanada.org
Previsão de inflação para o próximo ano catalizou o noticiário económico
Luanda, 23/10 - A previsão de inflação para o próximo ano, estimada em até 15 por cento, partindo de uma taxa de inflação do fim de 2004, situada abaixo dos 40 por cento, constituiu a manchete do noticiário económico dos últimos sete dias.
A previsão saiu da última reunião do Conselho de Ministros que aprovou o Orçamento Geral do Estado (OGE) de 2005, que viabilizará a implementação do Programa do Governo para 2005/2006.
Em termos de perspectivas para o sector real da economia, prevê-se que o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) conheça um forte crescimento real de 16 por cento, proporcionado principalmente pelo rápido crescimento da produção do petróleo bruto.
Noutra vertente, o Banco Africano de Investimentos (BAI) colocou, desde terça-feira, à disposição dos empresários angolanos cerca de 30 milhões de dólares através do serviço "BAI Crédito ao Desenvolvimento".
O programa vai apoiar o empresariado nacional, financiando projectos específicos que venham a ser apresentados em qualquer agência do BAI.
Com juros variáveis, a partir de apenas 5,5 por cento ao ano, a nova linha de financiamento está à disposição dos investidores para financiamento de despesas de investimento e bens do activo fixo e capital circundante.
Por outro lado, o chefe do Departamento de Cooperação do Ministério da Agricultura (Minader), Manuel Domingos, observou que a melhoria dos índices de produtividade agrícola e a ascensão de Angola na tabela dos principais produtores a nível da região Austral da África, passa por uma maior agressividade na implementação dos programas delineados pelo Governo.
Segundo Manuel Domingos, alem do cumprimento rigoroso das diretrizes governamentais, dever-se-á efectuar uma analise profunda das estratégias produtivas actualmente existentes, por forma a se alterar significativamente o cenário agrícola no país, que apresenta índices bastante baixos, servindo somente necessidades locais.
De acordo com o especialista, um dos caminhos a seguir é a urgente industrialização deste sector, tendo como uma das alavancas impulsionadoras o investimento externo e a injecção de tecnologias de ponta.
No campo habitacional, o Banco sul-africano ABSA Corporate Merchant Bank comprometeu-se a procurar, numa primeira fase, junto das instituições internacionais, uma verba para financiar o projecto habitacional angolano "Ondjwo Yeto", avaliado em três biliões de dólares norte-americanos.
Num período de sete anos, o projecto global prevê a construção em todo o país de pelo menos 32 mil residências económicas de baixa, média e alta renda, bem como edifícios com apartamentos.
Os preços das residências variam de 19 a 300 mil dólares e as modalidades de pagamento são de 20 a 80 por cento do valor inicial das casas, sendo as restantes prestações pagas mensalmente (mínimo 100 dólares), num período que vai de dez a 15 anos.
Constituiu também matéria de relevo, a noticia que deu conta do aumento em 54 por cento do número de turistas no primeiro semestre deste ano, recebendo setenta mil e 123 visitantes, contra os 46 mil e 310 do ano passado, durante o período em referência.
Segundo dados do Departamento de Estatísticas do Ministério de Hotelaria e Turismo, 87 por cento dos visitantes foram do sexo masculino (61 mil e 877), sendo os restantes treze do sexo feminino (9 mil e 246).
De acordo com a fonte, que atribui como principal causa do aumento destes números a conquista da paz no país (Abril de 2002), o turismo de serviço ou comercial foi o predominante, recessionando sete mil e 704 pessoas, estando em segundo lugar, o turismo de férias, que registou quatro mil e 285 pessoas.
A semana económica registou também a informação segundo a qual o gráfico da qualidade alimentar no país, em relação aos produtos consumidos, apresenta um quadro preocupante, fruto das constantes violações as normas de sanidade, por parte de alguns importadores nacionais que constantemente vão comercializando bens inadequados ao consumo.
Tendo em atenção este défice, o presidente do Codex-Angola, Gomes Cardoso, disse ser necessário empreender esforços no sentido de se proceder a actualização "urgente" dos diplomas jurídicos (referentes a estes assuntos), para facilitar a actuação das autoridades e de outros organismos que actuam no controlo da qualidade dos alimentos consumidos pela população.
Outra medida importante a tomar, segundo Gomes Cardoso, é o reforço da capacidade técnico-científica dos laboratórios, bem como a realização de um trabalho amplo de publicitação, informação e formação da sociedade sobre a qualidade alimentar.
Roc Oil Pulls Trigger on Cabinda South Block in Angola Roc Oil Wednesday, October 27, 2004
On October 26, 2004, ROC formally agreed with Sociedade Nacional de Combustíveis de Angola – Unidade Económica Estatal ("Sonangol"), the national oil company of Angola, to trigger the Production Sharing Agreement ("PSA") relating to the Cabinda South Block, onshore Angola, with an Effective Date of November 1, 2004. Work is expected to start on the ground during the first half of 2005 – marking the end of a 32 year hiatus of petroleum exploration activity onshore Cabinda.
As a result of triggering of the PSA, ROC, which has an 80% working interest and a 100% contributing interest in the Block, will pay to Sonangol a Signature Bonus of US$6 million. The remaining 20% interest in the Block is owned by Sonangol, which will be carried through the exploration phase. The term of the PSA, including two renewal periods, is six years. The minimum Work Program for the first four years includes seismic acquisition and three wells.
Commenting on the triggering of the PSA, ROC's Chief Executive Officer Dr John Doran stated that
"ROC has been steadily putting its Angolan strategy in place since 1998 when it first tried to acquire and accumulate equity in the Cabinda South Block. Six years later, ROC has an 80% interest and has formally agreed to trigger the PSA. Its been quite a journey. However, all we've really done is traveled to the starting line - now comes the real business of looking for and hopefully finding, significant amounts of oil onshore Cabinda. Consistent with statements made in ROC's Renounceable Rights Issue it is quite possible that ROC may farmout a minority interest in the Cabinda South Block but only on terms which reflect the upside potential of the area."
Deputados analisam terça-feira estado de elaboração da futura Constituição
Luanda, 24/10 - A Assembleia Nacional reúne-se na próxima terça-feira, em sessão plenária, para apreciar uma informação da Comissão Constitucional sobre o estado de elaboração do Projecto da futura Constituição, refere uma convocatória deste órgão.
Segundo a fonte, a sessão vai igualmente apreciar os programas das Comissões de Trabalho para o período legislativo 2004-2005, aberto a 15 de Outubro corrente.
Os trabalhos de elaboração da nova Constituição, a que está encarregada a Comissão Constitucional, encontram-se paralisados desde 12 de Maio último, altura em que a oposição decidiu suspender a sua participação na feitura desta Lei Magna.
Na altura, condicionava o seu regresso ao início de consultas aos partidos políticos por parte do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, com vista a marcação de uma data para as próximas eleições.
Cumprida esta exigência com a reunião, a 02 de Agosto, do Conselho da República - órgão de consulta do chefe de Estado, integrado, entre outras individualidades, por todos os líderes partidários com assento parlamentar, a oposição viria mais tarde a público reclamar "novas" condições, contra todas as expectativas então criadas no sentido do seu regresso.
O prosseguimento das consultas, a calendarização das eleições e a criação do Conselho Nacional Eleitoral figuravam entre as tarefas apontadas em falta e que justificavam a Determinação dos partidos da oposição de manter suspensa a sua participação na Comissão Constitucional da Assembleia Nacional.
Na sua reunião, o Conselho da República defendeu a necessidade de definição de um quadro legal e a criação de condições técnicas, materiais e financeiras, antes da realização de eleições gerais no país, bem como a de o Presidente da República interceder junto da Assembleia Nacional para que este órgão aprove o quadro constitucional e legal, ao abrigo do qual poderá fixar a data do próximo pleito eleitoral e convocá-lo, até Setembro de 2006.
Dos trabalhos da Comissão Constitucional resultou já um ante-projecto de Constituição, cujo conteúdo, nos seus 351 artigos, apesar de muito aplaudido pela sociedade civil, por conter significativos avanços relativamente a Lei Constitucional em vigor, a oposição diz não se rever inteiramente.
Jornal de Angola 27 de Outubro
Défice de cereais atinge 47 por cento
Os níveis de produção de cereais não ultrapassam a cifra de 769 mil e 978 toneladas, desde há dois anos, ou seja, durante as campanhas agrícolas 2002/2003 e 2003/2004. O quadro, de acordo com o chefe de Departamento de Cooperação do Gabinete de Intercâmbio Internacional do Ministério da Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural (Minader), Manuel Domingos, continua a ser preocupante, pois o Governo, além das importações, depende das ajudas de organismos internacionais.
A produção do milho, o cereal mais consumido em Angola, não alterou os níveis de produção, mantendo a cifra de 662 mil toneladas. A seguir vem o massango e a massambala com cerca de 95 mil, o arroz com sete mil e o trigo com cinco mil toneladas.
Em relação aos tubérculos, o país registou durante o ano agrícola de 2003/2004, 7 milhões 440 mil toneladas, tendo a mandioca contribuído com mais de 6 milhões de toneladas. Neste contexto, Angola é auto-suficiente no cultivo deste tubérculo, com um excedente comercial de 3,5 milhões de toneladas de matéria fresca.
Manuel Domingos refere que em função destes elevados índices de produção de mandioca, o Governo já prevê a realização de projectos, com a participação do sector privado, para o seu processamento, por forma a exportar o produto, principalmente, para a região austral do continente.
Em termos de leguminosas (feijões), a produção registada foi considerada baixa com cifra de 232 mil toneladas, apresentando um défice de cerca de 73%. Na produção agrícola 2003/2004, estiveram directamente envolvidos dois milhões e 206 mil famílias que cultivaram uma área de cerca de três milhões de hectares. Com vista a assegurar a situação alimentar interna, o sector prevê, para a campanha agrícola 2005/2006, produzir mais de um milhão de cereais. Prevêem-se ainda manter os níveis de produção de tubérculos e incentivar a produção de amendoim, dendém e soja.
International Oil Daily October 26, 2004
Total to Lose Angola Block
Angola has said it will end French major Total's rights to operate Angola's Block 3/80, according to a Reuters report citing an internal company memo. The Angolan government has decided not to extend the concession, which is due to expire at the end of this year, the memo said. Block 3/80 produces around 80,000 b/d. Total's rights to Blocks 3/85 and 3/91 are not affected. "We were notified by letter of the government's decision not to extend the license, but discussions are ongoing as to how we can proceed following this decision," the memo said. Angola – Africa Mining Intelligence
29/09/2004 ANGOLA Correction
In response to our article "Angola: South African Insurance Men Arrive" in our 89th issue, the Angolan firm AAA has specified that it was set up in 2000 and began operations in 2001 after deregulation of Angola's insurance market. Contrary to what we reported, it hasn't, therefore, held a monopoly with the ENSA company for 25 years. Our apologies.
AFRICA MINING INTELLIGENCE N° 93
29/09/2004 ANGOLA Adastra Files Suit Against Endiama
IDAS Resources NV, a wholly owned affiliate of Adastra Minerals Inc., has launched legal proceedings against ENDIMA for breaking off its contractual obligations on the Cuango River diamond project.
In August and December, 2002, IDAS signed two agreements with Endiama to explore and exploit the 3,000 sq.km. Luremo area. In October, 2001 the Angolan government confirmed state-owned Endiama's licenses and gave it a green light to form a joint venture with IDAS. In November of last year, Endiama once again confirmed the JV pact with IDAS but early this year, Manuel Calado and Bernardo Campos, respectively the Angolan group's chairman and a director, suddenly broke off the agreement. According to Adastra boss Tim Read, it was rumored the project had been awarded to diamond kingpin Lev Leviev. Other companies are encountering problems with Endiama. Energem Resources lifted force majeure on its Angolan projects but is still negotiating with Endiama for recognition of its rights, particularly on the Camatchia and Camagico projects in Lunda Norte. Elsewhere, De Beers halted arbitration proceedings in July and decided to resume talks with Endiama on returning to Angola. (AMI 91).
AFRICA MINING INTELLIGENCE N° 93
Angola – Africa Energy Intelligence
20/10/2004 Gilat Satellite Partnership with Sonangol
One of Sonangol's two telecommunications affiliates, Mercury Servicos de Telecomunicacoes (the other is the local operator Unitel), has signed a contract with the Israeli firm Gilat Satellite Networks to install a satellite-based telephone network in the country, and particularly on oil rigs. Several other Israeli firms operate in Angola. One is Aeronautics Defense Systems which is partially owned by the Jerusalem Oil Exploration firm that is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Aeronautics Defense supplies unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that keep watch on facilities of ChevronTexaco in Cabinda and elsewhere.
AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE N° 379
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20/10/2004 ANGOLA Oil for Locomotives
A visit by Yang Zilin, chairman of China's Ex-Im Bank, to Angola early this month (AEI 378), resulted in an agreement to finance reconstruction of the 1,300 km Benguela railway that crosses the country from west to east, from the port of Lobito to Lubumbashi in neighboring Congo-K. Estimated at $2 billion, the program will be funded by the $2 billion credit line that China's Ex-Im Bank opened for Angola in March. (AEI 366) and which is to be paid off in full by oil. Restoration work on the section of the railway running from the port of Lobito to the town of Cubal has already begun.
AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE N° 379
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20/10/2004 ANGOLA How Tullow Hopes to Debut
Keen on gaining a quick foothold in Angola like U.S. and British independents, Ireland's Tullow has teamed up with state-owned Sonangol.
The Irish firm Tullow, which bought Energy Africa this spring, has just offered Sonangol Pesquisa E Producao, the exploration arm of state-owned Sonangol, 10% of its Kiarsseny Marin concession in Gabon. The acreage in question houses several discoveries in the north of the country, along its border with Equatorial Guinea.
Addax bought into Kiarsseny Marin in February and now controls 42.5% of it. Sonangol's 10% will be its first acreage in Africa (it is already present in Latin America) and the stake is largely symbolic. However, it enables Sonangol to make headway with one of its objectives which - like NNPC in Nigeria and Sonatrach in Algeria - is to acquire a significant exploration portfolio on the continent.
As for Tullow, the tie-up seems designed to help it win acreage in Angola. For the moment, the group is present only on K structure, a unitised zone between block 14 operated by Chevron and Total's Haute Mer concession in Congo-B, which straddles the maritime boundary between the two countries.
Up to now independents have been largely excluded from Angola's offshore, and they're doing their best to change that. Only Devon has succeeded in gaining a foothold in the offshore, on block 10. It recently brought Kerr McGee into the acreage (AEI 376) in preference to Amerada Hess which had long been banging on the door.
AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE N° 379
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06/10/2004 Sonangol $4 Billion for Angola LNG
Holding a board meeting in Angola in late September, Chevron announced it had set aside $20 billion for its African projects over the coming five years. After meeting with Angola president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, Chevron chairman Dave O'Reilly indicated that $7 of the $20 billion would be spent in Angola, including $1 billion to develop the Belize-Lobito- Tomboco fields, $2 billion for the Sanha gas and condensate program—it aims to use associated gas from block 0—and $4 billion for Angola LNG. As Africa Energy Intelligence reported (AEI 377), both Chevron and Total have managed to clear a number of obstacles on their respective programs in Angola by promising to commit themselves to the Angola LNG program. Two contracts for a front end engineering design (FEED) study are expected to be awarded before the end of the year.
AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE N° 378
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06/10/2004 ANGOLA Chinese Pay a Visit
As a follow up to the Chinese Ex-Im Bank's opening of a $2 billion credit line for Angola in March, the chairman of the institution, Yang Zilin, turned up last week in Luanda. The loan to Angola will bankroll infrastructure projects conducted by Chinese corporations. As a result, Yang was accompanied by businessmen from around 20 Chinese companies and by the deputy Chinese trade minister, Wai Jianguo. The latter, who deals specifically with Africa at the Chinese trade ministry, already made his way to Congo-Brazzaville and Nigeria in May. During his stay, the Ex-Im Bank boss met with Angolan finance minister Jose Pedro de Morais, the governor of the country's central bank, Amadeu Mauricio, oil minister Desiderio Costa and chairman of Angola's national oil company Sonangol, Manuel Vicente. He also held consultations with Angola's president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The visit culminated in the signing of three loan agreements, including one that covered the rehabilitation of railways and another the reconstruction of a bridge over the river Keve that was destroyed during the civil conflict.
AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE N° 378
ANGOLA: Construction start-up on long-stalled $3,300,000,000 oil refinery is tentatively scheduled to begin before the end of 2004, SAMSUNG ENGINEERING CO. LTD. (SECL) (South Korea) - Order #: 100104.
WWP- Report on Oil Gas & Petrochemicals in the Developing World, Vol. 13, Issue. 10, p 0 01-10-2004
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
Assuming that development plans proceed ahead as envisioned the local SONANGOL is expected to begin building a new flagship oil refinery in the port city of Lobito by the end of 2004. In so doing, SONANGOL recently awarded the long stalled construction contract to SAMSUNG ENGINEERING CO. LTD. (SECL) of South Korea.
According to the terms of the award, SECL will be responsible for building a plant with an installed production capacity of 200,000 barrels per day. As a result, production output is expected to be sufficient to satisfy the local market in addition to the supply of refined products to the United States as well as European and other African destinations.
If construction works begin as scheduled by at the end of this year the refinery is expected to become operational by some time during the year 2008. The cost to complete the project has been pegged at $3,300,000,000.
SECL employs a total staff of about 900 engaged in plant engineering, procurement and construction on a worldwide scale.
COPYRIGHT (Cr) World Wide Projects (WWP) 2004 The data contained in this report may not be reproduced, redistributed and/or put into an information retrieval retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher. Companies that have multiple users are invited to take advantage of our highly discounted Site License. Minister Opens Angola Cultural Centre in Brazil
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex Global NewsComtex International 01-10-2004
Luanda, Sep 30, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --The Angolan Minister of Culture, Boaventura Cardoso, will inaugurate in October 6th, in Sao Paulo city, a Cultural Centre of Angola in Brazil, reads a press note from the ministry.
The inauguration is part of next October 3-10 official working visit of Mr Cardoso to Brazil, which includes the strengthening of the two Portuguese speaking countries relations and the establishment of contacts with the entities and institutions linked to the scientific and cultural area.
During his stay in the South America nation, Boaventura Cardoso will meet with his Brazilian counterpart Gilberto Gil, and paying visit to the Angolan House in Salvador of Bahia, the Historical Centre, the headquarter of Odebrecht building company and the Santana Fair.
In the capacity of a writer, Mr Cardoso will address a talk on the Angolan literature, in the towns of Sao Paulo, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.
ANGOLA: Joint venture construction plans for proposed $75,000,000 diamond mining project, BHP BILLITON PLC (Australia) & PETRA DIAMONDS LTD. (South Africa) - Order #: 108604.
WWP-Report on Mining, Metal Making and Conversion, Vol. 13, Issue. 10, p 0 01-10-2004
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
ANGOLA: Joint venture construction plans for proposed $75,000,000 diamond mining project, BHP BILLITON PLC (Australia) & PETRA DIAMONDS LTD. (South Africa) - Order #: 108604.
South Africa-based PETRA DIAMONDS LTD. is currently involved in the exploration of its local Alto Cuilo diamond project in conjunction with the state-run diamond firm ENDIAMA and MOYOWENO of Angola. The company, for that matter, has already recovered 23 diamonds greater than 1 millimeter at a total weight of 18.7 carats from a 40-ton sample including a white gem-quality stone of 9.61 carats.
It is thus that BHP BILLITON of Australia, in view of the international diamond shortfall, recently signed an agreement with PETRA DIAMONDS to recover gem-quality stones in the northeast of the country. The joint venture calls for BHP to invest up to $60,000,000 to acquire a 75% share of PETRA's Alto Cuilo project. According to the terms of the collaborative agreement, BHP will prospect for diamonds throughout PETRA's concession.
In addition, BHP may also help PETRA develop its Mussunuige-Luangue (ML) complex at Alto Cuilo, where a substantial diamondiferous kimberlite and alluvial complex has already been found.
BHP BILLITON, formerly known as BROKEN HILL PROPRIETARY CO. LTD. (BHP), before its take-over of BILLITON of the UK in March 2001, operates as a diversified resources company. The group employs a total staff of about 34,800 engaged in mining as well as being active in the oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the petroleum gas sectors.
PETRA has a total employment of 11 engaged in alluvial diamond, platinum and gold exploration activities.
COPYRIGHT (Cr) World Wide Projects (WWP) 2004 The data contained in this report may not be reproduced, redistributed and/or put into an information retrieval retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher. Companies that have multiple users are invited to take advantage of our highly discounted Site License.
KEY PROJECT CONTACTS:
Don Argus, Chairman
Charles Goodyear, CEO & Managing Director
Philip Aiken, Group President (Energy)
Robert W. Kirby, Group President (Carbon Steel)
Diego Hernandez, Group President (Base Metals)
Mike Salamon, Group President (Non-Ferrous Materials)
Chris Pointon, Group President (Stailess Steel)
Marcus Randolph, Group President (Diamonds & Specialty Products)
Phil Aiken, Group President (Coal & Oil)
Ian Maxwell, Vice-President (Minerals Exploration)
Keneneth Pickering, Vice-President (Technology, Projects &
Exploration - Base Metals)
John Fast, Chief Legal Counsel
Chris Lynch, CFO
Marrius Kloppers, Chief Commercial Officer
Ian Fraser, GroupVice-President (Group Human Resources)
Tania Price, Manager (Media Relations & Communications)
International direct dial: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9609-3815
International direct fax: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9602-4121
E-mail: [email protected]
BHP BILLITON (BHP)
600 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
International direct dial: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9609-3333
International direct fax: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9609-3015
Time zone difference: EST + 15 hrs
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site - htpp://www.bhpbilliton.com
Web Site (Procurement) - http://www.corprocure.com/suppliers.asp
Nasir Abbasi, Principal Commercial Officer
International direct dial: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9526-5923
International direct fax: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9510-4660
E-mail: [email protected]
U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL, Melbourne, Australia
International direct dial: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9526-5915
International direct fax: 011 + (61) + (3) + 9510-4660
E-mail (Commercial Service): [email protected]/gov
Andonis Pouroulis, Chairman & CEO
David Gadd-Claxton, COO
David Gary Abery, Director (Finance)
PETRA DIAMONDS LTD.
4 Stratford Office Park, Valley Road, Broadacres, Johannesburg
1748, South Africa
International Direct Dial: 011 + (27) + (11) + 467-6710
International Direct Fax: 011 + (27) + (11) + 467-6725
Jendayi Frazer, Ambassador
Gillian A. Milovanovic, Deputy Chief of Mission
John J. Hartley, II, Minister Counselor Economic Section
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia 0083, P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001,
South Africa
International direct dial: 011 + (27) + (12) + 431-4000
International direct fax: 011 + (27) + (12) + 342-2299
Web Site - http://pretoria.usembassy.gov
WAYS & MEANS TO FACILITATE DOING BUSINESS IN ANGOLA
FROM THE US:
For answers to any international trade questions dealing with, for example, export financing, documentation, ways to locate a foreign partner/representative, market research reports, tariff rates, sources of export assistance or information on all federal export programs call the US TRADE INFORMATION CENTER at
1-800-USA-TRADE.
Philip Merrill, Chairman & President
John A. Emens, Vice-President (Trade Finance & Insurance)
James C. Cruse, Sr. Vice-President (Policy)
Lorie A. Secrest, Sr. Vice-President (Communications)
James A. Mahoney, Vice-President (Engineering & Environment)
Sam Zytcer, Vice-President (Small & Medium Enterprises)
Piper P. Starr, Vice-President (Planning & International
Relations)
THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES (EXIMBANK)
811 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20571
Ph. Toll-Free: 1-800-565-3946 Fax. (202) 565-3731
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site - http://www.exim.gov
Regional EXIMBANK Offices:
North East: Ph. (212) 809-2650 Fax. (212) 809-2646
Mid Atlantic: Ph. (202) 565-3928 Fax. (202) 565-3931
Midwest: Ph. (312) 353-8081 Fax. (312) 353-8098
Southwest: Ph. (281) 721-0465 Fax. (281) 679-0156
U.S. Related Web Sites:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE http://www.doc.gov/
BIG EMERGING MARKETS http://www.stat-usa.gov/itabems.html/
EXPORT/IMPORT BANK http://www.exim.gov/
COMMERCIAL SERVICE http://www.ita.doc.gov/ita_home/itauscs.html/
INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION http://www.ita.doc.gov/
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA
1050 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 760, Washington, DC 20036
Ph. (202) 785-1156 Fax. (202) 785-1258
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site - http://www.angola.org
IN ANGOLA: Time zone difference: EST + 6 hrs
Cynthia G. Efird, Ambassador
James A. Knight, Deputy Chief of Mission
Edward G. Stafford, Chief (Political & Economic Section)
E-mail: [email protected]
Inga Heemink, Commercial Officer
Diana Swain, Aid Mission Director
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Rua Houari Boumedienne No. 32, Luanda, Angola
International direct dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 445-481
International direct fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 446-924
Web Site - http://www.usembassy.state.gov/angola
U.S. CONSULATE - Luanda, Angola
Rua Houari Boumedienne #32-136, Luanda, Angola
International direct dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 345-481
International direct fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 346-924
Key Trade & Industry Contacts:
ANGOLAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
Largo do Kinaxixi 14, No. 1 andar, CP 92, Luanda, Angola
International direct dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 344506
International Direct Fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 344629
Tlx. 3283
Key Development Organization Contacts:
BANCO DE COMERCIO E INDUSTRIA SARL
Avenida 4 de Fevereiro 86, CP 1395, Luanda, Angola
International direct dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 333684
International direct fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 333823
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site - http://www.angola.org/bci
(This development bank provides loans to businesses in all sectors.)
Key Government Contacts:
MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM
Avenida 4 de Fevereiro, Luanda, Angola
International direct dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 337440
International direct fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 372373
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT ENERGY& WATER
Avenida 4 de Fevereiro 105, CP 2229, Luanda, Angola
International direct dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 393681
International direct fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 393687
MINISTRY OF GEOLOGY AND MINES
International Direct Dial: 011 + (244) + (2) + 322766
International Direct Fax: 011 + (244) + (2) + 321655
COPYRIGHT 2004 Worldwide Projects, Inc.
Angolan Prime-Minister Ties the Knot
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex International 01-10-2004
Luanda, Oct 01, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --The Angolan Prime-Minister, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, wed today, here, Maria Augusta Tome, his companion of 19 years.
Fernando da Piedade, 52, got his second marriage with Maria Augusta Tome, 50.
The wedding ceremony, celebrated in Tropical Cinema, was presided by Alcina Maria da Conceicao, conservator of Luanda's third Civil Registry Office.
Among the nearly 200 guests were also present the widow mothers of the newly married couple, brothers, children, friends and relatives, as well as some public individualities, including members of the Government.
However, today at 6pm, there will be held, at the Jesus Church, the religious ceremony, which will be attended by the Angolan Head of State, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the First Lady, Ana Paula dos Santos, and other high figures of the country.
Journal code Language English Record Type Document type ISSN Word count 177 Accession Number (Internal - Global)20041001375.40_c47d001c528e28cd - 275u2673 Copyright © 2004 Copyright Angola Press Agency. Distributed by All Africa Global Media(AllAfrica.com)
------Angola expects 11.7 percent growth next year
Agence France-Presse English Wire 30-09-2004
LUANDA, Sept 30 (AFP) - Angola is expecting economic growth to hit a booming 11.7 percent next year, mostly on the back of oil production, the government said Thursday.
"Economic growth will be around 11.7 percent of GDP due to the rise in oil production," said a government statement that also listed agriculture, forestries, fisheries and public works as growth areas.
Angola, sub-Saharan Africa's second-biggest oil producer after Nigeria, produces more than one million barrels of oil per day.
The statement noted that the forecast for economic growth "underscores the change from the economic cycle that ended in 2002" when Angola signed a peace accord ending 27 years of war. mak/jca/cml/kdz
Angola-economy-growth-forecast-oil Angola: Donors Still Need Convincing for Reconstruction Funding
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex BusinessComtex FinanceComtex Global NewsComtex InternationalComtex Wall Street 29-09-2004
Luanda, Sep 29, 2004 (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --The international community should stop discriminating against Angola and instead help it hold a donor conference, a senior government official said on Wednesday. But western diplomats said the oil-rich country should first prove its commitment to reform.
Speaking on his arrival in Luanda after attending a UN general assembly in New York, foreign minister Joao Miranda told state media he hoped foreign governments would be sensitive to Angola's need for a donor conference as it tried to reconstruct after a devastating 27-year civil war.
The international community was practicing "discrimination" in terms of the financial support it offered Angola, he told state-run Jornal de Angola.
"In identical [post-conflict] situations, the international community has had one attitude relative to some countries and another in relation to Angola," Miranda was quoted as saying.
But western diplomats said Angola's priority should be to gain the approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
"The basic line coming out of everybody is that there needs to be progress with the IMF," one western diplomat told IRIN.
"Historically, people have seen an IMF Staff Monitored Programme (SMP) as a benchmark for progress. I'm not sure everyone agrees, but it doesn't matter. Ultimately we need real measurable reform; progress that has to be certified by the IMF," the diplomat said.
Despite its oil riches - Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's second largest oil producer after Nigeria - the vast majority of its 13 million people live in abject poverty.
The country's long civil war finally ended in April 2002 and although the government has taken steps to improve social services, most Angolans are yet to see the dividends of peace.
One child in four is likely to die before their fifth birthday, around half the population has no access to clean, safe drinking water and almost half Angola's children do not go to school.
The government has also been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. But the IMF has said that significant progress has been made and, during a recent assessment visit, said an SMP could be achieved by the year-end.
Sources stressed that Angola could not underestimate the massive humanitarian aid that had already been provided by foreign governments. One Western envoy said it made no sense to compare the post-war context in Angola with others.
"For example, Afghanistan, which recently had a donor conference, doesn't have natural resources in such abundance as Angola," the diplomat said. "In the past there have been questions raised about how that money is being spent."
Ultimately it would be up to Angola, and not the international community, to decide when to hold a donor conference, he noted.
"But most international donors have said it will be successful if we can convince taxpayers in our own countries that Angola is on the right track with regard to finances and organisation," the diplomat added.
French military attache hails "atmosphere of peace" in Angola's Cabinda Province
BBC International Reports (Africa) 29-09-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Cabinda, 25 September: Today, French Lieutenant Colonel Herma Petetin, the dean of defence attaches accredited to Angola, acknowledged the present atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in the province of Cabinda, unlike the negative information in some political circles regarding security in this region of the country.
The French official made this statement after a delegation of military attaches had travelled along the approximately 200-km long stretch of the highway between Cabinda and Belize, within the framework of their three-day visit to the province, which ended today.
French military attache hails "atmosphere of peace" in Angola's Cabinda Province
The military attaches from Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom were told about the political, military, and socioeconomic situation in the province of Cabinda.
For his part, Andre Cristovao Manuel, a colonel with the Angolan Armed Forces, said the visit was within the framework of existing political and diplomatic relations between Angola and various countries. Specifically, the visit was in line with this year's activity programme for military attaches accredited to the country.
He said the visit served for the defence attaches to verify in situ the province's political, military and socioeconomic situation, dispelling some misconceptions regarding security in the region.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 25 Sep 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 290904/sm
POLITICS & LAW: ANGOLAN NA CHAIRMAN MEETS VIETNAMESE LEADERS
Vietnam News Briefs 29-09-2004
Vietnam and Angola will further strengthen their relations in the future, confirmed President Tran Duc Luong and Party Chief Nong Duc Manh when they talked with Angolan National Assembly Chairman Roberto de Almeida in Hanoi on Tuesday.
Both the host and the visitor agreed that trade issues will receive their major attention. The Angolan official also announced that his country will fully support Vietnam's bid to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Earlier the same day, he met his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Van An. They discussed the organization and workings of their respective legislative assemblies and future directions for bilateral cooperation.
The Vietnam-Angola Joint-governmental Commission is scheduled to meet later this year to discuss implementation of cooperative agreements.
Vietnam and Angola established diplomatic relations in November 1975.
More than 200 Vietnamese professionals currently work in the fields of agriculture, healthcare and education in Angola.
(The People Sep 29 p1)
Copyright © 2004 Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved. Switzerland gives France 'Angolagate' bank documents
AP WorldStream English (all) 29-09-2004
BERN, Switzerland_Switzerland on Wednesday gave French authorities bank documents seized in an investigation of alleged money laundering linked to illicit arms sales to Angola.
The Justice Ministry said the handover included information on seven frozen bank accounts and was made possible by a government decision that helping France in its "Angolagate" inquiry would not compromise Switzerland's national interests.
It did not identify the accounts or reveal the blocked sums.
"Switzerland's interests would be compromised if money possibly arising from offenses could be deposited in Switzerland without foreign authorities being able to gather information," a government statement said.
The Alpine country, which long had a reputation as a haven for shady money, has cracked down in the past decade, particularly since a landmark 1998 anti-laundering law.
Justice officials in Geneva first authorized the handover in 2002, but lawyers for those under investigation in France asked Swiss courts to block judicial assistance. Switzerland's supreme court rejected their attempts in 2003, and lawyers turned to the government.
The French investigation centers on the sale of US$500 million in illegal arms to Angola, allegedly brokered by billionaire businessman Pierre Falcone.
The probe has also targeted the eldest son of late French President Francois Mitterrand.
Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, who served as counselor on African affairs from 1986-92 under his father, is alleged to have received US$1.8 million in illicit commissions from Falcone between 1993 and 1998 _ in the midst of Angola's civil war. The two-decade conflict ended last year.
Jean-Christophe Mitterrand spent three weeks in jail in 2000 before posting US$725,000 bail. Falcone was also detained, but was released in 2001 after the maximum limit of his temporary detention expired.
Both have denied any wrongdoing. Middle East & Africa: Angola - Oil Price Fires Interest In A Former Basket Case - A Burgeoning Oil Economy And The Government's Commitment To Combat Corruption Is Attracting Foreign Bankers Once More To Post-war Angola, Writes Steven Swindells
The Banker 01-10-2004
The conventional view of Angola's banking sector, until recently, has been that it is for those with a stomach for high risk-taking and not for the faint-hearted. While the ruling Movimiento Popular de Libertacao de Angola (MPLA) government fought a civil war against the Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (Unita) rebel movement, banking became almost a law unto itself, as billions of dollars from the country's oil exports were concealed in a maze of channels and accounts.
Allegations of corruption and political interference diminished the reputation of the country's banking system in the eyes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the global banking industry, leaving bankers to pursue brighter prospects elsewhere in Africa.
But a renewed commitment by the government to clamp down on corruption, together with sky-high crude prices and signs of improved relations with the IMF, may convince bankers that Angola's darkest days have ended.
Angola's trump card is oil. It pumps 950,000 barrels a day from offshore fields operated by US corporate giants ChevronTexaco and ExxonMobil. Surging oil prices are expected to catapult Angola into double-digit GDP growth every year to 2008,according to the IMF. This will make Luanda one of Africa's fastest-growing cities and one of the biggest state and corporate lending opportunities in the region.
South African inroads
South African banks Standard Bank and Absa are both close to opening operations in the country - traditionally the preserve of Portuguese banks because of Angola's colonial history - to follow the growing number of South African companies doing business with Luanda. It is one of the clearest signs of cautious optimism for Angola's banking system.
Their return may also signal the beginning of the end for the "suitcase bankers" who were happy to do business - cherry-picking lucrative government, corporate and trade finance deals without having to open formal operations in the country.
"We've concluded a due diligence on a bank in Angola and are finalising an agreement," Dana Botha, general manager of Absa's Africa Desk, told The Banker. "We will look at opportunities to roll out our commercial banking activities. The Angolan market is opening up and the opportunities are presenting themselves."
Absa is expected to conclude the deal with the unnamed bank in the next few months.The deal would give Absa access to the Angolan retail banking sector, an area traditionally shunned by most banks because of poverty and high costs of operating retail branches in the country. Absa is aiming to build on the experience it has gained in Mozambique, where, like Angola, Portuguese is the main business language. Absa has majority control of Mozambican banking firm Austral.
But Absa has its eyes wide open. "Africa is a volatile environment. You just have to look at Nigeria and Tanzania, which have increased the capital [adequacy] requirements, so you don't throw all your eggs into one basket," says Mr Botha.
Another South African bank interested in Angola is Standard Bank (trading as Stanbic north of South Africa), which is expected to open an Angolan division. "Angola is an attractive country because of its proximity to South Africa, plus there are a lot of South African companies investing there in addition to non-African multinationals," says Sim Tshabalala, managing director of Stanbic Africa. "We're on the look-out for opportunities, [to see] if it makes sense to open a physical operation there."
One of the largest South African corporates set to return to Angola is diamond giant De Beers, which left in 2001 after falling out with state miner Endiama. It has been preceded by a host of other South African companies, as Angola restores its war-battered infrastructure and economy.
"Angola, like many non-Anglophone countries, gives rise to accounting and legal risks. There's a different kind of legal and regulatory regime but there is definitely a political will [to improve], such as giving the central bank more independence," says Mr Tshabalala.
New banking blood is important for Angola, whose banking sector has been mired by the secrecy surrounding state finances dating back to the civil war. The IMF has consistently pressured the authorities to shed light on the workings of the central bank, Banco Nacional de Angola (BNA), and how it interacted with the Treasury, state oil firm Sonangol and the MPLA's political leadership.
The maze of the BNA
Controversy surrounding the BNA in recent years stems largely because of the billions of petrodollars that were apparently pushed through the bank either off-book or in a way that was not open to independent outside scrutiny. This can be traced back to the Angolan government's secretive financing during the war, which is only now being remedied. The IMF last year concluded that the BNA's activities and accounting practices had reduced confidence in the bank's financial position Human Rights Watch, which has urged Luanda to clean up its act, estimates that $4.2bn in oil revenues were simply unaccounted for between 1997 and 2002.
Accountancy firm KPMG, which has had more access to Luanda's financial books than anyone outside government has continued to press for the adoption of international accountancy standards and improved transparency. It also discovered that many of the country's key oil export metering facilities were faulty, casting doubt on how much oil (and its exact value) was exported from the country for decades.
In addition to financing the government's fiscal deficits and growing debt obligations, the BNA also found itself engaged in quasi-fiscal activities, which ranged from bailing out failed state banks to paying food subsidies and salaries of public sector workers. As a result, BNA has laboured under persistent operational deficits and has been accused of using unrealised profits from exchange rate fluctuations to boost its own financial results.
The spotlight has also been cast on a maze of overseas correspondent accounts, which the BNA has created, on instruction from the government. "The plethora of overseas correspondent accounts [has] added to the uncertainty over the management and size of the country's international reserves," observes the IMF, adding that management of the budget and of exchange and interest rate risks was deficient.
Problems still surround the BNA but the IMF's latest Article IV meeting with the Angolan authorities in July 2004 noted an improvement in the BNA's openness and management procedures.
The BNA's prime responsibilities now are the implementation of monetary policy and defending the value of the kwanza, the local currency, through foreign exchange rate intervention. Commercially, the BNA has responsibility for banking supervision. In trade matters, it authorises foreign repatriation of profits and dividends and can temporarily suspend these if it believes they would harm the country's balance of payments. As banker to the government, it manages the country's foreign exchange reserves and also extends credit to the government to meet the fiscal deficit.
The BNA can claim kudos for restoring a semblance of order to the country's distorted economy. Hyper-inflation is at last being tamed and the kwanza is starting to look a little more stable.
Though the government is still pressing ahead with additional oil-backed loans despite protests from the IMF, relations with the institution may blossom next year into a full agreement that could pave the wave for debt relief, conservatively estimated at least $10bn.
With oil prices hitting record highs, Luanda is set for a windfall bonanza from its share of offshore fields. Billions of dollars of foreign investment led by oil giants ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, Total and BP in the country's deep offshore waters is ensuring that Angola emerges as a key supplier of crude to the US outside of the volatile Middle East. During Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' meeting with US President George W Bush at the White House in May this year, Mr dos Santos signed a $300m deal with the country's biggest producer, ChevronTexaco, to extend its operations, and pledged more openness regarding the state's finances.
Sanity is also being restored to the chaos in the diamond industry, with the government attracting foreign companies and working to stop the widespread smuggling of gems, which financed both sides in the country's civil war. Diamond output is set to hit 15 million carats next year from five million in 2003.
But challenges remain. Politically, achieving an agreement between the government and opposition parties on an election date remains unresolved. Opposition parties are pressing for a 2005 poll, though the government is expected to delay it until 2006.
Rebuilding essential
Poverty remains widespread, with millions dependent on food aid and four million people still displaced following the war. Government fiscal policy will be dominated by the need to rebuild the country's battered infrastructure.
The privatisation of state bank Banco de Comercio e Industria (BCI) has stalled, while the signing of a performance contract by another state owned bank - Banco de Poupanca e Credito (BPC) - has been delayed. However, there are signs of fresh impetus.
Portuguese banks have been the main foreign operators in Angola, before and after independence in 1975. Portuguese-owned Banco Espirito Santo Angola (BESA), in its third year of operations, saw net profits up 273% last year to E2.6m.
Banco de Fomento Angola generates owners Banco Portugues do Investimento some E21m or 12% of group profits. Other foreign-owned banks include Banco Comercial Portugues and Banco Totta de Angola, operated by Spain's Santander Central Hispano.
Angola: UNITA leader Samakuva's son defects to ruling party
BBC International Reports (Africa) 10-10-2004 By Excerpt from report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Menongue, 8 October: Charles Wandalika Henriques, one of the sons of UNITA [Union for the Total Independence of Angola] president Isaias Samakuva, has abandoned this political party and joined the MPLA [People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola], the ruling party in Angola. This took place on Thursday [7 October] in Menongue, the capital of Cuando Cubango Province.
Together with Charles Henriques, who is 29-years-old and from Cuando Cubango, joined other 169 former FALA soldiers and their families. FALA was the former UNITA army.
Angola: UNITA leader Samakuva's son defects to ruling party
Henriques, who was a journalist, achieved the rank of lieutenant in FALA and during 14 years worked in UNITA's old radio station, Vorgan.
[Passage omitted : report on others joining MPLA and ceremony]
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 8 Oct 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 101004/ra
Angola threatens tough action against illegal diamond miners
Asia Africa Intelligence WirePanafrican News Agency -(PANA) Daily NewswirePanafrican News Agency -(PANA) Daily Newswire 09-10-2004
Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - Angola has threatened tough new measures against illegal diamond miners in the country, especially foreigners.
Angolan Defence Minister Kundi Paihama, who is attending a security meeting between the two countries in the Zambian resort city of Livingstone said Friday that expelled illegal immigrants often found their way back into the country.
"The expulsion of foreign nationals costs millions of dollars to our government. This measure is not enough because the expelled foreign nationals return to commit the same crimes," the Minister added.
He defended his government's recent decision to expel foreigners from diamond mining areas of Angola, saying their activities were detrimental to the economic well-being of the nation.
"Angola will in future take even more stringent measures on such offending foreign nationals," Paihama said, but he did not expatiate.
He said post-war reconstruction in Angola required a lot of money, adding that the Luanda government had been appealing to the international community for urgent assistance in the reconstruction process.
Paihama said although the political situation was relatively peaceful, Angola was still experiencing some guerrilla activities in some parts of the country.
"Government is making peace with these groups with the aim of securing a more durable peace in these territories," he added.
Angolan political party to name interim leader pending special congress session
BBC International Reports (Africa) 08-10-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Luanda, 5 October: In Luanda today, Sediangani Mbimbi, general secretary of the PDP-ANA [Democratic Party for the Progress-Angolan National Alliance], appealed to members of his party to promote unity with a view to building a nation free of exclusion, intolerance, and social injustice.
This challenge was presented at the opening of the special PDP-ANA Central Committee session, which was called to debate, among other issues, who will succeed Mfulumpinga Landu Victor, the party's former leader who died on 2 July 2004.
Angolan political party to name interim leader pending special congress session
The politician said that, after this unfortunate incident, Angolans have been looking with expectation at the ability of the PDP-ANA's members to show their capabilities to successfully direct the party's future, and maintain unity and cohesion to the country's advantage.
To dispel this apprehension, Sediangani Mbimbi reminded his colleagues that the supreme interests of the party and of the nation were above the role that individuals intended to play and the reputation that others wished to achieve.
"If the PDP-ANA wishes to attain its fundamental goal, each militant or leader should be willing to subject their personal interests to the common interests," said Mbimbi, for whom craving for power and intrigue created mistrust and undermined the party's cohesion.
He emphasized that slander, lies and tribalism are weapons used by cowards and weak men, aimed at weakening the organization, adding that the mass of militants aspired to a PDP-ANA that was united, cohesive, strong and free of all forms of discrimination.
At the meeting, which is due to end today, the 100 members of the Central Committee are going to speak about Mbimbi's nomination for the party's interim presidency, as stipulated in the statutes, until a special congress session is held.
According to the leadership of the PDP-ANA, the congress may be held within the next six months, and all members who feel that they are capable of leading the party may become candidates, once requirements set out in the statutes and in the internal electoral rules have been met.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 5 Oct 04
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Angola, IMF talk to re-launch aid
Comtex BusinessComtex FinanceComtex Global NewsComtex InternationalComtex Wall StreetXinhua News Agency 05-10-2004
A senior Angolan official has said negotiations between the Angolan government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unblock aid are making good progress and a formal accord could be reached "soon," Angolan news agency reported Tuesday Angolan deputy- finance Minister Severim de Morais was quoted by reports as saying ongoing talks with the IMF on Angolan management of oil revenues and the economy were "on good course."
LUANDA, Oct 5, 2004 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --IMF demands, however, for the adoption of "shock therapy measures" to kick start Angola's moribund post-war economy were still a hurdle that had to be overcome, he added.
"We believe that 30 years of war were too high a price to pay by the people and that shock measures will add to the misery and poverty of Angolans", Morais said.
Observers say the IMF is likely to agree to a poverty reduction program and growth lending package with Angola early in 2005, after an initial Staff Monitored Program that will scrutinize the use of oil and mineral revenues.
These accords with the IMF would lead to other donor nations freeing up aid, and Luanda hopes it would eventually pave the way for an international donor conference.
Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's No. 2 oil producer with a daily output of about one million barrels.
Angola: Ruling party MP criticizes UNITA stand on draft constitution
BBC International Reports (Africa) 02-10-2004 By Excerpt from unattributed report entitled "MPLA gives reasons for publication of text of draft constitution" published by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Luanda, : In Luanda on Thursday (30 September), the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, MPLA, produced a clarification to the effect that the publication of the draft constitutional law in recent editions of "Jornal de Angola" and on the internet was intended to provide greater transparency to the proceedings of the National Assembly's Constitutional Commission.
According to Bornito de Sousa, head of the MPLA bench in the National Assembly, the publication of the draft law marked the beginning of a process of greater openness with the citizens adding that it would lead eventually to other versions of the text of the country's fundamental law.
Angola: Ruling party MP criticizes UNITA stand on draft constitution
Speaking in the course of a news conference, the MPLA MP was reacting to a charge made by Domingos Maluka, a National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, UNITA MP on 28 September. From the point of view of the latter, the publication of the draft law aimed to influence the public in respect of the sources of discord between the MPLA and the opposition.
Bornito de Sousa made it clear that "the publication of this document sought to a certain extent to restore the truth in light of the emergence of other versions by certain parties, UNITA included, whose leaders and senior officials said on a number of occasions that the text did not reflect the issues approved in the Alvalade Accord."
The head of the MPLA bench pointed out that, if anything, "the text proved that the contrary applied." Bornito de Sousa was alluding to the agreement the MPLA and UNITA signed at Hotel Alvalade in Luanda in 2002 in respect of the system of government that would appear in the future Constitution. [Passage omitted]
From the MPLA bench leader's point of view, at no time did the MPLA hide the fact that the text was a technical document that must still be reviewed for subsequent approval by the Constitutional Commission. He wound up his speech by calling on political parties to adopt a more moderate, serious, and State-like approach, especially in respect of issues of great importance to the country and its citizens, as is the case of the constitution.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 30 Sep 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 021004/na ANGOLA: Construction contract award for planned $80,000,000 oil subsea systems, FMC TECHNOLOGIES INC. (USA) - Order #: 100204.
WWP- Report on Oil Gas & Petrochemicals in the Developing World, Vol. 13, Issue. 10, p 0 01-10-2004
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
US-based FMC TECHNOLOGIES INC. was initially awarded in June 2004 a $270,000,000 contract related to the provision of services regarding the BP-operated Greater Plutonio oil project in Block 18 offshore Angola. And, the company was recently awarded another contract valued at $80,000,000 related to the supply of subsea systems and related services.
According to the terms of the award FMC will be responsible for the supply of: - 45 subsea trees and associated structures; - Manifolds and production control systems; - Flowlines and umbilicals; - Technical services related to installation and startup.
The supply of equipment and services will be supported by FMC KONGSBERG sub sea's operations in Angola. In so doing, deliveries will be completed over a multi-year period and are scheduled to commence in early 2005.
FMC, a subsidiary of FMC KONGSBERG AS, employs a total staff of about 8,500. The company is active in the energy, food processing and air transport industries where it provides technology products and services.
British Parliamentarians Start Official Visit to Angola
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex BusinessComtex Global NewsComtex InternationalComtex Public CompaniesComtex Wall Street 26-10-2004
Luanda, Oct 25, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --A British parliamentary delegation from the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, is beginning today, here, a five-day official visit to Angola, at the invitation of the National Assembly, reads a press release from the UK Embassy.
The mission, which is led by Mr Jeremy Corbyn, is integrated by the Lord Hughes of Woodside, Mr Ronnie Campbell and Mr John Cummings and during its stay in the Southern African country it will meet with various groups, individuals, civil society and businessmen in order to get acquainted with the current situation prevailing in Angola and further develop relations between the two countries.
The British Parliamentarians expect also to meet with several Cabinet Ministers, as well as visiting the provinces of Lunda-Norte, Bie and Bengo.
According to the UK ambassador to Angola, Mr John Thompson, "this trip will strengthen the links with the National Assembly and help draw attention to Angolan issues within the European nation's Parliament and Government.
The last visit of a British parliamentary delegation to Angola was carried out by the All Party Parliamentary Group in May last year.
Angolan opposition accuses ruling party of using aid as political tool
Agence France-Presse English Wire 25-10-2004
LUANDA, Oct 25 (AFP) - Angola's main opposition UNITA party accused the governing party of misusing humanitarian aid for political gains and buying support.
The former rebel National Union for the Total Independence for Angola (UNITA), now Angola's main opposition party, said President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) was rampantly misusing foreign money.
"Humanitarian aid and projects, which in principle should be used for the reintegration of our former combattants into the mainstream, are being used by the MPLA to buy these people's backing," UNITA president Isaias Samakuva said.
He accused the ruling party of exacerbating the misery of the poor to "ensure they supported the ruling party in return for access to food or the reintegration programmes."
A former Portuguese colony, Angola was ravaged by a 27-year civil war which ended in 2002. mak-ach/stb/wdb
Angola-politics-aid Angolan opposition party appoints provisional leadership "for next 10 months"
BBC International Reports (Africa) 23-10-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Luanda, 20 October: The election of the FNLA [opposition National Front for the Liberation of Angola]'s chairman and members of the Central Committee, initially planned for today at its congress under way in Luanda, ended up not being feasible due to organizational factors.
Thus, it was decided to set up a provisional party leadership for the next 10 months, aimed at guaranteeing the irreversibility of the reconciliation process.
Angolan opposition party appoints provisional leadership "for next 10 months"
This proposal was put forward this evening by the mediating commission of the reconciliation congress, which has been taking place at the Luanda International Fair (FILDA) since 18 October.
On the basis of this, it was decided that Alvaro Holden Roberto is to continue as party chairman, with two "deputies," namely Lucas Ngonda and Ngola Kabango, while Francisco Mendes should be nominated general secretary.
There was consensus about the principle that within the next 10 months, when Roberto will call a special congress session, the Central Committee should include members of both factions. The special congress will elect a new party leadership.
Since the start of the internal crisis about four years ago, the party has been divided into two factions, the main faces of which, Roberto and Ngonda, stepped forward to fight for the presidency of this historic Angolan political party.
The FNLA's origins date back to 14 July 1954, when Angolans living in Leopoldville, currently Kinshasa, formed the Union of the People of Northern Angola (UPNA). In 1958, the organization was renamed as the Union of the Angolan People (UPA).
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 20 Oct 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 231004/sm
Three ministers dismissed in Angolan cabinet reshuffle
BBC Newsfile 23-10-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Luanda, 23 October: On Friday, 22 October, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos dismissed Territorial Administration Minister Fernando Faustino Muteka, Urban Development and Environment Minister Virgilio Ferreira de Fontes Pereira and Commerce Minister Victorino Domingos Hossi.
Making use of his powers in terms of the constitution, Dos Santos appointed Virgilio Fontes Pereira as minister of territorial administration, Joaquim Ekuma Muafumua as commerce minister and Diakunpuna Sita Jose as urban development and environment minister.
Three ministers dismissed in Angolan cabinet reshuffle
Also dismissed were the deputy ministers of fisheries, Henrique Andre Junior; of interior, Diamantino Sauanbo Kungulo; and social communication, Graciano Tululo.
Dos Santos appointed Junior Kuamutali Uambique Kanavanaqui as deputy interior minister, Fonseca Manuel Chindondo as deputy social communications minister, and Victoria Francisco Lopes de Barros Neto as the deputy fisheries minister.
The decree adds that the provincial governors of Bengo, Isalino Mendes; and Cuanza Norte, Manuel Pedro Pacavira; and the deputy governor of Zaire for economics and social issues, Domingos Dilu Kumbo have also dismissed.
Dos Santos appointed Jorge Inocencio Dombolo as the new Bengo governor. Henrique Andre Junior as the Cuanza Norte governor and Jose Simao Helena replaces Kumbo.
The president appointed Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Junior to the position of National Reconstruction Office director.
He also dismissed the director of the Special Works Office (GOE), Adriano Estevao da Silva Maiano and replaced him with Manuel Ferreira Clemente Junior.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 23 Oct 04
BBC Mon Alert AF1 AFEausaf 231004/sm Angola's Kunene Owes Namwater Millions
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex Global NewsComtex International 22-10-2004 By by Catherine Sasman
Windhoek, Oct 22, 2004 (New Era/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --THE Angolan southern pro-vince of Kunene has run up a water debt of millions of dollars with NamWater.
New Era has learnt that the debt has not been serviced for over a year, but that the water supply has not been cut in the same way many Nami-bian towns have had theirs in the past.
The CEO of NamWater, Dr Vaino Shivute, acknow-ledged that the Angolan central government is respon-sible for a water bill at two points in southern Angola that has not been paid for up to a year.
New Era was reliably informed that the outstanding water bill runs into millions, and that the water so far provided is being fraudulently sold off at much-increased prices in buckets and other containers to people in that country, according to a source close to NamWater.
Shivute would not divulge the exact amount outstanding on the account. "I don't want to discuss this. We are here talking about a different country and if we discuss the debt, we will touch on dip-lomatic relations between the two countries," Shivute cautiously remarked.
He also strongly denied any involvement of Nam-Water officials in the bar-tering of water inside Angola, but admitted that he had knowledge of it.
According to New Era sources, the water provided by NamWater is sold by unscrupulous Angolan pro-vincial officials at exorbitant prices.
"We have heard that the water supplied to Oihole is being sold inside Angola. And if these allegations are true, then there is nothing that we can do because it is another country there," Shivute stres-sed.
"And if we hear of any involvement of any Nam-Water official, we will make sure that the necessary steps are taken," he said.
NamWater supplies water to the neighbouring country at the border post of Santa Clara and Oshikango, as well as a water point at Oihole. This follows an agreement that was concluded between the Angolan Embassy and NamWater. The arrangement has been in place since 1996.
However, a source at the Angolan Embassy said that it was a government-to-govern-ment arrangement, and that the embassy did not have the agreement with the parastatal here in Namibia.
Shivute said that payment of the water bills were observed previously, adding "somewhere in between something happened".
The Santa Clara point of supply has not been paid for a year, and Shivute said there were also payment problems with the Oihole point. "But we have reached some agree-ment with Oihole and we have been promised that the arrears will be paid."
He, however, could not say how close NamWater was to a resolution of the problem, merely stating: "I don't know what the problem is because the amounts outstanding are small enough for the Angolan government to pay."
He said that the water utility has had discussions on the outstanding water bills with the Angolan Embassy in Windhoek, as well as "other diplomatic channels", but has not had any reaction.
Shivute said that water at these points have been re-duced to two hours of supply in the mornings and evenings respectively.
Asked why NamWater has not cut off the water supply as was done at various local authorities and local house-holds for failure to pay for the services, Shivute said that each case of outstanding payments was considered "on merit".
"People are asking us why we closed the water to Okaka-rara and only reduced water supply to Katima Mulilo, for example. But we are consi-dering each case on merit - we look at the circumstances and the history of the case. It would not be healthy to lump all of this together."
Inside Namibia, commu-nities and individual house-holds are having running battles with NamWater and local authorities for non-payment of water after the utility proclaimed that it would cut off water where amounts are outstanding.
New Era was unable to solicit comment from the Angolan Embassy. An of-ficial of the embassy we spoke to said that only the ambas-sador could respond on the matter as it involved govern-ments.
ANGOLA: Red tape could ground humanitarian flights IRIN- UN Integrated Regional Information Network 22-10-2004
LUANDA, 21 Oct 2004 (IRIN)
Bureaucratic wrangling over airport fees is threatening to halt all World Food Programme (WFP) flights in Angola.
The flights provide vital food aid to around one million hungry Angolans as well as access to remote areas for thousands of aid workers.
ENANA, Angola's national airport administrator, wants WFP to pay all airport taxes, including navigation, landing, passenger and parking fees for flights operated by the UN food agency.
Jose Fernandez, WFP's Head of Air Operations, told IRIN that unless an outstanding debt for the fees was paid, ENANA would refuse to allow WFP's flights to take off and land as of 23 October.
"There is an agreement between the MINARS (the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration) and WFP that all costs relating to these humanitarian flights will be borne by the government," Fernandez said.
"WFP's Country Director has written the MINARS minister, Joao Baptista Kussumua, drawing attention to this matter," he added.
Each month WFP distributes around 10,000 mt of emergency food aid to 1.1 million Angolans unable to feed themselves after a brutal 27-year civil war that ended in April 2002.
The agency also offers a free passenger service to UN staff, NGOs and the donor community to and from areas that remain largely inaccessible, but where humanitarian assistance is nevertheless being provided. The government pays for the fuel, helping to reduce the costs of the operation substantially.
"This is an immediate risk but I am confident that the government will resolve it soon," said Fernandez.
Earlier this year WFP operations also fell foul of Angolan bureaucracy when tonnes of food were stuck for months in Luanda's port, waiting for the government to pay customs and port taxes, but the dispute was eventually resolved.
Apart from distributing food, the humanitarian community relies on WFP flights, with an average of 2,000 aid workers transported each month to areas that cannot be reached by road or commercial air service.
The service is already facing a funding shortage, which will force it to reduce the frequency of some of its flights. Fernandez estimated that WFP needs around US $250,000 if it is to continue providing services until the end of the year.
While improved road access to some areas and more commercial flights mean that WFP will be able to prune its schedule next year, it still needs $1.5 million to provide the service during the first half of 2005.
"We are in the process of focusing on which areas need more support because we need to cut our activities. Our resources are declining as we move out of the emergency phase of our operations and donors are no longer willing to support us as they did in the past years," Fernandez explained.
"Some areas will be affected in terms of reduced frequency, but we won't abandon any area," he added.
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Kofi Annan Commends Angola for Its Contribution to Peace in Cote d'Ivoire
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex Global NewsComtex International 22-10-2004
Luanda, Oct 22, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --The Angolan Government received congratulations on Thursday from the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, for its engagement in the negotiations that culminated on 31 July 2004 in the adoption of the Accra Agreements III, for the pacification of Cote d'Ivoire.
This manifestation of congratulations was presented by the special representative of the UN Secretary General to Cote d'Ivoire, Albert Tevoedre, during an audience granted to him by the Angolan Foreign Affairs minister, Joao Bernardo de Miranda, in representation of the Angolan Head of State, Jose Eduardo dos Santos.
The UN diplomat arrived in Luanda at 03.30 in the afternoon, and an hour later he was received in audience by the head of the Angolan diplomacy.
Speaking to the Press, Albert Tevoedre said that he came to Angola mandated by Kofi Annan to congratulate the Angolan Government for having sent its prime minister, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, to participate in the Accra meeting, requesting that this gesture be continued, to help Cote d'Ivoire achieve definitive peace.
The diplomat also stressed that the UN wants to learn the Angolan experience in resolving internal conflicts, in this perspective, he assured he received important information from Joao Miranda.
This gesture from the United Nations is due to the fact that Angola gave a decisive contribution to the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire, during the Accra Summit, which for three days gathered 15 Heads of State and the UN Secretary General, to overcome the differences opposing the Government, the rebel forces, and the civil opposition.
At the referred meeting the points presented by the Angolan Premier were well received by the participants to the summit, as well as the suggestions that he gave concerning an easy way to reach a harmony of the antagonistic positions.
Fernando Dias dos Santos suggested to Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, that he should find a political formula to satisfy the intentions of his opponents, and that he shouls also be open to introducing some alterations in the country's constitution.
On the occasion, the Angolan Premier explained that the alterations to the Constituion are necessary, since they would allow for a better participation of opposition forces in the country's political life, starting by their return to the Government.
At the Accra Summit the Ivorian political forces reiterated, before the Heads of State and the UN Secretary General, the validity of the Marcoussis Accord and the commitment to fully implement it.
Angolan government announces diamond project in Huila
BBC International Reports (Africa) 19-10-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Lubango: Makenda Ambroise, deputy geology and mines minister, announced in Lubango on 15 October that the Geology and Mines Ministry will this year implement a diamond mining project in Chicuatite location, Chibia municipality, Huila Province.
The deputy minister, who has been on a two-day official visit to the province, said the first stage of the project will include studies on the quality of the diamonds so as to pinpoint the mining areas.
Angolan government announces diamond project in Huila
Ambroise added that the project included the installation of suitable equipment and specific laboratories where Angolan and foreign experts would work. The minister said six Angolan companies, including four already operating in southern Angola, had shown interest in the project.
He said Huila Province had mining potential, and besides the mining of diamonds and ornamental rocks, the Geology and Mines Ministry would conduct studies on gold mining and the resumption of iron ore production in the municipalities of Jamba and Gambos.
During his stay in Huila, Makenda Ambroise met Provincial Governor Ramos da Cruz and toured the Emanha and Savana Mosaic factories.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 17 Oct 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 191004/jn
Tanzania replaces Angola on UN Security Council
Asia Africa Intelligence WirePanafrican News Agency -(PANA) Daily NewswirePanafrican News Agency -(PANA) Daily Newswire 17-10-2004
New York, UN (PANA) - The United Nations General Assembly has elected Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania to serve as non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two-year term beginning 1 January 2005.
They will fill the seats to be vacated 31 December by Angola, Chile, Germany, Pakistan and Spain.
Tanzania will join Algeria and Benin, whose terms end 31 December 2005, as African representatives on the Council.
The new non-members of the Council were elected Friday.
Belgium Always Supported Angola - Belgian Foreign Minister
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex Global NewsComtex International 15-10-2004
Luanda, Oct 15, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel Gucht, said, before leaving Luanda, that his country always supported the Angolan efforts in the international level, specially in its participation in the International Conference on Great Lakes Region, to be held next November.
The Head of the Belgian diplomacy, was speaking at the end of a 24-hour visit to the country, in the ambit of the regular meetings with the Angolan authorities on the promotion of the peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
Mr Gucht, who left the country bound for Lumbumbashi, DR Congo, underlined that Angola and Belgium have converging points on the situation of ex-Zaire, former colony of his country.
The official supported that both countries came to the conclusion that it is necessary to intensify the efforts in order to build up a unified army for the Democratic Republic of Congo aimed at avoiding hostilities after the elections.
Duma raises problem of returns on Soviet investments in Angola
Itar-Tass 15-10-2004
MOSCOW, October 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Duma deputies decided to raise the issue of Soviet investments in the economy of several South African countries particularly Angola. The Liberal Democratic faction put forth the initiative.
The formal cause is the Duma instruction to the Committee for International Affairs "to deal with the motives of the hunt by the French authorities of a high-ranking Angolan diplomat of the Russian origin accredited in Moscow, Arkady Gaidamak, a leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and deputy, Alexei Mitrofanov told Itar-Tass on Friday. Gaidamak exerted many efforts for the stabilization of the political and economic situation in Angola in the early nineties of the last century, and at present he is an adviser of the ambassador of this South African country in Russia, the deputy emphasized. Meanwhile, according to Mitrofanov, "the unique situation" emerged when the French authorities "exert pressure on Russia, demanding to immediately extradite a person with the diplomatic immunity out of internal political considerations."
According to Mitrofanov, the Soviet Union allocated up to one billion dollars yearly for the support of the Communist regime in Angola in the Soviet times. At present about 70 million tonnes of oil yearly are produced in this region of South Africa that is exported to the United States along with Iraqi oil. Meanwhile, Angola is ranked sixth for the production of diamonds. "All this allows to call Angola second Iraq, and Gaidamak's case can be an indirect cause for another redistribution of world primary markets," he pointed out. Thus, Liberal Democrats call on the Russian authorities not to stand aside and take the clear position. "We have the right for returns on Soviet investments in the Angolan economy," Mitrofanov remarked.
Liberal Democratic Party leader and Duma Vice-Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky intends to visit Angola on an official visit till the end of 2004.
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New French envoy to Angola calls on National Assembly Speaker
BBC International Reports (Africa) 14-10-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site on 13 October
Luanda, 13 October: In Luanda on 12 October, Guy Azais, the new French ambassador to Angola, said the main purpose of his mission was to work with the Angolan authorities with a view to improving diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
Azais, who expressed this wish after having met Roberto de Almeida, the Speaker of the National Assembly, emphasized the intention to achieve this improvement, thus overcoming the "difficult times" that, until recently, marked relations between Angola and his country.
New French envoy to Angola calls on National Assembly Speaker
"We hope that together we may make great headway and leave behind the difficult times that, regrettably, may have marked our relationship," emphasized the diplomat, who took up office in June 2004.
Today, De Almeida also met Armindo Brito Fernandes, Sao Tome and Principe's ambassador to Angola, with whom he exchanged "general views about the political and economic situation" in both countries.
Fernandes said that there was political stability in his country despite the recent situation that led to the dismissal of Prime Minister Maria das Neves and her cabinet by President Fradique de Menezes.
Fernandes said that he had also analysed with De Almeida aspects linked to the start of the new legislature in Angola, planned for 15 October, as well as the excellent relations that exist between the two parliaments.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 13 Oct 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 141004/kn
Hungarian parliamentary team visits Angola
BBC International Reports (Africa) 13-10-2004 By Text of report by Angolan news agency Angop web site
Luanda, 11 October (Angop): Hungary would like to invest in the mining and tourism sectors, and impress on international organizations the need to ensure Angola's speedy development, this is according to Hungarian MP Laslo Madi, who was speaking in Luanda today.
Laslo Madi, who arrived in Luanda yesterday, heading a parliamentary delegation from his country, said such a support constitutes a fair homage to the historical and friendly ties between the peoples of Angola and Hungary.
Hungarian parliamentary team visits Angola
Speaking to correspondents after being received by National Assembly Speaker Roberto de Almeida, the Hungarian MP said, "in the past, ties between Angola and Hungary were very strong. It is now time to bring them back to the same level."
Laslo Madi also expressed interest in promoting the establishment of a friendship group between the two countries with a view to strengthening cooperation.
The Hungarian parliamentary delegation will be in Angola until 13 October. During its stay in the country the delegation will hold talks with political party leaders and government officials.
Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 11 Oct 04
BBC Mon AF1 AFEausaf 131004/pk
Minister Ensures Philippine Delegation Angola's Farming Potentials
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex Global NewsComtex InternationalComtex Wall Street 12-10- 2004
Luanda, Oct 12, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Angola's Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Gilberto Buta Lutukuta, today, in Luanda, has guaranteed the visiting Philippine delegation, that the African country has enormous farming potentials, able to cultivate mild and tropical crops.
Mr Lutukuta, who was speaking at a meeting held with the Asian nation's business delegation, which is here prospecting Angola's potentials, explained that the country can produce in great scale exportable products such as coffee, sisal, cotton, maize, bean, wheat and oil palm fruit.
The Angolan Cabinet Minister stresses that although the country is not yet self-sufficient in terms of food, Angola can produce and export rice in large quantity and it will be very pleased to absorb the skills of Philippines in this field.
Integrated by businessmen linked to the sectors of transports, beverage and food industry, agriculture and banking, the delegation is in the country to, among other matters, set up partnership with the Government, including in the Health sector.
The Philippine mission's visit has started Saturday and is scheduled to end on Sunday. Czech Deputy Education Minister Arrives in Angola
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex InternationalComtex Wall Street 11-10-2004
Luanda, Oct 10, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --The deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Picl, has arrived on Saturday in Luanda, ahead of a delegation from his country, for a five-day working visit to Angola, aiming at the strengthening of the bilateral co-operation relations.
Mr Picl told ANGOP, after his arrival, that in the ambit of the existing co-operation, the Czech Government offers, every year, six university scholarships to Angola, but it intends now to discuss with the African country's authorities the possibility of expanding it to the exchange of teachers.
"We would like the Czech academics had the possibility to come to Angola, to work in the field of tropical agriculture and other areas that are not possible to be developed in our climatic conditions, but can be carried out in Angola, and the same could happen to Angolans in specialities of interest for the country", he affirmed.
The Czech official, who comes along with three technicians of the Prague Agrarian University, will assess a project funded by his Government, in the framework of the existing co-operation, which foreseen the training of basic technicians in the field of agriculture.
Hungary Interested in Aiding Angola's Development
AllAfrica.com EnglishComtex Global NewsComtex International 11-10-2004
Luanda, Oct 11, 2004 (Angola Press Agency/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Hungary intends to invest in the mining and touristic sectors, as well promoting actions with international organisations, aimed at supporting a speedy development of Angola, an MP of the Eastern-European country, Laslo Madi, informed today in Luanda.
The official, who is since Sunday, here, leading a parliamentary delegation from his country, said that such aid constitutes a homage to the historical and friendship relations between both people.
"In the past, the ties between Angola and Hungary were very strong. Now it is time to put them at the same level ", he told the press, after being received in audience by the Speaker of the National Assembly (Angolan Parliament), Roberto de Almeida.
Mr Madi also expressed the interest in promoting the creation of a friendship group between both countries, aiming the strengthening of the bilateral co-operation.
On Wednesday, the Hungarian delegation will hold contacts with officials of political parties and members of the government.
GDP Growth to September Reaches 11.5% Angolan Finance Minister
Comtex BusinessComtex Global NewsComtex InternationalLiquid AfricaComtex Wall Street 26-10-2004
Oct 26, 2004 (LiquidAfrica via COMTEX) --The Finance Minister recently said that GDP growth to September 2004 reached 11.5% compared to an initial government forecast of 13.2%.
The bad news is that an inflation rate of 35% is now expected for the year compared to initial forecasts of 35%. Budget discussions by the country's council of ministers have predicted inflation GDP growth of 16% - due to the high oil prices- and 15% inflation. The GDP growth in 2005 will remain highly dependent on oil prices but figures in excess of 10% would not be unrealistic. Inflation provides a big challenge given the need for a tighter monetary policy.
The control of the exchange rate has been provided the key weapon in fighting inflation but it is questionable as to whether this alone can provide long-term solution. The Kwanza has been stable for about 18 months due to consistent sales by the central bank and this partly explains the fall in inflation from 75% in 2003 from 106% in 2002.
The country is planning to force oil industry players to retain a portion of their earnings in Angola to help grow the local economy. While FX reserves held at the central bank are said to be very low (much less than 1 month's import cover), it is difficult to judge the Angola's ability to maintain FX sales given the lack of consolidation of FX reserves at the central bank.
The IMF concerns over the real appreciation of the Kwanza point to the definite realignment of the FX rate in the longer term but we expect the authorities to maintain their FX intervention in the coming few months.
Angolan opposition mulls over gov't pullout Comtex Global NewsComtex InternationalXinhua News Agency 26-10-2004
LUANDA, Oct 26, 2004 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) has charged the government of sidelining the party, saying it is considering pulling out of the government, local reports said on Tuesday. UNITA President Isaias Samakuva said to his party's senior Political Commission on Monday the party should consider whether to pull out of the cabinet ahead of planned national elections, while they continue dialogue with the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
Samakuva said the practice of the bipartisan government, set up in 1994 during a break in the civil war, was forcing UNITA into political "submission," not meeting its commitments to the former insurgents under the peace accord signed in 2002.
UNITA faced two options, he said, either to remain "glued to the government" or to "distance itself," risking official " retaliation" but gaining "greater political benefits."
"Being glued to the MPLA will definitively result in enormous damage to UNITA," he said.
The issue of whether or not to remain in the government, he said, was up to the party's leadership, who must not forget "the aspirations" of Angolan people.
UNITA and most of the country's opposition parties are pressing for post-civil war general elections to be held late next year, while President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' MPLA defends the polling can only take place by the end of 2006 at the earliest.
Angola – La Lettre du Continent
N° 456 14/10/2004
ANGOLA Qu'est devenu Arcadi Gaydamak? Dans l'affaire de l'Angolagate, les tribulations franco-angolaises de Pierre Falcone ont éclipsé son ancien associé : Arcadi Gaydamak. L'homme aurait mis son chapeau de paille? Enquête.
Comme toute une partie des anciens généraux angolais, Arcadi Gaydamak qui "voyage" entre Tel Aviv, Moscou et Luanda s'est "reconverti" dans l'agriculture. Une opération "verte" qui le maintient en odeur de "sainteté" auprès de la nomenklatura locale, à commencer par le président José Eduardo dos Santos (ce dernier étant lui-même de plus en plus sous l'influence du patron de la Sonangol, le tout puissant Manuel Vicente).
Arcadi Gaydamak possède une ferme - Terra verde - à 30 km de Luanda. Elle s'étend sur 350 ha, dans lesquels il affirme avoir investi près de 30 millions $, à la fois pour viabiliser le terrain par la construction d'une route d'accès, l'adduction d'eau et l'électrification ainsi que pour irriguer un sol auparavant aride. A présent, la ferme produit 22 variétés de fruits et légumes, plus de 1 000 t par an de poulets et 21 millions d'?ufs. Ses produits sont en vente dans les magasins à Luanda, à des prix inférieurs aux importations en provenance de l'Afrique du Sud et du Brésil. Après dix-huit mois de montée en puissance, à la place des deux années qui étaient prévues, Terra verde couvrirait 5% des besoins en produits agricoles de l'Angola.
La ferme dispose d'une école agronomique où l'enseignement est gratuit, d'un "économat" et d'un restaurant ainsi que d'une grande aire de jeux pour les enfants. Devenue une destination de choix des Luandais pendant les week-ends, Terra verde attire jusqu'à 3 000 personnes par jour. Arcadi Gaydamak projette d'investir 120 millions $ supplémentaires dans l'essor agricole de l'Angola de l'après-guerre civile. Il affirme également boucler le montage financier pour le barrage hydroélectrique de Capanda (550 mégawatt), soit un montant de 235 millions $. Une future usine d'aluminium, dont la construction coûtera 250 millions $, devrait bénéficier de l'électricité abondante pour produire 100 000 t d'aluminium par an. Qui va encore oser critiquer ce "bienfaiteur" du peuple angolais et rappeler les fantastiques montages financiers de la dette russe à l'égard de l'Angola ?
Moins rusé que son "associé" Gaydamak, Pierre Falcone et son nouvel avocat Pierre-Antoine Veil (qui serait moins boutefeux que les autres), est de son côté toujours attendu à Paris par le juge Philippe Courroye qui instruit le dossier de l'Angolagate. Le deal serait le suivant : Pierre Falcone rentrerait s'expliquer mais ne serait pas mis en prison compte tenu de son immunité diplomatique comme représentant de l'Angola à l'Unesco. Le ministre français des affaires étrangères Michel Barnier se rendra à Luanda d'ici la fin de l'année pour une déclaration subliminale sur le fait que l'achat d'armements par l'Angola en 1993 n'était pas un trafic d'armes, comme avait cru le comprendre l'ancien ministre de la défense, Alain Richard ! Ensuite, il ne restera plus qu'à distribuer des casquettes et des gadgets Total a tutti quanti et danser à la lumière des torches pétrolières.
N° 455 30/09/2004
ANGOLA A. Kanganjo T. Savimbi
Les arnaques nigérianes avec les "héritiers" de personnalités africaines qui cherchent un compte en banque discret et amical pour y transférer les centaines de millions de dollars que "Papa" a laissées, continuent de plus belle. L'un des faux documents qui circulent en ce moment à Paris concerne Araujo Kanganjo Tao Savimbi, l'un des fils de l'ancien chef de l'Unita. Il s'agit d'une déclaration sous serment enregistrée à Cotonou (Bénin) auprès de M° E.D Dosseh-Adjanon. Dans ce faux document, Araujo Kanganjo T. Savimbi fait état d'un montant de 250 millions $ que lui aurait laissé son père et qui a été déposé "auprès d'une société de dépôt et consignation" domiciliée à Paris. Après des péripéties avec la police qui l'aurait expulsé vers l'Angola et l'aide d'un certain "Mamady Conde", le (faux) fils Savimbi réapparaît avec un document des autorités angolaises certifiant "la non-criminalité des fonds" qui "peuvent lui rvenir de droit. Une arnaque très élaborée pour "taxer" de l'argent sur le compte du premier pigeon crédule...
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC ______
President of the Repulic:
H.E. José Eduardo dos Santos
Staff in the Office of the Presidency:
- Civil Affairs: Carlos Maria da Silva Feijó - Military Affairs: Manuel Hélder Dias “Kopelipa” - Diplomatic Affairs: Carlos Alberto Saraiva de Carvalho
Fonseca - Economic Affairs: Augusto Archer de Sousa Mangueira - Legal Affairs:
Carlos Manuel dos Santos Teixeira
From http://www.embangola.at/contactspresident.htm
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks October 25, 2004 Monday
WFP Flights Take Off Amid Landing Fee Dispute
World Food Programme (WFP) flights in Angola took off as normal on Monday after the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration (MINARS) promised to help resolve a dispute over landing fees, WFP said. ENANA, Angola's national airport administrator, had threatened to halt the flights - which transport vital food aid to around a million hungry Angolans and give access to remote areas for thousands of aid workers - unless WFP paid all airport taxes, including navigation, landing, passenger and parking fees by last Saturday. But the UN food agency has an agreement with MINARS that all costs relating to its humanitarian flights are to be borne by the government. "On Thursday, 21 October, we had a meeting with MINARS minister Joao Baptista Kussumua and we put our problem down on the table. The minister pledged to do something about it," WFP country representative, Rick Corsino, told IRIN. "ENANA is looking for evidence that a solution is being worked out and I think that may have taken some of the pressure off us ... But we will continue to monitor the situation closely," he added. Each month WFP distributes around 10,000 metric tonnes of emergency food aid to 1.1 million Angolans unable to feed themselves after a brutal 27-year conflict ended in April 2002. The agency also offers a free passenger service for around 2,000 staff per month from the UN, NGOs and the donor community, to and from areas where humanitarian assistance is being provided but which remain largely inaccessible. The Angolan government pays for the fuel, helping to substantially reduce the costs of the operation.
Jornal de Angola 25 de Outubro
Acordo com FMI condiciona conferência de doadores
A Grã Bretanha condiciona a realização exitosa da conferência de doadores para Angola a um sucesso nas relações entre o país e o Fundo Monetário Internacional (FMI) e Banco Mundial. Esta atitude foi manifestada ontem por um grupo de parlamentares daquele país durante o encontro com o ministro adjunto do primeiro ministro, Aguinaldo Jaime.
A delegação de parlamentares britânicos está no país para se inteirar das opções estratégicas do Governo para o desenvolvimento económico de Angola e sobre as relações com o FMI e Banco Mundial.
Tratou-se de um encontro de sensibilização, uma vez que o país continua a não gozar de uma imagem favorável em alguns círculos, devido, na opinião de Aguinaldo Jaime, à pouca divulgação que a nível do Governo se faz sobre o sucesso na economia nacional.
Aguinaldo Jaime considera, no entanto, existir um "clima construtivo" no relacionamento entre Angola e o Fundo Monetário Internacional. Brevemente, chega a Angola uma delegação técnica do Fundo para avaliar o Orçamento Geral de Estado para 2005 e se debruçar sobre o documento. Um parecer favorável do FMI sobre o OGE para 2005, no entender do governante, constituirá a base para um acordo formal que Angola poderá assinar com o Fundo.
Os britânicos quiseram saber, igualmente, quais as opções consagradas no OGE para o próximo ano 2005, as mudanças e prioridades do Governo, principalmente a atenção disponibilizada à saúde e à educação.
O ministro adjunto do primeiro ministro explicou os progressos registados na economia nacional. Falou do período em que o sistema financeiro era quase inexistente, dos altos índices de inflação e exagerados défices orçamentais.
Nos últimos anos, o país vem registando progressos no domínio macro-económico. O sistema financeiro hoje é composto por 10 bancos comerciais. As reservas internacionais líquidas passaram de USD 323,7 milhões em Dezembro de 2002, para USD 626,7 milhões em Dezembro de 2003. O stock das reservas aumentou USD 303 milhões em 2003.
A inflação, que em 2000 foi de 268,3 por cento, caiu para 76 por cento, em 2003. A evolução positiva fica mais evidente se tiver em conta que em 2001, a taxa de inflação ficou em 116 por cento e no ano seguinte rodou os 105 por cento. Para este ano, perspectiva-se uma taxa abaixo dos 40 por cento.
Depois do encontro, a delegação britânica ficou a perceber melhor os problemas, os desafios e os constrangimentos do país, bem como inteirou-se da estratégia do Governo para a redução da pobreza.
"Estes contactos são úteis porque ajudam a melhorar a nossa imagem no exterior e ajudam também porque estas individualidades que nos procuram possam ser intérpretes mais fiéis daquilo que se está a passar no nosso país", explicou.
Para Aguinaldo Jaime, não se podem esperar resultados imediatos de missões idênticas. "Os resultados aparecerão a médio prazo. Mas acredito que é um exercício necessário para que o mundo compreenda o que se está a fazer em Angola, quais são as dificuldades e, sobretudo, os passos positivos que já foram dados, quer no âmbito do processo de reconciliação nacional, quer do processo da reconstrução da nossa economia".
Liquid Africa October 25, 2004 Monday
SADC Seeks Customs Union by 2012
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) planned to set up a customs union by 2012 as part of a strategy to stimulate industrial development and to boost trade and investment in the region, a senior government official has said.
"The customs union will allow for free movement of goods and services. It will also mean that our customs procedures will be harmonised," said George Monyemangene, the acting head for African economic relations at the trade and industry ministry.
"Already countries are undertaking to diversify their markets and products. They are also addressing supply side constraints related to low industrialisation and lack of market access for their products."
An economist said that if the union came into existence, it would propel the SADC into the elite of top 20 regional economies in the world, with a combined gross domestic product estimated to rise to $300 billion (R1.9 trillion) in 2010 from the current $250 billion.
"This will create a huge market for potential investors. If SADC does a bit of research into the benefits of the economies of scale for the region, it could market itself as a region for foreign direct investment," said Roelof Botha, an economics adviser at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"The region could grow at a faster rate if Zimbabwe returns to political stability, Angola hosts successful elections and the Democratic Republic of Congo ends its civil war."
As a prerequisite, Monyemangene said it was necessary for the SADC states to hasten regional integration of policies and to improve infrastructure to create a favourable environment for attracting investment and stimulating trade.
At the moment, the SADC has an agreement that liberalises trade within the region, but its 14 members retain different excise and tariff policies.
Under a customs union arrangement, SADC countries will be required to adopt a common tariff policy, making the region attractive to foreign investors who will avoid the nightmare of dealing with numerous jurisdictions. Countries would also share revenue streams derived from collecting tariffs, Monyemangene said.
Already South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland belong to the Southern African Customs Union, the world's oldest customs union. It was established in 1910 and implements a common tariff structure.
Botha said the SADC could become a powerful trading bloc if it were to rope in other sub-Saharan African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana, with whom the region's richest economy, South Africa, has strong trading ties.
South Africa's exports to Nigeria have been increasing by 40 percent a year over the past five years. Locally manufactured goods into Ghana have been rising by 25 percent annually.
"It has become time for policy makers to think about expanding SADC as quickly as possible to include sub-Saharan Africa," Botha said. Jornal de Angola 25 de Outubro
NovoBanco abre com USD meio milhão em créditos
A Embaixada dos Estados Unidos da América procede à abertura oficial de uma instituição bancária denominada NovoBanco com uma carteira em créditos de meio milhão de dólares, destinados a micro e pequenas empresas, em Luanda, num total de 100 empréstimos.
O NovoBanco abriu as suas portas há 20 de Agosto deste ano. Até ao final do ano, o Banco espera ter uma carteira de crédito desembolsado de pelo menos um milhão de dólares a pequenas e micro empresas em Angola. Depois de cinco anos, o banco perspectiva desembolsar 60 milhões de dólares para 35 mil empresários.
O banco tem uma carteira financeira significativa em depósitos em dólares, ambos do sector empresarial e doméstico. O balanço médio dos depósitos em contas activas é de 270 dólares, provando que os produtos do NovoBanco são atractivos para os pequenos economizadores. Este desempenho demonstra que o NovoBanco ganhou já uma confiança significativa do público.
A instituição oferece outros serviços, tais como depósito a prazo, câmbio de moeda, transferência de dinheiro e serviço de cheque. As exigências de garantias são flexíveis, dando aos clientes a oportunidade de oferecer, como contrapartida, aquilo que realmente podem.
Os produtos de contas de poupança e de cheques são acessíveis a todos, e não é exigido um depósito mínimo para abertura de uma conta. A recente abertura do NovoBanco começou já a ter um interesse crescente no sector bancário de Angola pela extensão do crédito a micro, pequenos e médios negociantes.
O estabelecimento deste novo banco de desenvolvimento empresarial é uma das primeiras actividades desenvolvidas entre a Agência Norte Americana para o Desenvolvimento Internacional, em nome do Governo dos Estados Unidos, e a ChevronTexaco no âmbito de um Memorando de Entendimento assinado em Novembro de 2002.
O banco pertence a accionistas internacionais que inclui a Internationale Micro Investitionen (IMI) com base na Alemanha, a Fundação DOEN da Holanda, O Banco de Desenvolvimento Belga (BIO), a Cooperação Financeira Internacional (IFC) do Grupo do Banco Mundial e a Companhia de Desenvolvimento Sustentável ChevronTexaco.
ANGOP 25 de Outubro
Previsão de inflação para o próximo ano catalizou o noticiário económico
A previsão de inflação para o próximo ano, estimada em até 15 por cento, partindo de uma taxa de inflação do fim de 2004, situada abaixo dos 40 por cento, constituiu a manchete do noticiário económico dos últimos sete dias.
A previsão saiu da última reunião do Conselho de Ministros que aprovou o Orçamento Geral do Estado (OGE) de 2005, que viabilizará a implementação do Programa do Governo para 2005/2006.
Em termos de perspectivas para o sector real da economia, prevê-se que o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) conheça um forte crescimento real de 16 por cento, proporcionado principalmente pelo rápido crescimento da produção do petróleo bruto.
Noutra vertente, o Banco Africano de Investimentos (BAI) colocou, desde terça-feira, à disposição dos empresários angolanos cerca de 30 milhões de dólares através do serviço "BAI Crédito ao Desenvolvimento".
O programa vai apoiar o empresariado nacional, financiando projectos específicos que venham a ser apresentados em qualquer agência do BAI.
Com juros variáveis, a partir de apenas 5,5 por cento ao ano, a nova linha de financiamento está à disposição dos investidores para financiamento de despesas de investimento e bens do activo fixo e capital circundante.
Por outro lado, o chefe do Departamento de Cooperação do Ministério da Agricultura (Minader), Manuel Domingos, observou que a melhoria dos índices de produtividade agrícola e a ascensão de Angola na tabela dos principais produtores a nível da região Austral da África, passa por uma maior agressividade na implementação dos programas delineados pelo Governo.
No campo habitacional, o Banco sul-africano ABSA Corporate Merchant Bank comprometeu-se a procurar, numa primeira fase, junto das instituições internacionais, uma verba para financiar o projecto habitacional angolano "Ondjwo Yeto", avaliado em três biliões de dólares norte-americanos.
Num período de sete anos, o projecto global prevê a construção em todo o país de pelo menos 32 mil residências económicas de baixa, média e alta renda, bem como edifícios com apartamentos.
Os preços das residências variam de 19 a 300 mil dólares e as modalidades de pagamento são de 20 a 80 por cento do valor inicial das casas, sendo as restantes prestações pagas mensalmente (mínimo 100 dólares), num período que vai de dez a 15 anos.
Constituiu também matéria de relevo, a noticia que deu conta do aumento em 54 por cento do número de turistas no primeiro semestre deste ano, recebendo setenta mil e 123 visitantes, contra os 46 mil e 310 do ano passado, durante o período em referência.
Segundo dados do Departamento de Estatísticas do Ministério de Hotelaria e Turismo, 87 por cento dos visitantes foram do sexo masculino (61 mil e 877), sendo os restantes treze do sexo feminino (9 mil e 246).
De acordo com a fonte, que atribui como principal causa do aumento destes números a conquista da paz no país (Abril de 2002), o turismo de serviço ou comercial foi o predominante, recessionando sete mil e 704 pessoas, estando em segundo lugar, o turismo de férias, que registou quatro mil e 285 pessoas. Business report (South Africa) October 25, 2004
Angola in talks with Boeing for aircraft
Johannesburg - Boeing, the world's second-biggest maker of commercial aircraft, was in talks with Angola over the sale of nine passenger planes for the country's TAAG airline, the Angolan industry ministry said yesterday.
Talks on the transaction started in May, when Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos visited the US.
"Should negotiations come to a successful conclusion, the Angolan airline will order the planes in 2005," the ministry said. "The models to be acquired include six 737- 700s and three 777s."
O estranho afastamento de Higino Carneiro
Bem mais avisados do que a maioria dos seus governantes, para a generalidade dos angolanos com dois dedos de testa já era de há muito evidente que caberia ao Ministério das Obras Públicas desempenhar o papel de charneira em todo o processo de reconstrução das infra-estruturas do país.
De resto, é para reconstruir pontes, estradas, caminhos-de-ferro e outras infra-estruturas que o Governo negociou com a China o empréstimo de mais de 2 biliões de dólares. Com muito com o que se ocupar no seu ministério, a Higino Carneiro certamente não sobraria tempo para esbanjar em outras actividades, nomeadamente a de coordenar a Comissão de Gestão de Luanda, uma função para a qual seria avisado indicar alguém que tivesse disponibilidade total para lidar com os graves e ingentes problemas que se colocam à capital do país.
Não sendo suposto que ao Presidente da República tivesse escapado essa evidência elementar, o afastamento do General da Comissão de Gestão de Luanda, determinado pelo próprio José Eduardo dos Santos sob o argumento de que «o crescimento das tarefas ao nível do Ministério das Obras Públicas exige um acompanhamento mais permanente», soa a algum desencanto ou armadilha.
Sendo de muitos sabida e consabida a máxima segundo a qual «governar é prever», torna-se difícil acreditar que José Eduardo dos Santos não tenha previsto o «crescimento das tarefas do Ministério das Obras Públicas» quando há pouco menos de um ano chamou Higino Carneiro para dirigir a Comissão de Gestão de Luanda. De outra forma, ter-se-ia também que acreditar que há pouco mais de dois meses, quando renovou o voto de confiança à Comissão de Gestão de Luanda, dirigida por Higino Carneiro, o Presidente da República continuava a não prever o aumento das tarefas do Ministério das Obras Públicas.
Por outras palavras: mesmo após ter tido a confirmação e reconfirmação de que os chineses abririam os cordões à bolsa, emprestando dinheiro para a reconstrução do país, o Presidente da República, aparentemente, continuava a não crer que o Ministério das Obras Públicas exerceria o papel de charneira na reposição de estradas, pontes, caminhos-de-ferro e outras infra-estruturas.
Não sendo, porém, crível que o Presidente da República compartilhe a distracção da maioria dos seus ministros, o argumento que sustenta o afastamento de Higino Carneiro só pode ter outras explicações. E ao Presidente da República deveria ocorrer, nem que fosse episodicamente, a ideia de não tomar todos os angolanos como uma cambada de distraídos e atrasados mentais.
Oct 17, 16:09 Fonte:Semanário Angolense Seminario
Um cansou-se de esperar, outro desiludiu a torcida Chivukuvuku e Samakuva em inevitável rota de colisão
Os dilemas de um «actor principal» que precisa de um «duplo» para as cenas difíceis e perigosas President Appoints New Head of Luanda's Managing Commission
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)
October 8, 2004 Posted to the web October 8, 2004
The Angolan Head of State, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, determined today the ceasing of duties of Higino Carneiro, the co-ordinator of Luanda's Managing Commission, thus appointing for that post one of its current members, Job Capapinha.
According to a presidential official communiqué, the measure is due to the fact that the rising of the works at the level of the Public Works Ministry, led by Mr Carneiro, demands a closer and direct follow up by its incumbent.
On the decision of the presidential official communication, Ms Francisca do Espírito Santo is now part of the Luanda's Managing Commission, as a way to guarantee the efficient continuity in the administrative action of the referred commission.
Job Pedro Castelo Capapinha is from Catete district, Angola's northern Bengo province, where he was born in May 9th, 1962. He is married and has studied philosophy course and is a vice Minister of Youth and Sport.
On the other hand, Ms Espírito Santo Carvalho, daughter of Manuel do Espírito Santo Carvalho and Rosa Batalha Espírito Santo de Carvalho, was born on February 4th, 1949 in Angola's south-western Namibe province.
She attended Civil Engineering course, having as professional occupation the category of technical lecturer.
The Luanda's Managing Commission was created in January of this year with the objective to speed up the resolution of the main problems that affect the country's capital, specially the garbage and urbanisation problem, and is also integrated by António Van-Dúnem, the current Secretary of the Cabinet Council.
Job Pedro Castelo Capapinha é natural de Catete, província do Bengo, onde nasceu aos nove de Maio de 1962. De estado civil casado e residente em Luanda, possui o 2º ano de filosofia e é actualmente funcionário do Ministério da Juventude e Desportos, onde exerce as funções de vice-ministro para a Juventude.
Por seu lado, Francisca de Fátima Espírito Santo Carvalho, filha de Manuel do Espírito Santo Carvalho e de Rosa Batalha Espírito Santo de Carvalho, nasceu aos quatro de Fevereiro de 1949 na cidade do Namibe, província com o mesmo nome.
Residente em Luanda, possui como habilitações literárias o 2º ano do curso de Engenharia Civil, tendo como ocupação profissional a categoria de técnica docente. Funcionária do Ministério da Educação, Francisca do Espírito Santo exerceu, entre outros, os cargos de directora nacional de recursos humanos do Ministério da Construção, directora do Instituto Nacional de Bolsas de Estudos (Inabe), vice- ministra da Educação, vice-ministra da Educação e Cultura e coordenadora Nacional do programa Educação Para Todos (2002).
A Comissão Administrativa do Governo da Província de Luanda, nomeada em Janeiro deste ano com o objectivo de dar maior celeridade a resolução dos principais problemas que enfermam a capital do país, essencialmente a problemática do lixo e da urbanização, passa agora a ser constituída por Job Capapinha (coordenador), António Van-Dúnem e Francisca do Espírito Santos.
Governo de Luanda convoca conferências de imprensa mensais
Luanda, 19/10 - O governo da provincia de Luanda vai realizar mensalmente conferências de imprensa para informar os munícipes sobre os projectos e os programas concebidos para ultrapassar os diferentes problemas que afectam a cidade.
Segundo a directora provincial do Gabinete de Estudos, Planeamento e Estatísticas do governo provincial, Judith Pereira, os encontros serão mensais para que a população se inteire dos problemas da cidade e saiba que programas do governo foram concebidos para os resolver.
Judith Pereira falava num encontro convocado pelo novo coordenador da Comisssão de Gestão Administrativa de Luanda, Job Capapinha, com as direcções do órgãos de comunicação social nacionais e estrangeiros, para a apelar o seu apoio na informação dos munícipes e divulgação dos projectos para melhoria da imagem da cidade.
A nova direcção da Comissão de Gestão Administrativa de Luanda foi nomeada há duas semanas em substituição àquela liderada por Higino Carneiro que ficou apenas com a pasta de ministro das Obras Públicas
Malanje: Gamek tem nova comissão de gestão
Malanje, 20/10 - O ministro da Energia e Águas, Botelho de Vasconcelos, apresentou terça-feira, em Capanda, na província de Malanje, a nova comissão de gestão do Gabinete de Aproveitamento do Médio Kwanza (Gamek), a qual vai assegurar os destinos da empresa enquanto aguarda-se pela nomeação de um novo director.
A comissão é coordenada pela engenheira Emanuela Bernadeth, nomeada pelo ministro Botelho de Vasconcelos, no quadro da remodelação que se operou recentemente na direcção do Gamek.
A anterior direçcão era chefiada por José Sonemberg.
Na ocasião, o ministro das Obras Públicas, Higino Carneiro, disse que a comissão ora apresentada vai permanecer em Capanda, por forma a dar continuidade aos trabalhos em curso, que vão permitir o arranque da segunda turbina.
O complexo hidro-eléctrico de capanda tem uma capacidade instalada de 520 megawatts e permitirá o aumento da capacidade e fiabilidade na produção e transmissão do sistema Norte, bem como fará a interligação com o sistema Centro e Sul do país.
Os testes preliminares para a geração de energia na primeira turbina de Capanda iniciaram em Dezembro de 2003, estando esta a gerar 180 megawatts. As obras da barragem de Capanda tiveram inicio em 1987, tendo sido paralisadas em 1992 devido a guerra, e actualmente estão a cargo da empresa Russa "Tecnopromoexport2 e da construtora brasileira Odebrecht.
Para testemunhar a cerimónia de apresentação do novo corpo de direcção do Gamek estiveram presentes, além de outras individualidades, o titular da pasta da Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural, Gilberto Lutucuta, e o governador de Malanje, Cristóvão da Cunha.
Semanario Angolense 23 Oct 2004
Governo felicíssimo da silva com alta do preço do petróleo Como e onde gastar os milhões que aterram nos cofres do Estado?
A meio desta semana, o preço do barril de petróleo oscilou entre 53 e 54 dólares. Há um mês, com o barril na casa dos 40 dólares, o Governo admitira que já tinha encaixado 250 milhões que estavam fora das suas previsões. Com a instabilidade no Médio Oriente e a crise na Nigéria é provável que Angola venha a registar a entrada suplementar de 80 a 100 milhões de dólares até ao final do ano. Não havendo sinais da realização proximamente da conferência de doadores, sendo certo, porém, que a comunidade internacional está atenta a entrada deste dinheiro, o Semanário Angolense selecionou algumas entidades angolanas e uma estrangeira ( o Professor norte-americano Gerard Bender) às quais pediu que respondessem a três perguntas: 1. Como pensa que o Governo deve aplicar este dinheiro? 2- Acredita que o Governo poderia ver-se tentado a congelar esse dinheiro para beneficiar o Mpla nas próximas eleições? 3- O Governo não se pronunciou até aqui sobre o destino que deu ao dinheiro (70? 80? 100 milhões de dólares?) resgatado de bancos suíços. Acredita que ele seja suficientemente aberto para dizer aos angolanos o que vai fazer do dinheiro extra vindo do petróleo?
Gerald Bender (Eua) Professor Universitário
«É óbvio que as prioridades devem ser a educação e a agricultura»
Como deveriam ser aplicados estes fundos? É necessário pensar-se, primeiro, no seu impacto a curto e a longo prazos. Existem, obviamente, várias prioridades a curto prazo, que vão desde a reparação de estradas e de pontes ao fornecimento de energia e água. Tudo isto poderá resultar na melhoria do dia a dia dos angolanos. Porém, gostaria de me concentrar nos benefícios a longo prazo. É minha convicção que está na hora dos angolanos pensarem sobre o seu futuro, devendo começar por investir na educação e na agricultura. Todos os estudos sobre desenvolvimento indicam que o ensino é um sector prioritário no que toca a investimentos. Angola tem grandes carências nesta matéria, investindo menos de um terço do que fazem os outros países da Sadc. Na verdade, diríamos que em matéria de ensino – do primário ao universitário – Angola despende anualmente menos do que aquilo que a Universidade do Cabo, que é apenas uma das 25 universidades sul-africanas, despende a cada ano. No orçamento em vigor estão previstos 40 milhões de dólares para a Universidade Agostinho Neto, sendo que 5 milhões deveriam ir para a Faculdade de Medicina. Precisando desesperadamente de médicos, como pode Angola prepará-los com um orçamento para a Faculdade de Medicina fixado em 5 milhões de dólares? Numa perspectiva mais alargada diria que a minha universidade, a USC – Universidade da Califórnia do Sul – que é apenas uma das 4168 universidades americanas, tem um orçamento anual de 1.5 mil milhões de dólares, ou 1.5 biliões como se diz na gíria angolana, dos quais 260 milhões cabem à Faculdade de Medicina. Indo por partes diria que o primeiro investimento na educação deveria ser o aumento substancial dos salários dos professores a todos os níveis, de forma a atrair mais e os melhores. É mau e perverso que para sua sobrevivência, alguns professores tenham que sucumbir ao suborno alimentado por alguns encarregados de educação. Por outro lado, deveria ser massificado um sistema de concessão de empréstimos e bolsas de estudo, com o qual nenhum estudante qualificado viria o seu acesso à universidade rejeitado por falta de dinheiro. A concessão de empréstimos e de bolsas não deveria, em nenhum caso, ser confinado à Universidade Agostinho Neto. Estão a ser formados agora em boas universidades privadas angolanas médicos, economistas, engenheiros, etc. etc. O sistema que proponho deveria servir também os alunos inscritos nestas escolas. Os estudantes mais dotados deveriam receber bolsas de estudo, enquanto que os outros estariam habilitados a empréstimos com taxas de juro baixas, a serem pagas num período de 10 anos. Este sistema triunfou nos Estados Unidos e noutras partes do mundo. Estas bolsas de estudo e empréstimos deveriam ter como suporte primário o dinheiro resultante da alta do petróleo. O dinheiro «repatriado» da Suiça também deveria ser aplicado na constituição destes fundos. Alguns angolanos com largos milhões lá fora, dizem que estão a guardar o dinheiro para investirem em Angola numa melhor oportunidade. A oportunidade é agora, ajudando o país na educação das próximas gerações. Entendo, também, que os actos de beneficência, ou doações ou ainda actos de caridade, pouco comuns em Angola, poderiam ser outra fonte geradora de receitas. Sei que existem algumas fundações em Angola - pequenas, diga-se – mas grande parte das doações que angariam é solicitada por estrangeiros. Voltando à minha escola, diria que qualquer um dos seus mais de 150 edifícios tem o nome da pessoa que fez a doação, como são os casos de Steven Spielberg e George Lukas. Existem angolanos que fizeram mais dinheiro do que aquilo que poderiam gastar com eles e com os seus filhos, logo porque não doar o dinheiro para construção, por exemplo, da Faculdade de Engenharia. Uma faculdade construída com doações poderia ganhar o nome do patrocinador. Por exemplo, Faculdade de Engenharia Elísio do Povo, ou Faculdade de Medicina José do Povo. Assim, esses doadores poderiam deixar para a educação das próximas gerações melhor legado do que este? Quase todas as escolas em Angola carecem de reparações. Ao invés de providenciar apenas o dinheiro, o Governo deveria assumir a liderança na mobilização, a título voluntário, de encarregados de educação e de estudantes para a reparação das escolas. Esta estratégia, que já vem sendo implementada pela BP amoco, poderia «contagiar» todo o país. As escolas têm que estar equipadas com carteiras. Há 21 pequenas fábricas em Benguela que vêm produzindo carteiras escolares, estando também em construção fábricas maiores em Luanda. Um investimento nesta área depende de um compromisso do Governo em dar a cada aluno uma carteira. Resumindo, Angola tem necessidades imediatas como o fornecimento de água e energia, recolha de lixo. Investir nesta área teria um impacto no dia a dia dos cidadãos. Tendo em atenção as eleições de 2006, receio que os dirigentes do Mpla apostem em estratégias de impacto imediato. Seria muito bom, entretanto, que estes líderes pudessem pensar um pouco também no futuro deste país a longo prazo. Tenho defendido o princípio de que este dinheiro que chegou de forma «inesperada» deve ser aplicado na educação. A agricultura é outra área vital para o futuro onde este dinheiro devia ser investido. No tempo colonial, Angola produzia comida suficiente para alimentar os angolanos, exportar e conseguir dinheiro extra. Desde que a guerra terminou em 2002, Angola conseguiu milagrosamente mais dos seus 4 milhões de deslocados. Há necessidade de se investir nestas pessoas, de forma a ajudá-las a sobreviverem e a ajudarem o país a crescer. Angola continua a depender da comunidade internacional para alimentar a sua população. Logo, é obvio que a agricultura é uma área onde o dinheiro proveniente do petróleo deve ser investido. Um programa de expansão da agricultura lançado em 1960 no planalto central – o celeiro de Angola – aumentou a produção em 4, 5 vezes mais, não tendo, no entanto, havido um grande investimento. Por conseguinte, é mais uma questão de organização do que de dinheiro, e organização não tem sido um dos pontos fortes deste Governo. Logo, este dinheiro deveria ser investido também na melhoria da eficiência do Governo e na implementação de políticas agrícolas. Em resumo, educação e agricultura deveriam ser as áreas de grandes investimentos durante a guerra. Todos os governos investem no futuro dos seus países. Os lucros decorrentes da subida do preço do petróleo dão ao Governo meios para atingir este fim. Como o Governo vai gerir estes fundos, deverá ser uma questão crucial nas próximas eleições.
«O Governo não embarcará em euforia despesista»
Aguinaldo Jaime ( Ministro Adjunto do Primeiro Ministro)
1. Nenhum analista previu, no início do ano, que o preço do petróleo conheceria os altos níveis em que ele hoje se encontra. Do mesmo modo, é difícil prever durante quanto tempo mais o preço se manterá nos actuais patamares. Todavia, parece pacífica a ideia segundo a qual o preço actual do crude não é sustentável, a médio e longo prazos, já que alguns dos factores, que estão na base da subida do preço, têm natureza extra- económica. De facto, embora se assista a um incremento da procura provocado pelo crescimento industrial da China e da Índia, há a referir outros factores, igualmente de peso, como a instabilidade no Iraque e no delta do Níger, na Nigéria, que é a zona de maior produção nesse país africano, e a incerteza quanto ao futuro da maior empresa petrolífera, na Rússia. Assim, neste quadro, de grande volatilidade do preço do crude, a melhor política é a prudência orçamental, inimiga da euforia despesista, sobretudo ao nível da despesa corrente. Para 2005, e apesar desta receita extraordinária, proporcionada pela actual subida do preço do crude, o Governo não vai embarcar em nenhuma euforia despesista. Pelo contrário, o Governo vai prosseguir a sua política de consolidação fiscal, reduzindo a despesa corrente e aumentando a despesa com o Sector Social, sobretudo com a Educação e a Saúde. O Governo aumentará, igualmente, a despesa com investimentos estruturantes, em infra-estruturas que potenciem o relançamento, no País, da actividade económica produtiva, sobretudo a não petrolífera. Só assim poderemos vencer a fome, a miséria, a doença e o analfabetismo e aumentar o emprego. Sendo o nosso Orçamento Geral do Estado estruturalmente deficitário, a receita extraordinária conseguida, e que é objecto de contabilização e gestão separadas, no quadro do Fundo do Tesouro Nacional, juntar-se-á à receita ordinária para financiar a despesa em 2005, nos termos já descritos. Em obediência ao imperativo da transparência na gestão da coisa pública, o Governo e a Assembleia Nacional, por um lado, e a opinião pública nacional e internacional, por outro, serão regularmente informados sobre o uso dado aos dinheiros públicos, em geral, e o uso das receitas petrolíferas, em particular. 2. O benefício ao Mpla, a haver, só poderá ser indirecto. Na verdade, sendo o Mpla o sustentáculo político do Governo, uma melhoria global da situação económica e financeira do país, com reflexos directos no bem-estar e na qualidade de vida dos angolanos, beneficiará, obviamente, o Governo e, em última análise, o Mpla. Não é possível, pelas regras de gestão hoje em vigor, e pelo escrutínio interno e externo a que estão sujeitos os actos de gestão financeira do Estado, usar dinheiros públicos para benefício directo de um qualquer partido político. O Mpla beneficia dos subsídios que a lei confere aos partidos políticos. Outros recursos só poderão ser provenientes de receitas próprias, nos termos da lei. Para os mais cépticos, que acham que Angola parou no tempo e que nenhumas transformações têm ocorrido, na gestão dos recursos públicos, permito-me citar uma passagem do último comunicado do Fmi, publicado após a missão de 21 de Julho, em Angola: «As recentes melhorias relativas à transparência, em especial no tocante às receitas petrolíferas, à dívida externa e às operações envolvendo a Sonangol resultaram numa clarificação louvável relativamente à posição fiscal do Governo, em 2003.» Não creio que, em matéria de transparência, possa haver instituição mais insuspeita do que o FMI. 3. O «dossier» dos dinheiros congelados na Suíça ainda não chegou ao fim, prosseguindo as diligências diplomáticas para a sua conclusão. Por tal razão, nenhuma informação foi, por ora, prestada aos angolanos. Quando tudo terminar, estou firmemente convencido de que os angolanos serão de tudo informados, no quadro das novas regras em vigor, de transparência e boa governação, que levaram, por exemplo, o Governo Angolano a divulgar o montante dos bónus petrolíferos, percebidos aquando da renovação da concessão de Cabinda, bem como a anunciar, publicamente, o montante das receitas adicionais percebidas, no primeiro semestre, em virtude da actual tendência altista do preço do crude. Já houve quem tivesse questionado os valores divulgados. Para refutar tais objecções, teria de alongar-me em considerações sobre a estrutura dos Contratos de Partilha de Produção, o «cost oil», o «profit oil» e a problemática dos subsídios orçamentais aos preços dos combustíveis, o que me levaria, suponho, a extravasar o âmbito desta consulta.
«O Governo deveria priorizar redução dos déficits alimentares»
João Gonçalves Economista
1- O dinheiro extra pode ser considerado como poupança que deve ser orientado para o investimento prioritário. Aliás, esse é o grande desafio em todas as economias que têm na exportação de petróleo a sua grande fonte de receita: como difundir os efeitos dessa receita em beneficio de toda a sociedade. A primeira prioridade seria reduzir os déficits alimentares que incidem, negativamente, tanto no prolongamento da pobreza como no peso das importações. Um sistema de crédito à produção agro-alimentar teria como efeito melhorar a oferta interna desses produtos e permitia transferir despesas de importação de bens de consumo para bens de equipamento. Seria uma mudança radical na estrutura do mercado interno e pode ser feito por duas vias. a) A via clássica do empréstimo às pequenas e médias iniciativas, quer de tipo empresarial ou de tipo campesinato-familiar, sob condições monitoradas mas abordáveis, acompanhado de vantagens fiscais durante um certo período. Estas vantagens podem ser extensivas a empresas de maior porte. b) A via da diversificação de bens manufaturados no campo ou nas periferias rurais, como estímulo à produção comercializável. A segunda prioridade é investir seriamente na recuperação e conservação de infra- estruturas, na medida em que a reanimação econômica tem nelas um dos eixos decisivos: abastecimento de água e energia compatíveis com o potencial nacional; vias de escoamento que garantam normal circulação de pessoas e bens; meios de telecomunicação fiáveis. 2 - O congelamento desse dinheiro (no sentido da sua não aplicação ou guarda-lo para qualquer outra utilização posterior) seria um erro político, na medida em que não é possível impedir a sociedade de se interrogar sobre o aumento de receitas sem efeito sobre as condições de vida. Como também seria um erro reservar esse dinheiro para pagar dívidas, obedecendo a imposições de algumas instituições financeiras internacionais. Angola terá uma situação financeira tanto mais sadia quanto mais depressa recuperar do ponto de vista da capacidade produtiva. E qualquer formação política será tanto mais forte quanto mais responder às exigências sociais. 3 - Uma das características de Angola hoje – e de todo o mundo – é a forma e rapidez como as informações circulam. Já não é possível impedir esse fenômeno que, ou se passa de forma aberta ou paralela. A informação é considerada por várias escolas de pensamento econômico como o principal «custo de transação», sendo mais eficazes aqueles operadores que melhor a saibam tratar. Por outro lado, a informação é um direito humano do qual ninguém abdica. Nestes termos, qualquer Estado tem o dever de transparência. 4 - Além do que opinei na primeira pergunta, posso acrescentar, como dado óbvio, que o sucesso daquelas medidas vai depender do avanço na formação dos recursos humanos. No momento, Angola não tem os recursos humanos necessários ao aproveitamento e transformação dos seus recursos naturais. Quer dizer que qualquer programa de estímulo à produção e à recuperação, deve estar aliado à educação e contribuir para ela. Em definitivo, é a multiplicação das iniciativas produtivas que gera mais meios para financiar um sistema de educação de bom desempenho.
Presidente da República procede à remodelação governamental
Luanda, 22/10 - O Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, exonerou hoje, em Luanda, os ministros da Administração do Território, Fernando Faustino Muteka, do Urbanismo e Ambiente, Virgílio Ferreira de Fontes Pereira, e do Comércio, Victorino Domingos Hossi.
Fazendo uso da faculdade que lhe confere a Lei Constitucional, José Eduardo dos Santos, nomeou para ministro da Administração do Território, Virgílio Fontes Pereira, do Comércio, Joaquim Ekuma Muafumua, e do Urbanismo e Ambiente, Diakunpuna Sita José.
Foram ainda exonerados os Vice-Ministros das Pescas, Henrique André Júnior, do Interior, Diamantino Sauanbo Kungulo, e da Comunicação Social,Graciano Tululo.
Para Vice-Ministros do Interior, o Presidente da República, nomeou, Júnior Kuamutali Uambique Kanavanaqui, da Comunicação Social, Fonseca Manuel Chindondo, e das Pescas, Victória Francisco Lopes de Barros Neto.
Ainda segundo os decretos, foram exonerados os governadores provinciais do Bengo, Isalino Mendes e do Kwanza Norte, Manuel Pedro Pacavira e o Vice- governador da província do Zaire para a Esfera Económica e Social, Domingos Dilu Kumbo.
O Presidente nomeou para exercer as funções de governador da província do Bengo, Jorge Inocêncio Dombolo, do Kwanza-Norte, Henrique André Júnior, e para Vice-governador provincial do Zaire para a Esfera Económica e Social, José Simão Helena.
José Eduardo dos Santos indigitou para Director do Gabinete de Reconstrução Nacional, Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Júnior.
Igualmente foi exonerado o Director do Gabinete de Obras Especiais (GOE), Adriano Estevão da Silva Maiano e nomeado para seu substituto, Manuel Ferreira Clemente Júnior.
Jornal de Angola 22 de Outubro
Acordo com o FMI previsto para Janeiro
Luís Costa, jornalista da Voz da América em Washington
Janeiro é entendido pelas autoridades angolanas como data provável para a obtenção de um acordo com o Fundo Monetário Internacional. A possibilidade de se chegar a tal depende de como decorrerem as consultas que o governo de Angola manterá nas próximas semanas, em Luanda, com uma delegação chefiada pelo director geral adjunto do Fundo Monetário Internacional, Takatoshi Kato.
Observadores em Washington disseram que os tempos são outros e só isto explica a inclusão de Angola nesta viagem de Kato. " Há dois anos, uma visita desta natureza surpreenderia toda a gente".
Por sua vez, autoridades angolanas entendem que o facto de Kato ter incluído Angola na sua agenda - eventualmente apertada - é uma indicação de como as duas partes estão empenhadas na obtenção de um acordo. "Nós estamos interessados num entendimento com o FMI, e eles estão interessados em que Angola seja um caso de sucesso. Por conseguinte, se prevalecer o optimismo pela última missão acreditamos que possamos ter um acordo na mesa em Janeiro próximo".
Fonte familiar às negociações disse que, conquanto o FMI mantenha reservas em relação a Angola, a visita de Takatoshi é seguramente um sinal de que o programa de reformas concebido inteiramente por angolanos, tem a bênção do FMI em quase toda a sua plenitude.
As duas partes parecem um pouco distantes no que toca à velocidade das reformas e à dimensão do envolvimento do Estado. Um alto funcionário angolano disse que, tendo Angola que resolver questões como a reposição efectiva da administração do Estado e reassentamento de deslocados e refugiados, não há como reduzir a despesa pública, nem tão pouco o papel do estado. " O princípio de menos Governo mais cidadão, ainda não se aplica a Angola".
Um outro impulso às negociações virá logo depois da visita de Takatoshi Kato, pois a equipa de peritos do FMI que estuda o Orçamento Geral do Estado e o programa de Governo para o próximo ano, aprovados esta semana, também tem viagem marcada para Angola.
Questões relativas às contas angolanas, controlo da inflação, financiamento do déficit e gestão de reservas internacionais serão susceptíveis de consumir a maior parte da próxima ronda de consultas.
Os peritos do FMI deveriam visitar Luanda há cerca de 3 semanas, mas a presença em Washington, de uma delegação angolana que para assistir a assembleia anual do Fundo, e a preparação do OGE e do orçamento geral do Estado, impuseram o adiamento das consultas.
"Não fazia sentido estarem em Luanda sem antes analisarem o programa do Governo e o projecto de orçamento para o próximo ano". A delegação do FMI será chefiada por Michael Baxter, director para Angola. Fonte familiar às consultas disse que, uma vez na posse dos dados sobre o Orçamento e Programa do Governo, Michael Baxter e sua equipa poderão descer com luz verde do "board" do FMI para levarem as negociações com Angola a outro nível.
O acordo, a sair de um eventual entendimento entre Luanda e o FMI, deverá ser o chamado PRGF, Poverty Reduction Gross Facility, ao invés do ESAF, que marcou as primeiras consultas entre as duas partes.
Entretanto, interrogada sobre as metas previstas no OGE e no programa para 2005, fonte oficial angolana disse que não se pode dizer que trabalhar para baixar a inflação até 15 por cento não seja ambicioso, sem se ter em conta o facto de que a economia angolana em 2003 registava uma taxa de inflação 76 por cento. "Ainda não podemos falar de 1 dígito, na medida em que o nosso país sofre pressões para acomodar questões relativas ao processo social, para além de que precisamos de restabelecer os stocks de capital".
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks October 21, 2004 Thursday
Angola; Red Tape Could Ground Humanitarian Flights
Bureaucratic wrangling over airport fees is threatening to halt all World Food Programme (WFP) flights in Angola. The flights provide vital food aid to around one million hungry Angolans as well as access to remote areas for thousands of aid workers. ENANA, Angola's national airport administrator, wants WFP to pay all airport taxes, including navigation, landing, passenger and parking fees for flights operated by the UN food agency. Jose Fernandez, WFP's Head of Air Operations, told IRIN that unless an outstanding debt for the fees was paid, ENANA would refuse to allow WFP's flights to take off and land as of 23 October. "There is an agreement between the MINARS (the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration) and WFP that all costs relating to these humanitarian flights will be borne by the government," Fernandez said. "WFP's Country Director has written the MINARS minister, Joao Baptista Kussumua, drawing attention to this matter," he added. Each month WFP distributes around 10,000 mt of emergency food aid to 1.1 million Angolans unable to feed themselves after a brutal 27-year civil war that ended in April 2002. The agency also offers a free passenger service to UN staff, NGOs and the donor community to and from areas that remain largely inaccessible, but where humanitarian assistance is nevertheless being provided. The government pays for the fuel, helping to reduce the costs of the operation substantially. "This is an immediate risk but I am confident that the government will resolve it soon," said Fernandez. Earlier this year WFP operations also fell foul of Angolan bureaucracy when tonnes of food were stuck for months in Luanda's port, waiting for the government to pay customs and port taxes, but the dispute was eventually resolved. Apart from distributing food, the humanitarian community relies on WFP flights, with an average of 2,000 aid workers transported each month to areas that cannot be reached by road or commercial air service. The service is already facing a funding shortage, which will force it to reduce the frequency of some of its flights. Fernandez estimated that WFP needs around US $250,000 if it is to continue providing services until the end of the year. While improved road access to some areas and more commercial flights mean that WFP will be able to prune its schedule next year, it still needs $1.5 million to provide the service during the first half of 2005. "We are in the process of focusing on which areas need more support because we need to cut our activities. Our resources are declining as we move out of the emergency phase of our operations and donors are no longer willing to support us as they did in the past years," Fernandez explained. "Some areas will be affected in terms of reduced frequency, but we won't abandon any area," he added.
World Markets Analysis October 22, 2004
Angola Expects 15% Inflation, 16% GDP Growth in 2005
According to a spokesperson from the Angolan Ministry of Finance, Angola is targetting a 15% inflation rate, and expects strong GDP growth of 16% based on expanding oil production in 2005. The figures will be used to prepare the 2005 budget.
Significance: The growth projections may not be realistic, particularly if oil prices come off their currently high level. The Angolan government had forecast 13.2% for 2004, but GDP is now estimated to grow by a still impressive 11.7% this year. Similarly, the 20% inflation target for 2004 is unlikely to be reached, with the IMF recently highlighting the flaws in Angola's monetary policy.
International Oil Daily October 22, 2004
China Edges Out India for Angolan Prize After Political Move by State Sonangol
Angolan state oil firm Sonangol plans to sell a 50% stake in its offshore Block 18 development to a Chinese firm, Chinese state media have reported. Royal Dutch/Shell reached an agreement with India's ONGC Videsh in April to sell the Indian firm its half share in Block 18 for $600 million, but Sonangol two months ago invoked contractual pre-emption rights that give it power to select field partners. The block is expected to start production in early 2007 and has a target production rate of 250,000 barrels per day (IOD Apr.14,p2). "China managed to swing the deal by offering aid to the tune of $2 billion for a variety of projects to Angola, compared to India's offer of $200 million for developing railways," the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Sonangol's apparent decision to drop ONGC Videsh in favor of China has been driven by political considerations. Beijing is an important donor and potential trading partner for Angola, which has built up hefty hard currency debts, mostly in the form of oil-backed loans that the International Monetary Fund has tried in vain to discourage Luanda from using. India is still pursuing diplomat attempts to land the Block 18 share, The Times of India newspaper reported. The Indian foreign ministry and ONGC Videsh are currently working out a "customized" political economic package for Angola that could sweeten the deal and outbid China's offer. Angola has said that it might entertain India's offer once Shell was out of the picture. According to the Indian reports, Angolan Oil Minister Desiderio da Graca Verissimo e Costa assured Indian counterpart Mani Shankar Aiyar in Vienna last month to consider India's request after exercising its pre-emption right. However, after returning to Luanda, the Angolan minister declared that India should "forget" Block 18 and wait for other opportunities. Block 18 will be operated by BP.
International Oil Daily October 22, 2004
FMC Takes Angola Contract
U.S. FMC Technologies has won a contract worth $120 million from France's Total to supply subsea systems for the Rosa field development in Angola's deepwater Block 17. The company's Kongsberg Subsea affiliate will provide 18 subsea trees, manifolds, production controls and associated systems and FMC will also supply technical services related to installation and startup. Deliveries will be completed over a multi-year period starting early in 2005. The Rosa field lies in water depths ranging from 4,200-4,900 ft and is located about 15 km from the Girassol floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) system. The field is slated to come on stream in the first half of 2007, and will raise and prolong the peak production of the FPSO. Angola's state Sonangol is the Block 17 concessionaire. Total's other partners are Exxon Mobil, BP, Statoil and Norsk Hydro. The Rosa development is a tieback to the Total-operated Girassol field.
World Markets Analysis October 22, 2004
Government Alleges Infiltration of Angola by Islamic Extremists
The head of Angola's External Intelligence Services, Constantino Vitiaca, has voiced his concern about the infiltration of trans-national terrorist networks in Angola. Speaking at a meeting of International Relations students in the capital, Luanda, Vitiaca claimed that organised terrorist groups with connections to terrorist organisation al-Qaida have entered the country using false documents obtained with the assistance of businessmen and Islamic non- governmental organisations (NGOs) based in Angola. According to Vitiaca, the government has a 'perfect knowledge' of the activities of such terrorist groups and networks but does not have the resources to control movement across Angola's borders.
Significance: Vitiaca's observations come as something of a surprise: few other organisations have suggested that al-Qaida has extended its African presence to the south-western country. Angola is not the most obvious target for terrorist attack, nor is it thought to be a fertile recruiting ground for the membership of extremist groups. The identification of a transnational terrorist threat could have been designed by the government to serve two purposes: firstly as a way of reducing the freedom of manoeuvre of relatively autonomous civil society organisations (including Islamic NGOs and members of the new business class); and secondly as a way of further strengthening Angola's relations with the US. Angola now plays an important part in guaranteeing US energy security. Perhaps it also hopes to play a stronger part in the US anti-terror campaign.
World Markets Analysis October 22, 2004
Temporary Fix for Angolan Opposition Leadership Dispute
The leadership dispute that has divided the opposition National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) for the past six years remains unresolved, even following the closure of the party's 'Reconciliation Congress' held this week in the capital, Luanda. It had been expected that the FNLA would elect a new leader at the end of the Congress, choosing between the party's founder, Holden Roberto, and Lucas Ngonda, whose election as party leader in 1998 prompted the split (see Angola: 29 April 2004: Angolan Opposition Party Reunited After Five Years of Schism). However, logistical problems and on-going internal disputes led to the repeated postponement of the Congress, and now a further delay to the leadership election. Under an agreement hatched during the final session, Roberto was appointed party leader for the next 10 months, with Ngonda serving as his deputy, and Roberto's current Secretary- General - Ngola Kabango - as Second Vice-President. Ngonda's Secretary-General will occupy the same position within the reunited FNLA.
Significance: Yet another Congress is now planned for next August, by which time the FNLA hopes to be ready for the expense and complexity of electing a leader. The reasons for the delay of the election are not clear, although threats of a boycott by the reformist wing of the party may have played a part. It looks increasingly as if Roberto and Ngonda are trying to stitch up the leadership, and would be happier to divide party power between themselves than risk losing it to a younger and more energetic generation of party cadres.
Angola Press Agency October 21, 2004 Thursday
Government General Program Approved
The General Program of the Government for 2005-2006, which enumerates a package of objectives among them is highlighted the consolidation of peace and national reconciliation, was approved today, here, by the Cabinet Council, during a session presided by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Among the objectives includes also the building of the basis for the constitution of an integrated and self-sustained economy capable to contribute for the fight against hunger and poverty, in order to promote the social stability. The Program places the recovery of the national production as central nucleus of the linked sub-programmes that constitute it, reads a press communique released at the meeting. In that way, the public investments will be implemented in order to guarantee the functioning of the sectors and the economic recovery.
Lloyd's List International October 22, 2004
Rates price war subsides as EWATA restores calm: Europe-West Africa liner trades left reeling as rates plummeted in recent months
A PRICE war that has left the Europe-West Africa liner trades reeling appears to be over, with freight rates starting to move upwards. Efforts by the Europe West Africa Trade Agreement to restore rates are working, members report, with independent lines apparently following suit. "We are getting positive feedback from agents," said Jan-Willem de Braal, deputy director of Rotterdam-headquartered Nile Dutch Africa Line. This is a far cry from the situation a few months ago when EWATA members were forced to abandon planned rate increases as trade conditions deteriorated. Over the course of the summer, West-Afrika Linien-Dienste finally decided to bow out altogether, a few months after P&O Nedlloyd had also withdrawn. Others reduced capacity to try and bring supply closer to demand. Nile Dutch, one of the smaller players, was less directly affected than some of the others by cut-throat competition because of its focus on Angola, but could not altogether avoid the battle for market share going on in other parts of the continent. That was caused, in part, by the arrival of Chilean carrier CSAV and partner line Lykes with a southbound-only service that continues on to South America from where it returns directly to Europe. However, anecdotal evidence suggests those two lines are now starting to follow the conference, Mr de Braal told Lloyd's List. All lines involved in the trade "realise the rate increases make sense and are keeping to them", he said. The conference announced southbound hikes of E200 per 20ft and E360 per 40ft box, effective October 1. These are to be followed by another of E150 per 20 ft and E270 per 40ft at the start of next year. There is still a long way to go before rates are back to where the lines would like them to be, but the difficult trading conditions also reflect a shift on trade patterns, with the traditional Europe-West Africa corridor losing market share as new trade routes open up. West African countries are now buying much more from Asia, South America and South Africa. Nile Dutch, which has been in business for almost a quarter of a century, operates 10 multipurpose ships, of which five are owned and five chartered. Responding to changing trade patterns, the line started getting involved in the cross trades about eight years ago and is now developing that business. A slot charter arrangement with Global Clipper which serves the Brazil- West Africa trades is being expanded, with Nile Dutch now contributing a ship to the service. More informal slot chartering agreements with carriers operating services from Asia to the region are also being set up. Nevertheless, the Europe-West Africa route still accounts for around 70% of Nile Dutch business, with the shipment of secondhand cars an important source of revenue. For all lines serving this trade, it has been a difficult few years, with soaring ship charter rates adding to their financial plight. But three weeks after the start of this new push to improve revenue, the signs are looking promising, said Mr de Braal.
Energy Compass October 22, 2004
Africa: Resource wars
As the global search for energy security intensifies, so Africa's strategic importance increases -- both because of its rarity as a growth region with "available" proven reserves, and because it is an important swing supplier to Asiaand the Americas. Right now, the continent is a battleground for players with varied agendas -- majors, independents, African national oil companies and Asian, particularly Chinese, state firms. How the war unfolds will depend on a number of factors, not least whether strategic imperatives end up turning enemies into allies. With slightly more than 100 billion barrels, Africa has just 8.9% of the world's proved oil reserves, says BP. But it has several things that bigger resource holders don't. First, unlike much of the Middle East, it is open to equity oil investors. Second, its oil -- increasingly produced offshore -- is easier to get out than resources in Central Asia. It's also a safer investment bet than Russia, where the government is grabbing back control over the industry, or Venezuela, which is becoming too hot to handle (EC Oct.15,p9). And it's set to outpace other regions in terms of new production. Some 1.7 million barrels per day is due on stream from 2004-06, and Edinburgh-based Wood Mackenzie reckons sub-Saharan Africa's output alone should grow 73% to 7.1 million b/d by 2009. Right now, the majors dominate both the mature areas, which account for around 430,000 b/d, and growth hotspots Nigeriaand Angola, which produce 3.5 million b/d. Industry consolidation and highly selective profit criteria are encouraging some to divest marginal or non-strategic assets. ChevronTexaco has sold fields producing 19,000 b/d in Democratic Republic of Congo, Eni has shed assets in Mauritania and Gabon, while Royal Dutch/Shell has put its Angolan assets on the block. More divestments could follow if companies decide to sell while prices are high. Increasingly, the majors will focus on deepwater projects that promise higher returns, while maintaining positions in Nigeria's Delta and Angola's Cabindaregions, whose reserves are still a compelling lure. Independents will continue expansion in mature areas, concentrating on marginal fields and enhanced recovery, and on exploration, particularly in frontier regions. Tullow Oil, which acquired African Energy in May, has expanded across east, west and southern Africa, while Premier Oil and Paladin Resources recently entered Gabon's shallow- water Gryphon Marin Block. Africa's national oil companies are also entering the fray. Regional heavyweight South Africa seems driven as much by Pretoria's bid for leadership of the continent as by rising oil prices and the country's minimal hydrocarbons resources. Angola and Nigeriaalso want more influence, as well as expertise: Angolan state Sonangol and its Nigerian counterpart, Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC), could strike strategic deals with independents, offering cut-price Nigerian and Angolan assets in exchange for stakes in other African projects. The trio is trying to cut their teeth in Gabon-- South Africa's PetroSa has bought into Gryphon Marin, Iris Marin and Themis Marin, while Sonangol has a stake in Kiarsseny Marin. PetroSa is also poised to sign for three blocks in Equatorial Guinea, where Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) is eyeing acreage, too. Asian state companies now appear unstoppable. Malaysia's Petronas and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) have expanded well beyond their base in Sudan, which they dominate with India's ONGC Videsh. They are snapping up acreage across the continent and trying to forge strategic alliances with African state firms, as well as independents. CNPC is digging into the Maghreband Sahelregions. It controls Block 12 on Mauritania's coastal basin, has signed up for three permits in neighboring Algeria -- where Sinopec has two permits -- and operates the Tenere exploration permit in Niger. China National Offshore Oil Corp. is also negotiating for acreage in Mali. Sinopec will reportedly develop Nigeria's OML 64 and 66 concessions with NNPC's upstream arm, Nigeria Petroleum Development Co. (NPDC). Beijing also has an eye on Angola, where a recent $2 billion infrastructure credit has reportedly influenced Sonangol to block ONGC's bid for Shell's 50% stake in Block 18, which could now go to Chinese players. In Chad, CNPC is courting politically connected minnow Cliveden Petroleum for a stake in the H concession, while China's Citic Resources Holdings is reportedly wooing Burren Energy for a stake in Congo's M'Boundi field. China's expansion is driven primarily by politics and its need for energy security. And as its state companies seem willing to accept lower returns than publicly traded Western firms, they can strike more deals (see p4). Moreover, Chinese firms can offer "investment packages" that embrace infrastructure, downstream projects and development of other minerals that again give them the edge, Anderson Energy president Charles Anderson told a recent conference in Cape Town. A key question is whether China's quest for energy security will lead it into a resource war with Western majors, backed by their governments, over the next decade. Chinese firms will end up with more assets than the majors, who will likely opt only for the most lucrative plays. Chinese companies will initially focus on inland basins, shallow waters and mature areas. But their growing need for oil will inevitably mean they end up eyeing deeper waters. Some suspect it could eventually prompt them to strike deals with the majors, securing a toehold in the deep water in exchange for downstream positions in China.
National Post (Canada) October 20, 2004 Wednesday
UN shift would have aided Bush war plans
Thanks to the luck of the draw, George W. Bush would likely find it easier to invade Iraq in 2005 than he did in 2003 as key opponents on the UN Security Council are replaced by countries that support the war. From Jan. 1, the seats of Germany and Spain will be filled by Japan and Denmark, both of which sent troops to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. The shift ends the Franco-German alliance -- France is a permanent Security Council member -- that enabled the two nations to block UN approval of U.S. and British proposals to oust Saddam Hussein. It also strips France of the support of Spain, which first backed the Iraq war, but switched after the terrorist bombings in Madrid just before the March election propelled the socialist party of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to unexpected victory. The 15-member Security Council is significant because it is the voice of the entire United Nations on matters of war and peace. Gaining Council approval for international military action is what John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, means when he talks of passing the "global test" of legitimacy. Because five Council members are replaced each year, winning UN support for an internationally divisive issue such as the Iraq war depends to some extent on luck. If the Council is full of allies, a measure will pass easily. If not, it can be blocked with similar ease. Many experts believe the Bush administration would have garnered more support --and possibly approval -- for military action in Iraq with a 2005 Security Council. "They would have had a better chance," says Edward Luck, an international affairs professor at Columbia University, New York, who is writing a book about the Security Council. "Certainly this would have been a somewhat easier combination than the one the U.S. faced back [in 2003]." The three other countries beginning two-year terms are Argentina, Greece and Tanzania. They replace Angola, Chile and Pakistan, part of the six "swing" states who dithered for weeks over backing the war. A successful election in Iraq in January, plus a reduction in violence are also critical to persuading countries to take part in rebuilding the country. Luck says while Argentina has traditionally had a "pretty good relationship" with the United States on security matters and Tanzania is "neither a plus nor a minus," the overall impact of Denmark, Greece and Japan is a "net plus" for Washington. The exit of Pakistan means that Algeria -- which along with Benin, Brazil, the Philippines and Romania has another year to go -- is now the Council's sole Muslim state. Bush administration officials say they welcome "everyone" on to the Council, but are clearly pleased with the new combination. Although Japan is the second-largest financial contributor to the United Nations after the United States, it was shut out from a permanent seat on the Council after the Second World War. "The Japanese in particular are welcomed because it will be an important message to have the first and second most-generous nations on the Security Council making decisions about international peace and security," said Rick Grenell, spokesman for the U.S. mission to the UN. At present, something resembling co-operation reigns. France is working with the United States leading Council efforts to pressure Syria into withdrawing its troops from neighbouring Lebanon. Russia, a long-time Saddam ally and opponent of the Iraq war, is seeking tougher measures on security after the terrorist attacks on a school in Beslan killed hundreds of children. Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, even appeared to endorse Bush for president when he suggested terrorist attacks internationally might increase if Kerry wins. "International terrorism has as its goal to prevent the election of President Bush to a second term," he said in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan on Monday. "If they achieve that goal, then that will give international terrorism a new impulse and extra power." But the Council's frequent inability to act in the face of international divisions shows a need for reform. A panel of international experts will present their ideas in a report expected at the end of the year, but no one is holding their breath that anything will change. Ideas revolve around giving regional powers permanent or five-year terms without the veto. But regional squabbling has already broken out. Pakistan opposes giving India a regional seat; Mexico and Argentina reject the idea of being represented by Brazil; while Nigeria and South Africa vie for the African spot. And so on. So the status quo -- which involves General Assembly rubber-stamping of candidates picked by their regions for two-year terms -- will continue. Canada returns once a decade, and last served in 1999 and 2000.
Jornal de Angola 20 de Outubro
BP-Angola vai produzir 500 mil barris/dia
A BP-Angola vai iniciar a sua produção no primeiro trimestre de 2007, altura em que o Bloco 18, na província do Zaire, deverá produzir 500 mil barris de petróleo por dia, permitindo assim absorção de vários milhões de dólares nos cofres do Estado.
A informação foi recentemente prestada pelo presidente da multinacional em Angola, José Patrício, à saída do palácio do Soyo onde manteve encontro de meia hora com o governador da província do Zaire, general Pedro Sebastião.
Segundo José Patrício, neste momento, a actividade petrolífera da BP assenta fundamentalmente ao nível de parcerias contratuais no bloco 15 com a Exxon e no Bloco 17 do Girassol em offshore do município do Soyo, na província angolana do Zaire.
O representante da BP -Angola disse que, apesar de não arrancar ainda a actividade petrolífera da sua empresa na generalidade como operadora, a sua companhia "já produziu acima de 100 mil barris de crude por dia e a estratégia visa revolucionar as operações de produção numa perspectiva de vir a ser uma das maiores empresas do ramo ao nível do país."
Neste momento, disse, decorrem estudos milimétricos em termos de viabilidade e racionalidade, para a definição do local onde será erguida a base de apoio da actividade petrolífera do Bloco 18, também localizado no Soyo, "já que o Bloco 31, um outro novo em via de exploração no final desta década, foi já definido para funcionar no Soyo". O assunto já começou a produzir reacções por parte das autoridades locais.
José Patrício deixou claro que a presença da BP-Angola no Zaire, na qualidade de parceiro estratégico do Governo a longo prazo, assume um papel preponderante por ter influências firmes no ponto de vista da geração de mais postos de emprego às populações, não só com os blocos de petróleo referidos, como também ao nível do projecto de gás designado LNG. A acção permitirá a absorção de investimentos no domínio social, por forma a atrair o desenvolvimento e progresso social almejado pela população.
The Times of India October 20, 2004
DIPLOMACY AT WORK TO SAVE ANGOLA OIL DEAL
NEW DELHI -- India is pulling out all diplomatic stops to get a renewed shot at an Angolan offshore oilfield. Angola has blocked India's 50 per cent equity participation in production of Block 18 that could have given India five million tonnes of crude oil from 2008. The foreign office and ONGC Videsh are currently working out a "customised" political economic package for Angola that could sweeten the deal and outbid China's offer. Angola has said that it might entertain India's offer after Shell was out of the picture. Suspicions here that the Angolan oil company, Sonangol, might tilt towards China because of a $ 2-billion aid package by Beijing are also overstated, sources said, because Angola is aware that India would construe such a move as an "unfriendly act". Sonangol exercised its first right of refusal with Shell, pre-empting its bid to sell its 50 per cent of the 10-million-tonne per annum offshore Block 18 to ONGC. Angolan petroleum minister Desiderio da Graca Verissimo e Costa had assured oil minister Mani Shankar Aiyar at Vienna to consider India's request after using the pre-emption right. However, after returning to Luanda, he went back on his word to say that India should "forget" the Block 18 oilfield and wait for other opportunities. For the present, Sonangol is likely to continue to hold on to the equity, while weighing the pros and cons of an Indian presence. India is working out a more attractive incentive package for Angola and Sonangol. Earlier, India had indicated that it would give development assistance of $ 20 million spread over two years, manpower training and a railway rehabilitation project. But this was outweighed by China's much more attractive offer. India is having to rethink a lot of its traditional ways of aid and assistance, like training, technology, or even harping on old political relationships with countries, which just do not do the trick any more. Angola: Columnist Scores Country's Slow Pace Politics
AFP20041002000056 Luanda Folha 8 in Portuguese 02 Oct 04 p 6,7
[Article by Joao Paulo Nganga: "Angola Plagued by the Tortoise Syndrome"]
[FBIS Translated Text]
While addressing the residents of Malanje, who were dissatisfied with his administration, Flavio Fernandes, the former governor of that province, portrayed a tortoise in a most brilliant manner. In his typical arrogant style, Flavio Fernandes is said to have asked the fearful residents whether they had ever seen a tortoise up in a tree.
Fernandes' metaphor depicted popular wisdom at its best. The tortoise comes across as a stylish and fascinating figure, full of magic. It is unique in the way it characterizes the country's situation.
The tortoise seems to prevail upon the country's administration. For the majority of Angolans, except the tortoise and its keeper, a tortoise suggests a slow, inadequate and unsatisfactory movement.
Obviously, with the advent of peace, it was expected that the country would review its modus operandi so that broader sectors of society would be served better. That has not been the case.
In tandem with economic growth, there has been a decline in life expectancy. Angolans face renewed despair as they go about their daily lives.
Nobody can deny that there have been changes here and there in terms of budget administration, political debate, clear-cut public accounts, a decrease in repressive measures, increased productivity, more social rights, and so on. Nonetheless, it would be difficult to deny that changes have taken place at tortoise's pace.
The country seems to be lacking momentum to be able to reach the peak as it gains international standing as seen in Eduardo Sambo's recent election as Africa's representative of the WHO; Angola's membership of the UN Security Council; the victory at the seventh African basketball tournament; and the fabulous gold medal won at the Paralympic games by Jose Sayovo during the 100-meter athletics competition.
The most obvious example of the prevailing tortoise behavior is perhaps the outcome of the fifth MPLA [Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola] congress held in December 2003.
It was expected that the ruling party's congress would impart an unprecedented social dynamic to the country, and that the merger of the old and new generations would be announced with pomp and circumstance. So far, the congress has resulted in a sophisticated civic education campaign, but the results are very difficult to quantify.
Relatively speaking, the equation between the replacement of Joao Lourenco (general secretary) with Pitra Neto (vice chairman), has heightened the atmosphere of social distention and interaction. In absolute terms, it has paved the way for an array of intentions.
Nine months after, the fifth congress seems to have been organized with the mind exclusively set on the sixth congress. Given the ambitious strategy that was put to the test, the end to democratic centralism, the overtures made to the younger generation, and other measures, the fifth congress should go down in history as the "Deferring Congress." More so, in view of the ruling party's decision to keep on postponing, for the sake of maintaining the status quo, the reforms that are necessary to the country.
Thus, in true tortoise fashion, one has been waiting for the long-awaited cabinet reshuffle. Given the delay in announcing the reshuffle, the cabinet changes should be sadly lethargic as if to match what has been speculated about it.
Nobody believes that the expectations that have been created can match the ensuing suspense. After nine months of anxiety, it was expected that the president would pull out of his hat a dynamic, successful and active team that could reverse the current tortoise-like pace of events, thereby bringing about an interactive relationship with he masses so as to change the prevailing situation.
Nobody believes, including the coach, in the virtues and capacities of his team, nor in the new and old protégés tied down to a clientele system. This was eloquently and truly spelled out by the president in a speech on the occasion of his birthday. Said the president: "We often feel somewhat restrained when the need to introduce changes arises. Families are the first to be affected by such a situation. Those who succeed feel happy for having acquired privileges, prestige, and benefits, while those who lose their status feel desperate... I get very worried when I need to make these types of decisions." That was the message that the president conveyed in a speech that was memorable, given its tone, format and content.
The skepticism about the possibility of change in social lethargy and the country's moribund administration is clearly illustrated by the coach's reluctance to replace players even when he is losing.
We should not forget the say, according to which "one does not change things when a team is winning." That is not in the mind of the coach who prefers to keep things as they are instead of reversing the situation "drastically," and thus imperil the team's gains.
The spectators feel so skeptical that they no longer expect anything different to happen -- they merely wait for the situation to unfold. The mythical adage -- "I am the one people are waiting for" -- no longer applies. Hope has vanished, just like the soul when it leaves the body. The spectators wait hopelessly, like sleepwalkers as if they were drunk. They are tired of the tortoise's slow, tiresome, and sad pace.
The System's Tortoise
Similarly, the country's opposition seems to be affected by the tortoise syndrome. Two years after the war ended, the opposition has not been able to come up with an alternative strategy to what the ruling party stands for. Nonetheless, one should acknowledge that the opposition has done a lot to gain a greater presence in Angolan politics, like David standing against goliath. The opposition scored points when it decided to leave the Constitutional Affairs Commission.
It is appropriate to consider the historic parties independently. UNITA [National Union for the Total Independence of Angola], is the largest opposition party. Of all the opposition parties, it was the only one to have organized a congress. UNITA has been affected by the tortoise syndrome, a situation that is explained by the civil war that ravaged the country.
In an interview with Folha 8, the UNITA leader acknowledged the difficulties that he has been facing to bring about changes within "his" government and party. According to the UNITA leader, the changes provided for in a Lusaka Protocol are now subject to the will of the president of the Republic. Meanwhile, the Lusaka Protocol has been mummified.
Samakuva acknowledged that in March 2004, he called for a replacement of UNITA officials serving in the unity government. So far, there has been no response, and all he can do now is to serenely operate as if in a vacuum as a form of pressure.
The FNLA [National Front for the Liberation of Angola] has had to successively postpone the holding of a congress because the disbursement of funds to which it was entitled depended on the reconciliation of its factions. The public has been closely watching developments within the FNLA because it would like to keep intact one of the most attractive and important legacies of Angolan nationalism.
The disbursement of some of the funds for the FNLA was in line with the criteria pursued by those who behave like tortoises. The funds were like leftovers from the budget, sufficient to hold a party election, but not enough to permit its leaders to comply with all the legal formalities and revamp the party's ranks.
The political parties represented in Parliament have allegedly been affected by budgetary constraints, and since the end of the war have not held any democratic, pluralistic, and inclusive congress session. This is in keeping with the lethargic tortoise behavior, which inhibits the democratization of society and hinders the development of Angola.
The political parties not represented in Parliament merely promote the strategies devised by either individuals or groups of individuals. There also parties that form part of a specific clientele. In the quest for improved social standards, including food for the rank and file, those parties further extraneous causes, thereby giving rise to conflict. In doing so, they undermine reconciliation instead of promoting fraternal relations among Angolans.
Some of those parties excel in pinpointing the tortoise that symbolizes the country's prevailing political situation. They produce evidence and cite facts. This is an exercise that is as sterile as painful.
There have been different versions about the tortoise syndrome with all the participants fiercely making varied accusations.
A great many players and factors have been publicly named as being part of the syndrome: the president of the Republic, the government, the main opposition party, the various opposition parties, ordinary citizens, civil society, the war, the international situation, and so on. They are all viewed as being directly or indirectly responsible for the tortoise syndrome affecting the country.
The dispute cannot be resolved, even if the best paternity test is performed to determine the origins of the syndrome. Domestically, the question mark that hangs in the air is not about the identity of the tortoise, but rather the fact that the tortoise syndrome has gained control of the country's politics. It manifests itself through a pace that is sickening; a modus operandi that harasses and kills; and a regime that terrorizes.
Flavio Fernandes is right: We are a country of tortoises. In view of the confusion associated with the modern era, we could easily and unequivocally label Angola a shit country! [word play on cagado -- shit -- and cagado, with an accent, meaning tortoise] The difference between a tortoise and a shit is the accent, but in Angola that has long stopped having any meaning.
An old friend of mine, a drunkard, though very bright, once asked me, when he was at a low ebb, why did tortoises not move faster. It took me quite a while to think of an answer, but today, out of consideration and because I do not give a shit [caganco], I will not tell you what it was!
And so we are left with the sound of a slow moving animal... The Guardian (London) October 18, 2004
Diamonds whose price is measured in blood: Jewellers ignore code of conduct on gems from conflict zones
An Amnesty International France advertisement questions the human cost of diamonds sourced from regions of conflict Britons may be unknowingly buying diamonds mined in Sierra Leone, where profits are used to arm militias. Many UK jewellers have conceded they have no real policy on sourcing diamonds. "Conflict" or "blood" diamonds bought by developed countries have funded guns for child soldiers, provided arms to fight UN peacekeeping forces, and financed several African civil wars, according to Amnesty International. Research by the environment group Global Witness revealed that in the 1990s the Angolan rebel army Unita generated $ 3.7bn over six years largely by trading illegal gems. And now, almost two years after the diamond industry agreed to a self-regulation system to prevent the trade in diamonds from regions of conflict, many UK jewellers are unable to assure customers that the diamonds they are buying have not been sourced from conflict regions. Members of Amnesty International visited more than 330 high street stores to question them about their diamond policy and found that only 38% of salespeople said they had received training about conflict diamonds. Almost half of the diamond retailers said they could not provide a copy of their company policy on conflict diamonds and more than a fifth said they had no store policy on the issue at all. Leading British jewellery retailers Asprey, Theo Fennell and Debenhams did not respond to letters requesting written information about company policy on conflict diamonds. In the US, Costco Wholesale Corporation, TJ Maxx and Kmart did not respond. The research, also by Global Witness campaigners, shows the diamond industry has not implemented a system of self-regulation which was agreed in January 2003. Under the Kimberley Process - a scheme to banish conflict diamonds from the legal rough diamond trade - three commitments were made. These included a code of conduct and system of warranties being implemented and employees being informed about conflict diamond regulations. The World Diamond Council has also proposed that the industry create a system of warranties for diamonds. Under this system all buyers and sellers of both rough and polished diamonds must provide a warranty saying the diamonds have been bought from a legitimate source and not involved in funding conflict. Susie Sanders, a campaigner for Global Witness, said it was important to keep up the pressure on the industry to stamp out the problem. "Some progress has been made but the industry is not taking it seriously enough," she said. "There is a lack of systematic monitoring and no penalties for retailers if they do not meet the requirements set out in the Kimberley Process. "This means there are no consequences if they are found not to be compliant." The findings, which Global Witness campaigners say are "pretty disappointing" will include research from Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland and will be presented at the World Diamond Congress in New York this week. Amnesty International and Global Witness have now called upon governments to intervene, asking for independent monitoring, rigorous auditing and inspections. The director of Amnesty International UK, Kate Allen, said the diamond industry was not taking the issue of conflict diamonds seriously enough. "The trade in conflict diamonds has fuelled protracted and bloody wars in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone, destroying nations and costing an estimated 3.7 million lives," she said. "Governments must step in and audit companies to ensure that diamonds are not funding conflict or human rights abuses." Those wanting to buy diamonds could make a difference, she said, by insisting on written assurances that they were clean. "Diamonds may be expensive, but they needn't cost people's lives," she said.
Forbes October 18, 2004
The Big Plunge
High prices at the pump are finally giving oil companies the incentive to make long--and expensive--bets to find new supplies. No one is going deeper than ChevronTexaco. The bad news for oil consumers is that global demand has been growing at 1.5% a year over the past five years, while production capacity has been inching ahead at 0.2%. That squeeze all but wiped out the industry's spare capacity and caused a spike in prices. The good news is that the zooming prices have gotten the attention of oil producers. Outside the Middle East, West Africa and parts of Russia, most of the easily accessible reservoirs have been sucked nearly dry. Extraction and development costs in North America have rocketed to $11 per barrel from $5 in 1999, and in Europe to $18 per barrel from $11 over the same period. New reserves are much tougher to find and must be pried loose from wily dictators or from deposits deep under the ocean bed or in sandpits--and that costs big bucks. "The prospects are few and far between," says Louis Gagliardi, an oil analyst with John S. Herold Inc. in Norwalk, Conn. "Oil companies have to run hard and run fast just to stay in place." At $20 a barrel, anyway. The prospects for long bets look a whole lot better at $34, which is where the five-year-out futures contracts are settling. "There's plenty of oil, but the costs of developing major new reserves in hard-to-get-to places are 100% higher than a decade ago," says analyst George Gaspar at Robert W. Baird. "High price is the incentive for these guys to step up to the plate." At the right price, there is a lot of oil. The Department of Energy estimates the amount of fluid hydrocarbons remaining in the Earth's crust is the equivalent of 7.6 trillion barrels of oil. That figure includes natural gas and tar sands. It's enough oil and gas to last 170 years. Until the spike in prices, the Big Five were spending $47 billion a year on exploration and production--and getting less and less per dollar spent. ExxonMobil, the colossus among titans, shells out $12 billion a year on E&P and hasn't been able to grow beyond 4.2 million barrels a day for five years. At the bottom of the heap, ChevronTexaco of San Ramon, Calif. will invest $6.4 billion this year, but will still suffer a 4% decline in production. "I do worry about supply," says David O'Reilly, ChevronTexaco's chief executive. "I see upward pressure on demand in an economically developing world." In China--at 6.3 million barrels a day now the second-largest consumer of oil on the planet after the U.S.--energy use will probably double by 2020, says O'Reilly. Worldwide energy demand, driven by the population growth and industrialization of the developing world, will expand by 40% in the next 20 years. How to meet that demand? The industry will enjoy estimated net income of $137 billion this year, up from $46 billion five years ago, according to Herold. The producers can easily, even after distributing $80 billion in dividends and share buybacks, afford the anticipated capital spending of $180 billion in each of the next two years. Tectonic shifts are already under way in their portfolios as they move out of declining fields in North America and the North Sea and push deeper into new regions with new technologies. It's preposterous to say that the world is running out of energy. It is only running out of cheap energy. There's plenty of the expensive stuff. Angop news agency October 17, 2004, Sunday
World Bank says reintegration process moving at "good pace"
The World Bank delegation, in Angola since 11 October to assess the reintegration program of former UNITA soldiers, said it views this development as positive because of the 97,138 demobilized soldiers 45,000 have received agricultural assistance and 4,700 are receiving economic assistance. According to the report from the Reintegration Institute of ex-soldiers (IRSEM), the Angolan government estimates that in addition to these soldiers, 4,450 demobilized soldiers benefited from professional training through the Ministry of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security, and another 4,100 and 2,360 are employed by the Health Ministry and the Education Ministry respectively. Speaking to the media after a meeting between the World Bank Delegation and IRSEM officials, Seam Bream, project supervisor for the World Bank in Angola, added that Angola is one of the countries in the broader region where the reintegration process is running at a good pace. Bream added that the Multi-Country Demobilized and Reintegration Programme concretely aims to support the "lake countries" affected by the war, especially in the sectors where the government of each country is experiencing difficulties in resolving these. According to Bream, this project involves 11 international donors, namely Canada and those of the European Union: France, Belgium, Italy, England, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. The "lake region" is composed of eight countries namely Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Rwanda and Uganda. The delegation's spokesperson, Natacha Meden, said that a total of 226m dollars have been spent on the demobilization process in Angola, that is 33m dollars from the World Bank, 48m from the international donors and 155m from the Angolan government. She stressed that her team will assess each demobilized soldiers' knowledge and abilities and will subsequently select them according to their training and any special abilities to be integrated into a social group because they will need to be employed at a later stage. Passage omitted
VOA 15 Oct 2004
Endiama abre escritório em Nova Iorque
Luis Costa
A empresa angolana de diamantes ENDIAMA deverá abrir um escritório em Nova Iorque no próximo ano, soube a Voz da América de fonte segura. A ideia de se abrir um escritório em Nova Iorque, principal centro económico e financeiro dos Estados Unidos vinha sendo alinhavada há algum tempo.
A decisão vem associada a um levantamento que a direcção da ENDIAMA está a fazer em Nova Iorque, onde participa numa conferência internacional sobre diamantes.
Fonte próxima às negociações disse à Voz da América que a estratégia de expansão da companhia passa pela abertura de um escritório em Nova Iorque o terceiro centro mundial de comercialização de diamantes, depois de Antuérpia e Tel Aviv .
Não está excluida a hipótese da ENDIAMA devolver à sua delegação na Bélgica a vitalidade que tinha no passado. A ENDIAMA tem uma "antena" em Israel, por via da sua participaçaõ na SODIAM INTERNACIONAL uma empresa sediada em Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, e detida na sua maioria pelo grupo Lev Leviev.
O relançamento internacional da ENDIAMA colocou Arnaldo Calado em contactos com reconhecidos empresários do ramo diamantífero, entre os quais, Maurice Templesman, accionista principal da Lazare Kaplan uma das principais companhias vendedoras de diamantes lapidados.
À semelhança de quase todos operadores privados, Maurice Templesman também perdeu terreno em Angola quando o estado angolano entregou o monopólio da comercialização à ASCORP.
Fonte oficial angolana disse à Voz da América que o "declínio" dos negócios de Templesman em Angola deveu-se exclusivamente ao facto deste ter procurado manter os seus negócios na área da comercialização.
A delegação de Angola esteve durante toda quinta-feira em Washington, tendo entretanto acabado por cancelar todos os encontros. O cancelamento dos encontros, por razões que a Voz da Améerica não pôde apurar, provocou algum desencanto na capital norte-americana, cuja audiência mobilizada de antemão pela Câmara do Comércio foi apanhada desprevenida.
Os empresários e políticos inscritos para este encontro pareciam sumamente preocupados com, questões relativas á legislação angolana, segurança nas áreas de exploração diamantífera, e os progressos registados desde a altura em que o nome de Angola deixou de constar da lista dos países exportadores de "diamantes de sangue" que este país foi retirado da lista de países produtores dos chamados de "diamantes de sangue".
Arnaldo Calado e sua equipa regressaram esta sexta-feira a Nova Iorque de onde partirão para Luanda na próxima quinta-feira dia 21, dia em que deverá terminar o congresso mundial do diamante.
India chasing China in Asian superpower rivalry for W. Africa oil stakes (AFP)
16 October 2004
NEW DELHI - Asian giants and economic rivals India and China are locked in battle to secure stakes in oil fields and blocks in the new energy haven of West Africa, officials and analysts here say.
“There is big, big competition going on between India and China for oil blocks in the region,” says Narendra Taneja, an energy expert associated with the international oil and gas newspaper, Upstream.
Taneja points to a report in a recent Indian Express newspaper report bemoaning the fact that India had lost a lucrative deal in Angola in early October. Angola’s state-owned Sonangol reportedly blocked an Indian move to buy Anglo- Dutch energy giant Shell’s 50 percent share in Block 18 for about 620 million dollars.
According to Taneja, India’s state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) had almost closed with Shell, “but the Chinese evidently cut a deal with the Angolan government at the last minute,” resulting in Sonangol exercising its pre-emption rights.
This stymied Shell’s move to sell its stake to ONGC, a deal that would have yielded about five million tonnes of crude oil daily for New Delhi from 2008-2009.
An Indian official says the sale is “still open”, but for Taneja it illustrates the intense Sino-Indian competition.
“China managed to swing the deal by offering aid to the tune of two billion for a variety of projects to Angola, compared to India’s offer of 200 million dollars for developing railways,” Taneja explains.
China’s aid-for-oil strategy
Aid-for-oil is part of a deliberate strategy adopted by the Chinese across West Africa, whose oil potential came into focus after the September 11 terror attacks, the analysts add.
The amount of oil in the region is yet to be mapped, but Indian officials point to US studies which say Washington can rely on Gulf of Guinea reserves to cut its dependence on crude from the volatile Middle East by 25 percent in the next decade.
“Washington is negotiating with Sao Tome and Principe to develop a naval base there to guard its oil interests in the region,” says a foreign ministry official, asking to remain unnamed.
With China overtaking Japan to become the world’s second largest oil consumer after the United States, Beijing is aggressively building a network of energy-related ties throughout the world - in the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Russia, the official says.
China used 5.46 million barrels of oil a day last year, compared with Japan’s 5.43 million, according to the International Energy Agency. Beijing relies on overseas producers for one third of supplies and accounts for about seven percent of world oil demand.
Limited resources and late entry plague India
In contrast, India - Asia’s fourth largest economy - imports nearly 70 percent of its oil needs and last year consumed a little more than two million barrels a day.
A government paper predicts that by 2025, India will consume 7.4 million barrels a day.
Top Chinese leaders including President Hu Jintao have made a beeline for Africa, signing deals with Algeria, Gabon and other states, besides promising millions of dollars in aid free of good governance and human rights ties.
Indian officials admit India does not have the resources to compete barrel for barrel with China in West Africa.
“India had its era of influence in Africa in the heyday of the Non-Aligned Movement in the 1960s and “70s. Today it is money that speaks and China has deeper pockets than India,” Taneja notes.
The foreign ministry official admits Indian contact with West Africa has been “limited,” due to the absence of the Indian diaspora in a largely Francophone region.
“But in the past 12 months or so, we have been making inroads into Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Benin, Togo and Mali,” bagging crucial transport contracts, he adds.
India recently extended credit worth 500 million dollars to some of these countries and began training and development programmes there. “We have just put our foot through the door. China is already in there,” he says.
Photo courtesy: sonangol.co.ao Washington File 8 October 2004
Lawmaker Says U.N. Peacekeeping in Africa Not Up to Task Rep. Royce suggests private military corporations might have role to play
Washington -- U.N. peacekeeping efforts in Africa have been very disappointing, despite receiving three-fourths of all U.N. peacekeeping funds, House Africa Subcommittee Chairman Ed Royce (Republican of California) told fellow lawmakers at an October 8 hearing.
"There is much room for improvement in U.N. peacekeeping operations, which have been plagued with many shortcomings," such as unqualified troops, inability to protect civilians and mission unsustainability, Royce said. He suggested that private military contractors (PMCs) might have a role to play in tackling "the world's most war-plagued continent."
Royce pointed to a substantial increase in U.N. peacekeeping operations in Africa, which are commanding $2.9 billion of the institution's $3.9 billion worldwide peacekeeping budget. "[Even though] U.N. peacekeeping mandates for these operations have increased in complexity," he said, "... the record of these operations is mixed."
In the past, he said, "Namibia and Mozambique were successes, [but] Somalia and Rwanda were dramatic failures. The mission in Sierra Leone was falling apart until British troops took aggressive action" to battle the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a movement that targeted civilians for mutilation to attract international attention.
With "many parts of Africa in crisis," Royce said, "we need to stretch our thinking" to include alternative measures such as PMCs because "security is an essential foundation for Africa's development. We used PMCs in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire to do logistics work ...[and] I know we have PMCs with the African Union peacekeepers in Darfur on the ground there doing logistics."
For several years, PMCs such as Military Professional Resources Incorporated (MPRI), Dynacorps and International Charter Incorporated (ICI) have provided logistics support, including aircraft, communications gear, vehicles, security personnel and training expertise, for U.N., NATO and U.S.-led peace operations in places like Bosnia, Sierra Leone and Iraq.
James Swigert, deputy assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs, told lawmakers, "One size most definitely does not fit all in finding the swiftest or most lasting end to an international conflict."
He assured them that the Bush administration approves U.N. peacekeeping missions "only when we judge them to be necessary, right-sized, and only if they have a viable exit strategy."
The Darfur crisis has highlighted the need to provide protection for civilians to bring stability, Swigert said. "Our view is that peace enforcement is at the high end of the spectrum of peace operations," he said. In Sudan, he added, "the AU [African Union] mission to Darfur is absolutely critical, and private contractors are indeed playing a critical role" helping feed and protect civilians there.
Traditional U.N. peacekeepers are not equipped to fight a war, Swigert said. It is the administration's belief that such tasks are best handled by "coalitions of willing and able forces, with a militarily strong state in the lead," as was the case when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened "in a seriously destabilized Liberia in mid-2003," he said.
Swigert mentioned several U.S. military training initiatives that address this need by helping African armies enhance their ability to counter terrorism and enforce peace as part of regionally mandated efforts such as the African Union intervention in Sudan.
He cited the African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program, a successor to the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI), which in 2004 will have trained nine battalions in various African countries in peace-enforcement operations. ACOTA will also be the centerpiece in Africa of the Bush administration's recently announced Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative (GPOI), intended to train up to 75,000 troops for peace operations worldwide.
Doug Brooks, president of the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), an advocacy group representing 14 PMCs, mentioned Liberia as a good example of how the private sector works with militaries on peace enforcement in Africa.
Brooks said: "Many of the West African troops used for the operation had been trained by private companies, were flown to Monrovia by private companies, and once in Liberia they were transported, based and supported logistically by private companies. It was a hybrid public-private operation that offers useful indications into how this concept can be built on in the future."
Subcommittee members Donald Payne (Democrat of New Jersey) and Barbara Lee (Democrat of California) both voiced concerns about using PMCs in Africa, citing the continent's history of "mercenaries," a legacy that had echoes in the recent trial in Zimbabwe of a group accused of plotting the overthrow of the government of Equatorial Guinea.
Associated Press October 15, 2004
5 Nations to Be Elected to U.N. Council
UNITED NATIONS -- In an election whose outcome has been known for months, Japan will win a two-year term on the U.N. Security Council on Friday along with Argentina, Denmark, Greece and Tanzania. Japan is expected to use its presence on the powerful U.N. body, starting Jan. 1, to spotlight its campaign for a permanent council seat. There are sometimes hotly contested battles for Security Council seats, but not this year. Friday's secret-ballot election by the 191 members of the U.N. General Assembly is expected to rubber-stamp the candidates selected by regional groups. At last month's ministerial meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, the leaders of Japan, Germany, Brazil and India agreed to support each other's candidacies for permanent seats. But while there is widespread support among the 191 U.N. member states to expand the 15- member Security Council to reflect the geopolitical realities of the 21st century, there is no agreement on how large it should be, who should get seats, whether the new seats should be permanent or temporary, and who should have veto power. The council currently consists of five permanent members with veto power - the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France - and 10 non-permanent members who serve two- year terms and have no power to veto resolutions. The 10 elected members - nominated by regional groups to give the council broad geographical representation - enjoy all other aspects of council membership, including the right to propose resolutions, chair committees and hold the rotating council presidency for one-month periods. Five countries are elected every year by the General Assembly to replace five retiring ones. Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania are expected to replace Angola, Chile, Germany, Pakistan and Spain, whose terms expire December 31. The new members will join Algeria, Benin, Brazil, the Philippines and Romania who were elected last year and will remain on the council until the end of 2005.
ANGOP 14 de Outubro
Novo período legislativo da Assembleia Nacional inicia sexta-feira
O novo ano legislativo 2004-2005 da Assembleia Nacional inicia sexta-feira, em Luanda, numa sessão especial, após um período de férias observado desde 16 de Agosto último.
A sessão solene de abertura vai compreender discursos políticos dos presidentes dos grupos parlamentares e a intevenção do presidente da Assembleia Nacional, Roberto de Almeida. Para a cerimónia, serão convidados membros do Governo e o corpo diplomático acreditado em Angola.
De acordo com o porta-voz da Assembleia Nacional, Ventura de Azevedo, entre os documentos a serem apreciados nesse período legislativo destacam-se o Programa do Governo e o Orçamento Geral do Estado.
A apreciação de vários projectos de lei, entre os quais o pacote legislativo para as eleições, cuja realização está prevista para Setembro de 2006, são, entre outras tarefas, que os deputados vão analisar no decurso do período que abre a partir de sexta-feira.
A Assembleia Nacional foi instituida aos 26 de Novembro de 1992, como resultado das primeiras eleições multipartidárias realizadas em Angola de 29 a 30 de Setembro do mesmo ano.
Na sequência dessas eleições, o MPLA obteve a maioria parlamentar, com 129 assentos dos 220 que compõem a actual Assembleia Nacional, seguido da UNITA (70), PRS (6), FNLA (5), PLD (3) e do PAJOCA, PNDA, PDP-ANA, FDA, AD-COLIGAÇAO, PRD e PSD com um assento cada.
Constitucionalmente, a Assembleia Nacional é composta de 223 deputados eleitos por sufrágio directo e universal, para um mandato de quatro anos, para os círculos nacional, provincial e exterior.
Porém, a não-eleição dos três deputados em representação das comunidades no estrangeiro, por dificuldades organizativas, faz com que, actualmente, o Parlamento Nacional seja apenas de 220 deputados parlamentares.
O Parlamento angolano tem nove comissões de Trabalho Permanentes, nomeadamente:
1ª Comissão: Assuntos Constitucionais e Jurídicos, Regimento e Mandatos; 2ª Comissão: Defesa, Segurança Nacional, Ordem Interna; 3ª Comissão: Relações Exteriores, Cooperação Internacional e Comunidades Angolanas no Estrangeiro; 4ª Comissão: Administração e Poder Local; 5ª Comissão: Economia e Finanças; 6ª Comissão: Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, Cultura, Desporto, Assuntos Religiosos e Comunicação Social; 7ª Comissão: Saúde, Meio Ambiente, Acção Social, Emprego e Antigos Combatentes; 8ª Comissão: Família, Juventude, Infância e Promoção da Mulher; 9ª Comissão: Direitos Humanos, Petições, Reclamações e Sugestões dos Cidadãos.
Podem ser criadas, se necessário, comissões eventuais, para um fim determinado e foi neste âmbito que se se criou a Comissão Constitucional, com o objectivo de proceder à elaboração da futura Constituição da República de Angola.
ANGOP 12 de Outubro
Missão do BM trabalha com a direcção da Assistência Social
A missão do Banco Mundial (BM), que trabalha há dois dias no país, mantém hoje um encontro de carácter técnico com responsáveis do Ministério da Assistência e Reinserção Social (Minars), depois de ter sido já recebida, segunda-feira, pelo titular do sector, João Baptista Kussumua.
A reunião, na qual se vai discutir a assistência aos grupos vulneráveis, insere-se na visita de quatro dias ao país da comitiva do BM, destinada a balancear o programa de reintegração sócio-profissional dos ex-militares e pessoas vulneráveis, bem como criar políticas para a sua melhoria.
Chefiada pelo coordenador do BM para a região dos Grandes Lagos, Sean Bradley, a delegação integra peritos de distintos países nas áreas da Agricultura, reintegração social, grupos vulneráveis, entre outras.
No quadro do seu programa de actividades no país, a missão deverá manter igualmente reuniões com representantes de outras instituições governamentais, parceiros do Governo e doadores, bem como das Forças Armadas Angolana (FAA) e da Polícia Nacional.
A situação das populações regressadas, actividade e serviços, Revisão geral do estado do programa nacional, Estruturas de coordenação e imput dos parceiros, Liderança nacional do programa, bem como "O papel, responsabilidade e participação da UNITA neste processo são as matérias a abordar nas reuniões.
Consta igualmente dos assuntos a debater, entre outros, "Desmobilização proposta de efectivos das Forças Armadas Angolana (FAA)", "Coordenação de esforços de financiamento paralelos e complementares", "Esforços complementares (desarmamento civil, desminagem, paz/reconciliação)", "Papel do Governo, parceiros locais e UNITA".
Um dos outros objectivos dos encontros é o de colher informações sobre o Programa Geral de Desmobilização e Reintegração (PGDR), em curso no país desde 12 de Março deste ano e com duração de quatro anos.
No quadro do PGDR, orçado em 230 milhões de dólares, o BM assumiu-se em contribuir com um financiamento de 33 milhões USD, a "Trust Fund", uma multi-doadora para a região dos Grandes Lagos, com USD 53 milhões e outros doadores adicionais, com 17 milhões.
O Governo angolano contribui para a implementação dos projectos com 127 milhões de dólares, isto é, 250 mil dólares por trimestre.
A missão do BM prevê, quarta-feira, fazer uma visita de campo ao município da Ganda, província de Benguela, de onde deverá regressar quinta-feira.
Jornal de Angola 14 de Outubro
Setembro regista taxa de inflação inferior a 2%
O nível geral de preços ao consumidor na cidade de Luanda apresentou aumento de 1,55 por cento no mês de Setembro, muito inferior à média mensal verificada no primeiro semestre deste ano (2,83 por cento). Este foi o quarto mês consecutivo que esse indicador apresentou taxa de crescimento inferior a 2 por cento, o que revela o bom desempenho das políticas monetária, cambial e fiscal praticadas pelo Governo no corrente ano.
No período de Janeiro a Setembro, a taxa de inflação acumulada atingiu 23,7 por cento, contra 62,5 por cento em igual período do ano passado. Nos últimos doze meses a variação foi de 34,5 por cento, taxa que se mostra em queda desde Junho de 2003, quando havia atingido 110,7 por cento.
De 1 a 30 de Setembro do corrente ano, a moeda nacional registou depreciação face ao dólar norte-americano de 1,8 por cento no mercado formal e de 1,2 por cento no informal. Desde o início do ano, a variação acumulada foi de 10,0% no mercado formal e de 3,5 por cento no informal. Nos últimos doze meses a variação da taxa de câmbio foi menor ainda, alcançando 8,3 por cento no mercado formal e 0,5 por cento no informal. Esses números mostram que existe espaço para uma queda muito mais acentuada no nível geral de preços na cidade de Luanda.
Apesar da elevação mais acentuada dos preços de alguns produtos, os resultados apurados para os três primeiros trimestres do corrente ano têm indicado que a política económica adoptada pelo Governo desde o início do ano passado tem sido bastante eficiente no que diz respeito ao processo de estabilização dos preços na nossa economia.
O comportamento da inflação no mês de Setembro foi fortemente influenciado pelos aumentos dos preços verificados nas classes "Alimentação e Bebidas não Alcoólicas" (crescimento de 1,8 por cento); "Vestuário e Calçados", que está a registar maior aumento pelo terceiro mês consecutivo (em Julho, o aumento médio dos produtos desta classe foi de 4,5 por cento, em Agosto de 4,3 por cento e, em Setembro, observou-se novo aumento de 2,8 por cento).
Angop news agency October 10, 2004
UNITA LEADER SAMAKUVA'S SON DEFECTS TO RULING PARTY
Charles Wandalika Henriques, one of the sons of UNITA president Isaias Samakuva, has abandoned this political party and joined the MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola), the ruling party in Angola. This took place on Thursday (7 October) in Menongue, the capital of Cuando Cubango Province. Together with Charles Henriques, who is 29-years-old and from Cuando Cubango, 169 other former former FALA soldiers and their families. FALA was the former UNITA army. Henriques, who was a journalist, achieved the rank of lieutenant in FALA and during 14 years worked in UNITA's old radio station, Vorgan.
Lloyd's List International October 13, 2004
Angola imposes mandatory inspection charge
ANGOLA has tightened its port state control regime and introduced fixed tariffs for compulsory inspections on vessels calling at its ports. The measure came into effect on September 1 and followed the creation of a new maritime directorate with responsibilities focusing primarily on meeting international obligations relating to ship safety and security. According to local agents, all vessels arriving in Angola will be subject to the charges. "They will charge even if they didn't visit the vessel," said one agent in the Angolan capital Luanda. The size of the fees will depend on the type of vessel, with liquefied natural gas carriers facing the highest tariff at $ 760. The charges for tankers amount to $ 620, with dry bulk vessels paying $ 324 per call. While Angola's focus on maritime safety was welcomed, one European port state official yesterday described as "highly unusual" the concept of routine charges as part of an inspection regime. News of the Angolan tariff initiative has yet to filter through but one senior tanker industry official, who expressed just "moderate surprise" at the move, made clear that it was likely to be unwelcome.
Angola Press Agency October 12, 2004 Tuesday
Angola: Program to Fight Poverty Costs USD Three Billion
The first phase of the programme to combat poverty in Angola, elaborated by the Planning Ministry, will need about USD 3 billion, destined for the development of actions based on the sectors of social reintegration, food security, rural development, health and education. The fact was revealed to ANGOP, today by adviser Carlos Filipe, member of the Non- Governmental Organisations Forum (FONGA), moments before the start of a Workshop on the divulging of the strategies for the fight against poverty, which is being attended by the representatives of the civil society. According to the official, the initial phase of the programme, projected until 2007, includes also the components of good governance, stabilisation of the national economy and the fight against HIV/AIDS, having as main financier the State Budget. With the participation of officials and social actors, the Workshop, which ends today, is reviewing aspects related to the reality in Benguela province, in terms of experiences in fight against poverty. Events of the kind were already carried out in Luanda, Malanje and Huambo provinces. Cabinda, Uije and Zaire will be the next provinces to host the event. Created in 1994, the FONGA gathers currently over 200 non-governmental organisations.
Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2004
CPLP military maneuvers in Angola postponed
An Angolan military officer announced in Luanda the joint CPLP military maneuvers planned to begin Tuesday in Angola have been postponed to Thursday due to delays in the arrival of some of the contingents. The officer said special forces units from Mozambique and East Timor had already arrived and a Portuguese Air Force plane bringing contingents from Portugal, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde for the Felino 2004 exercises was expected later Tuesday. The Brazilian contingent, was scheduled to arrive Wednesday, he added. The fourth joint maneuvers of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), originally set for Oct. 12-16 and involving some 600 elite troops from the eight-nation organization, centers on peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Portuguese ambassador in Luanda, Francisco Xavier Esteves, said last week that Angola's hosting of the event was "evidence that the transition" of Angola's Armed Forces was "advancing" since the end of the country's civil war in 2002. He said, "It is significant that Angola offered and feels capable of hosting and organizing an exercise of this dimension." Felino 2004 exercises will take place at Cabo Ledo on the Atlantic coast some 120 kilometers south of Luanda. The exercise aims to hone joint military planning, command, control and performance by special forces in humanitarian and peacekeeping tasks. The exercises will involve some 500 Angolan special forces and all three of Luanda's military branches, along with units from the other CPLP states. Portugal hosted the first two Felino exercises in 2000 and 2001. Brazil staged the third last year, and Cape Verde is scheduled to host the event in 2005.
Associated Press October 12, 2004
U.N. Survey: Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya and Swaziland ranked last on governance out 28 African countries
Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya and Swaziland have ranked last for the way their governments run public affairs in a United Nations survey of 28 African countries that was released Tuesday.
The four countries fell short on corruption, political representation, economic management and respect for human rights, said the survey by the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Africa.
Cameroon, Angola, Kenya and Nigeria are ranked as the most corrupt of the 28 countries surveyed.
The report's authors interviewed 50,000 households in the 28 countries surveyed in three phases between 2002 and early 2004. Two thousand experts were also interviewed to produce the first evaluation of how African governments are managed.
The Economic Commission for Africa chose the 28 countries out of Africa's 53 countries because the governments agreed to be surveyed. Kingsley Amoako, executive director of the Economic Commission for Africa, said the survey showed African governments needed to be more democratic and build stronger institutions. "These findings underpin the need for a capable, democratic state with strong institutions promoting the public interest," Amoako said.
Few Africans trust the police or think public services are efficient, the report said. "Police and prison services violate the rights of citizens with impunity in several countries," the report said. "These agencies - especially the police - engage in torture, extra judicial killings and ill treatment of suspects awaiting trial."
It also said that in Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, Zimbabwe and Malawi, "there are doubts about the commitment of government agencies to respect and implement the rule of law."
Titled, "Striving for Good Governance in Africa" the report said a third of the people surveyed say their parliaments are weak and fail to keep governments in check.
In Cameroon, almost half of those questioned said public services were very poor while starting a business in Mozambique can take close to half a year - 153 days - because of red tape.
Overall, the judiciary is seen as poor and in some countries like Burkina Faso it can take up to three or four years before a case is heard in court. The survey looked at seven key areas, including political representation, corruption, human rights and economic management.
PR Newswire October 12, 2004
ChevronTexaco Announces Deepwater Oil Discovery in the Shared Angola/Congo Zone
Chevron Overseas Congo Ltd, a subsidiary of ChevronTexaco Corp. and its partners today announced a significant discovery at the Lianzi-1 exploration well in the deepwater area between the Republics of Angola and Congo.
The discovery, in the shared 14K/A-IMI Unit, is on the same stratigraphic trend as previous Block 14 deepwater crude oil discoveries at Landana (1998) and Tombua (2001) in Angola.
George Kirkland, president of ChevronTexaco Overseas Petroleum, said, "The Lianzi discovery is yet another addition to a number of excellent deepwater prospects in the region. These discoveries will provide a series of developments in the future and fuel production growth. This discovery speaks to the success of our strategy of focusing our exploration program on core, high-impact opportunities."
The shared unit covers the combined portions of "14K," Angola's deepwater prospect lying within the limits of the Block 14 concession, and the "A-IMI" prospect, lying within the limits of the Congo's Haute Mer permit, incorporating the area along the maritime border between the two countries. This Unitization zone is a result of protocol and participation agreements signed by Angola and Congo in September 2001 and March 2002, respectively. The two countries agreed to share revenues equally (50/50) for each block (Haute Mer and Block14).
ChevronTexaco, through its affiliate companies, holds a total interest in the block of 30.5 percent and Chevron Overseas Congo Ltd. is the Operator of the 14K/A-IMI Unit. Other participants in the two blocks include: -- Chevron Overseas Congo Ltd - Operator 15% -- Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABCOG) 15.5% -- SONANGOL P&P 10% -- SNPC 7.5% -- Total E&P Congo 25.5% -- Total E&P Angola 10% -- ENI Angola, 10% -- GALP Exploracao 4.5% -- Energy Africa 2.0%
Angola Press Agency October 11, 2004 Monday
World Bank Oversees Ex-Soldiers Reintegration Program
A World Bank delegation is in Luanda for a four-day visit to Angola, intended to appraise the ongoing socio-professional integration of ex-soldiers and vulnerable people. The delegation, headed by the WB coordinator for the Great Lakes region, Sean Bradley, comprises experts from various countries, versed in such areas as agriculture, social integration of vulnerable groups and the like and aims at assisting with designing policies to improve the target groups living. While in the country, the team will meet with Angolan Government officials, local social partners and donors in the provinces of Luanda and Benguela, with a view to gathering information on the General Programme on Demobilisation and Reintegration that started on 12 March this year. With the Government and partners, the visiting delegation will discuss the situation of returned populations, activity and services, general revision of the national programme, coordination structures and partners input, national leadership of the programme and the role, responsibility and UNITA participation in the process. Also discussed at the meetings will be the assistance to vulnerable groups, proposed demobilisation of Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) soldiers, coordination of parallel and complementary financing, complementary efforts, disarming of civilians, demining, peace/reconciliation, and the role of the Government, local partners and UNITA. The WB delegation will also hold meetings with representatives of the Institute of Socio- Professional Reintegration of Ex-Militaries, of the Social Welfare Ministry, FAA, National Police, military attaches and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Associated Press October 12, 2004
U.N. Survey: Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya and Swaziland ranked last on governance out 28 African countries
Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya and Swaziland have ranked last for the way their governments run public affairs in a United Nations survey of 28 African countries that was released Tuesday.
The four countries fell short on corruption, political representation, economic management and respect for human rights, said the survey by the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Africa.
Cameroon, Angola, Kenya and Nigeria are ranked as the most corrupt of the 28 countries surveyed.
The report's authors interviewed 50,000 households in the 28 countries surveyed in three phases between 2002 and early 2004. Two thousand experts were also interviewed to produce the first evaluation of how African governments are managed.
The Economic Commission for Africa chose the 28 countries out of Africa's 53 countries because the governments agreed to be surveyed. Kingsley Amoako, executive director of the Economic Commission for Africa, said the survey showed African governments needed to be more democratic and build stronger institutions. "These findings underpin the need for a capable, democratic state with strong institutions promoting the public interest," Amoako said.
Few Africans trust the police or think public services are efficient, the report said. "Police and prison services violate the rights of citizens with impunity in several countries," the report said. "These agencies - especially the police - engage in torture, extra judicial killings and ill treatment of suspects awaiting trial."
It also said that in Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, Zimbabwe and Malawi, "there are doubts about the commitment of government agencies to respect and implement the rule of law."
Titled, "Striving for Good Governance in Africa" the report said a third of the people surveyed say their parliaments are weak and fail to keep governments in check.
In Cameroon, almost half of those questioned said public services were very poor while starting a business in Mozambique can take close to half a year - 153 days - because of red tape.
Overall, the judiciary is seen as poor and in some countries like Burkina Faso it can take up to three or four years before a case is heard in court. The survey looked at seven key areas, including political representation, corruption, human rights and economic management.
Jornal de Angola 12 de Outubro
Job Capapinha coordena Comissão de Gestão de Luanda
Por necessidade de assegurar a continuidade da eficácia e eficiência na acção administrativa da referida Comissão, o Chefe de Estado nomeou como novo coordenador outro dos seus actuais integrantes, Job Capapinha.
Por determinação do despacho presidencial, que vimos citando, Francisca do Espírito Santo passa a integrar igualmente a Comissão Administrativa do Governo da Província de Luanda.
O outro elemento da Comissão de Gestão, António Van-Dúnem, também secretário do Conselho de Ministros, mantém-se em funções.
A Comissão de Gestão do Governo Provincial de Luanda foi nomeada no início do ano pelo Presidente da República, na sequência da exoneração do governador provincial, Simão Mateus Paulo, com o objectivo de resolver alguns dos principais problemas da capital do país, entre os quais a questão do lixo, que se acumulava nas ruas da cidade.
Esta comissão tinha inicialmente um mandato de seis meses, que foi prorrogado por igual período de tempo no final de Junho. "O balanço satisfez as expectativas, o esforço feito é louvável e é preciso aproveitar a dinâmica criada", afirmou José Eduardo dos Santos, numa cerimónia realizada a 29 de Junho, quando anunciou a recondução da Comissão de Gestão.
Jornal de Angola 8 de Outubro
Luanda vai ter hotel de cinco estrelas
A construção de um hotel de cinco estrelas na Ilha de Luanda consta entre os projectos a serem desenvolvidos pelo Group Five em Angola. Segundo o director comercial Carlos Pinto Teixeira a sua empresa procura investimentos no estrangeiro para serem aplicados em Angola criando assim projectos de construção. Para o efeito, oferecem o pacote todo, desde financiamento, estudo de viabilidade e a construção.
O Hotel será construído no princípio da Ilha de Luanda, mas Carlos Pinto disse ser ainda cedo para a sua divulgação. No entanto garantiu que as obras iniciarão mesmo no princípio do ano próximo ano.
A empresa de Construção civil Group Five já investiu cerca de 10 milhões em equipamentos para desenvolver sua actividade em Angola. Vocacionada também para a fabricação de materiais de construção entre tubos, telhas e louça sanitária, está em Angola há cerca de 3 anos.
Projectos Nova Vida, em Luanda Sul, onde vai construir 96 prédios de quatro andares, mais seis de seis andares e cerca de 2000 mil habitações. Neste momento está a trabalhar na ampliação da fábrica de cimento da Novacimangola, em Luanda, com a perspectiva de duplicar a sua capacidade produtiva. Estão igualmente em Cabinda, na obra de construção de tanques para a estocagem de combustíveis para a ChevronTexaco, em Malongo. Também vão construir a sede da multinacional americana na cidade de Cabinda. No Namibe, desenvolvem o projecto de construção de residências para a cooperativa Cajueiro, da Sonangol.
A Five Group emprega cerca de 5 mil trabalhadores entre os quais 400 são expatriados. O Group, que se estreia na feira, já concluiu as obras da fábrica de botas para as Forças Armadas, em Viana, o prédio para escritórios, armazéns e as oficinas da empresa Barlow, em Luanda Sul, obras do Entreposto Aduaneiro, quatro prédios atrás da Clínica Multiperfil para acomodação do pessoal médico. Quanto a qualidade das obras, Carlos Teixeira disse que a mesma dependia do material empregue e do desejo do proprietário da obra especificado no projecto.Business Report (South Africa) October 7, 2004
Angola and Nigeria urged to speed up African oil output
Cape Town - Nigeria and Angola must speed up expansion plans if they were to meet targets of doubling oil output and growing Africa's share and influence of the global industry, an ExxonMobil executive said yesterday.
Kevin Biddle, ExxonMobil's vice-president for Africa, told an oil and gas conference in South Africa that Angola wanted to raise production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from just above 1 million, while Nigeria wanted to double to 4 million bpd by 2008.
"Things will have to be accelerated to meet these targets in just four years," Biddle said. "There are opportunities there, but to meet the desires of the two countries some things will need to be done quickly to spur the process."
Biddle said production of the first oil from ExxonMobil's own Erha deep-water project in Nigeria had been delayed to 2006 from 2005 because of regulatory and other technical issues.
He would not, however, give further details or say when production would flow from Erha in 2006. "Production delays are deadly in this environment and they have an impact on the return on investment," he said.
Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa's most populous country and largest oil producer. Angola is the continent's second-biggest oil producer and has attracted significant attention since the end of 30 years of civil war in 2002.
ExxonMobil's oil interests in Nigeria are mainly offshore. Biddle said the company was not as affected as some other industry players by strife in some onshore oil producing areas. Biddle said ExxonMobil's Angola projects were all on course, with Kizomba A in production, Kizomba B due next year and Kizomba C and D in the pipeline.
"We are going along as well as we would expect in Angola," Biddle said. Biddle said that ExxonMobil was concerned about proposed legislation in Angola that would require oil companies to bank their oil proceeds in that country.
"It is something that concerns us and we are talking to Angolan authorities about it."He said a significant amount of oil reserves had been found in Niger, but any exports were a long way off.
Biddle said ExxonMobil was drilling the second of a three-well programme but would not give estimates of when production could come on stream.
ExxonMobil's production from Chad stood at around 225 000 bpd and the firm would start further oil exploration there this month under its extended licence, Biddle said.
ExxonMobil's attributable oil from Africa is seen growing steadily in the region of 600 000 bpd to 900 000 bpd. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that ExxonMobil is looking to projects in west Africa and Russia to make up for drops in US production. Africa currently accounts for about one-seventh of ExxonMobil's total output.
Worldwide, ExxonMobil's second-quarter oil and gas production rose 1 percent from a year earlier to the equivalent of 4.08 million bpd.
It was currently involved in 25 ventures in Africa and, together with its partners, was planning total investment of $50 billion over the next decade, Biddle said. "Africa produces about 10 percent of world demand. It's possible that Africa can more than double its production," he added.
Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Europe's second-largest oil and gas producer, also planned to boost African oil production, exploiting deep-water reserves, said Demola Adeyemi-Bero, Shell's director of new business development.
"The higher oil price allows us to go into new basins," Adeyemi-Bero said. There are plenty of "opportunities across the continent", he added.
Angola Press Agency October 7, 2004 Thursday
MPLA Reiterates Elections Under New Constitution
Angolan National Assembly's Constitutional Commission chairman and head of the ruling party parliamentary bench, Bornito de Sousa, reiterated Wednesday here his party's stand that the country's next general elections should be held in the light of the new Constitution. Bornito de Sousa said so during a talk under the theme "Proposal for Calendar of Electoral Tasks", run by MPLA's Alvalade Action Committee, designed for militants and senior officials of other structures of the party working in the Luanda district of Maianga. During the gathering, Bornito de Sousa explained the main actions that will be carried out as from this month to October 2006, the time pointed out by his party as suitable for the holding of general elections in the country. He clarified concerns raised by participants on the future Constitution, the advantages in approving a new law for Angola, as well as aspects related to various governing systems in various democratic countries. With regard to the coming general elections, the participants unanimously pointed out 2006 as appropriate date, taking into account the need for approval of a new Constitution for Angola, which he considered as an indispensable condition for the country to progress under a clearly defined framework. Commenting on the Constitution draft, Bornito de Sousa said that although it lacks a few technical and theoretical elements, it reflects the country's reality and assures greater stability for the citizens. On the occasion, MPLA's Alvalade Action Committee coordinator, Manuel Miguel de Carvalho "Wadijimbi", announced that similar meetings will be held regularly, with a view to updating the militants on the country's main problems.
ANGOP 6 de Outubro
Odebrecht investe 220 milhões de dólares em projectos económicos
A empreiteira brasileira Odebrecht investiu, nos últimos cinco anos, 220 milhões de dólares na execução de projectos de impacto económico e social em curso em várias províncias de Angola.
De acordo com o presidente da empresa em Angola, Luís António Mameri, que falava hoje a margem da feira ConstroiAngola, além destas participações, destacam-se também a concessão do Bloco petrolífero número 16.
No Bloco 16, a empresa brasileira realiza actualmente prospecções conjuntas com as parceiras CNR/Ranger, a Sonangol e a Dezen.
Este contrato de partilha de produção, com o prazo de quatro anos de exploração, afirmou, permitiu somar um investimento total de cem milhões de dólares.
Outra participação da Odebrecht na economia angolana regista-se no projecto diamantífero Catoca, onde investiu acima de 50 milhões de dólares.
No âmbito do projecto Catoca, o conjunto de estudos geológicos realizados na sua chaminé, numa profundidade de 600 metros, demonstra um potencial de duzentos e 78 milhões de toneladas do mineiro e cento e 65 milhões de quilates. A quantidade corresponde a uma facturação de 11 bilhões de dólares para os próximos quarenta anos.
Representada na ConstroiAngola, a Odebrechet participa igualmente em projectos de águas nas cidades de Benguela, Lobito e Baia Farta, onde constrói fontes de captação, condutas, reservatórios de redes de abastecimento domiciliária. O programa prevê beneficiar 1, 5 milhões de habitantes.
Em Luanda, a empreiteira brasileira trabalha no programa de saneamento do município da Samba, reforço de abastecimento e melhoria de distribuição de água e construções de infra- estruturas publicas nas áreas do projecto de construção habitacional Luanda-Sul, este último em parceria com o Governo Provincial de Luanda e a Empresa de Desenvolvimento Urbano (ENDURB).
ANGOP 7 de Outubro
Aprovado conjunto de Medidas Operacionais de Política Orçamental
A Comissão Permanente do Conselho de Ministros aprovou quarta-feira Luanda, um conjunto de Medidas Operacionais de Política Orçamental, Monetária e Cambial, para o 4º trimestre do ano de 2004, em sessão orientada pelo Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos.
Estas medidas, segundo refere um comunicado de imprensa do encontro, "visam assegurar as condições de manutenção da estabilização macro-económica e o alcance das metas quantitativas estabelecidas para o presente ano".
O documento acrescenta que o conjunto visa fundamentalmente a redução da despesa pública, a elevação da capacidade de absorção da economia das receitas fiscais petrolíferas e dos desembolsos externos.
Pretende ainda a redução dos subsídios a preços suportados pelo tesouro Nacional e o nivelamento adequado dos preços relativos, bem como o aumento das taxas de juro de remuneração dos activos em moeda nacional.
A Comissão Permanente tomou conhecimento do andamento das obras da 2ª fase da estrada da Samba que compreende o alargamento da via de rodagem entre o morro da Luz e a Sagrada Esperança, cuja conclusão se prevê em Novembro, do presente ano.
Jornal de Angola 7 de Outubro
Empresa investe USD 3 biliões para construção de casas
A Associação de Beneficio e Providência de Angola (UNIPREV) vai investir 3 biliões de dólares para a construção de mais de 32 mil residências a nível das 18 províncias num espaço de três a quatro anos.
A informação foi prestada pelo presidente executivo, José Arsénio Manuel, ontem na 2ª edição da Expo Constrói-Angola. Actualmente estão a ser feitos levantamentos topográficos e desenhos urbanísticos para que dentro de dois meses as obras te-nham início.
O projecto habitacional denominado "Ondjwo Yetu" vai permitir urbanização num espaço de 3 mil e 404 hectares a nível do país. Terá casas de vários padrões, centros médicos, creches, escolas áreas comerciais, escolas, centros desportivos, parques infantis e outros serviços públicos.
Os custos das residências vão de 19 mil dólares para baixa renda , 40 mil para médias e 300 mil para alta. O cliente para ter acesso tem de efectuar o pagamento inicial de 20 a 80 por cento do valor total da casa, sendo as restantes prestações pagas mensalmente (mínimo de 100) durante um período de dez anos.
O "Ondjwo Yetu" privilegia os funcionários públicos e o sector privado. No entanto, o projecto integra ainda a construção de um pólo de desenvolvimento industrial para a fabricação de matérias primas para apoiar a construção. Neste contexto, prevê absorver mais de 20 mil empregos directos e 60 mil indirectos destinados a actividades subsidiárias da construção assistência técnica , comércio, indústria, prestação de serviços comunitários, ensino, saúde.
A UNIPREV tem parceiros na área da construção civil, consultoria e indústria, com empresas da China, Canadá, Brasil, Coreia do Sul, Alemanha, EUA, Malásia, África do Sul. Actualmente estão já registados no projecto Ondjwo Yetu cinco mil associados.
ONGC keen to invest in oil, gas sector in Angola
New York, Sept. 23. (UNI): The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is keen to invest in the oil and gas sector in Angola.
India offered to cooperate with Angola in this sector when External Affairs Minister, K Natwar Singh, yesterday met Angolan Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, on the margins of the UN General Assembly.
Angola is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
The two Ministers discussed a wide-range of issues, including bilateral ties and the international situation, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said. INTERVIEW-Russian-born Gaydamak targets Angolan farm revival.
By Zoe Eisenstein 445 words 26 September 2004 17:16 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUANDA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Angola, which has emerged from a three-decade civil war and is keen to attract foreign investment, will produce enough food to feed itself within two years, a leading Angolan businessman said on Sunday.
Arcadi Gaydamak, a millionaire in dollar terms with interests ranging from banking to agriculture and mining, told Reuters in a rare interview that he was spearheading the revival of the farming sector with investments of $150 million.
Gaydamak - who is Russian-born and lives in Moscow - is subject to an international arrest warrant issued by France in 2000 after he failed to show up for a court hearing related to charges of alleged illegal arms trading during the Angola war. He denies wrongdoing and says evidence presented in the case was falsified.
The war that ended in 2002 ruined infrastructure and agriculture in Angola - Africa's second largest producer of oil and blessed with fertile soil. With 13 million people, it relies on international food aid and commercial imports to meet its food needs.
"In two years, we will cover all the food needs of Angola. We are (already) producing five percent of Angola's needs with Terra Verde (farm). We did it in 18 months," he said. Terra Verde is a 350 hectare farm pilot project just outside Luanda, in which Gaydamak invested $30 million. It produces fruit and vegetables - including peppers, melons, tomatoes and potatoes - and chicken and eggs for local consumption.
EXPORTS ON AGENDA
Government and aid officials were not immediately available for comment on his hopes the country would feed itself in two years.
Angola's staple food crop is maize, which Gaydamak plans to grow on six farm projects in partnership with state company Simportex, and Gaydamak had made an outlay of $120 million. The first harvest from one of the farms is due within nine months, said Gaydamak.
"With Simportex, we will produce basic products especially chicken meat," he said, adding that Angola imported $25 million in frozen chicken from Brazil annually and that cash could go to an investment in a chicken farm that generated local jobs.
With other private investors, Gaydamak was also putting cash in oranges and grapes for export to Europe. Mangoes and a dairy farm were also on his agenda.
Gaydamak believed that his projects alone could feed the country as well as export within 24 months. Government officials have said other private investors and its own agencies were also working to revitalise agriculture to ensure food security.
He planned to set up fertiliser factories to supply the agricultural sector. He gave no time frame.
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FEATURE-Angola's black granite sparkles amid kitchen boom.
By Zoe Eisenstein and Karen Iley 739 words 17 August 2004 06:02 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUBANGO, Angola, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Gleaming black granite found only in Angola is luring foreign investors eager to give the world's yuppies the latest in high-style kitchen and bathroom sparkle.
Extraction of the rare stone, known as "Black Angola" and native to the southern province of Huila, is gearing up again after coming to a halt during the worst of the African country's 27- year civil war, industry and government officials say. "The biggest granite companies in the world want to come and invest in Angola. After the end of the war, they see it as a potential market," said Henrique Cassico, managing partner of Emanha, a local firm which transforms rough granite into polished slabs for export.
Although still a fledgling industry, total export revenues reached $10 million in 2003 and are expected to more than double as new firms come on the scene, Fernando Pontes Pereira, the provincial government's planning director, told Reuters.
"In the next five years export revenue from black granite will grow to $25 million. It will become a very important industry for the province," he said.
South Africa was the biggest producer of black granite but China, Brazil, Russia, Zimbabwe were also active, Cassico said.
"These countries, particularly South Africa, are competition for Angola. But really their black granite is quite different from 'Black Angola'. It's also black but it's very different in appearance. I think 'Black Angola' is more beautiful," he said.
"Black Angola" is slightly cheaper mainly due to the fact that Angola was new on the market and offering more competitive prices to attract custom.
Existing companies have described the potential reserves of the superior stone with a mirror- like sheen as "immense", offering decades if not centuries of mining activity.
"With the entrance of new companies - three new firms will start operations this year - I think export revenue could eventually reach $50 million a year," Cassico said.
"I think we have reserves for more than 300 years - and that's only what we can see in the 370 hectare (915 acres) concession (of sister mining firm EGAL)," he told Reuters.
Top granite industry companies like Levantina and David Fernandes Grande, both from Spain, are already in the process of starting up their Huila operations, Cassico said.
Currently only a handful of firms make up the local industry but Pontes saw it expanding to 15 or 20 in the next 20 years as businesses caught on to the potential value of the market.
Existing operators cautioned against meteoric growth, fearing an excess supply could crush prices. The stone typically fetches $600 to $900 per cubic metre, depending on its quality and dimension, sources said.
"The government needs to control production so as not to flood the market and lower prices," Cassico said.
POSH KITCHENS
Used to make luxury kitchen surfaces and as wall and floor coverings, "Black Angola" was in high demand, particularly from style-conscious customers in Italy, Portugal and Spain.
But with start up costs averaging $3 to $4 million and operating expenses inflated by high transport costs, industry incumbents said they were yet to make a profit. Pinto Jorge, finance director at Metarochas, a granite mining company, was optimistic that his company could swing into the black within the next 12 months.
"We mine 200 cubic metres at the moment and we could double that within two years... We expect to break even within a year," he told Reuters.
For Emanha, feeding Europe's appetite for upmarket home furnishings could bring profits as soon as next month, with sales expected to double due to two new contracts.
A government decision to support the market by raising customs duties on imported granite is helping, Cassico said.
"We're already starting to see the effects (of the increased duties). In two months, we've seen a significant increase in demand," he said.
The re-emergence of the industry is welcome in a country where many people are unemployed and live in abject poverty.
Since the conflict ended in April 2002, diversifying the economy away from oil is seen as an important step in Angola's recovery, particularly outside the capital Luanda.
Huila, which relies on cattle and fruit farming for the bulk of its income and employment, hopes the black granite industry will create thousands of new jobs.
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Thursday September 23, 4:13 PM New Millennium Resources: Angola Site On Track For Yr End
Edited Press Release
LONDON (Dow Jones)--New Millennium Resources NL (NML), the international diamond exploration company with projects in Greenland and Africa, reports Thursday that development on the Lapi alluvial diamond mining project in Angola is progressing according to schedule. The project is on track for production to commence by the end of this year.
The mining plant and processing equipment acquired in South Africa for the project has been transported from Port Luanda to Saurimo. The equipment has reached Saurimo via a 40 truck convoy from Luanda, the Capital city of Angola and is located on the West Coast of Africa. Saurimo is the provincial centre for the region and is located 35 km south of the company's mine site at Lapi in northeastern Angola. Construction of a road was required from Saurimo to the mine site to enable heavy equipment to pass. Twenty-three kilometers of that road has already been completed and Base Camp GBP1 has been established twenty kilometers from the mine site. The remaining portion of road is expected to be completed by the end of this month. The commencement mine site is located on the banks of the Rio Lapi and is currently occupied by the Company's 30 man security contingent.
It is expected that the plant and equipment will all be on the mine site and fully assembled early next month. The company will continue to release regular exploration updates as the mine construction and pre-production continues. The mine is expected to enter production by the end of 2004 and to begin to generate significant cash flow shortly thereafter.
John Cross, Managing Director of New Millennium Resources, commented: "After the announcement last week that Hudson Resources, NML's joint venture partner, has found kimberlitic diamonds in Greenland, we are pleased to report that the progress on the Lapi alluvial diamond project in Africa is also progressing according to plan. With the arrival of the equipment and the construction of the mine site camp we have taken the next step towards our goal of African diamond production by the end of 2004".
The Lapi project, consisting of the C9 diamond concession, is owned as a joint venture by NML (34%), the Angolan state diamond company ENDIAMA (51%) and local group MOMBO (15%), and is located in the north east of Angola in the Lunde Sul Province, straddling the Rio Chicapa and Rio Luo river systems. The area surrounding these river systems is known to contain diamondiferous gravels, and measured resources at the C9 diamond project are calculated at 188,000cts. In addition indicated resources of 3.79Mcts and inferred resources of 4.80Mcts have been reported.
INTERVIEW-Angola says oil price earned govt $275 mln in H1.
By Zoe Eisenstein and Karen Iley 606 words 10 September 2004 10:11 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUANDA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - High oil prices swelled Angolan coffers by $275 million in the first half of 2004, bonus cash the government has stored in a special reserve for future needs, deputy prime minister Aguinaldo Jaime said on Friday.
Although desperate for funds to rebuild after a civil war spanning three decades, Angola would hold off on a spending spree and adopt a prudent strategy to see it through tougher times ahead, Jaime said.
"The Angolan government has decided to set up a special reserve to put aside this money for public expenditure in the framework of the budget for 2005," he said.
With oil prices in the first half averaging $35.15 per barrel for London Brent crude and Angola's 2004 budget based on just $23 per barrel, the government is under pressure to account for the extra revenue.
Angola's government has been accused by human rights groups and donors of graft on a grand scale.
A report by Human Rights Watch in January this year said $4 billion in oil revenues had vanished from Angolan state coffers between 1997 and 2002 - a staggering sum in a country where most people live in dire poverty.
"We're saving the money for more difficult days ahead that everybody recognises will come, because these prices are unsustainable," Jaime said.
Analysts have estimated oil-rich Angola could reap an extra $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion annually, but Jaime described these calculations as "simplistic" and "not correct".
"Obviously the state will benefit from taxes and indeed there is an increase of money that will go directly to Angolan reserves," he said.
"(But) you cannot simplistically say that because the oil price has increased that there will be immediately more money for the Angolan Treasury," he added.
Jaime said any increase in the oil price simply meant that investments in the sector would be repaid at a faster rate, while government expenditure - in terms of higher fuel subsidies - would actually increase.
"When the international oil price goes up, the market price (of fuel) will go up and that means that the amount of (fuel) subsidy will also go up," he said.
"The subsidies that we had provided for in 2004 have already been eaten up and we will have to come up with more subsidies for the remaining part of the year," he added.
"NO QUICK FIX"
Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's second largest oil producer after Nigeria, yet most of its 13 million people live on less than $1 a day.
Jaime said that despite better economic management and rising oil production - output is slated to double to around two million barrels per day by 2008 - getting the country back on its feet would take time.
"We will have maybe three years ahead which will still be very difficult because this is the post-war period," he said.
"The Angolan government will have to conduct a conservative policy in terms of spending. But I would forecast that in 2007 or 2008 the situation will be much better," he added.
But convincing ordinary Angolans who are already frustrated with a lack of improvement in their lives could prove difficult.
"We will have to interact more with them, explain more about what we are doing, what are the constraints, what are the interim results," Jaime said.
"The people will have the confidence to wait a little bit longer until the peace dividends become tangible, which is not the case right now. There is no quick fix," he added.
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Angola says no change to fx law without consulation.
220 words 10 September 2004 10:22 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUANDA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Angola's deputy prime minister on Friday sought to soothe oil industry qualms over a proposed foreign exchange law, insisting the authorities would listen to their concerns.
The bill would oblige oil companies to deposit crude oil receipts in Angolan banks until the central bank (BNA) granted permission for the funds to be repatriated.
Sources have complained it would impact on existing contracts as well as future deals and would threaten prospective investments in the industry.
But Aguinaldo Jaime told Reuters that Angola did not want to create volatility and was eager to uphold its reputation for honouring commitments.
"We do not want to take any unilateral action and especially we do not want to jeopardise our reputation that we are a country that likes to honour its commitments," he said.
However Jaime said it was necessary for Angola, emerging from a devastating civil war, to review and possibly revamp its laws to fit with the times.
"We are trying to see whether there is room for improvement," he said.
"That's why the central bank of Angola is having discussions with representatives of the oil companies to see what kind of changes could be introduced in our foreign exchange law on the oil sector," he added.
Document LBA0000020040910e09a006nr
INTERVIEW-Angola says no need for oil-backed loans in future.
By Zoe Eisenstein and Karen Iley 548 words 10 September 2004 10:35 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUANDA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Angola's likely deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a $2 billion Chinese credit line will make expensive oil-backed loans unnecessary in the future, the country's deputy prime minister said on Friday.
"Not only because we're trying to sign an agreement with the IMF, but also because we have signed this jumbo loan with the Export-Import Bank of China. Probably there will be no more need for oil-backed loans," Aguinaldo Jaime told Reuters.
The southwest African country, rebuilding after a devastating 27-year civil war, had external, bilateral and commercial debt totalling around $12 billion and planned to approach international capital markets for funding as early as next year, Jaime said.
After accumulating huge oil-backed debts during the war years, Angola is keen to find cheaper sources of funding for its reconstruction. In July the IMF said reliance on oil - backed loans from commercial banks had burdened the economy with heavy debt servicing and Angola's external position would remain very difficult for the rest of the decade.
"I could forecast that next year the process of starting the way for Angola to have access to the capital markets will start formally," Jaime said in a rare interview.
The IMF has said that Angola could achieve a Staff Monitored Programme, which could pave the way for cheaper borrowing and debt rescheduling, by the end of this year. A staff monitored programme does not include an approval of funds.
"Our intentions are very clear: to come to a formal arrangement with the Fund on the basis of the budget for 2005," Jaime said.
An internal IMF report leaked in October 2002 painted a damning picture of corruption and mismanagement in Angola, including allegations about the disappearance of huge amounts of government cash.
The institution has since acknowledged an improvement in Angola's transparency record and Jaime said the country would continue in its efforts to be more open. "We want to become fully transparent and we are getting there," he said.
The Chinese credit line, which Jaime said was earmarked for infrastructure projects, was expected to open by the end of this year. "Before there can be any disbursement of funds, the projects have to be prepared and the feasibility studies have to be prepared, so no money has been disbursed yet," he said.
Funds from a $2.25 billion syndicated bank loan were beginning to come through. Part of the money was slated to pay off Angola's debt to Portugal while the rest would be used to fund the 2004 state deficit, Jaime said.
Angola was implementing macroeconomic reforms in a bid to stabilise the economy and lift confidence among potential creditors, he said.
"If, as seems to be the case, we are successful, then the next stage will be the rating agencies will come to Angola, (they) will assess the risks, (they) will give a rating to Angola which will enable us to go to the international capital markets and have access to funds," he said.
Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's second largest oil producer but most of its 13 million people live in abject poverty.
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INTERVIEW-Infrastructure key to Angolan reconstruction.
265 words 10 September 2004 10:38 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
LUANDA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Infrastructure is key to Angola's post-war economic and social recovery but there are money-making opportunities in all sectors, deputy prime minister Aguinaldo Jaime said on Friday.
Government and private sector investment should focus on rebuilding roads, railways and bridges, as well as expanding water and energy coverage to the whole country, he said.
"If you do not rebuild infrastructure there cannot be any viable economic activity," Jaime told Reuters in an interview.
"We are a post-conflict country. All the infrastructure of the economy has been destroyed so we have to rebuild from scratch," he added.
Almost three decades of civil war left the country's infrastructure in ruins and despite vast oil reserves, most of its 13 million people live in dire poverty.
Jaime said a solid infrastructure would spur other industries, helping Angola's economy diversify away from oil.
"Oil is a non-renewable resource and one day it will disappear. You have to use oil to develop your human capacity and the infrastructure of the country which would enable other economic activity to take place," he said.
Jaime welcomed the keen interest being shown by foreign businesses but encouraged them to look beyond a fast buck.
"Obviously foreign investors look for opportunities where they can have a quick return on their investment," he said.
But businesses with a longer-term view could reap rewards in other sectors including agriculture, industry and fishing.
"I see many, many opportunities for the private sector in every sector of the economy," he said.
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ANALYSIS-Angola reveals more about oil income, but not enough.
By Ed Stoddard 532 words 10 September 2004 14:40 Reuters News English (c) 2004 Reuters Limited
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Angola is slowly opening its books to global scrutiny in the face of donor pressure to come clean on its oil revenues but it has a long way to go, analysts said on Friday.
Deputy prime minister Aguinaldo Jaime told Reuters on Friday that a likely deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a $2 billion Chinese credit line will make expensive oil-backed loans unnecessary in the future.
He said the Angola might seek funding from international capital markets next year - which would demand more accountability than the banks and states that have given it oil-backed loans in the past.
He also said high oil prices had swollen Angolan coffers by $275 million in the first half of 2004 - an unprecedented admission from a government that has cloaked its revenue in secrecy and stands accused of graft on a grand scale.
"The days when they (the Angolan government) could do what they liked are over. Donors are attaching conditions and they want accountability," said Keith Campbell, the head of Executive Research Associates, a Pretoria-based political consultancy.
A report by Human Rights Watch in January this year said $4 billion in oil revenues had vanished from Angolan state coffers between 1997 and 2002 - a staggering sum in a country where most people live in dire poverty.
An internal IMF report leaked in October 2002 painted a damning picture of corruption and mismanagement in Angola, including allegations about the disappearance of huge amounts of government cash.
The institution has since acknowledged an improvement in Angola's transparency record and Angola could achieve a Staff Monitored Programme with the fund by the end of the year.
"The closer they are to the IMF the better for transparency all round," said Campbell.
In May Angola signed a $300 million deal with ChevronTexaco Corp. (CVX.N) to allow the company to continue drilling for oil in the country and disclosed for the first time the money it will receive from a foreign oil company.
Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's second biggest oil producer after Nigeria, pumping close to one million barrels per day. Most of its 13 million people live in abject poverty.
KEEN ON NEW FUNDING
After accumulating huge oil-backed debts during a savage civil war which ended in 2002, Angola is keen to find new and cheaper sources of funding for its reconstruction.
But that will require more openness from its ruling elite, former Marxists turned well-heeled capitalists.
"They don't have to be transparent with oil-backed loans at all and so going into the capital markets is a strong incentive for them to become more transparent," said one Angola analyst who asked not to be named.
"What remains to be seen is if the end of the war means a complete sea change in economic management or just patchy improvements ... A lot of work needs to be done yet," the analyst said.
Further credit lines from China could enable the ruling MPLA to keep its books firmly shut as China is unlikely to be very concerned about governance issues.
Document LBA0000020040910e09a008w0
Aguinaldo Jaime
Will Angola continue to take oil-backed loans. "I think at this stage it is very difficult to say yes or no. everything will depend upon the progress we make on the conversations with the IMF regarding the signing of a staff monitoring programme. As you know we are making very good progress. An imf mission was here in the country, the work will continue. As you know in October the annual meeting of the Bretton Woods institutions will take place. An Angolan delegation will be there, a high level delegation, to continue discussions. Our intentions are very clear: To come to a formal arrangement with the fund on the basis of the budget for 2005. So if we can come to this arrangement I don't see the need for these oil-backed loans which were, I would say, a necessity in the past. And if things go well, they will probably not be necessary in the future.
Chinese loan - how much has come through and when? Zero. Because as you know these contracts demand that we prepare a feasibility study for each and every project. And in Angola we don't have many companies specialised in preparing real projects because it's not just the case to state vaguely the intentions and state vaguely what resources are necessary and the objectives that the state wants to achieve. We have to transform all of this information into a project, into a feasibility study, and we are still in the process of preparing everything because no single penny can be dispersed without a project, without a feasibility study which has to be submitted to the Chinese party. We are still in the process although we have already identified priorities. Basically the priorities are infrastructure, physical and social infrastructure, roads, railways, bridges, hospitals, schools -- these are basically the priorities that we have established to use the money. Before there can be any disbursement of funds the projects have to be prepared, the feasibility studies have to be prepared, so in answer to your question, no money has been disbursed yet.
How much are you expecting in full and by when? We believe that before the end of the year we will start receiving some funds out of this facility (SNAP) because as you know we regard this line with the Xiyang? bank as a critical one to the development of the Angolan economy.
How big is the loan in total? The loan in total is $1 billion plus1 -- which means that in the first phase $1 billion will be disbursed depending on the projects that the government will be willing and ready to submit to the Chinese counterpart which is the Xiang bank of China and in the next phase there will be one more billion. That is also one of the reasons why we feel that maybe we will not need to resort to oil-backed loans in the future (SNAP) -- not only because we're trying to sign an agreement with the IMF but also because we have signed this jumbo loan with the Xiyang bank of China and probably there will be nor more need for oil-backed loans.
Is the Chinese loan oil-backed? The Chinese loan is not oil-backed in the sense that we used to see, but it has one facility of oil associated with the loan. That means that oil is sold to a Chinese company and the proceeds of the sale will go to a trust account, more precisely to an escrow account, and which has as signatory parties the Angolan government and the Chinese. With the proceeds of these sales of oil, we'll then service the contracts that when we sign each and individual contracts so it's slightly different. The Angolan government does not receive any money. The money goes straight to a trust account. With the money we will finance the projects that are signed between the Angolan government and the Chinese government. There is a minimum amount required to be held in this account. Anything in excess of that will go straight to the Angolan government. (like an oil-backed credit line) technically I wouldn't say this is an oil-backed loan. It has a different structure although it has associated as collateral if I may say that a contract for the sale of oil.
Is it a kind of credit line? Basically it's a kind of credit line.
What about the standard chartered money? $2.25 billion? Yes, I don't have the precise figures but it's around that amount. Part of this amount as you know is to repay the debt to Portugal -- official debt and commercial debt -- at a big discount as you know it will only be paid 35 percent of the total amount. There is a forgiveness of 65 percent. The other part of the loan is really to finance the state deficit for 2004. there has been some arrears (getting the money) because of technical problems in structuring the facility but I think these technical problems have already been solved and the money has started being disbursed into the treasury of the Angolan government.
When the Chinese loan was announced earlier this year the jornal do Angola said it was a turn towards the east -- you agree? I wouldn't say it is a turn towards the east. I would say more the policy of diversification of our relationship which has always been the policy of the Angolan government. Maybe some quarters in Angola are slightly disappointed because with the oil that we had in the past we had contracts signed with some other entities and governments, probably we could have made a better use of it in terms of repayment periods, in terms of rate of interest and in terms of structuring of the facilities. But we have learned from our psat experience and this is why the credit line signed with the Xiang bank of china created so much enthusiasm.
Does Angola want to go into other forms of financing, e.g. bonds? The reason why the Angolan government resorted to oil-backed loans it was not the government's decision. It was imposed on Angola by the creditors taking into account the distortions of the Angolan economy especially the distoritions in our bal of payments, the huge deficit we have in our fiscal accounts. In such a situation the typical guarantee provided by the central bank is of no use -- that is the reason why the creditors started imposing on theangolan government oil as a collateral in order to have access to financial facilities. So it was not our decision. That means that as long as we correct the distortions in our economy, as long as we are successful in stabilising our economy, then Angola will become a normal country. It will have a rating, the credit rating agencies will come to Angola and assess the risks in the Angolan economy, will assess the foundations of our economy and will provide a rating to us. Based on this rating we will be able to go to the international capital markets and have access to funds. (SNAP) but this is a long process. We are doing our part, we are stabilising the economy, we are correcting the macro economic foundations of our economy to give more confidence not only to the Angolan people but also to potential creditors who would like to enter into relations with us. If, as it seems the case, we are successful, then the next state will be the rating agencies will come to Angola, will assess the risks, will give a rating to Angola which will enable us to go to the international capital markets and have access to funds.
When do you expect rating agencies to start coming to Angola? Everything is dependent upon -- and this is what people say to us -- a formal and successful agreement with the IMF. When we want to have access to funds, every donor will tell us that the precondition for that is a formal arrangement with the IMF so that's why we are negotiating, we are trying to come to an understanding. We are very close, we are not there yet.
Do u think rating agencies Angola as soon as next year? If the agreement is signed with the IMF, if the trial period which this type of agreement involves is met successfully, if the targets are met successfully, then I could forecast that next year the process of starting the ways for Angola to have access to the capital markets will start formally. (SNAP)
Several SMPs with imf - why this one more successful? First of all because we now have peace which was not the case when we signed the other agreements with the IMF. We have now political stability -- we are not figting any more, and this made a very big difference. Secondly we have achieved the very good results. For the first time in Angolan economic history, annual inflation stood at two digits, at 65 percent. In the past we had 300 percent, we had a situation of hyperinflation. And also the rate of depreciation of our currency in the exchange rate market has slowed down. We have today a very stable currency. All this combined together -- peace, political stability and macro economic stability -- will give us the confidence that now we have the conditions to move ahead and to be more ambitious in our goals within the framword of a staff monitored programme. This could not be the case before. It was really very, very difficult and I can still tell you that it's still very difficult. Angola although we're already in peace we are still a post-conflict country and the impact of the war is still visible. It has not yet been overcome. But still the conditions today are more favourable for us to go ahead and to be probably more ambitious in setting our goals with the IMF.
Do you see an SMP leading on to another type of programme with the IMF? That's the purpose. A staff monitored programme is really an interim arrangement pending the other arrangement that we are aiming at which is the PRGF (Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility). And this programme is critical for two reasons. One because it gives access to rescheduling of our external debt and secondly it provides concessional funding that we need to finance the reconstruction and the development of the Angolan economy. I do not know of any other experience of any other country, a post-conflict country, which has rebuilt its economy based on commercial lending. It is more costly, it takes more time, it imposes on your population more sacrifices, and that's one of the reasons why we are urging the international financial institutions to come up with the concessional lending that we need to reconstruct our economy so that we cannot, there is no more need to go into the international market and to try and have access to commercial lending which is more costly.
Can you give us an outline of angola's debt profile? I dont have the figures with me but I can tell you that the stock of our debt is around $12 billion. This, we are still working on. We're making also very good progress on this front. We established a software to manage the debt on a daily basis because this is not a problem that we solve once and for all. It's a problem that we have to deal with daily and that's the reason why we created the instruments so we know at any given moment the stock of our debt, the profile of our creditors, of arrears. This was done with the technical assistance of the IMF and the results are really quite encouraging and provided a more clear picture of our fiscal position as the IMF recognised in its last communiqué.
$12 bln includes what? That includes the commercial and official debt. We don't have debt with multilateral institutions any more so that was solved in the framework of the first staff monitored programme. We still have bilateral debt, official debt and commercial debt.
Oil High oil prices - how much extra money is that going to generate for Angola. For must analysts and opinion makers what they do is a simplistic exercise to see what is the total volume of our production and multiply it by the average oil price and then say 'well that's the total that will come to the Angolan budget' but this is not correct. First of all because when we signed the last production sharing agreements in ultradeep water because of the risks the structure of these arrangements are slightly different than the previous ones that we have signed. And in this last arrangement the oil companies will get back their money in terms of volume of barrels irrespective of the oil price which means that if the oil prices go up, the payback period will be reduced significantly, so an oil company which has invested a certain amount of billion dollars in deep and ultradeep waters that means that the payback period has been reduced. No extra money will come to the Angolan treasury.
The second reason is when the oil goes up, the amount of the subsidies will also go up to explain a little bit better what I';m saing. There is an amount of subsidy provided for in the budget every year..to cover the difference in the price that is necessary to recover all the costs because this is one price and the Angolan government does not the sell the fuel at the market price. There is an amount of subsidy because for us to do that (sell at the market price) would create social unrest, social instability. This is the reason that we do not sell fuel at the market price. So when the international oil price goes up, the market price will also go up and that means that the amount of subsidy will also go up. Because of this fact the amount of subsidies that we had provided for in 2004 has already been eaten up and we will have to come up with more subsidies for the remaining part of the year. What we could get from the increase of the oil price on the international market, part of it will be eaten up in subsidies because the subsidies that are being provided for in the budget have already been exhausted. (explanation of profit oil and cost oil)
But however you look at it, Angola is benefiting? ((I haven't finished.) You cannot simplistically say that because the oil price has increased that there will be immediately more money for the Angolan treasury. Given the broad explanation of all explanations of the increase in the price: subsidies, structure of the oil production agreements of deepwater and ultradeepwater, so you have to strike a difference between cost oil and profit oil, and when the prices go up that means the profit oil will come earlier and not at a later stage. The third reason is that obviously the state will benefit from more (formal) taxes and indeed as the last council of ministers communique recognised, there is an increase of money that will go directly to Angolan reserves. But bythe simplye fact that oil prices are up we cannot immediately increase public expenditure. Why? And the IMF has warned us that oil international markets is still very volatile. You cannot predict how the market will be in 2 months from now and because of that we have to be conscious. That's why the Angolan government has decided to set up a special reserve to put aside this money for the public expenditure in the framework of the budget of 2005, because we don't know how the market will react.
So in a sense saving for rainy day? Yes, we're saving the money for more difficult days ahead that everybody recognises will come, because these prices are unsustainable. Everyone is saying that the reasons behind these increases are political and not economic and because of that we have to be cautious not to increase significantly public expenditure.. Which by the way hghest in sub-sharan Africa at 50 percent of GDP whereas the average stands at around 30 pct of GDP
Nevertheless you must have some idea how much extra revenue oil price will bring to Angola? If we take everything into consideration around $275 million in the first semester of 2004. would it be fair to multiply by 2? I don't know because nobody can predict how the market will react in the future and the prices have already started slowing down. Nobody can predict precisely how the markets will behave in the months ahead.
The cost of oil is the amount of money spent by the oil companies, international oil companies operating in Angola, but sonangol does not profit immediately from any increase in oil prices as concessionaire of the Angolan government for the oil business as I explained. So basically
How soon do you see oil profit coming? The estimates are that the three years ahead will be very difficult. The Angolan government will have to conduct a conservative policy in terms of spending. But I would forecast in three years after that -- in 2007 or 2008 -- the situation will be much better. But the problem is how to survive up to 2007/2008.
Spending priorities. First of all we are a post-conflict country. All the infrastructure of the economy has been destroyed so we have to rebuild from scratch. I'm sure you have already listened to complaints from Angolan entrepreneurs who cannot take their produce from the south to the north. We don't have railways so the only way available is by road. The poor conditions of the road make that one driver will take almost 10 days to come from the centre of the country up to the north. That renders agriculture almost impossible, the only way out to transport the agricultural goods by air and that makes them very expensive and it makes life very difficult for the ordinary Angolan people. So that's why we have to make a big effort in rebuilding the infrastructure. If you do not rebuild infrastructure there cannot be any viable economic activity. And when I say infrastructure I mean basic railways, roads, bridges and also to bring water and energy to the whole country which is not the case right now. We have Capanda which is the biggest project implemented by the Angolan government so far, which is over $2.7 billion so far. So coupled with infrastructure Angola might seem a rich country but it's not. If you decided to finance your economy using only your own means, it would take long until you create conditions for a viable economic activity, so this is basically where we spend the money. Secondly, I would like to point out that as a result of the peace accord which we signed with UNITA we have to take care of demobilised soldiers to give them jobs in the public sector, especially teachers, nurses, so all of these people who came from UNITA are now in the public sector which was already in size a very huge one and that's one of the reasons why our public expenditure is really very high compared with the average one in the SADC region. That will come only step by step. You cannot reduce the size of the public sector immediately until you create conditions for the private sector to play its role in the development of the Angolan economy. So basically these are our priorities and obviously we have to educate our people and take care of their health. Infrastructure, the post-war expenditure although Angola is not at war any more but we have still a huge expenditure with soldiers. We have a huge army because many UNITA people have been integrated in the army. This is the price we have to pay in order to have peace and political stability.
OIL - 2004 budget revised? No. We will not revise the 2004 budget because that could create more pressure to increase public expenditure and because the increase in the oil (price) is not sustainable. I think this would be a very dangerous exercise.
Will the basis of 2005 budget take into account high prices this year? We will see because we're still preparing the budget, we'll see the tendencies of the market and we have a basic rule that we do not finance current expenditure with current revenues so this money will be used to reconstruct the infrastructure of our economy.
What can ao teach to/learn from other prod countries? I think we can learn that we have to create the conditions so that the country can move along even without oil. Angola in the past used to be a very powerful country economically speaking without oil but this was before the war, before independence, when our economy was not devastated, where we had human capabilities that we don't have now., you know that there was a big exodus of the Portuguese who were taking care of the economy and the administration and we have now to create our own human basis for that. That will take time but Angola will have to bear in mind that oil is a non-renewable resource and we'll have to create the conditions so that the proceeds of oil are not just used to finance current expenditure but to develop the capital base of the country to create conditions so that in the future we can have more wealth, more wellbeing.
Msg to new prod countries? Oil is a non-renewable resource and one day it will disappear -- maybe in 20 years, 30 years, but one day it will go. So you have to create the conditions so that when that day comes you have the conditions for your economy to keep on going without oil. You have to use oil to develop your human capacity and the infrastructure of the country which would enable other economic activity to take place.
Transparency and corruption -- initiatives helpful? I believe they are useful. Anything that would boost your image external and internal will have some benefits, especially in terms of getting development assistance. I know that some donors are still reluctant to increase the aid to development because they believe Angola has a lot of resources, Angola has a huge potential, Angola is a rich country that can survive on its own. If you were transparent, if you can show that this is not the case then people will know the amount of your resources and the gap of resources that has to be filled by international assistance of private or public investment. So I think these initiatives are very useful.
Talk of Angola being more transparent -- future? We want to become fully transparent and we are getting there. First of all we created a unified budget, we did away with extra budget operations that were done in the past especially when Angola was at war for reasons that everybody will understand. Now tis is not the case anymore so we have one unified budget. That means that every transaction is to be reflected in our budget. Your budget has to reflect the total amount of your expenditure and the total amount of your revenue. That was done and I think it was a big achievement in terms of transparency. Secondly we created what we call a single treasury account where all these transactions are truly effected. Thirdly we created an online system that links the treasury, the central bank and the BPC (BANCO do popanca e credito) which is the operator of the state budget. So any payment can be monitored in real terms through this online system that was put in place some time ago. Later our intention is to link the provincial governments and also the embassies abroad. So all entities which are dependent upon state subsidies will be linked online and you can monitor any transaction which takes place within the state financial system.
Reports of disappearing money during the war? Will this happen postwar? I will have to say that in one of the IMF missions -- not the last one, the previous -- for the first time the accounts carried out by the IMF and the accounts prepared by the government matched perfectly so there are not any more fiscal discrepancies that we witnessed in the past. I think the reason why these discrepancies could be seen was that our accounting system was really very poor, and we made very good progress on this front as well with the technical assistance. Because if you do not report every transaction and if you have discrepancies then it becomes speculation and the first reason that will cross people's mind is that if the money was not accounted for it went to someone's pocket. This is the reason why in the past, basically because of our poor statistics, there were so many discrepancies in the public financial system. But with the technical assistance that we (will) receive from the IMF we will improve our fiscal statistics, our balance of payments statistics, our statistics about external debt and now the fiscal position of Angola is perfectly clear so there are no more missing billions as it was in the past. I must also point out one thing. Things were further complicated by the fact that in the oil sector you use two different currencies -- the kwanza and the dollar and in a volatile atmosphere, when the currency depreciates so heavily, if you don't report a transaction at the time when the transaction took place and if you report the transaction later on, then because of the depreciation it gives room for so many discrepancies and headaches.
But mr Jaime!!! There's deffers corruption. Corruption is something that you find in Angola (and) in almost every country in the world. Name me one country where there is no corruption. Obviously corruption exists everywhere. The point is you have to put in place a system, if there is corruption, first of all to prevent corruption, but when corruption happens, and these (it) will definitely happen in Angola and elsewhere. Those held responsible for that are to be brought to justice.
If corruption isn't the reason for the missing billions, why has Angola been so slow in transparency initiatives?
If you don't have your structure, if you don't have your system in place, if you adhere to these initiatives and if tomorrow you cannot report everything then it will be even worse. So it's better to put your house in order first so that when you adhere to these initiatives you can report every single transaction that happens in your economy. If you have not reached that stage yet there is no point in adhering to these initiatives because tomorrow there will be another discrepancy and there will be an international big fuss trying to see where the money has gone, why it has gone astray, it went to somebody's pocket. This is why our strategy was first of all with the technical assistance that we received from IMF and the World Bank to put in place a very good statistics system, reporting system so that every transaction is fully reflected in your budget and fully reported. Because if you don't have the system, there is not point in being part of these initiatives. You that united states government was once reluctant to admit that Angola could be part of the AGOA (African growth and opportunities act) which is an initiative put in place by the united states government towards the African countries that implement reforms --both political reforms and economic reforms. There was a big debate and last year eventually Angola was finally made a member of this initiative as recognition basically of the progress made in the economic and political reforms as recognised also by the IMF.
Dont you think us cosying up to Angola cos wants more access to oil? I would answer this question with another questions -- why is the IMF recognising good progress that has been taking place in Angola both on the political front and economic front. Please read the last IMF communiqués.
AGOA doesn't apply to the oil sector. We are not benfiting directly from agoa yet but the mere fact that the uited states was ready to admit Angola as one of its members is international recognition of the efforts we are putting in place in order to bring more transparency to our economy and the way we conduct public affairs. That's the point I am trying to make. And I do not buy the argument that this is only because Angola has oil because Angola had oil in the past and we were not members of agoa and also even when Angola was admitted one of the conditions was that Angola should as soon as possible publish and implement the oil diagnostic study that was conducted by an international consultant and we are in the process . we published it and we are in the process of implementing its main recommendations.
Angola had oil but us wasn't in such a tight spot. Yes the united states was not in a tight spot yes, but why is that united states did not want to involve itself with some other oil producer, we have many, you could name them. but my basic argument because you cannot take one piece and isolate it you have to take all these pieces together. One piece is recognition that Angola is now a member of the agoa initiative. Another pice and to me more important is the fact that the imf in public statements are recognising the progress, tremendous progress, that has taken place in Angola in the economic management.
Angola future with oil prod set to double? To me angola's future is bright. Very bright. Now that we have manged to bring the war to an end, now that we are moving towards national reconsiciliation and more democratisation, now that we are talking about having in the near future parliamentary and presidential elections that will strengthen our democratic process, I think with the oil prospects and if we consider to witness such a progress in economic management I thing the future of Angola is very bright. We will have maybe three years ahead which will still be very difficult because this is the postwar period. We'll have to reconstruct everything and the expectations are very high and sometimes it's not easy to make people understand that although expectations are high, there's no quick fix in the economy. Things do take time. If Angola has time -- two or three more years -- to put his house in order politically and economically then I think Angola will be a place to be in the future.
When will ordinary Angolans see improvements? As soon as we put in place our infrastructure because as I said the problem is in such a condition you cannot have viable economic ectivity if you don't have power, if you don't have electricity, if you don't have roads, if you don't have railways. if you don't have all this infrastructure that is needed, that is a prerequisite for the economic activity to develop, there is no point in giving assistance to people so that they get more food aid or this kind of aid. No. this is not the way out. The way out is to create conditions for the private sector, both domestic and international to play its role and create more wealth, more jobs, and that's the way out. I think we'll have to convince the Angolan people that we are doing the right things. We will haqve to interact probably more with them, explain more what we are doing, what are the constraints, what are the interim results. The people will have the confidence to wait a little bit longer until the peace dividends become tangible, which is not the case right now.
Investment opps? Since Angola is a postwar economy, everything remains to be done. We do not have the problems that other economies have to say well there is no space in the sector, no no no. I think the potential is here in every sector -- mining, infrastructure. If we come with the arrangement which are very common now of public and private partnerships (PPP) infrastructure, agriculture, industry, fishing -- the opportunities are there because the Angolan economy needs to be rebuilt from scratch. That's why I see many many opportunities for the private sector in every sector of the economy.
Where seeing most interest from foreign investors? Obviously foreign investors do look for opportunities where they can have a quick return on their investment and most foreign investors do like mining, oil, diamonds, gold and other minerals that we have in the Angolan economy. But if you are not looking for quick returns, you can have also agriculture because basically Angola used to be dependent on agriculture, not on oil, in the past and I see agriculture and obviously all the agri-industries associated to agriculture as a big potential for those willing to invest in Angola and willing to wait a bit longer for their profits.
Which countries shown most interest? In Africa, south Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe as well, and in north Africa morocco and Egypt although on a smaller scale. In Europe almost all the major western powers have sent commercial delegations to Angola to explore the opportunities -- the UK, france japan the US and also brazil. So many countries are sending.and you can see all the hotels in Angola are fully booked, the planes to and from Angola are fully booked and that shows the interest of the foreign investment in our country.
Forex law? I wouldn't really like very much to expand on that because there are some bilateral discussions going on between representatives fo the central bank of Angola on one hand and representatives of the oil sector on the other hand.
The Angolan government recognises the fact that our existing laws, some of them reflect the macro economic distortions of the past and this is the reason why the Angolan government is revising some of them but in this revision process there is no unilateral action and Angola does not want to create any sort of instability because we have a good reputation that we want to keep. We're a country that honours its commitments and for us this is the overriding consideration. Having said that we are trying to see whether there is room for improvements because the macroeconomic situation in the country is also improving, and that's the reason why the central bank of Angola is having discussions with representatives of the oil companies to see what kind of changes could be introduced in our foreign exchange law on the oil sector. But I must stress, this is being done very cautiously. We do not want to take any unilateral action and especially we do not want to jeopardise our reputation that we are a country that likes to honour its commitments.
Will existing psa's be respected no matter what? Well, if as I said Angola has a reputation of honouring its commitments there is no point in introducing unilaterally changes into existing arrangements. Any bilateral arrangement in order to introduce change, changes must be agreed upon, changes must be arrived at by consensus and this is what we are trying to get from the oil companies.
ENDS FG Bans Halliburton Dark clouds over LNG expansion project Mike Oduniyi, Juliana Taiwo and Onyebuchi Ezigbo This Day 21/9/04
The Federal Government has banned the US-based oil firm, Halliburton Energy Services Nigeria Limited (HENSL) from benefiting from contract awards in the country.
The action, according to the government, arose from Halliburton's "negligent conduct, which led to the loss of two ionizing radioactive sources from Nigeria in 2002."
It has, however, left a dark cloud hanging on the fate of the multi-billion dollar expansion projects of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), in which a subsidiary of Halliburton, Kellogg Brown & Root (KRB), is a member of a consortium that was recently awarded the contract.
In a letter signed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette and copied to all ministers, governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Auditor-General of the Federation and other government agencies, the Federal Government directed immediate compliance to the ban.
The two paragraph statement read: "The Federal Government has decided to place an embargo on the patronage of Halliburton Energy Service Limited (HENSL) arising from its negligent conduct which led to the loss of two ionizing radioactive sources from Nigeria in 2002.
"Additionally the company among other infractions, has refused to cooperate with government authorities in ensuring the return of the sources to Nigeria and the ultimate resolution of the issue.
"Accordingly, Mr. President has approved a ban on the award of contracts to the company by any ministry, parastatal, or agency of government until further directive on the matter."
The radio active sources were imported into the country in 2002 by Halliburton but by December 24, of the same year, two of the materials said to have been earlier used for well-logging were reported to have disappeared.
The importation was said to be permissible under Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act 1995 for companies in the petroleum industry that require such materials for industrial radiography, nuclear well-logging and nuclear gauging.
Report of the loss was made to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency sent a response team to the country in February 2003.
Thereafter, the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) formally suspended the company from carrying out any activity in the country involving the use, importation, transport and transfer of radioactive sources until and unless the two sources were recovered.
When it was later discovered that the sources were exported out of the country and later intercepted by German authorities at a steel recycling plant in the state of Bavaria, Germany, the Nigerian government requested the German authorities to repatriate the radioactive sources to Nigeria.
Yesterday's action followed the resolution of the
House of Representatives early this month, that all companies linked with the TSKJ and Halliburton in Nigeria be excluded from new contracts pending conclusion of investigations into the alleged payments of $180 million bribe by the consortium to win the Bonny LNG construction contract.
Halliburton is one of the three leading firms providing intervention services in the Nigerian oil sector. Opinions were, however, divided among industry watchers yesterday, whether the government ban on Halliburton Energy Services extended to its other subsidiaries working in the nation's oil and gas industry.
"It is not clear if the ban on Halliburton extends to its other subsidiaries including KRB," a top industry official said.
Halliburton has, however, dissociated itself from the bribery saga. In a statement made available to THISDAY, the oil services firm said it would want it noted that the TSKJ consortium is a distinct entity from Halliburton.
"Most of the acitivities (of the consortium)...were events which happened prior to Halliburton's acquisition of MW Kellogg and were kept away from Halliburton's knowledge till date," it said, adding, "it is the TSKJ consortium involved in the NLNG matter not Halliburton itself."
It would be recalled that the US Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently, launched a formal investigation into allegations that Halliburton's subsidiary, Kellog Brown & Root, along with its partners in the TSKJ Consortium, paid bribes totalling $180 million to secure contracts to build the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny, Rivers State.
The company was also involved in a tax scam, where it paid $2.4 million bribe to evade the payment of tax liabilities of some $5 million.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said although the company had refunded $3.1 million out of its tax liabilities, it was still expected to pay additional taxes in excess of $10 million, which includes income tax and value added tax (VAT) that was arrived at after the audit carried out by KPMG, the tax consultant to the FIRS.
Angola and Nigeria urged to speed up African oil output Bus.Report 7/10/04
Cape Town - Nigeria and Angola must speed up expansion plans if they were to meet targets of doubling oil output and growing Africa's share and influence of the global industry, an ExxonMobil executive said yesterday.
Kevin Biddle, ExxonMobil's vice-president for Africa, told an oil and gas conference in South Africa that Angola wanted to raise production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from just above 1 million, while Nigeria wanted to double to 4 million bpd by 2008.
"Things will have to be accelerated to meet these targets in just four years," Biddle said. "There are opportunities there, but to meet the desires of the two countries some things will need to be done quickly to spur the process."
Biddle said production of the first oil from ExxonMobil's own Erha deep-water project in Nigeria had been delayed to 2006 from 2005 because of regulatory and other technical issues.
He would not, however, give further details or say when production would flow from Erha in 2006. "Production delays are deadly in this environment and they have an impact on the return on investment," he said.
Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa's most populous country and largest oil producer. Angola is the continent's second-biggest oil producer and has attracted significant attention since the end of 30 years of civil war in 2002.
ExxonMobil's oil interests in Nigeria are mainly offshore. Biddle said the company was not as affected as some other industry players by strife in some onshore oil producing areas. Biddle said ExxonMobil's Angola projects were all on course, with Kizomba A in production, Kizomba B due next year and Kizomba C and D in the pipeline.
"We are going along as well as we would expect in Angola," Biddle said. Biddle said that ExxonMobil was concerned about proposed legislation in Angola that would require oil companies to bank their oil proceeds in that country.
"It is something that concerns us and we are talking to Angolan authorities about it."He said a significant amount of oil reserves had been found in Niger, but any exports were a long way off.
Biddle said ExxonMobil was drilling the second of a three-well programme but would not give estimates of when production could come on stream.
ExxonMobil's production from Chad stood at around 225 000 bpd and the firm would start further oil exploration there this month under its extended licence, Biddle said.
ExxonMobil's attributable oil from Africa is seen growing steadily in the region of 600 000 bpd to 900 000 bpd. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that ExxonMobil is looking to projects in west Africa and Russia to make up for drops in US production. Africa currently accounts for about one-seventh of ExxonMobil's total output.
Worldwide, ExxonMobil's second-quarter oil and gas production rose 1 percent from a year earlier to the equivalent of 4.08 million bpd.
It was currently involved in 25 ventures in Africa and, together with its partners, was planning total investment of $50 billion over the next decade, Biddle said. "Africa produces about 10 percent of world demand. It's possible that Africa can more than double its production," he added.
Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Europe's second-largest oil and gas producer, also planned to boost African oil production, exploiting deep-water reserves, said Demola Adeyemi-Bero, Shell's director of new business development.
"The higher oil price allows us to go into new basins," Adeyemi-Bero said. There are plenty of "opportunities across the continent", he added.
ANGOP 5 de Outubro
Relações comerciais dominam visita do Presidente da Assembleia Nacional ao Vietnam
O incremento das relações comerciais com Angola foi tónica dominante das preocupações manifestadas pelas autoridades vietnamitas ao presidente da Assembléia Nacional, Roberto de Almeida, durante a sua primeira visita oficial e de amizade a República Socialista do Vietnam, de 27 de Setembro a 02 de Outubro.
Nas audiências com o presidente da Assembleia Nacional do Vietnam, Nguyen Van An, com o chefe de Estado, Trán Dúc Luong, com o Secretario Geral do Partido Comunista, Nông Dúc Manh, e com direcções dos governos provinciais de Quáng Ninh e Bìn Duong, entre outras, destacou-se, entre as preocupações, o facto de as relações comerciais entre ambos países não terem acompanhado o nível da tradicional cooperação política.
O Vietnam pretende investir nos domínios da construção civil, pescas e petróleos, alargando assim a sua cooperação com Angola além das tradicionais áreas da saúde e educação.
Esta é também uma das preocupações das autoridades angolanas, disse Roberto de Almeida face à preocupação, indicando, como passos neste sentido, a sua visita, e a do presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, ao Vietnam, efectuada em 1887, bem como o interesse manifestado pelo chefe de Estado angolano na abertura, em breve, de uma representação diplomática em Hanói, o que poderá contribuir para o alargamento das relações comerciais.
No encontro com o presidente vietnamita, os interlocutores fizeram referência à utilidade, para ambos Povos, da criação de uma Comissão Bilateral, destinada a equacionar acções tendentes ao reforço da cooperação, tendo semelhante preocupação sido apresentada pelo secretário-geral do Partido Comunista, Nong Duc Manh.
A materialização destas relações constituirá um justo tributo às históricas relações de amizade e solidariedade entre os respectivos Povos, ligados, também, pela similitude dos seus percursos históricos como Estados independentes. As calorosas recepções reservadas ao presidente da Assembleia Nacional, nos distintos locais visitados, testemunharam o sentimento amistoso, existente de há muitos anos.
Apesar de geográficamente distantes (são cerca de 16 horas de vôo), Angola e o Vietnam mantêm-se unidos, não só pelo seu percurso histórico similar (ambos foram territórios colonizados, viveram agressão externa e guerras civis), mas também pelos objectivos e desafios que se propõem vencer: A reconstrução e reunificação dos seus países, após viverem semelhantes vicissitudes.
Angola foi colónia de Portugal, alvo de agressão externa pelo antigo regime segregacionista do apartheid, África do Sul, e viveu uma longa guerra civil, tal como o Vietnam (foi colônia francesa, alvo de ocupação norte-americana e de conflito armado entre a parte norte e sul dos país.
No Vietnam, o presidente da Assembleia Nacional constatou os êxitos alcançados, com a implementação do processo de renovação (Dói Moi), cujo fim é a industrialização e desenvolvimento do país asiático, desde o fim da guerra, em 1975.
A delegação parlamentar angolana teve a oportunidade de visitar, além da capital (Hanói), outros centros urbanos, como a cidade de Ho Chi Min - antigo Saigão, palco de fortes e sangrentos confrontos militares e símbolo da resistência vietnamita à ocupação norte- americada, bem como Binh Duong, a cidade mais destruída pela guerra de agressão e na qual já não se notam as mazelas das bombas.
Entre os empreendimentos sócio-económicos visitados, destacam-se o parque industrial Vietnam-Singapura, e a companhia de Investimentos e Desenvolvimento de Ha Long, esta última situada na província de Quang Ninh, que dista cerca de 80 quilómetros de Hanoi.
Esta importante província, situada na fronteira marítima com a China, no nordeste, além de possuidora de bastante recursos marinhos, é o centro de produção de cimento, carvão e material para estaleiros navais.
Jornal de Angola 5 de Outubro
Cardeal abençoa casamento canónico do primeiro-ministro
O cardeal Dom Alexandre do Nascimento abençoou sexta-feira, na Sé Catedral de Luanda, o casamento canónico do primeiro-ministro angolano, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos "Nandó". Em cerimónia que contou com a presença do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, e esposa, Ana Paula dos Santos, e de centenas de convidados, Fernando da Piedade "Nandó", 52 anos, casou-se em segundas núpcias, em regime de comunhão de bens adquiridos, com Maria Augusta Tomé, com quem vive há 19 anos. Durante a homília, Dom Alexandre do Nascimento deu um enfoque especial aos valores cristãos e morais que devem presidir ao matrimónio. Num apelo à resistência contra todas as tentações das correntes modernistas anti-cristãs, designadamente do carácter da indissolubilidade dos votos contraídos, o prelado selou o matrimónio do primeiro-ministro citando a passagem bíblica segundo a qual "o que Deus uniu, não o separe o homem". Fernando da Piedade teve como padrinhos Rosa Pitra da Ressurreição e Rodolfo da Ressurreição. Por seu lado, foram padrinhos da noiva, que a partir de sexta-feira adoptou, por opção, o apelido Dias dos Santos, Elsa de Matos e Amândio de Matos.
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks October 4, 2004 Monday
Thousands Face Food Shortages
Thousands of Angolans in the country's central highlands could be facing food shortages in the coming months, according to a monthly report from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). The food stocks of about 245,000 people in Huambo, one of the central provinces, were particularly low, warned the report. Elsewhere, food stocks were beginning to run out, just four months after the main harvest. According to the last vulnerability analysis, newly returned formerly displaced farmers had enough stocks to meet their cereal and bean consumption requirements only until August. The long-term farming population was better off and had stocks to last them until next month. However, the incidence of extreme coping strategies, such as a drastic reduction in the number of meals or sales of productive assets, was reportedly low in Huambo. FEWS NET noted that this suggested the availability of alternative sources of income from crops like potatoes and other vegetables. The other affected provinces in the highlands were Bie, Kuando Kubanga, and Kwanza Sul. Although the total cereal production in Bie was higher this year, cereal food stocks for 7,000 Angolan returnees in the northeastern town of Cuemba were close to depletion, the report said. A recent Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Food Porgramme Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission report said cereal production in Humabo had dropped by 16 percent since last year because of excess moisture, poor farming practices, low input use and lack of draught power. However, the recovery of the bean and sweet potato crops in the second season had helped households to access food between May and August this year. The average level of food prices and the outcome of low-lying land production would determine the availability and access to food in the coming lean season from this month until February next year, said FEWS NET.
Energy Intelligence Group, Inc. October 4, 2004
Chevron to Move on African LNG Project
ChevronTexaco plans to spend $20 billion in Africa over the next five years, led by investments in Angola where it is already the country's biggest foreign producer and is set to become a major backer of a liquefied natural gas project. Chevron will invest $11 billion in 12 Angolan oil and gas projects in the next five years, including the proposed LNG project, which has been long in the planning stages, even by African standards. The Chevron-led investors are expected to approve a contract for front-end engineering and design by the end of this year, according to industry sources. The front-end design process at Angola LNG should take a year or so, with a final investment decision expected in early 2006.
Panafrican News Agency October 4, 2004
ANGOLA, CAR, SUDAN, CONGO REPUBLIC JOIN UN BODY
Angola, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo and the Sudan have been accepted as core members to the UN International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (IC/GLR), the UN has said. Unveiling the new development, the special representative of the UN Secretary General (Kofi Annan) to the Great Lakes region, Ibrahima Fall, said the four countries' membership brings the number of core countries to 11. Other members are Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Zambia and DR Congo. Fall said the new entrants will usher in a fresh dynamism to the process which has already had a vibrant start. He expressed his conviction that the views of the new member states will further enrich the process, and as such, views will broaden the geographical and political scope of the four themes (Peace and Security, Democracy and Governance, Economic Development and Regional Integration and Humanitarian and Social issues) of the IC/GLR. Although they had been taking part in previous meetings as co-opted members, their first full participation is slated for the second Regional Preparatory Committee meeting billed for 19- 23 October in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Their request to be fully fledged members is against a background that they are always directly impacted by events within the Great Lakes region, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The International Conference for peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region was proposed by Annan and is being co-sponsored by the African Union (AU). It seeks to find lasting solutions to the multiple and endemic problems facing the region, mainly internal conflicts fuelled by power struggle and ethnicity. The worst incident was the Rwanda genocide in 1994, which saw the Hutu majority ethnic group kill 800,000 minority Tutsi and other Hutu moderates.
Public Agenda October 4, 2004 Monday
UNCTAD Launches Damning Report
...as debt servicing and repayment holds back Africa's development Unless the debts of the poorest African nations are completely forgiven, those countries stand no chance of achieving the world's development goals by the target date of 2015, says a United Nations 2004 report on economic development in Africa launched on Wednesday, 29th September 2004.& It was published a day before ministers from the seven most industrialised countries (the G7) were scheduled to meet in Washington and also participate in the weekend meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in which debt cancellation, long urged by international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), was expected to be a main topic. The issue was stirred up when a British official announced his country would assume 10 percent (equal to 180 million dollars a year) of the debt owed to the World Bank and African Development Bank by the planet's poorest nations. Other G7 nations are said to be reluctant to pay the debts from their own treasuries, and a U.S. proposal would have the IMF finance loan forgiveness by selling some of its huge gold reserves. In its report the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says the cost of servicing their debt means the African countries will not be able to attain the seven-eight percent growth estimated, in order to halve poverty by 2015, one of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). All but one of the MDGs, adopted by the international community in 2000, set targets for improving basic development indicators: poverty, child mortality, primary education, maternal health, gender equality, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and environmental sustainability, all by 2015. The eighth directs the world's rich countries to aid developing nations in their efforts. According to UNCTAD, between 1970 and 2002 Africa received some 540 billion U.S. dollars in loans. But despite paying back close to 550 billion dollars in principal and interest, it still had a debt of 295 billion dollars at the end of 2002. The situation was worse in sub-Saharan Africa, which received 294 billion dollars, paid 268 billion dollars to service its debt - yet remained straddled with debt of some 210 billion dollars. "To anybody who reads this ... it's just absurd. It's what (economist and U.N. advisor) Jeffrey Sachs - who's no radical - calls the odious part of debt," said UNCTAD Acting Secretary General Carlos Fortin. "The debt burden of Africa is part of a vicious circle ... that must be broken before Africa can think seriously" about taking its place in the world economy, he added in an interview from New York. The report recommends a moratorium on debt servicing and setting up an independent panel of experts to assess the sustainability of debt, based on realistic and comprehensive criteria, which includes meeting the MDGs. Eight years ago, the World Bank and IMF set up a scheme designed to reduce the debts of 42 of the world's poorest nations to sustainable levels. Yet "heavily indebted poor African countries are still far from achieving sustainable debt levels" under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) plan, says UNCTAD. The report criticised the eligibility and debt sustainability criteria of the HIPC initiative, saying they are arbitrary and lacks objectivity. Zeroing on the debt crisis in Africa under the caption: "Debt Sustainability: Oasis or Mirage" the report said the HIPC criteria was based on debt relief cost to creditors instead of the debt relief needs of countries for their sustainable development. Hence several other equally poor countries have been left out because of the exclusion of the vulnerability factors, which has also led to the narrow definition of the term poverty and indebtedness. In summarising the report, Dr Samuel Gayi, a Representative of UNCTAD said, "Clearly HIPC has not lived up to its expectations and therefore, the poverty situations of countries has been worse off than before. The fact was that countries that have reached the completion points did not have much guarantee of debt sustainability. This implies, therefore, that the right panacea to the debt crisis on the continent was a complete write-off of the debt of nations since it was unlikely to cause financial distress to the International Financial Institutions, as the amount involved was relatively small... Gayi said the targets of the Millennium Development Goals should serve as a major benchmark for debt sustainability mainly because of the seriousness with which the international community was addressing the attainment. He said by the end of December last year only 23 African countries have reached the HIPC Decision Point and today only nine African nations out of the 11 have attained the completion stage. The 40 per cent targeted amount of debt relief was also not achieved by the end of 2003. "In Ghana for instance it has been said that the current growth rate of about 4.5 per cent needed to be doubled and sustained for about ten years before it could talk of making headway in the fight against poverty," Gayi noted. The report, he said, called for a moratorium on debt servicing without interest. On the way forward, Gayi said there was the need for governments to pursue prudent macro economic and other related policies and programmes that would catapult the economy to higher trajectory. Contrary to the report's position on HIPC, Dr Samuel Nii Noi Ashong, Minister of State In- Charge of Finance and Economic Planning said the gains the initiative has brought to beneficiary countries should be objectively assessed in the light of the achievements of individual countries. He said when a country that has qualified for HIPC pursued prudent policies and programmes there was no way the initiative would be termed a mirage. "It is only in the other way round that one could say HIPC is a mirage. "It's the creativity of the individual nations which must manifest in their pursuance of prudent policies and negotiation abilities that would make HIPC beneficial or not," Dr Ashong said. He said Ghana in the next 20 years is expected to bank about 100 million dollars due its arriving at the completion point. For conflict nations, the Minister said HIPC would not be prudent for them due to their inability to qualify considering the numerous conditionalities; therefore, a new or an alternative debt relief package or model should be looked at for them. The document calls on rich nations to fulfill their aid pledges and to play fair in the trade arena so Africa can benefit fully from globalisation. "In 2002, the 22.2 billion U.S. dollars Africa received in aid was lower than the 26.6 billion dollars received in 1990. Most of the benefits of aid are lost through debt servicing, which amounted to 22 billion dollars in 2002," says the report. It applauds Washington's 2000 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the European Union's Everything But Arms initiative for opening up some sectors of the countries' economies to African goods, but points out that those gains are muted by northern nations' agricultural subsidies. For example, cotton producer, Mali, lost an estimated 43 million dollars in revenues in 2001 because of subsidies to cotton producers in the developed world. "This is more than Mali received in aid that year," says the report. "At the global level, priorities clearly lean away from Africa and developing regions," says ECA Executive Secretary KY Amoako in a news release. "Each year, 300 billion dollars supports farmers in rich countries, while less than one-sixth of that amount flows to poorer countries in the form of aid." The document does not shy away from criticising African nations for their woeful economic performance. "They must do more to end conflicts, produce a better-trained and healthier workforce, improve economic and political governance and develop basic infrastructure. Peace remains a necessary prerequisite for growth," it argues. Manufactured goods must also start to replace commodities as exports, says the commission, singling out Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, and Tunisia as countries that have successfully shifted to selling more of such products. But overall the ECA adopts a positive tone. "Despite Africa's slow progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, the overall message of the report is optimistic. In recent years, the continent has begun to recover from the 'lost decades' of the 1980s and 1990s," says an overview of the report. More good news emerged in 2003, according to the commission. Africa registered the second- fastest rate of growth among developing regions, behind East and South Asia, and its countries recorded an average growth rate of 3.8 per cent, up slightly from 3.2 per cent in 2002. The continent's current account deficit fell from 1.6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2002 to 0.7 percent in 2003, mainly due to higher oil and commodity prices and increased remittances from Africans working overseas, the report adds. "Peaceful political transitions in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began to produce economic benefits. Angola attracted substantial foreign direct investment (FDI) during the year and GDP grew at over 7.5 percent. The DRC saw growth of over five percent." Still, notes the document, only five of the continent's 55 nations - Angola, Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique - achieved the seven percent growth rate said necessary to reach the MDGs.
AFX News Limited October 5, 2004 Tuesday
China in talks to extend 2 billion USD credit for Angolan railway line
China is in talks to extend a 2 billion USD credit to Angola to rebuild a strategic railway line destroyed during the 27-year civil war, an official was quoted as saying. Daniel Kipaxi, the director of Benguela Railways, told the Catholic newspaper O Apostolado that talks were on between his company, Luanda and Beijing "for a two billion dollar credit line from Beijing." Traversing 1,300 kilometres, the Benguela railway line is the longest in Angola starting from the east and ending at the port of Lobito in the southern Benguela province. Kipaxi said 7 mln usd has already been spent in rebuilding tracks between Lobito and the town of Cubal, about 155 kilometres away. "A single bridge near Cubal was rebuilt at a cost of 1.6 million dollars," he said. Two other railway lines in Angola were also destroyed during the civil war.
Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2004
Angola, IMF talk to re-launch aid
A senior Angolan official has said negotiations between the Angolan government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unblock aid are making good progress and a formal accord could be reached "soon," Angolan news agency reported Tuesday Angolan deputy-finance Minister Severim de Morais was quoted by reports as saying ongoing talks with the IMF on Angolan management of oil revenues and the economy were "on good course." IMF demands, however, for the adoption of "shock therapy measures" to kick start Angola's moribund post-war economy were still a hurdle that had to be overcome, he added. "We believe that 30 years of war were too high a price to pay by the people and that shock measures will add to the misery and poverty of Angolans", Morais said. Observers say the IMF is likely to agree to a poverty reduction program and growth lending package with Angola early in 2005, after an initial Staff Monitored Program that will scrutinize the use of oil and mineral revenues. These accords with the IMF would lead to other donor nations freeing up aid, and Luanda hopes it would eventually pave the way for an international donor conference.
Public Agenda October 4, 2004 Monday
UNCTAD Launches Damning Report
...as debt servicing and repayment holds back Africa's development Unless the debts of the poorest African nations are completely forgiven, those countries stand no chance of achieving the world's development goals by the target date of 2015, says a United Nations 2004 report on economic development in Africa launched on Wednesday, 29th September 2004.& It was published a day before ministers from the seven most industrialised countries (the G7) were scheduled to meet in Washington and also participate in the weekend meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in which debt cancellation, long urged by international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), was expected to be a main topic. The issue was stirred up when a British official announced his country would assume 10 percent (equal to 180 million dollars a year) of the debt owed to the World Bank and African Development Bank by the planet's poorest nations. Other G7 nations are said to be reluctant to pay the debts from their own treasuries, and a U.S. proposal would have the IMF finance loan forgiveness by selling some of its huge gold reserves. In its report the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says the cost of servicing their debt means the African countries will not be able to attain the seven-eight percent growth estimated, in order to halve poverty by 2015, one of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). All but one of the MDGs, adopted by the international community in 2000, set targets for improving basic development indicators: poverty, child mortality, primary education, maternal health, gender equality, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and environmental sustainability, all by 2015. The eighth directs the world's rich countries to aid developing nations in their efforts. According to UNCTAD, between 1970 and 2002 Africa received some 540 billion U.S. dollars in loans. But despite paying back close to 550 billion dollars in principal and interest, it still had a debt of 295 billion dollars at the end of 2002. The situation was worse in sub-Saharan Africa, which received 294 billion dollars, paid 268 billion dollars to service its debt - yet remained straddled with debt of some 210 billion dollars. "To anybody who reads this ... it's just absurd. It's what (economist and U.N. advisor) Jeffrey Sachs - who's no radical - calls the odious part of debt," said UNCTAD Acting Secretary General Carlos Fortin. "The debt burden of Africa is part of a vicious circle ... that must be broken before Africa can think seriously" about taking its place in the world economy, he added in an interview from New York. The report recommends a moratorium on debt servicing and setting up an independent panel of experts to assess the sustainability of debt, based on realistic and comprehensive criteria, which includes meeting the MDGs. Eight years ago, the World Bank and IMF set up a scheme designed to reduce the debts of 42 of the world's poorest nations to sustainable levels. Yet "heavily indebted poor African countries are still far from achieving sustainable debt levels" under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) plan, says UNCTAD. The report criticised the eligibility and debt sustainability criteria of the HIPC initiative, saying they are arbitrary and lacks objectivity. Zeroing on the debt crisis in Africa under the caption: "Debt Sustainability: Oasis or Mirage" the report said the HIPC criteria was based on debt relief cost to creditors instead of the debt relief needs of countries for their sustainable development. Hence several other equally poor countries have been left out because of the exclusion of the vulnerability factors, which has also led to the narrow definition of the term poverty and indebtedness. In summarising the report, Dr Samuel Gayi, a Representative of UNCTAD said, "Clearly HIPC has not lived up to its expectations and therefore, the poverty situations of countries has been worse off than before. The fact was that countries that have reached the completion points did not have much guarantee of debt sustainability. This implies, therefore, that the right panacea to the debt crisis on the continent was a complete write-off of the debt of nations since it was unlikely to cause financial distress to the International Financial Institutions, as the amount involved was relatively small... Gayi said the targets of the Millennium Development Goals should serve as a major benchmark for debt sustainability mainly because of the seriousness with which the international community was addressing the attainment. He said by the end of December last year only 23 African countries have reached the HIPC Decision Point and today only nine African nations out of the 11 have attained the completion stage. The 40 per cent targeted amount of debt relief was also not achieved by the end of 2003. "In Ghana for instance it has been said that the current growth rate of about 4.5 per cent needed to be doubled and sustained for about ten years before it could talk of making headway in the fight against poverty," Gayi noted. The report, he said, called for a moratorium on debt servicing without interest. On the way forward, Gayi said there was the need for governments to pursue prudent macro economic and other related policies and programmes that would catapult the economy to higher trajectory. Contrary to the report's position on HIPC, Dr Samuel Nii Noi Ashong, Minister of State In- Charge of Finance and Economic Planning said the gains the initiative has brought to beneficiary countries should be objectively assessed in the light of the achievements of individual countries. He said when a country that has qualified for HIPC pursued prudent policies and programmes there was no way the initiative would be termed a mirage. "It is only in the other way round that one could say HIPC is a mirage. "It's the creativity of the individual nations which must manifest in their pursuance of prudent policies and negotiation abilities that would make HIPC beneficial or not," Dr Ashong said. He said Ghana in the next 20 years is expected to bank about 100 million dollars due its arriving at the completion point. For conflict nations, the Minister said HIPC would not be prudent for them due to their inability to qualify considering the numerous conditionalities; therefore, a new or an alternative debt relief package or model should be looked at for them. The document calls on rich nations to fulfill their aid pledges and to play fair in the trade arena so Africa can benefit fully from globalisation. "In 2002, the 22.2 billion U.S. dollars Africa received in aid was lower than the 26.6 billion dollars received in 1990. Most of the benefits of aid are lost through debt servicing, which amounted to 22 billion dollars in 2002," says the report. It applauds Washington's 2000 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the European Union's Everything But Arms initiative for opening up some sectors of the countries' economies to African goods, but points out that those gains are muted by northern nations' agricultural subsidies. For example, cotton producer, Mali, lost an estimated 43 million dollars in revenues in 2001 because of subsidies to cotton producers in the developed world. "This is more than Mali received in aid that year," says the report. "At the global level, priorities clearly lean away from Africa and developing regions," says ECA Executive Secretary KY Amoako in a news release. "Each year, 300 billion dollars supports farmers in rich countries, while less than one-sixth of that amount flows to poorer countries in the form of aid." The document does not shy away from criticising African nations for their woeful economic performance. "They must do more to end conflicts, produce a better-trained and healthier workforce, improve economic and political governance and develop basic infrastructure. Peace remains a necessary prerequisite for growth," it argues. Manufactured goods must also start to replace commodities as exports, says the commission, singling out Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, and Tunisia as countries that have successfully shifted to selling more of such products. But overall the ECA adopts a positive tone. "Despite Africa's slow progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, the overall message of the report is optimistic. In recent years, the continent has begun to recover from the 'lost decades' of the 1980s and 1990s," says an overview of the report. More good news emerged in 2003, according to the commission. Africa registered the second- fastest rate of growth among developing regions, behind East and South Asia, and its countries recorded an average growth rate of 3.8 per cent, up slightly from 3.2 per cent in 2002. The continent's current account deficit fell from 1.6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2002 to 0.7 percent in 2003, mainly due to higher oil and commodity prices and increased remittances from Africans working overseas, the report adds. "Peaceful political transitions in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began to produce economic benefits. Angola attracted substantial foreign direct investment (FDI) during the year and GDP grew at over 7.5 percent. The DRC saw growth of over five percent." Still, notes the document, only five of the continent's 55 nations - Angola, Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique - achieved the seven percent growth rate said necessary to reach the MDGs.
Energy Intelligence Group, Inc. October 4, 2004
Chevron to Move on African LNG Project
ChevronTexaco plans to spend $20 billion in Africa over the next five years, led by investments in Angola where it is already the country's biggest foreign producer and is set to become a major backer of a liquefied natural gas project. Chevron will invest $11 billion in 12 Angolan oil and gas projects in the next five years, including the proposed LNG project, which has been long in the planning stages, even by African standards. The Chevron-led investors are expected to approve a contract for front-end engineering and design by the end of this year, according to industry sources. The front-end design process at Angola LNG should take a year or so, with a final investment decision expected in early 2006.
Conselho de Ministros Aprova Calendário Indicativo de Tarefas Eleitorais
Luanda, aos 15 de Setembro de 2004 - O Conselho de Ministros reuniu-se hoje, dia 15 de Setembro de 2004, no Palácio Presidencial, sob orientação do Presidente da República José Eduardo dos Santos, tendo aprovado o Calendário Indicativo de Tarefas Eleitorais da responsabilidade do Governo.
Para o efeito, o Orçamento Geral do Estado do corrente ano já consagra verbas para o início da fase preparatória, integrada por tarefas eminentemente administrativas e de organização, tais como o levantamento de dados demográficos preliminares, a reparação das instalações para apoio ao processo de registo eleitoral, avaliação e quantificação das necessidades técnico-materiais, a consolidação da cobertura nacional das telecomunicações administrativas, a reinstalação nas províncias, municípios e comunas dos gabinetes de apoio aos processos eleitorais, etc. Estas tarefas podem ser cumpridas independentemente das opções legislativas que vierem a ser aprovadas pela Assembleia Nacional.
O Conselho de Ministros apreciou o Relatório de Avaliação do desempenho e da gestão macroeconómica durante o 1º semestre do ano de 2004, à luz do Programa do Governo, que contém a análise do comportamento dos preços dos bens e serviços, dos dados estatísticos preliminares da execução do Orçamento Geral do Estado e das contas monetárias preliminares.
O Conselho de Ministros constatou que se manteve com êxito a estratégia de estabilização iniciada o ano passado, que subordinou a execução financeira do Tesouro ao controle das liquidez e estabeleceu os leilões de divisas como principal mecanismo para assegurar a livre flutuação da taxa de câmbio. Em particular, o Conselho de Ministros constatou que a descida da inflação durante o 1º semestre de 2004 foi a mais acentuada dentre os períodos homólogos dos últimos anos.
Por sua vez, a execução do Orçamento Geral do Estado durante o período, teve um saldo positivo, como resultado da alta do preço do petróleo. Este saldo positivo foi entretanto utilizado em grande medida para a amortização da dívida pública e para subsidiar os preços internos dos combustíveis.
Com base nestas constatações, o Conselho de Ministros recomendou que o Ministério das Finanças e o Banco Nacional de Angola apresentem o mais depressa possível o Programa Monetário e Fiscal até ao fim do ano.
O Governo tomou conhecimento da realização do Seminário Nacional de Inspecção, que reunirá os inspectores provinciais e sectoriais com vista a discussão das principais questões relativas ao seu funcionamento, bem como identificar as melhores soluções para o pleno exercício da sua actividade e os mecanismos mais eficazes que hão-de permitir o controlo e a fiscalização da aplicação dos recursos públicos e do cumprimento da legalidade pela administração Pública. Por outro lado, o Conselho de Ministros tomou conhecimento da realização na capital do país, durante o mês de Novembro, do Encontro de Quadros Angolanos na diáspora que terá por objectivo criar um espaço de debate sobre o modo de participação dos quadros angolanos que se encontram no exterior e recolher contribuições para a formulação de políticas que visem o desenvolvimento sócio- económico do País.
O Encontro deverá reunir cerca de 250 quadros angolanos residentes no estrangeiro e decorrerá de 6 a 10 de Novembro, do corrente ano.
O Governo aprovou o Cronograma da Reforma Educativa e da implementação do Novo Sistema de Educação. Neste sentido foram igualmente aprovados os Estatutos referentes aos Subsistemas Pré-escolar, do Ensino Geral, da Formação de Professores e do Ensino Técnico-Profissional.
For Further Information Contact: Evaristo José First Secretary – Press 202-530-0900; [email protected]
Aguinaldo Jaime: Some International Circles Dim Positive Results Of Angola
Luanda, 09/03 - Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Aguinaldo Jaime, on Thursday in Luanda said that some international circles have exaggerated in their analysis of the country`s economic aspects, by judging badly the governance, widening the negative aspects and dimming the positive results.
"Angola is permanently being judged and in this judgement it is never given enough value to whatever positive is done. But the negative aspects are always widened and they dim the positive that is done", complained the top Government official.
However, he admitted that the donors conference has not taken place yet, partly due to "the little favourable image left by the past, sometimes a bit exaggerated".
On the other hand, he mentioned a recent report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) according to which "The recent improvements regarding transparency, specially the oil revenues, the external debt and the operations that involve SONANGOL (State-run oil company), resulted in a commendable clarification, as regards the Government`s fiscal position in 2003".
In spite of that, in some international circles there is a persistent continuation of the idea that Angola practices a politics that is very little transparent, Aguinaldo Jaime explained.
"There is still the idea, in some circles, that Angola has a lot of money, but it uses it unproperly, and that it does set its priority right or that it (the money) goes to inadequate places", he added. To change the strategy, he defends the projection of "a different image of what is being done at the level of transparency and good governance (...).
According to Premier`s Assistant, who was giving an inteview to the private radio station Luanda Antena Comercial (LAC), Angola has to make an effort towards explaining that, even though it is a rich country, it does not have the necessary resources to face all the challenges.
In view of that, he said, the Angolan Government is engaged in the mobilization of capitals to quicken the current process of reconstructing the economy, at a time that conditions are created for its sustainable re-launch.
"We are creating the conditions so that there can be a sustainable re-launch of the economy, and for that to happen there has to be economic stability", Aguinaldo Jaime explained.
Business Report (South Africa) 3 October 2004
Mvela to walk away if Angolan land dispute isn't settled equitably
Johannesburg - Mvelaphanda Holdings said it would walk away from investing in a R390 million hotel and casino complex on the Ilha de Luanda in Angola if any of the outstanding disputes surrounding the five star complex were not settled equitably.
A story that appeared in Tuesday's edition of ThisDay linked Mvela to what appeared to be questionable behaviour on the part of its Angolan partners in the casino development.
The newspaper's story was based on an article from an Angolan weekly, O Angolense.
The article outlined how government officials had been enlisted by Mvela to help it invest in an $8 million hotel on a prime piece of property that belonged to someone else, Emilia Gourgel. Gourgel owned a small restaurant, the Barracuda, on an island. Her shop was bulldozed by a rival.
Mvela reportedly recruited officials in the department of tourism as well as other influential politicians to secure the success of the investment. This would entail these officials bypassing a court ruling assuring Gourgel of her rights to the land.
A letter written this week to This Day by the Angolan ambassador to South Africa, Isaac dos Anjos, clarified that property in Angola belonged to the state.
Dos Anjos said Gourgel had the right of administration of the land on which the Barracuda restaurant stood, but after the restaurant was demolished the land was empty "without utilisation", and the law did not allow for Gourgel's administration rights to convert to property rights.
Further, he said, any investment above $5 million (R32 million) was handled by the National Private Investment Agency.
Mark Willcox, Mvela's chief executive, said that with the amount of US "oil money" pouring into Angola, the government couldn't afford for any of its dealings not to be transparent.
"Are we unhappy the woman lost her restaurant, sure we are. Do we hope she gets compensated by the government? Of course we do. But we really can't get involved in a dispute with the Angolan government and third parties," Willcox said.
However, the Angolan government was Mvela's partner, and should the tender be won by Mvela - there are two other international companies bidding - the government could well continue to be the partner, he said.
In a later conversation, and after Willcox had had a chance to familiarise himself with the history of the project, he was adamant about the investment conditions necessary for Mvela to participate. "We will only invest if the land is free of dispute and that all and any aggrieved parties are settled with equitably."
In a statement released on Thursday, Willcox wrote: "It is on record that the Mvela Group is not party to any dispute involving Emilia Gourgel, but is merely one of many companies that have tendered for the development of a resort and hotel in Luanda.
The tender in question is a document of public record in Angola." This agreement lapsed in mid-2002 when the land use became disputed.
AFROL News 4 October 2004
Angola's Church radio still barred outside Luanda
Radio Ecclésia, a Catholic Church broadcaster that remains Angola's leading independent media, is still limited to transmitting only to the Luanda area. Attempts to set up a relay tower in Lubango in southern Angola were harshly rejected by local authorities, dismantling the installation.
Angola's church-owned radio station has for years sought to obtain a national broadcasting license; something that has repeatedly been turned down by Angolan authorities. Outside Luanda, government-controlled radio broadcasters therefore still totally dominate the media environment as independent newspapers are also hard to get.
Radio Ecclésia remains bound to only broadcast its daily news and entertainment programs in the Luanda region. Here, it has managed to become a popular and alternative voice since its establishment in 1954.
The repeated attempts to widen its audience outside the Angolan capital have enhanced the conflict level between Radio Ecclésia and state authorities. Thus, the appearance of a radio relay installation in the southern city of Lubango on Wednesday automatically made Provincial Governor Ramos da Cunha sceptical.
The governor, after establishing that the relay station was the property of Radio Ecclésia, immediately ordered the dismantling of the installation. Radio staff insisted the relay station was inactive and only put up to avoid its "deterioration or theft" from its insecure storage. It was however not possible to change the mind of Governor da Cunha.
In an interview on Radio Ecclésia, Father Pacheco of the Catholic Church in Lubango said that the relay station was intended to remain inactive until a national broadcasting license had been achieved. "We are simply creating the conditions to be ready when Radio Ecclésia gains authorisation to broadcast to the whole country," he said.
Radio Ecclésia has been a thorn in the side of the Angolan government ever since it started broadcasting. The independent radio station airs relatively uncensored news and dissenting views on Angolan affairs. Between 1975 and 1997, the broadcaster was mostly was shut down by authorities.
Since 1997, however, Radio Ecclésia has steadily reported on items otherwise taboo in Angolan media, such as the civil war, conflict diamonds and opposition views. Journalists and editors have repeatedly been harassed and detained.
The dissident broadcaster currently can be heard over the FM network in the Luanda area, where it has a relatively strong relay station. Furthermore, it is audible on the Internet and occasionally on short-wave.
Financial Times Information October 2, 2004
ANGOLA: RULING PARTY MP CRITICIZES UNITA STAND ON DRAFT CONSTITUTION
In Luanda on Thursday (30 September), the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, MPLA, produced a clarification to the effect that the publication of the draft constitutional law in recent editions of "Jornal de Angola" and on the internet was intended to provide greater transparency to the proceedings of the National Assembly's Constitutional Commission. According to Bornito de Sousa, head of the MPLA bench in the National Assembly, the publication of the draft law marked the beginning of a process of greater openness with the citizens adding that it would lead eventually to other versions of the text of the country's fundamental law. Speaking in the course of a news conference, the MPLA MP was reacting to a charge made by Domingos Maluka, a National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, UNITA MP on 28 September. From the point of view of the latter, the publication of the draft law aimed to influence the public in respect of the sources of discord between the MPLA and the opposition. Bornito de Sousa made it clear that "the publication of this document sought to a certain extent to restore the truth in light of the emergence of other versions by certain parties, UNITA included, whose leaders and senior officials said on a number of occasions that the text did not reflect the issues approved in the Alvalade Accord." The head of the MPLA bench pointed out that, if anything, "the text proved that the contrary applied." Bornito de Sousa was alluding to the agreement the MPLA and UNITA signed at Hotel Alvalade in Luanda in 2002 in respect of the system of government that would appear in the future Constitution. (Passage omitted) From the MPLA bench leader's point of view, at no time did the MPLA hide the fact that the text was a technical document that must still be reviewed for subsequent approval by the Constitutional Commission. He wound up his speech by calling on political parties to adopt a more moderate, serious, and State-like approach, especially in respect of issues of great importance to the country and its citizens, as is the case of the constitution.
By Zoe Eisenstein LUANDA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Angola, which has emerged from a three-decade civil war and is keen to attract foreign investment, will produce enough food to feed itself within two years, a leading Angolan businessman said on Sunday. Arcadi Gaydamak, a millionaire in dollar terms with interests ranging from banking to agriculture and mining, told Reuters in a rare interview that he was spearheading the revival of the farming sector with investments of $150 million. Gaydamak - who is Russian-born and lives in Moscow - is subject to an international arrest warrant issued by France in 2000 after he failed to show up before an examining magistrate to respond to charges related to arms trafficking. He denies wrongdoing and says evidence presented in the case was falsified. The war that ended in 2002 ruined infrastructure and agriculture in Angola -- Africa's second largest producer of oil and blessed with fertile soil. With 13 million people, it relies on international food aid and commercial imports to meet its food needs. "In two years, we will cover all the food needs of Angola. We are (already) producing five percent of Angola's needs with Terra Verde (farm). We did it in 18 months," he said. Terra Verde is a 350 hectare farm pilot project just outside Luanda, in which Gaydamak invested $30 million. It produces fruit and vegetables -- including peppers, melons, tomatoes and potatoes -- and chicken and eggs for local consumption. EXPORTS ON AGENDA Government and aid officials were not immediately available for comment on his hopes the country would feed itself in two years. Angola's staple food crop is maize, which Gaydamak plans to grow on six farm projects in partnership with state company Simportex, and Gaydamak had made an outlay of $120 million. The first harvest from one of the farms is due within nine months, said Gaydamak. "With Simportex, we will produce basic products especially chicken meat," he said, adding that Angola imported $25 million in frozen chicken from Brazil annually and that cash could go to an investment in a chicken farm that generated local jobs. With other private investors, Gaydamak was also putting cash in oranges and grapes for export to Europe. Mangoes and a dairy farm were also on his agenda. Gaydamak believed that his projects alone could feed the country as well as export within 24 months. Government officials have said other private investors and its own agencies were also working to revitalise agriculture to ensure food security. He planned to set up fertiliser factories to supply the agricultural sector. He gave no time frame. ((Writing by Manoah Esipisu, Reuters messaging: [email protected], +2711 775 3155, fax +2711 775 3132, email: [email protected])) Monday, 27 September 2004 14:36:24RTRS [nL2570436 ] {C}ENDS
Au bout des comptes, Pasqua père et fils
L'ex-ministre est accusé d'avoir touché des commissions sur des ventes d'armes. Entre autres.
Par Karl LASKE
mardi 28 septembre 2004 (Liberation - 06:00)
L'homme politique est toujours debout mais le système a vécu. Depuis quatre ans, les ennuis judiciaires de Charles Pasqua ont permis l'ouverture des plus sombres placards du ministère de l'Intérieur. Après la mise en cause de ses proches et de ses conseillers, c'est lui qui est en première ligne. Avec son fils. «Il était difficile de savoir ce qu'il faisait exactement. Les rares fois où je l'ai vu, Pierre-Philippe Pasqua faisait clairement comprendre qu'il parlait au nom de son père. Le fils avait une capacité d'influence colossale sur le père. Charles Pasqua n'avait pas de regard critique ni distancié sur son fils. Pour moi, il n'y a pas de différence entre le père et le fils», a expliqué un ex-collaborateur de Charles Pasqua, Pierre-Henri Paillet, au juge Philippe Courroye. Et si le magistrat rapporte ces propos dans son ordonnance transmise à la Cour de justice de la République (CJR), à l'automne 2003, ce n'est pas pour inciter l'ancien ministre de l'Intérieur à une difficile cure analytique. Il est soupçonné par le juge d'avoir joué un rôle dans le versement de commissions payées ou ordonnées par l'Intérieur, à travers la Sofremi (Société française d'exportation de matériels, systèmes et services relevant du ministère de l'Intérieur) et ayant, in fine, bénéficié à son propre fils. Pierre-Philippe Pasqua s'est installé en Tunisie à l'automne 1999, par crainte d'une confrontation avec un intermédiaire impliqué dans l'affaire Elf qui l'accusait d'avoir reçu deux millions de francs d'Alfred Sirven. Il n'a tout simplement pas répondu aux convocations judiciaires. Il est aujourd'hui sous le coup d'un mandat d'arrêt international. L'argent baladeur du fils Pasqua
Les faits remontent à la deuxième cohabitation, en 1994. Année lucrative. Pierre- Philippe Pasqua est soupçonné d'avoir reçu 1,9 million de dollars initialement versés par la Sofremi, office d'Etat, au marchand d'armes Pierre Falcone, l'acteur central de l'affaire des ventes d'armes à l'Angola. Il aurait bénéficié d'une commission de 701 510 dollars versée par GEC-Alsthom à un autre intermédiaire, Etienne Léandri, vieux compagnon de route de Pasqua, en échange d'une autorisation ministérielle. En juin, la CJR s'est saisie de ces dossiers pour apprécier la «responsabilité pénale» du ministre de l'Intérieur et de l'Aménagement du territoire de mai 1993 à mai 1995.
Depuis son exil, Pierre-Philippe Pasqua a nié avoir été le titulaire ou l'ayant droit du compte qu'on lui attribuait, évoquant l'ombre d'une manipulation. Les enquêteurs n'ont pourtant fait que suivre l'argent à la trace. Les fonds provenant de la Sofremi étaient partis de Zurich jusqu'à Genève, puis à Madère, et à Buenos Aires, pour revenir à la banque IBZ de Genève, via New York ! «Ce circuit compliqué révèle manifestement le souci de dissimuler le véritable destinataire de la commission versée par la Sofremi», relève Philippe Courroye dans son ordonnance à la CJR. «L'audition de Francisque Kater, banquier à IBZ, ainsi que les pièces bancaires effectuées par l'intéressé démontrent de façon indubitable que Pierre-Philippe Pasqua est bien l'ayant droit économique du compte Dowman à l'IBZ Genève», tranche-t-il.
Des armes en Angola et un prêt venu du Gabon
Avant de trouver le pot aux roses, Philippe Courroye a beaucoup tourné autour. Saisi de l'affaire des ventes d'armes à l'Angola, en juillet 2000, il découvre déjà l'ampleur des liens de Jean-Charles Marchiani, l'ex-bras droit de Pasqua, avec Falcone. Les coups de téléphone incessants entre le préfet et le marchand d'armes. La voiture avec chauffeur. Les versements d'argent. Les billets d'avions. Et surtout, la caution apportée par le ministère à un marché de 505 millions de dollars d'armements à l'Angola, en pleine guerre civile, qui contredit les positions diplomatiques françaises. Une note de Falcone fait aussi état d'une contribution de 450 000 dollars à la campagne de Pasqua pour les européennes de 1999 et d'une promesse à hauteur d'1,2 million de dollars. Le 29 novembre 2000, le juge perquisitionne au domicile de Pasqua à Neuilly. Il demande à l'ancien premier flic de France de vider son portefeuille. Pasqua croit rêver mais s'exécute. Il en sort 5 500 francs, en billets de 500. Mais c'est de l'argent retiré à sa banque. Dans son bureau, les juges ont trouvé un document autrement plus intéressant. Une citoyenne gabonaise lui a prêté 7,5 millions de francs pour financer la liste RPF aux européennes. Ce prêt s'avère une piste intéressante. Après un an d'enquête, le juge va y voir la contrepartie de l'autorisation ministérielle accordée à l'homme d'affaires Robert Feliciaggi, lors de la reprise du casino d'Annemasse, en 1994. Dossier également transmis à la CJR.
Des millions pour «le Quotidien du maire»
Mais c'est à la Sofremi que Philippe Courroye découvre ce qui ressemble fort à un système. Cette société, initialement installée rue Nélaton, siège de la DST, est censée contrôler les ventes de matériels de sécurité français à l'étranger et servir d'interface entre industriels et autorités locales. Selon Pierre-Henri Paillet, dès son arrivée Place Beauvau, Charles Pasqua a eu «immédiatement le souci d'avoir un état des lieux très précis de ce qui se passait à la Sofremi pour contrôler les commissions». La direction de l'office est reprise en main. Bernard Dubois, nommé PDG par Pasqua, aurait été recruté «au nom du ministre de l'Intérieur» par le sulfureux Etienne Léandri. Ancien collaborateur pendant la guerre, décédé en 1995, Léandri est alors l'une des meilleures passerelles entre les politiques et les industriels de l'armement. C'est aussi un proche de Pasqua. Le message est clair. «J'ai compris dès les premiers jours de mon installation (à la Sofremi), explique Bernard Dubois au juge, qu'on allait me demander de commissionner Etienne Léandri pour que, par retour de commissions, il finance ce que M. Charles Pasqua et son entourage allait lui demander de financer.» Léandri reçoit ainsi 21 millions de francs de l'office du ministère. Des rétributions, infondées selon le juge, sur le contrat de déminage du Koweit (6 millions), et celui des télécommunications de la police de Buenos Aires (15 millions). Cet argent lui permet de verser 13 millions à la société d'édition du Quotidien du maire, un journal animé par un conseiller de Pasqua, Jean-Jacques Guillet, et son épouse. La «situation délicate du Quotidien du maire» préoccupait le ministre, selon son conseiller Pierre-Henri Paillet. A Genève, le banquier de Léandri, Francisque Kater, s'interrogeait d'ailleurs sur les virements effectués au journal. «Peu avant sa mort, j'ai demandé à Etienne Léandri ce qu'était ce journal, a-t-il rapporté. Il m'a répondu que cela représentait une charge, une croix sur son dos dont il devait s'occuper pour le grand chef. Cela sous-entendait clairement M. Charles Pasqua.» Dans l'affaire GEC-Alsthom, Etienne Léandri réapparaît avec la même réputation. Selon l'ancien patron de GEC-Alsthom, Pierre Bilger, «Léandri représentait l'équipe Pasqua, c'est-à-dire in fine le patron». L'entreprise doit payer son agrément pour déménager dans la région parisienne. L'argent est reversé par Léandri sur un compte attribué à Pierre-Philippe Pasqua.
Les généreux remerciements de Falcone
A cette époque, Pierre Falcone encaisse 33,6 millions de francs de commissions, infondées, de la Sofremi, sur des marchés d'équipements électroniques de la police à Bogota (Colombie) et au Brésil. Sur cette somme, 600 000 francs sont reversés à Bernard Guillet, conseiller diplomatique de Charles Pasqua au ministère, en février 1994. Mais les 4/5es vont encore à Pierre-Philippe Pasqua. Pierre Falcone, qui sait beaucoup devoir à l'équipe Pasqua en Angola, n'a pas été avare de remerciements. Selon le juge Courroye, le préfet Marchiani, aujourd'hui écroué, aurait reçu un montant global de 3,7 millions de dollars et 3,3 millions de francs du marchand d'armes. Falcone a aussi versé 1,5 million de francs à l'association France Afrique Orient, qui payait les loyers des bureaux et du cabinet particulier... de Charles Pasqua, rue de Penthièvre à Paris.
Un "réseau" parallèle trouble la libération des otages en Irak LE MONDE | 01.10.04 | 14h33
Les agissements d'intermédiaires autoproclamés, autour du député UMP Didier Julia, entravent depuis plusieurs jours les efforts de la France pour récupérer les journalistes Christian Chesnot et Georges Malbrunot. Une opération déjà rendue délicate par les combats en cours.
Depuis le début de la semaine, selon des sources autorisées à Paris et à Bagdad, ainsi que des chefs tribaux irakiens, la libération des deux Français otages en Irak, Christian Chesnot et George Malbrunot, était programmée pour le vendredi 1er octobre.
Depuis plusieurs jours, les deux journalistes seraient aux mains d'éléments qui auraient donné leur accord pour les libérer mais attendraient des garanties de sécurité, a ainsi confié l'un de ses chefs tribaux, qui servent d'intermédiaires aux négociations en cours.
Or, d'autres "intermédiaires", français cette fois-ci, ont pollué le contexte, déjà difficile du fait des combats entre les forces coalisées et les insurgés, dans lequel Christian Chesnot et George Malbrunot devaient retrouver la liberté. Mardi, sur la chaîne de télévision Al-Arabiya, Philippe Brett, cofondateur d'une association, type loi de 1901, proche de l'ancien régime de Saddam Hussein, l'Office français pour le développement de l'industrie et la culture (OFDIC), prétendait avoir rencontré les otages français et conclu un "accord" avec leurs ravisseurs pour leur libération imminente. Depuis, tout un réseau parallèle s'est révélé à Bagdad, Damas et Amman. Il semble être coiffé par le député UMP de Seine-et-Marne, Didier Julia. Ce dernier, arrivé jeudi soir à Damas, affirme actionner ses relais en Irak parce que "la diplomatie française est dans le bleu".
Pour le moins, le lambeau de réseau, dont l'agitation va sforzando depuis le début de la semaine, est lui-même vierge de professionnalisme. A la DGSE, (Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure) on les qualifie d'"opportunistes". Composé de personnes, dont la plupart sont des anciens proches de Jacques Foccart, l'historique "Monsieur Afrique" gaulliste, mort en 1996, et de Charles Pasqua, ce réseau s'est lancé dans une équipée, revendiquant une couverture officielle jusqu'à être, tout aussi publiquement, désavoué par les autorités françaises.
Voici, selon l'enquête du Monde, comment le groupe autour de Philippe Brett et de Didier Julia a tenté de s'assurer une "couverture" officielle à la dernière minute. N'aboutissant pas dans sa tentative de faire libérer les otages, peut-être inspirée des meilleurs sentiments, c'est l'un de ses membres, Philippe Evano, enseignant d'histoire à la Sorbonne et membre de l'UNI (Union nationale interuniversitaire), qui a appelé, mardi après-midi, depuis Amman un élu de l'actuelle majorité réputé suffisamment proche de Jacques Chirac pour pouvoir saisir directement le chef de l'Etat. "Il faut faire passer d'urgence ce message à Chirac", a-t-il expliqué à son interlocuteur. "Nous savons où sont les deux journalistes otages, on peut les faire sortir sans problème. Mais le Quai d'Orsay déconne complètement. Il nous renvoie - le général - Rondot qui ne comprend rien à la situation. Il va tout faire capoter. Les ravisseurs ne savent plus qui croire, et les Américains, si Chirac n'intervient pas pour négocier avec eux un couloir de sécurité, vont flinguer nos otages et nous faire porter le chapeau."
Philippe Evano, connu pour interférer dans les relations franco-africaines, a également parlé d'une "deuxième équipe", qui brouillerait les pistes, sans préciser s'il s'agit de la filière officielle ou d'autres "intermédiaires" autoproclamés. Egalement sans préciser de quelle façon, il a invoqué au téléphone le nom d'un président africain, qui serait "au courant" et soutiendrait la tentative parallèle pour libérer les deux journalistes, pour rendre service aux autorités françaises... L'élu ainsi sollicité a appelé, dans l'heure, mardi après-midi, l'Elysée. Il a saisi le conseiller pour les affaires africaines à la présidence, Michel de Bonnecorse, puis, mercredi matin, la conseillère pour les affaires africaines au cabinet de Michel Barnier, Nathalie Delapalme. C'est à la suite de ses indications données sur l'équipée en cours à Bagdad, Amman et Damas que l'Elysée et le Quai d'Orsay ont publiquement pris leurs distances. Le Quai d'Orsay a affirmé, mercredi, n'avoir "pas connaissance d'un accord" pour la libération de Christian Chesnot et George Malbrunot ni "d'une mission d'un émissaire qui aurait rencontré les otages".
Jeudi, l'Elysée a précisé que M. Julia et ses amis n'avaient été aucunement mandatés par Jacques Chirac. "Certaines personnes disent qu'elles ont une mission confiée par le président de la République. C'est totalement sans fondement", a fait savoir la présidence de la République. Le même jour, le porte-parole du ministère de la défense, a estimé que l'initiative de M. Julia créait "plus de confusion que de certitude". Enfin, vendredi matin, sur France 2, le président de l'Assemblée nationale, Jean-Louis Debré, a souligné que le député Julia "n'engage que lui et certainement pas ni l'Assemblée nationale ni la France".
Cependant, les agissements d'un réseau parallèle à Bagdad ont perturbé les efforts entrepris pour libérer les deux journalistes, s'ils n'ont pas davantage mis en péril la vie des deux otages. Craignant apparemment pour leur propre sécurité, plusieurs membres du groupe et, notamment, Philippe Brett se sont d'ailleurs eux-mêmes repliés sur Damas. En même temps, et a contrario, le dispositif officiel s'est mis en place en vue d'un dénouement de la crise d'otages, qu'on dit "proche" à Paris : jeudi soir, le général Rondot a été dépêché à Bagdad et le secrétaire général du Quai d'Orsay, Jean-Pierre Lafon, à Amman "dans le cadre des efforts actuellement déployés pour obtenir la libération de nos otages", selon un communiqué du Quai d'Orsay. Le ministère des affaires étrangères s'est refusé, jeudi soir, à tout commentaire allant plus loin, en se bornant aux consignes de "discrétion" et de "prudence".
De Damas, Philippe Evano a affirmé que les deux journalistes sont en "mains sûres, celles de la "résistance" - sous-entendu des saddamistes - et par conséquent que leur libération est acquise". Il a ajouté que "leur sortie est bloquée par les bombardements américains dans la région de Fallouja". Ces bombardements sont quotidiens. La France va-t-elle, donc, demander au gouvernement intérimaire irakien et aux Américains une trêve afin de "sécuriser" la libération des deux otages, prisonniers depuis quarante-trois jours ?
Michel Bôle-Richard, Stephen Smith et, à Bagdad, Rémy Ourdan
• ARTICLE PARU DANS L'EDITION DU 02.10.04 Comment Pasqua a fait peur à l'Elysée pour se réfugier au Sénat LE MONDE | 04.10.04 | 14h30
L'ancien ministre n'en a pas fini avec la justice, mais il a gagné une manche dans le duel qui l'oppose au juge Courroye. Au début du mois de septembre, quand sa colère est devenue menaçante, le rapport de forces judiciaire s'est subitement inversé. Récit d'un retour surprenant.
Le motard dépêché par l'Elysée a sonné à 8 h 30, lundi 27 septembre, au domicile de Charles Pasqua, à Neuilly-sur-Seine. Elu la veille sénateur des Hauts-de-Seine, l'ancien ministre s'était couché tard : il était encore en robe de chambre. A l'interphone, l'émissaire lui a dit être porteur d'un "pli personnel du président de la République" à remettre "en main propre". "Déposez-le dans la boîte aux lettres", a ordonné M. Pasqua. L'enveloppe contenait une courte lettre de félicitations manuscrite, signée par Jacques et Bernadette Chirac. A sa lecture, le nouveau sénateur, passé en quelques jours de l'enfer au paradis, a pu savourer son succès et mesurer, une fois encore, sa capacité d'intimidation.
Car le retour de M. Pasqua au Palais du Luxembourg n'est pas seulement le résultat d'une campagne électorale rondement menée ; c'est aussi l'issue d'une bataille livrée dos au mur, dont les épisodes s'assemblent en un puzzle politico-judiciaire édifiant. A 77 ans, encerclé par les "affaires" et marginalisé en politique, l'ancien homme fort des Hauts-de-Seine a mobilisé son énergie, son habileté et ses réseaux pour prendre à contre-pied ceux qui prédisaient sa fin.
L'incarcération, le 2 août, de son ancien homme lige, Jean-Charles Marchiani, suspecté dans une kyrielle d'affaires financières, était apparue comme un signe avant-coureur. Elle montrait combien leur défaite commune aux élections européennes - sur les listes du RPF - les laissait à la merci du juge, dénués de toute immunité depuis le 20 juillet. Elle marquait aussi l'échec d'un lobbying pressant au sommet de l'Etat, dont témoignent les écoutes téléphoniques posées à partir de la mi- juin sur la ligne de M. Marchiani : M. Pasqua y relate plusieurs interventions, directes et indirectes, auprès du chef de l'Etat pour éviter la prison à M. Marchiani, au nom des services rendus par ce dernier dans la libération des otages français au Liban, en 1986, et en Bosnie, en 1995 (lire ci-dessous).
Evoqué au détour d'une des conversations interceptées, un courrier personnel a été adressé à M. Chirac par l'ancien ministre de l'intérieur. A en croire l'un de ses rares lecteurs, il y invoquait la "responsabilité"du président, déplorant que M. Marchiani ne puisse agir aujourd'hui pour porter secours aux journalistes enlevés en Irak. "Les juges sont indépendants, mais pas les procureurs !", tonnait déjà M. Pasqua au début de l'été, pour réclamer l'intervention du garde des sceaux, Dominique Perben. Celui-ci a démenti, depuis, "tout contact" à ce sujet. Mais l'entourage de M. Pasqua maintient que le message lui fut transmis, sans préciser comment ni en quels termes.
Tout juste ses proches soulignent-ils son indignation à l'annonce de la promotion du juge Courroye dans l'ordre de la Légion d'honneur, le 14 Juillet, sur le contingent du ministère de la justice. Et sa colère lorsque le parquet requit, deux semaines plus tard, la mise en détention de M. Marchiani.
Un mois s'écoule avant que M. Pasqua ne reçoive, à son tour, une convocation de la brigade financière, le 1er septembre. Il est alors questionné, en qualité de témoin, sur un prêt qui lui fut consenti, en 2001, par une banque de Chypre et à propos duquel une information judiciaire est ouverte - sous la qualification de "blanchiment" - depuis le mois de mars.
A cette date, l'ancien ministre prépare discrètement son baroud sénatorial. Il en a informé Nicolas Sarkozy, son successeur à la tête du conseil général des Hauts-de- Seine, ainsi que l'Elysée. Aussi s'indigne-t-il de voir sa candidature polluée par les agissements d'un juge, rappelle qu'il avait à subir de semblables attaques du même magistrat à la veille de l'élection présidentielle de 2002 et prévient que, cette fois, il interprétera l'inaction de M. Chirac comme un "lâchage" et en tirera "toutes les conséquences".
Les échos de son irritation parviennent sans tarder jusqu'à l'Elysée, au point que, dans les premiers jours de septembre, il reçoit un appel empressé de Bernadette Chirac, désireuse de lui témoigner, ainsi qu'à son épouse, son amitié et son soutien. Il lui répond sans cacher son courroux et rappelle - comme il le fait, durant la même période, devant plusieurs interlocuteurs - que s'il avait été candidat en 2002, il aurait pris à M. Chirac assez de voix pour le faire perdre.
Deux ans plus tard, nul ne peut affirmer que cette évocation et les sous-entendus qui l'accompagnaient ont influé sur le cours de la justice. Mais au lendemain des perquisitions diligentées par le juge chez l'ancien ministre, le 16 septembre, la divulgation - par Le Monde - de sa nouvelle convocation par la police, le 20, qui annonce son placement en garde à vue, suscite un troublant imbroglio. Après avoir été confirmée par plusieurs sources judiciaires et policières, la convocation - dont la date avait été convenue oralement entre le juge et les avocats de M. Pasqua - est démentie, puis reportée. Le juge semble avoir pris acte d'une inversion subite du rapport de forces après que le procureur de Paris, Yves Bot, lui a personnellement fait part des insuffisances qu'il relevait dans le dossier et déconseillé toute précipitation. Dans les jours qui suivent, M. Courroye déjeune en tête à tête avec Laurent Le Mesle, directeur du cabinet de M. Perben et ancien conseiller de M. Chirac pour les questions judiciaires.
De la chancellerie au parquet, chacun s'accorde alors à penser qu'un nouvel affrontement entre la justice et les politiques doit être évité et que la candidature de M. Pasqua, affaibli et déconsidéré, n'est qu'une péripétie. Tous comprendront dimanche soir que les apparences les ont trompés : M. Pasqua avait été enterré trop vite.
Dans les Hauts-de-Seine, dont il connaît chaque pouce de terrain et presque tous les élus, sa campagne est rapide et efficace. Il l'a placée d'emblée sous le signe de la "majorité nationale" et proclamé qu'il siégerait, en cas de succès, au groupe UMP du Sénat. La droite départementale affiche ses querelles de personnes : outre la sienne, deux listes de l'UMP et deux listes de l'UDF s'y affrontent. Cette division, que M. Sarkozy n'a pas pris la peine d'interdire, sert les intérêts de M. Pasqua.
Le 19 septembre, le second s'impose au côté du premier à l'inauguration de la piscine de Neuilly. Le 22, au cours d'une réunion organisée à Villeneuve-la-Garenne, le maire de Levallois-Perret, Patrick Balkany, sarkoziste inconditionnel, explique devant 98 grands électeurs que la présence de sa propre épouse Isabelle, vice-présidente du conseil général, sur la liste officielle de l'UMP "ne signifie rien" et que "les élus du département sont tous les enfants de Charles Pasqua". En trois jours, les pointages lui garantissent 190 votes : il en faut 180 pour être élu. Il en obtiendra 211. Sans compter les félicitations de M. et Mme Chirac.
Hervé Gattegno • ARTICLE PARU DANS L'EDITION DU 05.10.04
Le groupe pétrolier Total est mis en cause dans une enquête ouverte pour "blanchiment" LE MONDE | 30.09.04 Le juge Courroye a mis en examen deux anciens cadres de la société où a été menée une perquisition.
Une perquisition a été menée, mercredi 29 septembre, au siège de la société Total, à Courbevoie (Hauts-de-Seine), par la brigade de répression de la délinquance économique (BRDE). A l'issue de celle-ci, les policiers ont placé en garde à vue Gilbert Covhines, responsable de la comptabilité dans une direction du groupe pétrolier. Les enquêteurs agissaient sur commission rogatoire du juge Philippe Courroye, qui instruit depuis l'été 2002 une enquête, ouverte pour "blanchiment", susceptible de mettre en cause le groupe pétrolier. Sollicité jeudi 30 septembre, Total n'a souhaité faire aucun commentaire.
Menée jusqu'ici dans la plus grande confidentialité, l'instruction a déjà provoqué la mise en examen, mercredi 22 septembre, de deux anciens cadres de Total. Poursuivis pour "complicité d'abus de biens sociaux", Patrick Rambaud, ex-directeur d'une direction de Total, qui a quitté le groupe en 2002, et Jean-Michel Tournier, un chargé de mission aujourd'hui à la retraite, ont été placés sous contrôle judiciaire. L'enquête avait démarré en juin 2001, à la suite d'un signalement de Tracfin, l'organisme antiblanchiment du ministère des finances, qui avait identifié des mouvements de fonds suspects entre la société Total, sa filiale aux Bermudes, Total International Limited (TIL), et une société suisse, Teliac SA, dirigée par Jean Caillet. Une enquête préliminaire fut ordonnée par le parquet de Paris, en novembre 2001, avant que le dossier ne soit confié, le 1er août 2002, au juge Courroye. Le magistrat avait ordonné une première perquisition, courant 2003, au siège social du géant pétrolier.
Au cours de son audition devant le juge Courroye, Jean-Marie Tournier a affirmé que Total avait procédé à des opérations de "corruption" à destination de décideurs locaux, dans des pays tels que l'Irak ou la Russie, où le groupe dirigé par Thierry Desmarest souhaite s'implanter. Le mécanisme mis au jour par les enquêteurs, confirmé par le témoignage de M. Tournier, est relativement simple.
Entre 1996 à 2001, Total, via sa filiale Total International Limited, aurait fait transiter plusieurs millions de dollars sur des comptes ouverts à Genève par Jean Caillet, au nom de Teliac SA. Cette société virait ensuite ces fonds sur des comptes offshore, ouverts dans des paradis fiscaux comme les îles Caïman, les Bermudes, l'île Maurice ainsi qu'au Liechtenstein ou au Luxembourg. Les bénéficiaires des sommes détournées seraient des dirigeants - ou des personnes susceptibles de les influencer - des pays dans lesquels le groupe pétrolier a des intérêts. Il s'agissait par exemple, selon M. Tournier, d'obtenir des concessions de forages en Irak et en Russie, où le groupe souhaite investir massivement. L'Irak faisait pourtant l'objet, à cette époque, d'un strict embargo. Dans les années 1990, après la guerre du Golfe, le groupe français a mené un intense lobbying auprès du régime de Saddam Hussein, conduisant même des études géologiques sur d'importants champs pétrolifères, afin de se positionner favorablement dans la perspective d'une éventuelle levée de l'embargo imposé par l'ONU.
L'enquête aurait établi que, parmi les bénéficiaires des fonds répartis par Teliac SA, figurerait un avocat libanais, Elias Youssef Firzli, réputé proche de Tarek Aziz, l'ancien ministre des affaires étrangères de Saddam Hussein. La personnalité de M. Firzli intéresse particulièrement les enquêteurs. M. Firzli faisait notamment partie des donateurs de France-Afrique-Orient (FAO), une association proche de Charles Pasqua. Dans le cadre de son enquête sur les ventes d'armes à l'Angola, le juge Courroye avait établi que l'homme d'affaires Pierre Falcone avait versé, en 1996, 1,5 million de francs à FAO. Cette découverte avait provoqué la mise en examen pour "recel d'abus de biens sociaux" de l'un des dirigeants de FAO, le conseiller diplomatique de M. Pasqua, Bernard Guillet. M. Guillet n'a jamais fait mystère de ses relations avec le régime de Saddam Hussein. Dans un entretien accordé au Monde le 30 avril 2001, il avait déclaré : "Je me considère comme un honnête courtier du peuple irakien."
Gérard Davet et Fabrice Lhomme
• ARTICLE PARU DANS L'EDITION DU 01.10.04 7 - Jean-Christophe Mitterrand obtient le report de son procès pour fraude
fiscale LE MONDE | 17 Septembre 2004 | Pascale Robert-Diard | 290 mots JEAN-CHRISTOPHE MITTERRAND est « profondément perturbé ». Jean-Christophe Mitterrand est en « très grande détresse ». Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, « livré au tourbillon médiatique », vit « sous une pression insoutenable pour un être humain ».
8 - L'immunité n'interdit aucune mise en examen LE MONDE | 28 Septembre 2004 | Fabrice Lhomme | 538 mots RÉÉLU sénateur, Charles Pasqua va à nouveau bénéficier d'une immunité dont il avait été privé le 19 juillet, après sa défaite aux élections européennes. Depuis 1999, l'ancien ministre de l'intérieur siégeait en effet au Parlement européen - sur les bancs souverainistes -, ce qui le plaçait à l'abri...
9 - L'absence de Jean-Christophe Mitterrand à son procès entraîne son
ajournement LE MONDE.FR | 15 Septembre 2004 | 386 mots Jean-Christophe Mitterrand est soupçonné d'avoir omis de payer à l'administration fiscale "un peu moins de 600 000 euros" en 1998 et 1999, selon son avocat. Pour ce délit, celui qui fut conseiller pour les affaires africaines à l'Elysée de 1986 à 1992 encourt une peine pouvant aller jusqu'à cinq...
Jean-Christophe Mitterrand doit comparaître devant le tribunal de Paris pour « fraude fiscale
» LE MONDE | 8 Septembre 2004 | Fabrice Lhomme | 695 mots
Le fils de l'ancien président de la République, poursuivi dans l'enquête sur les ventes d'armes vers l'Angola, est accusé d'avoir dissimulé les fonds versés par l'homme d'affaires Pierre Falcone. LE FILS aîné de l'ancien président de la République, Jean- Christophe Mitterrand, comparaîtra, mercredi...
Entendu lundi par la police, l'ancien ministre reste cerné par les "affaires" LE MONDE | 04.10.04
Les affaires continuent. Réélu sénateur le 26 septembre, Charles Pasqua était interrogé par la brigade financière, lundi matin 4 octobre, dans l'enquête sur les largesses consenties à certains de ses proches par l'homme d'affaires libanais Iskandar Safa, visé par un mandat d'arrêt depuis décembre 2001. Si Jean-Charles Marchiani et son épouse sont poursuivis pour avoir reçu des fonds de M. Safa - qui fut le principal négociateur de la libération des otages français au Liban, en 1986 -, M. Pasqua devait être interrogé sur la mise à sa disposition, en 1992 et 1993, de luxueux bureaux parisiens par une société du même homme d'affaires.
Ces bureaux auraient été le théâtre d'importantes remises de fonds en espèces. L'affaire s'ajoute ainsi à la myriade de procédures qui convergent vers M. Pasqua.
Personnellement mis en cause dans une demi-douzaine de dossiers, l'ancien ministre a vu, depuis 2 000, s'effondrer ses fameux "réseaux". L'impressionnante série de témoignages collectés par le juge Philippe Courroye a, de fait, révélé les dessous d'un système voué au financement des activités politiques de Charles Pasqua, et dans lequel son fils, Pierre-Philippe, semble avoir joué un rôle central.
Accusé d'avoir perçu des commissions illicites, M. Pasqua fils, qui s'est réfugié en Tunisie sous le coup de deux mandats d'arrêt internationaux, est soupçonné de s'être entremis pour le compte de son père. Pierre-Henri Paillet, ancien délégué général de la Datar, a déclaré : "Je savais que Etienne Leandri -un intermédiaire décédé en 1995- était un des financiers de Charles Pasqua. (...) Pour moi, il n'y a pas de différence entre le fils et le père. Je ne vois pas de raisons pour lesquelles Etienne Leandri devait payer 700 000 dollars au fils de Charles Pasqua, si ce n'est au titre de retour pour financement". Mis en examen dans l'affaire Alstom (un versement de 5,2 millions de francs à Etienne Leandri, en 1994, afin d'obtenir une autorisation de déménagement du ministère de l'intérieur), M. Paillet a dénoncé devant le juge une opération "s'apparentant à de la corruption" et ajouté : "Etienne Leandri a perçu cette commission pour financer les activités politiques de Charles Pasqua."
Le même principe semble s'être appliqué avec la Sofremi, une société dépendant du ministère de l'intérieur qui aurait versé des fonds, via l'homme d'affaires Pierre Falcone, à Pierre-Philippe Pasqua. "J'observe que c'est le fils du ministre de l'intérieur qui a été bénéficiaire de 4/5e de la commission encaissée par M. Falcone. J'en déduis que c'est une rétrocession qui concerne directement le ministre", a déclaré M. Paillet. L'ex-directeur de la Sofremi, Bernard Dubois, a lui aussi assuré que les commissions versées étaient "un des moyens de financement du système de Charles Pasqua", précisant :"Je ne considérais pas comme normal que le ministre de l'intérieur me demande de piller la trésorerie de la Sofremi".
"PACTE DE CORRUPTION"
Autres financiers de M. Pasqua, selon le juge, les hommes d'affaires Michel Tomi et Robert Feliciaggi, empereurs des jeux en Afrique. Dans une ordonnance rédigée en octobre 2003, M. Courroye assurait que l'autorisation accordée aux deux hommes en 1994 pour exploiter le casino d'Annemasse (Haute-Savoie) résultait d'un "pacte de corruption", ayant été octroyée par M. Pasqua "en contrepartie de l'assurance d'un financement futur de sa carrière politique" - en l'occurrence, sa campagne européenne de 1999. En mars 2001, la police monégasque accusait MM. Tomi et Feliciaggi d'avoir mis en place une "structure de blanchiment" et d'être "liés à l'ancien ministre de l'intérieur Charles Pasqua".
L'enquête sur les ventes d'armes à l'Angola a mis au jour une autre source. Dans un rapport du 9 avril 2002, la brigade financière concluait qu'"en 1993 et 1994, M. Charles Pasqua et son conseiller pour la sécurité, Jean-Charles Marchiani, ont soutenu politiquement le régime du président angolais -José Eduardo- Dos Santos et le processus de ventes d'armes de -Pierre- Falcone et -Arcadi- Gaydamak à l'Angola". "Les profits colossaux (...) générés, écrivaient-ils, permettent de mieux appréhender les raisons de l'aide financière de MM. Falcone et Gaydamak à l'activité politique de Charles Pasqua et Jean-Charles Marchiani."
Fabrice Lhomme
M. Pasqua convoqué par la Cour de justice
Charles Pasqua est convoqué cette semaine devant la commission d'instruction de la Cour de justice de la République (CJR), la juridiction habilitée à enquêter et à juger des ministres pour des faits commis dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions. M. Pasqua est susceptible d'être mis en examen, notamment pour "corruption" dans trois enquêtes portant sur des faits remontant à la période 1993-1995, lors de son second passage au ministère de l'intérieur.
Deux des trois dossiers portent sur les commissions versées par la Sofremi et par GEC-Alsthom, dont M. Pasqua aurait été indirectement le bénéficiaire. Le troisième à trait à l'autorisation accordée, en 1994, à Robert Feliciaggi d'exploiter le casino d'Annemasse (Haute-Savoie). En échange, l'homme d'affaires aurait "subventionné" les activités politiques de M. Pasqua, finançant en particulier une partie de sa campagne pour les élections européennes de 1999.
• ARTICLE PARU DANS L'EDITION DU 05.10.04
Petróleo bate recorde histórico
Os preços do petróleo fechou acima dos USD 50,00 pela primeira vez desde 1983. A redução de produção no Golfo do México e as baixas reservas norte-americanas trazem preocupações sobre a capacidade das refinarias de produzir destilados antes da chegada do inverno. Os estoques de óleo de aquecimento estão 10% abaixo do nível normal, depois que a tempestade que atingiu o Golfo do México na semana passada obrigou as refinarias, localizadas na costa do Golfo, a pararem a produção. O barril com entrega para Novembro, encerrou em alta de 0,96%, negociado a USD 50,12 na Bolsa de Mercadorias de Nova York (NYMEX, na sigla em inglês), valor mais alto desde o início da negociação dos contratos há 21 anos. Os preços subiram 2,5% nesta semana, esta foi a 12ª semana de alta em 14 semanas. Já o barril tipo Brent, com entrega para a mesma data, avançou 0,51%, para US$ 46,62 na Bolsa Internacional do Petróleo de Londres (IPE, na sigla em inglês), maior valor desde 1988, início da vigência dos contratos. A valorização acumulada nos últimos sete dias é de 2,84%. O barril tipo Brent acumula valorização de 67%, no comparativo anual. Em três semanas os preços da commodity já subiram 17%, depois que a passagem do furacão Ivan pelo Golfo do México causou interrupções na produção de óleo e gás natural na região. As companhias petrolíferas ainda realizam reparos nas plataformas da região.
OBRAS DA ECCLESIA NO LUBANGO INTERDITADAS 2004-09-30
O Governador da Província da Huíla intimou a desactivação das obras em curso para a expansão do sinal da Rádio Ecclesia no Lubango. Ramos da Cruz notificou por escrito ontem o arcebispo, Dom Zacarias Kamuenho, informou hoje o padre Pacheco da referida diocese. «(A carta) ameaça que poderão usar a intervenção administrativa de coerção para descativar os equipamentos da emissora católica de Angola, montados no seminário arquidiocesano», referiu o padre.
Segundo o referido sacerdote, que faz parte da Comissão Instaladora da rádio Ecclesia no Lubango, no dia 22 de Setembro esta comissão foi convocada pela Comandante da Polícia Económica a pedido do Governador Provincial. Na ocasião, foram dados os esclarecimentos pedidos sobre a montagem do equipamento da emissora. No dia seguinte, o Comandante visita as futuras instalações da emissora, situadas no seminário arquidiocesano, onde está a ser montada a torre para as antenas e o centro emissor. Nesse mesmo dia, o Governador escreve ao arcebispo, pedindo explicações sobre os trabalhos em curso.
O arcebispo responde no dia 29, justificando a montagem da torre e a instalação do emissor com a necessidade de evitar a deterioração do equipamento, e a mesmo tempo mantê-lo em lugar seguro. Esta justificação, não terá satisfeito o Governador que intimou o arcebispo a ordenar à Comissão Instaladora a desactivação do equipamento já montado, por considerar tal montagem ilegal. «Estamos desapontados com as autoridades locais, do Governo provincial, porque nós estamos a criar condições para que quando a emissora for autorizada, assim se realize. Portanto, não estamos a emitir e não estamos impedidos de montar o nosso equipamento», frisou o padre Pacheco.
A instalação da rádio Ecclesia no Lubango faz parte do projecto de expansão da emissora católica em todas as dioceses do país, projecto que está bloqueado perante a recusa, até ao momento, do governo em autorizar essa emissão. O projecto, segundo o Presidente angolano, em declarações durante a sua visita a Washington em Maio passado, podia ser implementado em conformidade com a lei vigente, mas na prática tem-se verificado o bloqueio de todo o processo.
Actualmente a Ecclesia emite apenas em Luanda, mas várias dioceses têm já pronto todo o equipamento para emissão local em FM, aguardando apenas a luz verde do Governo.
BANCO MINIMIZA HOSTILIDADE 2004-09-30
O Banco de Fomento de Angola (BFA) menospreza as reacções hostis dos grevistas da ANGONAVE à compra das suas instalações. A posição foi expressa à Ecclesia hoje pelo Administrador do Banco, Fernando Teles, que argumentou com as circunstâncias que determinaram a entrada da sua instituição no negócio.
Uma tem a ver com certa caridade para com os protagonistas da vigília de protesto mais prolongada no país. «Relativamente a algumas instalações que estão à venda pela Comissão Liquidatária da ANGONAVE, informaram-me que é para pagar aos trabalhadores as suas reformas. O banco de Fomento está disponível para pagar cerca de 1,5 milhão de dólares para as instalações que lhe foram propostas», referiu o bancário. Acrescentou achar o negócio feito do BFA «uma operação normalíssima», numa alusão às críticas do Sindicato dos Marítimos de Angola (SIMA), que enquadra os grevistas. «Não percebo, não entendo qual a posição do SIMA. Se o SIMA, se quer ser ele a comprar e tem dinheiro, que compre. Para nós, é pacífico isso».
Como outro factor que determinou a compra, apontou o crescimento da clientela, que exige o aumento correspondente das agências bancárias. Reconheceu a carestia do negócio, comparado à média de 250 mil dólares que tem custado cada agência adquirida antes. Atribuiu isto à localização das instalações na baixa urbanizada da capital. O negócio foi tratado entre o banco e uma Comissão do Estado que integrou representantes dos Ministérios das Finanças e dos Transportes, contou, qualificando os seus parceiros de «pessoas credíveis».
O SIMA, na posição expressa sobre o assunto a semana passada, tinha avisado o Banco de Fomento que estava a «comprar o conflito». Isto é, o contencioso entre os cerca de 500 empregados da antiga companhia pública de navegação comercial a longo curso e o Estado que optou pela sua extinção. Para os trabalhadores, a unidade era ainda rentável com uma boa gestão.
Desde 18 de Outubro de 2001, iniciaram uma vigília de protesto em frente da sede da companhia. Ao protesto inicial contra a extinção da empresa, adicionou-se a contestação da tabela de indemnização que a Comissão de Liquidatária elaborou para a sua reforma. É essa sede, onde estão acampados há 3 anos, que agora vai ser adquirida pelo banco.
ENVOLVIMENTO CHINÊS NO CAMINHO DE FERRO DE BENGUELA 2004-10-01
O dinheiro chinês vai contribuir para reabilitar o Caminho de Ferro de Benguela (CFB). Segundo o Director da companhia angolana, negociações estão em curso entre a sua empresa e os chineses bem como com o Governo angolano.
As conversações versam nas modalidades de aplicação de uma parte da linha de crédito aberta por Pequim para Luanda no actual programa de reconstrução da gigantesca via férrea angolana. A linha de crédito representa a avultada soma de 2 mil milhões de dólares americanos (USD), mas Daniel Kipaxi, o responsável do CFB, não especificou o montante que a sua companhia está a discutir. Entretanto, assinalou que a reabilitação em curso da via já consumiu USD 7 milhões da sua empresa. A factura cobriu os encargos da reconstrução do troço que vai do terminal portuário de Lobito até à cidade de Cubal, a cerca de 155 km.
No total, o CFB perfaz mais de 1300 km dentro do território angolano, que serpenteia do mar ao Leste, prolongando a correria para o Sudeste da República Democrática do Congo (RDC) e o Noroeste da Zâmbia. Ambos os países têm mostrado, aliás, um alto interesse na recomposição da via, fortemente atingida pela guerra civil. No troço restaurado, frisou hoje Kipaxi, havia dez pontes a repor, tendo sido recuperadas sete. Só uma ponte reconstruída ao pé de Cubal custou USD 1,6 milhão, exemplificou. As minas, enfatizou ainda, foram os principais obstáculos à obra.
PARTIDARIZAÇÃO DA AJUDA HUMANITÁRIA 2004-10-01
A UNITA voltou a denunciar hoje a partidarização da ajuda humanitária. De acordo com o seu Secretário para Informação, Adalberto da Costa Júnior, registou-se um novo caso no município de Chipindo, província da Huila, 300 km a nordeste do Lubango, no passado 28 de Setembro.
Adalberto, que falava à Ecclesia, referiu que se condicionou, no local, a distribuição da ajuda destinada à população vulnerável às pessoas que exibissem previamente o cartão de membro do MPLA. «Ocorreu, de facto, uma distribuição de bens, onde foram feitas opções claras de separar as populações com proximidade partidária, obrigando quem não tinha (o cartão) a poder fazer esta inscrição para poder usufruir destes bens», disse o político. A seu ver, foi uma ocorrência análoga à verificada no interior da vizinha província do Bié, acerca da qual o partido no poder evocou a livre opção dos interessados e pediu à UNITA provas. As provas existem, replicou o porta-voz do partido do galo negro, completando que os factos denunciado «não têm a ver com a opção de homem livre quanto aos partidos onde quer militar».
Para ele, estas ocorrências radicam mais no carácter ainda muito partidarizado do Estado angolano e nas pressões prováveis do horizonte eleitoral. Assim sendo, asseverou Adalberto da Costa Junior, «temos que intensificar a educação cívica de todos nós».
ENFERMEIROS LEVANTAM A GREVE 2004-10-01
Os enfermeiros decidiram hoje retomar o trabalho na próxima segunda-feira. Em assembleia geral convocada pelo seu sindicato, aprovaram o levantamento da greve à luz dos resultados das negociações verificadas ontem entre os seus representantes sindicais e o patronato. «Foram de opinião que não há mais razão de manter a paralisação», referiu à imprensa o secretário geral adjunto do Sindicato dos enfermeiros, Almeida Pinto, no termo do encontro.
A questão dos enfermeiros fantasmas, entre os dois mil e quinhentos admitidos em 2001 e que desde então aguardam remuneração, foi superada com cedência mútua, acrescentou. O Governo aceitou pagar a todos os efectivos e o sindicato o princípio de que esses enfermeiros devem ser submetidos a avaliação, para comprovar da efectiva preparação dos mesmos. Esta avaliação começará segunda-feira e durará 70 dias. Consistirá na verificação dos certificados de habilitação dos visados, a sua validade, autenticidade, além do exame dos conhecimentos técnico-profissionais elementares dos mesmos. Os elementos que vierem a chumbar no teste têm o pagamento do seu salário garantido a partir de Janeiro de 2004 até à sua despedida, acrescentou o sindicalista, que focou o aspecto como mais uma flexibilidade patronal. Do lado deles, do sindicato e trabalhadores, frisou, tiveram de admitir o saneamento dos incompetentes das fileiras de uma actividade tão sensível como a enfermagem.
Na origem do diferendo e da greve, está um grupo de 2.448 enfermeiros recrutados há três anos. O Governo reconhecia apenas pouco mais de 800, recusando categoricamente pagar o remanescente. A reivindicação da classe levou à greve iniciada na última segunda-feira em todos os hospitais e postos médicos dependentes da Direcção provincial da Saúde de Luanda.
PNUD lança projecto de apoio a microempresas
Um projecto, denominado Empretec que vai desenvolver e fortalecer a actividade microempresarial no país, foi lançado ontem em Luanda pelo Programa das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento (PNUD). Avaliado em quatro milhões de dólares, o projecto tem três componentes, nomeadamente, micro-créditos, serviços de apoio ao desenvolvimento das empresas e formação profissional. Para o efeito, um memorando de entendimento será assinado na próxima semana entre representantes do Pnud, da Conferência das Nações Unidas para o Comércio e Desenvolvimento (CNUCED), INAPEM, associação de jovens empresários Prestígio e a Chevron Texaco. Integram ainda as instituições do BNA e Banco Sol que serão os potenciais financiadores dos micro-créditos. De acordo com Francisco de Almeida, representante do Pnud, o projecto integra a abertura de um centro de formação profissional a ser inaugurado em Novembro próximo. O objectivo é dotar novos empresários e empresas empreendedoras de conhecimentos técnicos e científicos sobre gestão de empresa. A formação terá início em Novembro deste ano e serão ministrados por especialistas brasileiros. O programa terá duração de três anos numa fase experimental, segundo Helge Muller, representante da CNUCED. A Empretec foi lançado nos anos 80 e o primeiro país a beneficiar foi a Argentina em 1988. Depois deste país foram abertos projectos em 20 países. O maior centro da Eempretec encontra-se no Brasil e já formou cerca de 50 mil empresários.
Arkady Gaidamak talking to zoe eisenstein of reuters, sept 2004
We would like to educate Angolans that everything is possible. We are in a country with a huge potential. One of the reasons for the Terra Verde project is to show that everything is possible. In 18 months, we’ve shown that everything is possible. Food provides political and economic stability in a country, which is good for peace and good for the health of the people. Angola needs to think about what will happen in the next 20 or 30 years. Having a food base for the country is very important. We’ve installed a small factory to do food transformation. It will do food processing in the beginning. I chose a so-called difficult place where there was no water and no electricity. We built a pipe with a pump and a small electrification unit. We’ve so far invested $20 million in Terra Verde and the funding and the project is continuing to expand. We’re on about 350 hectares so far. We didn’t have all the permission to occupy the soil, we were here squatting at the beginning. Now I’ve asked the authorities for more land so that we can at least double production. We have a feed mill factory which provides food for the chickens. Seventy percent of the cost of chicken and egg production is their food. We’ve built it for three times more chickens than we have now. If the government will give us 200 more hectares we can double or more our production. We have the world’s most modern irrigation system which has water mixed with fertilizer. We are in the process of investing another $120 million in six other projects. Of the six new projects, one is in Bom Jesus – it is 850 hectares, in the open-air. Bom jesus is a large-scale, open air project. The initial investment was $5 million. I guarantee that in nine months we will collect our first harvest. On the other projects, we are already working on them, clearing the land. We’re doing this not only for profitability but also to show people that it is possible.
Angolan partners:
Terra Verde – Capinol. They provide us with legal help. The goal is that it’s a commercial project, from a financial perspective it provides very good profitability. But all the profits are being used to expand the project. We signed six new projects with Simportex – state import company??? – about three months ago. The business plans are done, the calculations, the photos, everything. These projects are worth $120 million. Today the main source of revenue for the country is oil and mining. Is the oil sector is well organised and now the mining sector is in the process of being organised. It is normal that behind the mining projects are commercial companies that want maximum profitability. But the country should think about how to use the mining capacity to provide the maximum utility to the country in the creation of jobs and industrial infrastructure. The Angolan government can ask a potential serious partner in the mining sector to invest in other sectors, for example agriculture. Angola’s yearly consumption of eggs is 500 million eggs per year. Today, except for our project which provides at the moment only five percent of yearly needs, Angola needs to produce 500 million eggs per year to cover national consumption. To produce 500 million eggs, you need 1.3 million chickens. We know that most modern installation today costs $9 per head per life of the chicken. So this means we need only $12 million to build for 1.3 million chickens. This will create at least 3,000 jobs. The cost of producing one egg is around 7 cents. The retail price of eggs in Angola is around 16 cents so this shows that the investment can be back very quickly with a very high profitability. So it’s not a donation the administration should ask for but an investment. Please, you want to have a diamond mine, a gold mine, OK, do it. But please take into consideration our needs and we invite you to make a very solid investment in say chicken farming. But it’s the same in tomatoes or cucumbers, and especially corn where you have a double profit. To produce one tonne of corn is less than $100 and the market price is around $250. I am very involved in agriculture around the world. The problem is financial, industrial people don’t understand agriculture. We have two projects with senior officials from Sonangol. If simportex is a governmental structure, I will invest almost everything. When they have profits we will be paid back maybe. But with the Sonangol people, it is often in those kinds of countries, for example Russia, oil and gas companies are often working in other sectors like the agriculture sector. So here, those people can pay themselves the project. With Simportex we will produce basic products especially chicken meat – today Angola imports $25 million per year of frozen chicken from Brazil. So with the same money, if you invest in chicken farming you will provide the same amount of chicken each year and it will be yours. With the Sonangol team we will produce oranges, grapes – for export to Europe – mangoes, milk farm for which we will bring cows from Brazil. Sonangol – they will pay. It’s not straight Sonangol, one of their branches. They’ve already paid $150,000 to do a study of the project. But you also need experience (to start up agricultural projects). We are not just business people, we have knowledge, we have a name, we will manage the project, we will build the project, we are the suppliers. And then we will have a percentage of the turnover – I think ten percent.
Why this sudden interest in farming? I don’t care what they believe. They can go and see, people can come and touch and see it. The entire country knows about it. In two years we will cover all the food needs of Angola. We are producing five percent of Angola’s needs with Terra Verde but we did it in 18 months. It’s ideological what I did with Terra Verde – there was no road, no electricity, no water. Not one project in Israel can even compare with this project.
Is it kind of humanitarian help? I don’t like this word humanitarian. I am doing what I want to do. I am doing reality. These international functionaries can criticise me but I don’t care, who are they?
Home? Personal stuff? Now Moscow, for four years now. Was born 8 April 1952 in Moscow. Taurus – I am a typical Taurean. In Chinese astrology I am the fire dragon.
Angola I’ve been coming to Angola once a month, for the last 12 years so I’ve done almost 150 trips.
Other travel? I travel to Kazakhstan once a month. I am a world leader in phosphate fertilizer. I will also develop a phosphate fertilizer factory here.
Last in London? Four years ago, Paris 4 and a half years ago.
I am a French citizen like many except that I am among those who were decorated with French medals and notably for acts of bravery. I saved in four distinct operations, nine French hostages starting in 1995. I grew up in France, I was there since the age of 19.
Will you go back? Absolutely.
When? Soon, I hope. The file was opened 4 and a half years ago and never closed and never presented for judgment. ….In France any file should be closed after two years or there should be some reason for it to continue. Why after four and a half years has nothing been presented to the tribunal. Why in a country which respects human rights, I cannot be judged?
Belief? We can say that I’m respectful of religious tradition.
Where money from? I am a big player, I’m an important stock market trader in Russia. I have many companies working particularly in the agrochemical industry. I am also a banker in Russia – I have two banks.
Terra Verde This is the world’s best project, it can’t be produced in Israel or America. It’s a demonstration of what we can do – children playing, people sitting in paillottes eating. They can buy a live chicken. Everybody before us collapsed. They say the soil isn’t good in Angola. But what is not good here?
I’m here to show them how it can be. People cannot say that soil is not good, climate is not good, the employees are not good. Look it is the world’s best product – you can see the quality of the products, you can see how it’s organised and it works. 18 months ago it was nothing here and now it is the world’s best project.
Where are we? That is a small supermarket where selling our production. Also it is to show here that we are selling 40 percent less than in Luanda, to attract people to show them that it is possible. Because our goal it is to do at least ten more projects in twenty four months, to create auto-sufficiency in the food in Angola. Angola should provide at least for the Angolan population the food and the world’s best quality food and it is possible here you can see it What’s on sale? Pimento, beringuela, abobora and we have 22 different kinds of vegetables and eggs and chicken and it’s a very modern installation so you will see…so again, as I told we specifically took the worst piece of land just to show that it’s not just because we took something that was near the water, something that was electrified, something where the road was. We took the worst piece of land around Luanda. And nobody can tell that because we were favourised we did something. We took the worst and now we can show that we have a pump station and we provide all the pipe, now we have a water reservoir, an electricity station and everything works. Look, it’s another city. It’s to show that everything is possible. It’s not because we took something that was already prepared and then we did. We did from zero.
Irrigation by this pipe, everything is managed by computer. Look 350 hectares like that. It’s not just that we came and we began to do what we can do. Look the preparation, just to prepare this soil, 350 hectares of irrigation capillaire??. So it is the most modern project in the world…
…The other side of the fence how it was and how it is here. It was not another country. Here and two metres from here after the fence, it was exactly the same. And now you see only 18 months after and it is not only what you see the green but how we prepare the soil, the irrigation system, look at the irrigation system and look on that – that is the difference. Look, there was no electricity and now it’s like London, you have lampadaire?? like in London almost, look, every fifteen metres. Maybe it’s more than in London. Look at that. It’s in the middle of bushes – look how it was and how it is here. And everything with the scientist approach. Because we are also commercial organisation we are not just agricultural, we are also commercial. What does it mean? How working the agricultural producer? He just produces, finished…we are obliged every day to supply to the supermarket. You cannot stop supplying the supermarket, that’s why it grow up like that, by wave, you see? Here we begin, there it’s a little bit more, there it’s final product and then you see – it’s much more difficult. Usually the paysan (farmer) what he is doing, he produce one type of product, full scale, once or twice per year, finished, and then he is selling. We every morning we should supply the fresh product to the supermarket, fresh product every day, that’s why here we begin, in the middle of the process, then we finished, you see? Because every day it should be, we cannot stop. Look how people work xxxxx they are happy to work…. There are hundred people coming every day to ask for jobs but we cannot give to everybody. And our salaries are on average…..
How much are people earning here? the beginner, just the beginner, they have 110, it’s the minimum of salary, plus they can eat here, we provide lunch, a T-shirt, a uniform and the top manager they have 2 to 3 thousand dollars per month. And it is v important….xxxx plastic coveringxxxx…very important to be ready to provide to the supermarket every day fresh products, not just to do once or twice per season and that’s it. How do you learn about agric? we have v professional, v qualified partners here and we took probably the world’s best specialist in agriculture
But u, personally? Personally, in Moscow, I’m the owner of two chicken farms that are the only producer of eggs in the Moscow area. I am one of the biggest eggs producer in Russia. We are producing almost 1.5 million eggs per day.
Is agriculture a good business? Yes, in Africa yes, in Angola. In Russia it is different. In Russia we are doing it for..you know eggs, it is a social product because eggs first it is necessary product for the population and it should be accessible for the people with the low revenue and eggs it is a necessary component of bread, it’s no bread with no eggs, that’s why eggs are absolutely necessary (soccer, bbball field) so that for the student, small houses for the student because we have a small agricultural school. We have a school to form the local population and we have forty students per cycle and we did already two or three cycles except I have permanently. Then I did agreement with Angolan embassy in Moscow and for the third year I financed five students in the Moscow university and they will be top graduate agriculture specialist who will come back to work in Angola. yr own background, how did u become interested in agriculture? No, it’s not a business it is the base of everything. So, it is an industrial activity, a financial activity, it is a necessary activity, we provide to the people something basic. We are not doing newspaper, we are not doing a movie, we are doing food. People need every day food and it occupies the people, they have revenue, our 500 employees from the project, they have salary, they spend salary to pay their rent, it creates real estate market, they are buying clothes, they are consuming something so it is basic for the country. Especially the country that was in the war, people should have a hope and normal life. It is the X of the base of the normal life.
Very important for us is the presentation of the …even the presentation is very important, not only the quality. In the actual situation in Angola, people should consume nicely, so it’s a very important for us the presentation. We know that it is the shortage of the food in the country and probably everything can be selled?? We are doing nice, nice presentation, it’s a part of the consuming culture. People should consume with dignity so the right presentation gives the dignity to the people. When people can come to the clean place to buy a clean, good quality product with a nice presentation it is v important for their spirit. They are human, they should eat good food with a good presentation. Look how is the presentation…the profitability is very important and it’s much cheaper not to do this kind of presentation, not in colour, not terra verde. Look – produto de Angola. Xxxx very important, people should know it is Angolan. In the beginning, nobody trust us that it is anoglan, nobody, people were saying it came from south Africa, we don’t know from where. No, it is from here, it is from Angola It is the best quality and it is only from Angola. Angola today can be the world’s best producer of the agricultural products. Not only diamonds. In the world. It is already…it is the reality, it is not it will be. Look at those tomatoes and any specialist will tell you it is the world’s best quality of tomatoes. Here we have an Israeli specialist, Israel has the notoriety to be the world’s leading agricultural country. What do you think please tell us about the local tomatoes.
…very very impressive technology and the result is the quality. Again, people should see what we can do, everybody can do the same, everybody. We didn’t take something exceptional. You saw how is the land around and how is here… You see it is very important also it is not here just to produce. For example that it’s not make money but it’s nice to be here…People feel good here…
Why are you investing in agriculture rather than oil and diamonds? I don’t know. But it’s necessary. Why only in oil and diamonds? And even from the money point of view, it is a good investment.
Zoe – but much slower return… G – No. Because again, our goal it is not to make money with this project but if we want to make money any time it will give much more money than the diamonds. As I told you the cost of one egg is seven cents and the selling price is 16. In diamond you have maybe only 15 percent of profit, in eggs you have double. … Zoe But are you only investing in agriculture? G – no we have many other projects. First this project it was a pilot project to show to the people that it is possible. Everything is possible, especially in Angola because we should past by this, you know the country was in a war situation for many years, specifically a civil war situation where the people cannot have a hope, anytime something can happen you can planify nothing and agriculture it is a long planified cycle. So when you are in agricutlurue it means you have hopes. Agriculture, it means hopes. That’s why we began to create hopes in Angola, we create agriculture project and it is the utility and we show that we can produce nice products.
Zoe But why should it be your role to produce hopes in a country like this one? Why I should go by the stamp, by the usual situation, who should decide why an international businessman do or not to do?
Z but why should you want to create hopesin Angola? G why not me? Why not me?
Z but why Angola? Why not another country, why not congo? G because I past part of my life in Angola, I feel myself Angolan, from an administrative point of view I am an Angolan citizen and I’m just one of the Angolan citizens and I’m doing it in Angola. If I been Congolese I did it in congo but I am in Angola.
Z But you’re not just an Angolan, what are your other nationalities? G so I’m also French citizenship, Israeli citizenship and I spent some years in Canada and I create some enterprises in Canada at the beginning of eighties. As an investor in Canada I obtained the Canadian citizenship. Not Russian. People think that it is maybe something strange but it’s my life. It’s very normal that I’m Angolan. I’m in Angola for twelve years, we cannot to tell that it is no relationship between Angola and myself so it is very natural that I have Angolan citizenship. I’m not born in Angola but by the circumstances, by my life, I think that nobody can contest that it is no relationship between the Angolan social, financial and industrial context and myself. I’m not a first Angolan but I am not the last so my citizenship is completely justified. I’m just Angolan citizen and I think it will be very difficult to tell the contrary, that I am not Angolan. I’m Israeli because I’m Jew and I’m French because I spent all my life almost in France. It is not because certain people think it is not normal to have many citizenship. Maybe for some people but in my case it is just my life.
Z it seems v quiet for a farm on a Wednesday morning. G Wednesday morning first because it is high automatic system and all the workers are working early in the morning to prepare the harvest but you will see how it works in the greenhouses it is all automatic. But we have here 500 employees. let’s go now to see the chicken part of the project. The main thing is chicken production is the food. one it is the vegetable production and the other is the chicken meat and the slaughterhouse feedmill. Very important for the chicken production ist he food. The food is specific food with everything should be calculated….
The feedmill we put all the vitamins all the ingredients for the chicken food. The cost of the eggs is 70 percent of the cost in the cheickent production is the food ahtat’s why the feedmill factory is very important. It’s a very modern feedmill factory that we calculate, we are usuing only 30 percent capacity of this feedmill factory. It means we can produce three times more eggs than we are producing now. here we are basically taking corn and we are melange it with different kinds of ingredients – vitamins…the smell that we have here is the fish flour. We are buying and we are developing a fish flour factory in Namibe. In namibe they have a very good factory to produce the fish flour and we began to buy this fish flour for our Russian egg factories. What is important is that we are working at the full capacity. Today all the installations are working under 100 percent of capacity, we are producing 100 percent capacity of vegetables, 100 percent capacity of eggs and chicken meat. As we know in the chicken activity we have the meat production, so called broiler, then we will see the chicken that are producing eggs – they are not the same – and then we will see the slaughterhouse and the small, very modern factory how to prepare the chicken meat and to pack chicken meat
Z are you proud? yes, why not…at least we provide to eat in the term of the population it is at least… all the construction work we are doing ourselves and we always form the Angolans for all kinds of works and you know look when you observer construction in Luanda in the city, how disorganised it looks and how organised it looks here, even to work on the soil. It’s clean and it’s organised.
Z what’s the reason behind your success I don’t know. Providence. And what it is success? Everything is relative. You can be successful in the chicken farm and unsuccessful ……so you never know what it means.
Z – because you’ve been involved in so many different things in your life… G it’s not just agriculture. What else? Here at least we can tell we are only. This agricultural project we can tell we are at least first and I hope we will be not only but it is an example. It is a social project, not from the money point of view but to show that it is possible. Everything is possible.
Z your initiative or someone from Angolan authorities? G it’s my initiative….here we have 26,000 chickens living in each house. We have three broiler chicken houses it means in one time 75,000. It is not like in many European country where the chicken are living in the very bad, very tough condition. Already for the climate y- we have a ventilation and a very good standard of living our chicken in comparison with how chicken live in other countries we can be proud for our chickens. Every morning we should supply our chicken to our consumer they are chicken that grow up to a certain weight – 1.7 kilo. We have one chicken house where they grow up and then we change place and then we send them to the slaughterhouse. How long it takes – 34 days… The main thing is chicken production is the food if there is somoething wrong in the food but the influence fo the climate also influence how they grow up…
G - They are from Holland those chickens
Zoe - You were saying you think that with yr agric projects alone Angola can feed itself – when do you see Angola starting to export? G - Very soon. In fact some of our actual farm projects we know already for example for the grapes we will export to Europe during the winter time in europe. I think in two years maximum. The quality of vegetables are on the top level, we can export even now but we want to provide for the Angolan market. Angolans should understand what is good food. For example for dozens of year sthey only consumed frozen meat they never eat their live chicken almost. In the beginning in the supermarket we have a stand to explain how to prepare fresh meat, what kind of plate we can do. In the beginning it was not usual for them to eat the fresh meat.
(each chicken just produces one egg). The chicken is eating for 5 cents a day, 2 cents for general expenses, so 7 cents the cost and 16 cents the selling price so it’s a good business.
The chicken it’s a v delicate activity because there are many diseases so we are v lucky not to have diseases here. That’s the reason for the big distance between the chicken houses. It is clean, the chickens have enough space, xxxx
Z what is specific to Angola in terms of difficulties in agric there’s no difficulties in Angola. It is true that I had a very particular way to approach so called administrative problems. For example we began to build with no administrative authorisation, we practically squatted here and later on we obtained all the permissions. Or for ex we are probably the only agricultlural producer who are paying full-scale tax for things that we import. All the things that we import for the farm we pay full tax and customs and even today we are paying fullscale tax for the chicken food…instead to receive as ti’s usually in Europe dotation we are paying fullscale tax for everything from first day to today.
Z seems strange if you’re helping Angola that you wouldn’t receive favourable conditions… Again I’m telling you I don’t like the word help. We help nobody, nobody helps us, we are just doing. It will not work if it is help. It is just an activity and the activitiy today for ex if I will tell to the administration let me do any kind of project and treat me as any normal, usual entrepreneur, normal condition, just take into account my past, what I did, that is big value. I don’t ask for any favour, just take into consideration what I did in Angola and that is one of the projects. to pay tax is a good investment also because I can say we not only build this project but from the first day until now paid fullscale taxes and we never ask for any favour so I ask today for any kind of project in Angola just to have equal treatment as any other enrtremempent plus maybe I have some past and I ask to take into consideration this past.
Z wot u mean? this project for example. And future projects also – it means I can organise something. First, this project show that I have the capacity to invest and I have not only capacity but I did it and this investment was not used just to buy for example diamonds and oila dn to resell it with a profit. I invest to produce the food.
Z are you involved in diamond industry? I help as an advisor at the administration to organise the diamond industry in the way that it is today. Today for example this year the administration collect $152 million in royalties and taxes. It is the first time in the history of diamond industry in Angola and it is very clearly, you can see it, from the day when Angola signed with me the consultancy agreement. From the day when Angola signed with one of my companies the consultancy agreement – it’s the Development Advisory Group – signed more than a year ago. And we are just advisor and we advise and we obliged all the participatnts in the diamond market to compete in the right way and to create this kind of situation that they really respect all the obligancy in front of the administration. They are paying royalties and tax and as a result we can tell that before the total volume of the tax and royalties that Endiama as the company which represents the Angolan administration collect six million dollars in tax and royalties and this year it will be 152 exactly, you can check it. the most modern African slaughtery, there’s no slaughtery more modern than this one …
Z are you vegetarian? G no
Z wot’s yr favourite food? G maybe fish…fresh meat, only one place in agnola where we are producting really fresh meat. Slaughtered today, will be on the shelves tomorrow.
Z what’s going on with you, LKI, sodiam? G – as I told you I am just advisor and we have consultancy agreement with endiama and we advise endiama on their relationship with different participants in the diamond market.
Z so some of the people working in the famr are also involved in consultancy? G yes. In the beginning, my so-called main team, they launched the different kidns of projects and then they passed to other projects. So now for example this project can continue with much less of our involvenment, we just supervise it… and I launch for example we assisted to build this processing factory but…. all the regular process – the vegetables, the chickens, the local mngmt can supervise themselves. So my main team are going to other projects, either diamonds, maybe as a gas exploration as construction of for example I was the main organiser of capanda power station. Now that we launched capanda station and there are two turbines working already this power station because the main expenses in the power station and the hydro power station is the dam, the dam was built with a huge investment. And not to use this dam is an economical absurdity. That’s why the government did a particular effort and finished this power stateion and two first turbines are now working for the last three years then we have two others to finish. Then it will be probably really one of africa’s biggest power station.
Z your involvement? To organise everything. Somebody should push the things, for example the main supplier, main provider of the electrical equipment for the capanda power station was a big Russian company Technopromexport. It’s a huge engineering company. Without the financing caonnnot to begin the realisation so three years ago I organised the financing.
Z personally? G yes, I financied the Russian part of the supplying – it was a little more than $100 million so we organised the line of credit for the Russian electrical equimment provider.
Z oil backed? Yes it was finally paid by the Angolan government. Probably the national bank of Angolan had this money from the oil I don’t know but it was paid finally But the first impact – it was v important to have the first impact, the supervision, it was very important to convince the Russian supplier to begin to supply without the financing. For this size of project it’s very important to work in trust. We provide the necessary negotiations with the Russian supplier, they began to provide the equipment, during this time we find a solution how to finance and finally now it works and now we will begin soon two other turbine and it will provide 550 megawatts, this power station. And with this electricity – because hydroelectricity is the world’s cheapest electricity – and electricity is the main raw material for the in some metallurgical procedures, particularly aluminium. Then later on we plan to build an aluminium factory near Capanda power station. It will not only create a big factory that will produce in accordance with the 550 megawatts we can produce still 100,000 tonnes of aluminium. With the price today’s price of aluminium it is something like $180 million per year of selling, there is a very high profitability because the electricity is very cheap because the huge investment of $2 billion – that was the cost of the dam to the Angolan government ten years ago. And not to use it is an economical absurdity that’s why we convinced the government and the government understands that it’s necessary to do that and then at the same time we began already the project of the aluminium factory and we will build it and this aluminium factory will create all kinds of project of industrial infrastructure around the al factory because then we need to byild the roads, we need to build small villages around construction. It will create a real industrial context network around. T27 xxxx chickens…. … one chicken place costs all installation xxxx $9 per life xxx one egg per day…xxx
What’s your relationship with LKI? Just to advise. We advise them how to work in the Angolan diamond market.
Do you have any mining projects yourself? Maybe soon. With a little ??? mining projects. It’s not yet, we don’t know the details yet but it’s very possible that we will go to the mining project on the big scale and with the announcement of the project, with the description of the project and probably it will be industrial project. And what we want to launch we want now to advise the Angolan government to ask all investor in the mining sector that to obtain some rights to work with the Angolan raw material, to invest in different sector industrial sector of Angola for example in agricultural sector or any other and again I don’t like the word help. Not help, just a different investment. If the foreigners want to come to work in Angola, there is a profit. And Angola, not against them, let them to make a profit but why not to use the competience and the capacity of each part. So Angola will provide the capacity of the Angolan oil and Angola ask the cooperation not the help, the profitable cooperation in different, other activities. Look what happened in dieamonds, everybody, big people, solid people are here for years cryuing give us more, give us more give us more. You are giving it’s not enoguth. What? Why?
De Beers It’s a very respectable company with a lot of capacity that can bring a lot of positive things mutually to Angola and ot the company.
Do you think they’ll be back? I don’t know, I don’t have any vision
And as advisor to gvt? I’m advising it, that’s my word. I’m just maybe giving my opinion and I try to organise on the relatively small scale the work of the relatively small diamond traders that’s it and just to orgnaise the work on the scale that nobody should feel that because they are working already there is no competition. They always should, the best for the country, is that everybody should know that the reason they are on the market is because they are the best. The best it means competitive, competitive it means to take into consideration the situation, the conditions. So it means to respect everything and to be always the best. And not because the relationship, because they are already here, no. It should be real competition and the competition as I told the result this year the gvt will have $152 million of revenue in the diamond sector.
Ascorp contract? I don’t know
….it is a warehouse but also factory. We have refrigeration here. it is big, 6,000 tonnnes is very big space. Thousands opfo people coming here so we should show them what we can do… xxx food processing… Later on conserves…very high capacity, very expensive modern material…
Z is that why everyone calls you the man? G I don’t know
Z Is it because of yr success? G everything is relative. What does it mean success? It’s going well this project.
Z in total in Angola total investments how much over wot period of time? G for ex now we present our Moscow bank now to BNA the project to finance two other installations for the capanda power station for $150 million for five years and probably it will be accepted. So we have two years to finish and at the saem time in parallel we are working to build aluminium factory. It will be investment around $250 million but the bank investment - my bank and two other banks. But in aluminium is relatively easy to provide the financing because even with this project we show that everything is possible and we can convince the people because what it is aluminium, aluminium you need a lot of cheap electricity and we do it with capanda. And then some rock boxit (Alumina) And boxit it is not very important. We probably can develop the boxit mines in Angola if not we can buy it in equatorial guinea, even in Australia. Today in Russia we are buying boxit in Australia. So the main things for the aluminium is electricity and with capanda we have a huge source of electricyt, why not use it. IT’s a huge possiblileity for Angola to create a real industry and all the network infrastrucuter around the construction of this aluminium factory. And what is very importrant for the trading of metals it is the logistics and Angola it’s on the seaside. The main thing in the trading of raw materials – the coals as the metals – is the seaside. So Angola should use that. And with this capanda and then alluminiium and then we have seaside we will show that Angola will be soon a big industrial power. It’s a reality, it will be possible. 18 months ago….people said how we will build this hangar? People doenst’ understand don’t understand what it means…(irrigation by computer) is produce organic? It is the most natural that can exist. It’s not organic, it’s plain, it’s natural.
Ascorp What’s Yr rel with ascopr?
I was as advisor at the beginning I advise the gvt during the war it was v important for the gvt to control the financial flow providing from the diamond activity. Because the enemy had the main financial resource from the illegal diamond trading. SO to put it under the control it was necessary to create some kind of state monopoly. The reason was not to obtain the good financial performacnces but the main reason was to cut the revenue from the diamonds to the enemy. Then it was the reason why the war, if you can observe the coincidence between the ascorp creation and the end of the war, because when aspcopr was created with my idea, the enemy began to receive much less money from the main source of money was the diamonds for them. And the government took, through ascorp, almost all financial flow from the diamond activity undert the control through ascorp. Once the war was over I began to see how to increase and how to improve the financial performacncesz of ascorp. Ande then we began to ask to pay more taxes and more royalties to the state and to eventually just to show that the market is completely free and you should just to provide the performances, only the best can be on th emkt. It is no mkt where people are working because of their relationship, because their opolitical opinion, because of their past. Today we are in Angola and the door is opne for everybody. But everybody should be copmpetitive and to be competitive should respect also the right of the Angolan state.
Did u or do u have a stake in ascorp? No. I don’t have any stake in any diamond companies. We have just an agreement, I just help DAG (development advisory group) and DAG is a company that has an agreemtn with endiama and provide them advice.
What about yr relationship with lev leviev I know v well mr lev leviev and we have a so-called joint activity in different charity organisations around the world.
I understand relationship cooled off substantially. We never had except by the past I had a participation in the company that on the stock mkt that mr leviev was major shareholder – Africa Israel – and then I sold my stakei int his company on the stock mkt. And we have always the same relationship and we are often have meetings and our main activity is to discuss different kinds of humanitarian projects. when last see him Three days ago – in tel aviv
What do you think about his activities in Angola? For sure up to the professional opinion he is one of the biggest diamond industrialist in the world and I think his experience should be very useful for Angolan mining industry.
What think of polishing factory project? I think it’s a very good idea. I’m not a professional in diamonds but I think if this project will create some jobs and will create a better image of Angola, all Africa generally when we can show Africa it’s not just a source that provide s raw materials to the entire world but in Africa we can do a transformation of the raw materials, it’s a very necessary and good project. I don’t know about the details.
T35 my idea, for months I ask them to put in eveidence the chicken machine, very important psychologically..why not to put the machine in evidence , people should see how we prepare the chicken. Z it smells delicious – they look better here than in the slaughterhouse.
Z you said you’re interested in gas sector G gas, and as you know Angola is a big producer of oil and when it’s oil it’s gas. But the problem of gas is you need to have a pipe or the installation to liquefy the gas then it will become a product. If not now, it’s going in the air. Or we should build a pipe and then to sell the gas through the pipe for example to safrica because they need it or to liquefy it and to sell it as oil by tanker. Z are you saying you interested in LNG? G No but eventually we can particiapete or propose other projects. I know well through the agric project the Sonangol managers and we can always discuss with them oil and gas projects.
Z any on the table? Not yet. But will be, no doubt. When we have right idea we try to realise it. Look it was the case with ascorp, we transformed the diamonds industry and the real achieve ment of ascopr was to cut the revenue to the enemy by taking control of the diamond trading and we achieved it. And we created personally many enemies around the world that xxx journalists and journalists they will tell all the stories that you will see in the internet. That was the main reason for all the internet stories. When it was the illegal diamond trade, many people had a profit in Angola and especially out of anogla. And with the creation of ascorp, when the Angolan gvt took undetr their control almost totality of diamond trading the personal interest of many people in Europe was bothering. So they are not happy. Do you think the people selling frozen chicken garbage to Angola over expired date they will be happy when in two years Angola will provide enough fresh Angolan made chicken? Do you thinknt hey will be happy to lose those profits? Do you think those people that are selling the eggs from euerope here – you know eggs it is a live product living only 72 hours, over 72 hours it is no more any positive freshness, even if it looks fresh but it’s no more eggs. It can be only Angolan. So do you think the people who are making money by importing almost 500 million eggs per yuears to Angola will be happy when we will succeed with our project? No they will be not happy, they will tell gaydamak, how it’s possible that he…has an intereset in potatoes, strange, it’s not true. Because they don’t want that, they want to sell their garbage to Angola and continue to have a profit. It’s against the interest of the people that take from Angola and generally from Africa. And we should do our local products, that’s it.
Z angola’s rich in many ways but many poor – how should it deal with poverty. G the poverty, there are circumstances becaseu it was a war and the reason fro the war it was not only purely Angolan, the reason for the war came from the sixties when in the territory of Angola it was the confrontation of the two ideologoy, so-called soviet and so-called pro occidental. And so it was an armed conflict of two ideologies on the territory of Angola and Angolan people are just a vicitime of this conflict. And this conflict for sure boulversed all the normal structure, social structure, normal life. But because the country is big, extremely rich and th epopulatoin is very adapted to this territory that’s why for sure Angola has a real hope to be very soon the modern country that will provide dignity and good life to the population, there’s no doubt.
Z but how should the gvt tackle probs G already in two years I can see the difference, I can feel the difference. I am coming every month here and really I can see the changes but it is normal for example that all the refugees at the beginning they were pushed by the war condition to the big urban centre as Luanda that were not adapted to receive such big population in such short time. Today they don’t want, and it is there choice – why not? - to come back so we should quickly find them the occupation and to create all the normal social context. And how? By providing them the normal standing of life, it means the revenue and revenue by creating of different industrial activity and that is a good example. Here we have at least 500 people who are coming to work every day, and you can be sure they have a normal life. For sure they have a place where they can live, have access to the minimum fo necessary, they can have a hope, if they go to study they can have a better position, a better salary etc.
What think of attitidue of west I don’t believe about …it is artificial opinion, west opinion, not west opinion. Who is the maker of opinion? What those people they know about Angola? They know nothing. For the very evident reason because theryre not lieivng here, what they can know? They are repeating in the best of the case what journalists are telling them that’s it. And journalists cannot know everything. At least they can see but the interpretation can be very different. The interpretation of the journalist is be conditioned by the political opinion, by their social situation, their race, their religion, their age, etc. So..but the rest of the world is living with the vision of those opinions. It’s not normal.
The sort of pressure on Angola to become more transparent, less corrupt, what do you think? No, it’s not corruption, it’s the normal thing of the life. When for example the functionary asks you maybe to pay him some money to provide his normal work it is normal, it is the life. If he had an occupation that can provide him money and if you are paying him money it means it’s normal. We are conditioned by the artificial condition of the life but for me it is a very normal situation. I tis a country where up to me the gvt is gvt of the people with good positive idea and positive vision they are not people with some kind of abstraction, religious abstraction, political abstraction. They are normal people and they want to provide the best for their country.
So hypocritical to put so much pressure – eg no donor conf until more transparent They are so called professional that under the coverage of the political association or non gvtal association those people they are v often pursue some kind of political or commercial goal. They are blackmailers v often . They are pushing the public opinion and then they can regulate something. People should count with htem. They create their lobbying power and then evetrytonbody should count with them. Very often they are almost criminal. It is true corruption it is not good factor of any social structure but the manner how they show it they create obstacle for the free devlpm of the country and they want to just create, when they are crying that, the goal is jus tto create the name for themselves that people should care with them. They have a power, they can promote their false idea through the medeia and that’s why everybody should take into consideration..and very oftern they are paid by the different kind s of financial group. Believe me, I do not want to nominate them but I did some search, they are v v known so-called human rights lobbyists, they are professional criminal teams and they are financial interests.
LIKe who? I don’t want to nominiate them because theya re really dangerous people. But v v known, nbelieve me. People who creaete socalled public opinon that fight for the human rights, particularly in Africa. In Angola or generally in Africa. For example they can, with the name that they create, tomorrow they can launch a programme against any, let’s say big, major oil company. AN Oil compahy will take very seriously in consideration the danger if they will do a campaign. And before they campaign, with this criminal reputation that they create already, socalled human right orgnaistation, will go to see this company and pay us that, if not it will be a campaign. You know it? I know it. Behind the campaign against me there are very professional organisation.
Are you talking about global witness? I never said nothing. They are really dangerous people, that’s all. I never said the name.
You know the real reason why we are in the chicken and the diamond business? When I was a kid, I lived in the suburbs of Moscow. Now it’s the centre but at that time, nearly fifty years ago, it was a suburb. And I lived in there like a small village and we had some small chickens at home. And once per week my grandmother sent me to the slaughter and the Jewish tradition we should go to the special slaughter. And she sent me to the slaughter and then I came back after the slaughter with the chicken and my grandmother came to prepare the chicken. And when she opened the stomach of the chicken there were many small stones and she always told me that one day we will find a diamond there because the chicken eat small stones and sometimes they find the diamonds and we will find the diamond one day. That’s the reason why today, to multiply the chance to find the diamonds, I have one million five hundred chickens but to be really sure, we have a contract with endiama.
What was it like growing up in Moscow Wonderful, it is the most wonderful city in the world. Till today, I like a lot. I have three children. They are living in Europe – one of myduaghters she is in new yrok. Wonderful children (21, 23, 27). They are doing their life, their way.
Pierre falcone Are you and pf still in touch? No. For many years we are…Now for many years I didn’t see him and practically since 96 iu think I saw him twice per year.
Why r yr names always linked? you should ask journalists. Because it is the good example of the artificiality of this so-called affair, French affair. Mr falcone I know him well but our relationship was to meet from time to time and since 96 in particular I remember I saw him maybe ten times since 96. So it means almost for the last 8,9 years I saw him ten times.
Are you on good terms when u see each other? yes, normal. But we don’t have any common project toegheter.
Were u involved together in the rescheduling of angola’s debt to Russia? here also, I was and him, we were advisor of the Angolan government to reschedule Angolan debt for Russia and it was absolutely big success and absolulte necessity for Angola to do it and it was done and it gave a huge profit to Angola because Angola now cancelled all the external debt and it permit to Angola… Z To Russia? generally because, the main let’s say 80 percent of the external debt was the debt with Russia and because the external debt was so high the, when Angola received money for the oil selling and all the oil selling its a socalled credit contract because you always presell oil so the cost of this money is extremely high. When we reduced the Angolan debt we reduced dramatically the cost of the oil money and Angola collected with this reduction of oil money much more money than Angola paid to Russia to cover the debt. Economically it was an excellent operation.
The debt in 96-97 was around 5 billion, correct? Yes the debt to Russia was more than 5 billion but we obtained from the Russian gvt the figure of 5 billion, we fixed it at 5 billion but the real amount was considerably higher.
And then when u resched how much left to pay? When we rescheduled it we obtained 70 percent of deduction it means we obtained the final figures of 1.5 billion dollars payable in 20 years. The first five years it was a grace period it means from 96 till 2001 it was a grace preod and then Angola should pay from 2001 to 2016 1.5 billion with no interest. So by this operation Angola cancelled officially the biggest part of the exterhal debt in 96 at the moment of the signature of the agreement with Russian gvt and since 96 angola saved almost 200 million dollars per year in money with oil transaction.
Why were u involved? It is to be advisor as you see it is my job and I have good concerete relationship on the gvtal level in Russia on the former Russian republic and also in Angola and I have a vision how to do it. The proof that today no expert in the world will tell that it was not a good operation and some of them saying it was the worlds best operation of the rescheduling of the external debt. World’s best.
As story goes, around half of that 1.5 bill went off into various accounts. So it is diversion, a huge diversion of the enemy of Angola and Russia and the pieace. And just in two words I can tell you those people they provoked the illegal investigation in socalled very legal country as Switzerland. And on the 26 oct 2003 the highest court of Geneva took the folllwoing decision – that this transaction of the rescheduling of Angolan debt to Russia was extremely good operation with no false doing and the courts said they don’t understand what was the reason of this investigation and today the Russian federation and republic of Angola can ask damages and this affair was completely cancelled with this decision on the 26, this illegal investigation, it was recognised as illegal by the Geneva court, was stopped this investigation by the court decision on the 26of oct 2003 and recognised as an operation that nothing was wrong-doing. But nobody wants to speak about that..want to give all the fantasy, all the enemy of the peace in Angola and of Russia so they did thousands of articles that is true.
I understand the funds that were blocked in Switzerland were unblokced. No never funds were blocked, again it’s the wrong information with the premeditation that was given by those people with bad intention. All the money was paid to the Russian government in accordance with the agreement and never no funds…it was the documentation in links with this transaction that was blocked in the UBS bank. Because UBS bank was the so-called legal, did a legal arbitration in this transaction, it means it was the escrow bank. The fact that a so reputable institution as the UBS, one of the biggest nbak of the world, accepted to be legal advisor for this transaction, so called escrow bank – it means they took responsibility for the legal aspects of this transaction, proved that this transaction was absoltleuely legal. UBS took a commission for this transaction as any bank and UBS is the legal warrant for the legality of this operation. and that is the reason why it was blocked, the documentation about this transaction was blocked in Geneva but the transaction was done on 20 november 96 and all the amount was paid in accordance with the agreemtnb to the Russian federation.
So is it still being paid? Nothing to pay, it was paid.
I thought you said till 2016? no, then the first agreement was to pay from 96 till 2001 it was a grace period then from 2001 to 2016 it was a period of payment of something like $100 million per year and the national bank of anogla issued 31 promissory notes, 48 point 360,000 each face value it means multipilied by 31 something like 1.5 billion exactly and those promissory notes were paid, were transmitted to the ministry of finance of the Russian federation on the 20 Nov 96, that’s it. Then the russiian federation sold those promissory notes on the free market but that is their affrair. Evey day any ministry of finance of any country trade obligation and promissory note. But it’s nothing to have with the relation between Angola and Russian federation. The reupbllic of Angola fulyl paid the debt in 96 and then the min of finance of the Russian federation sold those promissory notes under market condition on the free mkt as they are selling their obligation or other financial tools every day. That’s it.
So are you saying it’s not true that names like Joaquim David and president Jose Eduardo Dos Santos and companies like Brenco had nothing to do with it? Absolutely it is just to have the political manipiulation. It is only for the political consideration they are dishonest representatives of the media sources, they used this completely legal transaction, not only recognised by me as legal but also by he Switzerland court, by the decision again I repeat on the 26 october 2003 this transaction was recognised as completely legal with not any wrongdoing and even the court said they don’t understand why the investigation was begun. And you can see just on the legal documents. So, today why again to give the explanation? It is completely the political manipulation doing by the almost criminal source of media - or stupid or criminal source of media that is doing it with premeditation.
What about Angolagate? The same. In France they began this affair with no legal foundation. Today again, I repeat, after four and a half years of investigation there was no one, nothing was presented to the tribunal so this case was never judged by the tribunal and it is a pure political manipulation that was created for many, many, many reasons. This affair has a huge implication in the internal French policy and internationally also and it’s using today by the enemy of the leading political party in place here in Angola. It is just an artificial tool that was created also with the interest by different circles.
Who is the enemy of Angola? Let’s say the people for example that would like to see Angola just the source of a huge profit people that want that Angola should stay in the condition when they can take a huge profit without counterpart of Angolan natural resources as the oil, as the diamonds as the other raw materials, and to supply to Angola all kinds of things and to take different kinds of profit. Those people they prefer to see in place not the government that take care of the interests of the population. Without, I don’t want to sing the hallelujah to the government, but they are reasonable people, they are doing what they can do in the actual situation. You are already in Angola for some time and you can see that it’s really, there are really changes and they are doing what they can do. And there are the big groups that have the interests to see Angola completely as a place where they can do everything without counterpart.
Today, still an Inernational Arrest Warrant against yoU? yes because my so-called crime is not to come to interrogation with magistrate, Fre,ch magistrate, that was convinced already by the authority to falsify the documents, to do many illegal things. It’s a fact – the falsification and illegal acting was recognised by the authorities.
What does it mean having this warrant, for yr life, every day It’s very strange for sure to have this warrant, but ok I adapt already to the situation, it means that I cannot to so..it’s strange, people will tell how it’s possible to manage many billion dollars businesses, to have many dozen thousands employee and to have an International arrest warrant but so I adapt myself but I could do maybe a little bit, I could be maybe a little bit more useful for differnetn things without thjis warrant but it’s the life.
Why still held up? Because it is the situation, because the French magistrate that came from nowhere, Judge Courroye, today he is a man that comes and investigate the cases of very high ranking politicians in France. This case is based on false documents and the French court recognised that this case is based on falsified documents. To open an enquiry Courroye needed the approval of the prosecutor’s office – the prosecutors office can give the approval only if they have the evidence so the evidence was falsified.
WHY, becaust For what motive? So, For example he is saying that it was illegal arms trade but it cannot to be, you cannot to accuse the individual of illegal arms trade. The, transaction, the market was between two countries. So eventually ?????? ENGLISH he can accuse the adminitstarion of Angola or Russia not to fulfil the right documents for this trransiaction that should be done in accordance with the international rules but it’s not the case. Why after four and a half years of the investigation he not yet entered the file to the court? Why? Where is the evidence of the illegal arms trade? It cannot exist, it is nonsense, the individual not to be in the illegal arms trade because around the world in accordance with international legislation the transaction in arms can be done only by the state or it is the illegal arms trafficking but that’s not the case.
It was the Angolan min of def that buying for thrity eyars in the frame of agreement between the soviet union and Angola for the last thirty years Angolan gvt buying arms in Russia. So eventually…ENGLSIH if the French justice wants to do an enquiry – first it’s illegal because what France has to do in the relationship between Angola and Russia? But even that, let’s say if they think something is not in accordance with the legisalation, they should tell what or they should tell that it is arms trafficking. Arms trafficking can be only between the individuals. It’s not my case, I never touch any arms in my life. So or let’s say I participate from the Angolan or the Russian side in the very legal intergvtal transaction. But maybe the documents were not fulfilled in accordance with the rules. Maybe. But it’s also not the case. So they are playing with nonsense. They are crying arms trafficking. Arms trafficking can be done only by individuals so I never sold, I never carried any arms as an individual to Angola or to Russia. Or it can be illegal arms trading, this accusation also can be. But in this case the French authroty should tell in the relationship between two independetnt gvt, not a French colony, what Angola did wrong with Russia or Russia did wrong with Angola…it was never an accusation from the Russian side, from the international side or from the Angolan side. Everybody is happy. Even the French authority immedialtley after they opened the enquiry they said it’s illegal. They cancelled the enquiry. Only journalistic…and the judge, he cannot to close with all the noise that he create around the world now to recognise this fiasco, I suppose. And that’s it. It is a huge injustice.
People say same day International arrest warrant issued, the same day u were in London, sitting in the Dorchester chatting with the Le Monde correspondent. Is that true? The same day or the day before, maybe, yes. In the beginning, I was so surprised by this injustice ethat I often spoke to the journalists now I took habit..to the world, nothing will be changed. But it is the completely illegal investigation with a huge human injustice.
And wot doing overturn situation? Nothing, you can do nothing. You know when the thousands of journalists that know nthohing they are crying arms trafficking, arms trafficking, it is something …so it is true that I participate in the financial agreement to sell Angolan oil. To stop the war the gvt needed in 94, 95, a big amount of restructuring of the army forces for theat they needed a considerable amount of money and to collect this money I helped the gvt to presell the oil to receive enough to finance the resetructuring of the army and since that the government took control of the territory and later on with ascorp we began to control the flow of finance in the diamond sector, it means we cut the revenue of the enemy and then how we stopped the war, only. If not it could continue for dozens and dozens of years. And lal the people who or by stupidity, or by interest, are crying now about this angolagate. The reality, it is completely different.
Can you describe a typical day, what do u do? as I told you I am doing a lot of sport every day. And then I’m going for the meeting. I don’t like planified my day so it’s always something to do and then people, I like Russians, I like Russia and you klnw he is always known Russian scriber vashinya scruna???, he wrote 30 years ago almost one fantastic roman it is called crimmee, you know it is a Presque-ihle. It’s k,own during the civilian war in 1922 it was the last place where the white army resisted and then they left and he wrote a roman that those forces they could resist and they stay it means Russia was divided as a korea or as a Vietnam, in two parts. All Russia was soviet and isle of crimmee was under the white power because the white army stayed there and it was a country like france, like England, but Russian. And for us, for soviets it was so strange so he described the life of Russia but as it’s continue, it was no revolution, omodeern Russia but with no revolution. It was so strange and today all the Russia is the isle of crimmee so ti’s nice, good restaurants, good theatre, people are nice, well looking, well dressing. And you know if you will trasnsmit it by bbc I ask people if they are hearing us now if they can go on new bond street they will see that the main part of the consumer are Russians. Most places a la mode are occupied by Russians, the best restaurants in London the best shops, the best appts, are occupied by Russians. They are nice people. Look at the Chelsea owner.
And what do u do to relax? to relax? I am working, I am doing sports, I’m doing some kind of Chinese kungfu, some kind of karate, tai chi.
Favourite food? Japanese probably ENDS
Zoe: The day the reuters story went out, gaidamak called her up in a fury, calling her an enemy of the state, and saying that this was pre-meditated to discredit him. The bit about grapes, he said, would make people think he was stupid. He did not fail to turn up for a court appeareance, but the summons of an investigating magistrate, and he would sue reuters “up to the eyeballs” for making that mistake. The day of the interview, he had said he would “sue you, and your family” (in a joking way) if she got it wrong. Zoe said she was “completely freaked out” and said she was not sleeping at home that night, and that she had to take a tranquillizer to get to sleep. He complained that a trader was not a person, but a company, and how could she say that? The same day, zoe had also had a minor car crash with a ?woman? who was related to “one of miala’s boys” who boasted that he infiltrated Angolan embassies overseas, but appeared to be pretty stupid. The following day, when they were sorting out a number of details, he told zoe that “you have lots of enemies here” and this was particularly uncomforatable, given the gaidamak story. Eventually, he relented.
Zoe after G meeting Curial brings lopo to france (or lopo is in france) so curial ends up meeting falcone – i know a man who can help you. G says to lopo: sell these choppers for $70m, and i will pay you back when i am in a better situation. Lopo and president are so amazed that they invite G. G ses president and tells him: you need three things to win this war: 1) restructure army in economic sense. Bring over 30 guys from russian ex- army. 2) these countries friendly to unita – congo-b: you must get them not to be so friendly to unita. 3) stop the flow of unita diamonds. G then came close to saying: “I single handedly turned around angola’s fate.” Next, he says angola is the most democratic country in africa. Total: angola is doing that for him. Which country behaves like that for one person? Now i’ve done the Chinese deal. He says block 17 will be the next to go. He says he is the number one enemy of the french state. Frankly, scared for my life. De beers not coming in any time soon. He’s the advisor on diamond policy. I’m just an angolan diplomat. Why do journalists write so much bad stuff about angola. Why? Why? Why?
IPS-Inter Press Service September 30, 2004
AFRICA: HUGE DEBT OF POOREST NATIONS DOOMS DEVELOPMENT, UN SAYS
Unless the debts of the poorest African nations are completely forgiven, those countries stand no chance of achieving the world's development goals by the target date of 2015, says a United Nations report released Thursday. It was published one day before ministers from the seven most industrialised countries (the G7) are scheduled to meet in Washington, where they will also participate in weekend meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in which debt cancellation, long urged by international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), is expected to be a main topic. The issue was stirred up Sunday when a British official announced his country will assume 10 percent (equal to 180 million dollars a year) of the debt owed to the World Bank and African Development Bank by the planet's poorest nations. Other G7 nations are said to be reluctant to pay the debts from their own treasuries, and a U.S. proposal would have the IMF finance loan forgiveness by selling some of its huge gold reserves. In its report the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says the cost of servicing their debt means the African countries will not be able to attain the seven-eight percent growth it is estimated they must hit in order to halve poverty by 2015, one of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). All but one of the MDGs, adopted by the international community in 2000, set targets for improving basic development indicators: poverty, child mortality, primary education, maternal health, gender equality, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and environmental sustainability, all by 2015. The eighth directs the world's rich countries to aid developing nations in their efforts. According to UNCTAD, between 1970 and 2002 Africa received some 540 billion U.S. dollars in loans. But despite paying back close to 550 billion dollars in principal and interest, it still had a debt of 295 billion dollars at the end of 2002. The situation was worse in sub-Saharan Africa, which received 294 billion dollars, paid 268 billion dollars to service its debt -- yet remained saddled with debt of some 210 billion dollars. "To anybody who reads this ... it's just absurd. It's what economist and U.N. advisor Jeffrey Sachs -- who's no radical -- calls the odious part of debt," said UNCTAD Acting Secretary General Carlos Fortin. "The debt burden of Africa is part of a vicious circle ... that must be broken before Africa can think seriously" about taking its place in the world economy, he added in an interview from New York. The report recommends a moratorium on debt servicing and setting up an independent panel of experts to assess the sustainability of debt, based on realistic and comprehensive criteria, which includes meeting the MDGs. Eight years ago, the World Bank and IMF set up a scheme designed to reduce the debts of 42 of the world's poorest nations to sustainable levels. Yet "heavily indebted poor African countries are still far from achieving sustainable debt levels" under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) plan, says UNCTAD. It predicts that 23 nations that reached their "decision points," the stage at which creditors agree to consider debt relief, by the end of 2003 have only a 40 percent chance of attaining debt sustainability by 2020. UNCTAD's argument is echoed in the 'Economic Report on Africa, 2004', issued Wednesday by the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The document calls on rich nations to fulfil their aid pledges and to play fair in the trade arena so Africa can benefit fully from globalisation. "In 2002, the 22.2 billion U.S. dollars Africa received in aid was lower than the 26.6 billion dollars received in 1990. Most of the benefits of aid are lost through debt servicing, which amounted to 22 billion dollars in 2002," says the report. It applauds Washington's 2000 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the European Union's Everything But Arms initiative for opening up some sectors of the countries' economies to African goods, but points out that those gains are muted by northern nations' agricultural subsidies. For example, cotton producer Mali lost an estimated 43 million dollars in revenues in 2001 because of subsidies to cotton producers in the developed world. "This is more than Mali received in aid that year," says the report. "At the global level, priorities clearly lean away from Africa and developing regions," says ECA Executive Secretary KY Amoako in a news release. "Each year, 300 billion dollars supports farmers in rich countries, while less than one-sixth of that amount flows to poorer countries in the form of aid." The document does not shy away from criticising African nations for their woeful economic performance. "They must do more to end conflicts, produce a better-trained and healthier workforce, improve economic and political governance and develop basic infrastructure. Peace remains a necessary prerequisite for growth," it argues. Manufactured goods must also start to replace commodities as exports, says the commission, singling out Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, and Tunisia as countries that have successfully shifted to selling more of such products. But overall the ECA adopts a positive tone. "Despite Africa's slow progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, the overall message of the report is optimistic. In recent years, the continent has begun to recover from the 'lost decades' of the 1980s and 1990s," says an overview of the report. More good news emerged in 2003, according to the commission. Africa registered the second- fastest rate of growth among developing regions, behind East and South Asia, and its countries recorded an average growth rate of 3.8 per cent, up slightly from 3.2 per cent in 2002. The continent's current account deficit fell from 1.6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2002 to 0.7 per cent in 2003, mainly due to higher oil and commodity prices and increased remittances from Africans working overseas, the report adds. "Peaceful political transitions in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began to produce economic benefits. Angola attracted substantial foreign direct investment (FDI) during the year and GDP grew at over 7.5 percent. The DRC saw growth of over five percent." Still, notes the document, only five of the continent's 55 nations -- Angola, Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique -- achieved the seven percent growth rate said necessary to reach the MDGs.
Jornal de Angola 1 de Outubro
País tem projectos agrícolas avaliados em USD 120 milhões
Angola vai contar nos próximos dois anos com mais seis projectos agrícolas avaliados em 120 milhões de dólares. O primeiro está a ser erguido na região de Bom Jesus (Bengo), numa extensão de 550 hectares (equivalente a 550 campos de futebol). A primeira colheita acontece dentro de nove meses.
Os seis projectos são investimentos adicionais do empresário Arcadi Gaydamak, que já investiu cerca de 18 milhões de dólares no projecto agrícola Terra Verde, localizado na comuna de Sequele, 18 quilómetros a Norte de Luanda.
O Terra Verde está a ser desenvolvido numa área de 350 hectares e, além da parte agrícola, onde são produzidas 22 espécies agrícolas, possui um aviário e um centro de formação agrícola.
O projecto de Bom Jesus será quase três vezes maior que o Terra Verde e será uma parceria com a Simportex, uma empresa que importa alimentos para as Forças Armadas. O investimento inicial foi de cinco milhões de dólares.
Com a Simportex, serão produzidos também frangos. Hoje Angola importa, por ano, 25 mil toneladas de frangos congelado do Brasil. "Pensamos que com este dinheiro, se investir em granjas e aviários se obterá a mesma quantidade de frango e com benefícios para o país.
Em outros cinco projectos os terrenos já foram escolhidos e limpos. Pelo menos, dois serão erguidos no Cunene e no Kwanza Sul. O objectivo é de erguer pelo menos 10 projectos agrícolas, nos próximos dois anos, e contribuir para relançar o sector produtivo do país.
"Com o projecto gostaríamos demostrar aos angolanos que tudo é possível e que estamos num país de grande potencial. Uma das razões da existência do projecto Terra Verde é mostrar que tudo é possível. Em 18 meses mostramos que isso é possível".
Na óptica do empresário, o país tem um vasto potencial que deve ser aproveitado. "Angola precisa pensar no que poderá acontecer nos próximos 20 ou 30 anos. É preciso apostar na agricultura para garantir alimento para a população. A comida garante estabilidade política e económica de um país. "É bom para a paz, é bom para a saúde das pessoas".
Para mostrar que tudo é possível, o empresário esco- lheu uma área antes tida difícil para a prática da agricultura. "Não havia água, nem energia nem vias de acesso. Hoje construímos um reservatório para água, que abastece os projectos, e temos uma estação energética, garantida por um grupo de seis geradores que fornecem energia 24 horas ao dia.
No projecto Terra Verde existe uma loja grande e um supermercado com mais de dois mil metros quadrados onde o cliente pode adquirir os produtos a um preço 40 por cento mais barato que nos supermercados em Luanda."Angola deve garantir alimentos de qualidade à sua população. Isso é possível. É só verem o que estamos a desenvolver no Terra Verde.
Temos pimenta, beringela, abóbora... são 22 espécies diferentes de vegetais, ovos e frangos.
National Post (Canada) October 1, 2004 Friday
Standard & Poor’s calls for clarity on energy reserves
LONDON - The world's biggest energy companies must do more to improve the transparency of their oil and gas reserves reporting, according to Standard & Poor's. In a new report calling for much greater disclosure from the oil majors, the credit agency is scathing about their refusal to provide a country-by-country breakdown of reserves. Eric Tanguy, S&P's credit analyst, said the absence of detail on the amount of reserves in individual countries made it difficult to establish levels of risk in developing areas such as Africa -- a region becoming increasingly important for global reserves. Oil majors are notoriously guarded about providing details about individual fields or countries, citing worries over commercial confidentiality and competitive advantage. Africa represented 32% of Total's proven reserves at the end of 2003 and 13% of ExxonMobil's, but the companies provided no further split. BP failed to separate out its African total, including the continent in a broad "rest of world" category. Mr Tanguy said: "Actual reserves held by these three groups in such important and risky countries as Angola or Nigeria are not disclosed. "This is particularly frustrating when such a breakdown is generally available for production and when just a few countries -- Algeria, Angola and Nigeria most likely, Egypt and Libya to a lesser extent - probably account for the bulk of the groups' African reserves." When Royal/Dutch Shell was forced to cut its reserves by 23% earlier this year, Nigeria accounted for a large part of the shortfall. Mr Tanguy said: "It would be interesting to confront proved reserves bookings by all oil majors for this country." The S&P report also calls on the big oil companies to explain how they audit reserves and to use external petroleum engineers to provide consistent standards across the industry. "The level of public disclosure on reserves has not improved for quite some time," Mr Tanguy added. "Reserves measures are an essential foundation to assess future cash flow. They are key to assessing creditworthiness."
World Markets Analysis October 01, 2004
Reconciliation-Within Angolan Opposition Party Veers Off Track
High-ranking members of Angola's oldest and third largest party, the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), have threatened a boycott of the party's conference next month (18-20 October 2004). The conference was called to cement the recent rapprochement between its two factions, but the Internal Reunification and Reconciliation Commission charged with overseeing the reconciliation process has accused the party's two leaders - Holden Roberto and Lucas Ngonda - of failing to consult with the Central Committee and the Political Bureau on preparations for the conference. According to the Commission's co- ordinator, Joao Castro, the congress as currently planned is 'illegal', as was the announcement by Roberto and Ngonda that they planned to contest a leadership election in the absence of other candidates.
Significance: It would seem that the two faction leaders are attempting to stitch up the leadership contest in an effort to prevent a challenge from younger party cadres. This strategy, combined with the high-handedness with which the Central Committee and the Political Bureau have been treated, could permanently derail the reconciliation process within the FNLA, leaving the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) to fight for power head-to- head.
Worldwide Projects, Inc. October 1, 2004
ANGOLA: Construction start-up on long-stalled $ 3,300,000,000 oil refinery is tentatively scheduled to begin before the end of 2004
Assuming that development plans proceed ahead as envisioned the local SONANGOL is expected to begin building a new flagship oil refinery in the port city of Lobito by the end of 2004. In so doing, SONANGOL recently awarded the long stalled construction contract to SAMSUNG ENGINEERING CO. LTD. (SECL) of South Korea. According to the terms of the award, SECL will be responsible for building a plant with an installed production capacity of 200,000 barrels per day. As a result, production output is expected to be sufficient to satisfy the local market in addition to the supply of refined products to the United States as well as European and other African destinations. If construction works begin as scheduled by at the end of this year the refinery is expected to become operational by some time during the year 2008. The cost to complete the project has been pegged at $ 3,300,000,000.
Worldwide Projects, Inc. October 1, 2004
ANGOLA: Joint venture construction plans for proposed $ 75,000,000 diamond mining project
South Africa-based PETRA DIAMONDS LTD. is currently involved in the exploration of its local Alto Cuilo diamond project in conjunction with the state-run diamond firm ENDIAMA and MOYOWENO of Angola. The company, for that matter, has already recovered 23 diamonds greater than 1 millimeter at a total weight of 18.7 carats from a 40-ton sample including a white gem-quality stone of 9.61 carats. It is thus that BHP BILLITON of Australia, in view of the international diamond shortfall, recently signed an agreement with PETRA DIAMONDS to recover gem-quality stones in the northeast of the country. The joint venture calls for BHP to invest up to $ 60,000,000 to acquire a 75% share of PETRA's Alto Cuilo project. According to the terms of the collaborative agreement, BHP will prospect for diamonds throughout PETRA's concession. In addition, BHP may also help PETRA develop its Mussunuige-Luangue (ML) complex at Alto Cuilo, where a substantial diamondiferous kimberlite and alluvial complex has already been found. BHP BILLITON, formerly known as BROKEN HILL PROPRIETARY CO. LTD. (BHP), before its take-over of BILLITON of the UK in March 2001, operates as a diversified resources company. The group employs a total staff of about 34,800 engaged in mining as well as being active in the oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the petroleum gas sectors.
Worldwide Projects, Inc. October 1, 2004
ANGOLA: Construction contract award for planned $ 80,000,000 oil subsea systems
US-based FMC TECHNOLOGIES INC. was initially awarded in June 2004 a $ 270,000,000 contract related to the provision of services regarding the BP-operated Greater Plutonio oil project in Block 18 offshore Angola. And, the company was recently awarded another contract valued at $ 80,000,000 related to the supply of subsea systems and related services. According to the terms of the award FMC will be responsible for the supply of: - 45 subsea trees and associated structures; - Manifolds and production control systems; - Flowlines and umbilicals; - Technical services related to installation and startup. The supply of equipment and services will be supported by FMC KONGSBERG sub sea's operations in Angola. In so doing, deliveries will be completed over a multi-year period and are scheduled to commence in early 2005. FMC, a subsidiary of FMC KONGSBERG AS, employs a total staff of about 8,500. The company is active in the energy, food processing and air transport industries where it provides technology products and services.
Angola Press Agency September 30, 2004 Thursday
Opposition Submits Legislative Draft On Elections
Angolan opposition parties Wednesday in Luanda submitted to the National Assembly (parliament) speaker's office a legislative package draft on the preparation for general elections in the country. The package submitted to Roberto de Almeida's office comprises six law drafts and a code of conduct intended to regulate the preparation for general elections in Angola. Subscribed by UNITA, PRS, FNLA, PLD, PAJOCA, PDP-ANA, FpD and the Civil Opposition Parties (POC), the drafts were unveiled on Wednesday at a press conference, and include laws on political parties and their respective electoral funding, and on the Social Communication Council (CNCS). The drafts also include regulations on electoral observation and monitoring, and political parties and civil society organisation's right to media coverage and response. PRS whip, Lindo Bernardo Tito, said on the occasion that in line with their draft on electoral funding, in addition to the Usd 150.000 parties with parliament seats are legally entitled to, a bonus should also be allotted to them, corresponding to the number of votes obtained in the elections. He explained that should a party obtain 10.000 votes, these should be multiplied by 10 that is the Budget Reference Index (IRO), thus establishing the amount entitled to it. The presentation of the drafts follows a decision from a parliamentary groups whips conference that set September 30 as deadline.
Latin America News Digest October 1, 2004
Angola Interested in Brazil Coffee Growing Know-how
Angola is interested to exchange with Brazil know-how in the area of coffee growing, Angolan minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gilberto Buta Lutucuta, said on September 30, 2004. Lutucuta, who is currently leading an official Angolan delegation to Brazil, met with Brazil's Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues. Angola is especially interested in scientific exchange with Brazil in the area of coffee growing, as Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, using the most modern technology, the Angolan minister said. The African country is also interested in bilateral exchange in the areas of seed production, agronomic and veterinary studies, besides the organisation of agricultural cooperatives. The delegation visited Brazil's southeastern state of Minas Gerais on September 27, 2004, to get acquainted with the functioning of the state's Secretariat of Agriculture and other local agricultural organisations.
National Post (Canada) October 1, 2004 Friday
Standard & Poor’s calls for clarity on energy reserves
LONDON - The world's biggest energy companies must do more to improve the transparency of their oil and gas reserves reporting, according to Standard & Poor's. In a new report calling for much greater disclosure from the oil majors, the credit agency is scathing about their refusal to provide a country-by-country breakdown of reserves. Eric Tanguy, S&P's credit analyst, said the absence of detail on the amount of reserves in individual countries made it difficult to establish levels of risk in developing areas such as Africa -- a region becoming increasingly important for global reserves. Oil majors are notoriously guarded about providing details about individual fields or countries, citing worries over commercial confidentiality and competitive advantage. Africa represented 32% of Total's proven reserves at the end of 2003 and 13% of ExxonMobil's, but the companies provided no further split. BP failed to separate out its African total, including the continent in a broad "rest of world" category. Mr Tanguy said: "Actual reserves held by these three groups in such important and risky countries as Angola or Nigeria are not disclosed. "This is particularly frustrating when such a breakdown is generally available for production and when just a few countries -- Algeria, Angola and Nigeria most likely, Egypt and Libya to a lesser extent - probably account for the bulk of the groups' African reserves." When Royal/Dutch Shell was forced to cut its reserves by 23% earlier this year, Nigeria accounted for a large part of the shortfall. Mr Tanguy said: "It would be interesting to confront proved reserves bookings by all oil majors for this country." The S&P report also calls on the big oil companies to explain how they audit reserves and to use external petroleum engineers to provide consistent standards across the industry. "The level of public disclosure on reserves has not improved for quite some time," Mr Tanguy added. "Reserves measures are an essential foundation to assess future cash flow. They are key to assessing creditworthiness."
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks September 30, 2004 Thursday
Angola:NGOs Ponder Challenge of Post-War Transition
NGOs operating in Angola say donors must not neglect the country's critical transitional phase as it moves from an emergency situation into a longer-term development context. "Post-war states are very vulnerable; civil society is fragile; the population is extremely weak - this time is much more complex than the emergency phase," Allan Cain, director of Development Workshop told IRIN. "Because it's a new phenomenon in Africa, most donors, and especially the UN, don't have the institutions, programmes or funds to deal with the post-war situation," Cain said. Around a million people died in Angola's 27-year civil conflict, which ended in April 2002. Another four million were internally displaced and the country's infrastructure was left in tatters. Rebuilding the country is a mammoth task. But many donor countries appear lukewarm about pumping more money into oil-rich Angola now that the humanitarian emergency is over, and until they receive guarantees that the cash will be well spent. Angola has been plagued by persistent allegations of corruption and mismanagement, although the International Monetary Fund said the situation had improved significantly. NGOs called on donors to finance the transitional phase while a longer-term development strategy was nailed down, complaining that there were not enough funds to go around. "Money that's being offered isn't yet appropriate for what needs to happen on the ground," said Sheilagh Henry, acting country director of the Irish development agency Goal. "If it is not filled in you run into a different type of emergency." Some organisations might have to pull out if more funding was not forthcoming, Henry said, threatening the existence of essential projects in the field. "The government doesn't have the resources to ensure they [the projects] continue to operate, so they could collapse," Henry told IRIN. Country director for CARE, Douglas Steinberg, said NGOs also needed to adapt to the post- emergency realities of Angola. "We all have to make a transition. If we [NGOs] are going to remain relevant, then continuing humanitarian assistance doesn't make sense," Steinberg said. "We have to look at what we're going to do and reorient and retool. That's as big a challenge for us as finding the funding to do it. I think it's too easy to say there's no donor funding. I think funding will remain for the NGOs making the right decisions," he added. But Steinberg, too, admitted that donor funds had been shrinking, increasing competition between NGOs for scarce resources. CARE had already sought private sector funding, including from oil companies, he said. "CARE has put in place a strategy of due diligence to see who [in the private sector ] is funding us. We're already getting significant funding from [British oil firm] BP. Among the oil companies, I think they're probably the cleanest," he said. Despite its massive oil reserves and economic potential, the vast majority of Angola's 13 million people live in dire poverty.
Jornal de Angola 30 de Setembro
Governo vai reforçar fiscalização do OGE
O Governo vai reforçar o mecanismo de inspecção preventiva na implementação do seu programa bienal 2005/2006 e do Orçamento Geral do Estado, a ser discutido e aprovado nos próximos meses pela Assembleia Nacional.
O facto, que pode ser interpretado como um alerta aos gestores públicos, foi anunciado pelo secretário do Conselho de Ministros, António Van-Dúnem, no seminário sobre inspecções administrativas, realizado recentemente em Luanda. De acordo com António Van-Dúnem, é intenção do Governo proceder, no próximo exercício económico, a uma "inspecção forte, activa e mais preventiva que possa acompanhar no dia a dia a implementação do OGE".
"Tony" Van-Dúnem afirmou que o exercício da actividade de inspecção administrativa constitui um ponto fundamental da estratégia do Governo para o combate à corrupção.
Ele defendeu o reforço dos mecanismos de relacionamento e parceria entre os diferentes órgãos de inspecção, designadamente a Inspecção Geral do Estado e as inspecções sectoriais, sem ignorar os passos de intervenção das inspecções ao nível dos governos provinciais.
O secretário do Conselho de Ministros considera que se identifiquem os mecanismos que garantam a celeridade e o fluxo de informação resultante da acção inspectiva, sua apreciação pela tutela à chefia do Governo e a sua eventual tramitação nas instâncias judiciais.
António Van-Dúnem reconheceu que a actividade inspectiva nem sempre era bem encarada pelos órgãos objecto de sua intervenção, sendo por isso necessário centrar a reflexão sobre as condições estruturantes e funcionais para a isenção e estabilidade dos órgãos de inspecção. "É necessário reflectir sobre as condições organizativas e materiais dos serviços de inspecção, de forma a garantir a necessária transparência na actuação e consequentemente a atracção de recursos humanos qualificados para a integração dos serviços de inspecção", afirmou.
António Van-Dúnem realçou o interesse e empenho do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, na realização do seminário, revelando o seu profundo empenho na observância da legalidade e transparência na gestão da coisa pública.
O seminário sobre inspecções administrativas, uma realização do Secretariado do Conselho de Ministros, apelou à reflexão dos inspectores sobre a sua contribuição activa ao combate à corrupção.
Durante dois dias, inspectores de várias províncias participaram no seminário, o segundo desde 1999.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa September 29, 2004 Wednesday
Unlocking Africa's Trade Potential
Trade liberalization alone will not boost growth and poverty reduction in Africa. That's the key message of this year's Economic Report on Africa 2004 published by the UN's Economic Commission for Africa. Entitled Unlocking Africa's Trade Potential", ERA 2004 argues that trade policies in many African countries have been applied haphazardly with too little relevance to overall development objectives. Data from African countries that have liberalized their economies show that dynamic trade policies, alongside gradual and targeted liberalization, are more effective than liberalization per se. The flagship report uses a competitiveness index developed by ECA that combines the economic and political environment, availability of direct inputs to production and state of infrastructure to provide insights into why development in Africa has fallen behind, compared to other regions. Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, and Tunisia are cited as Africa's most competitive nations. ERA 2004 analyses the collapse of the Doha talks and argues for a comprehensive approach to development that prioritizes poverty alleviation. It suggests that successful integration of Africa into the world economy will require better-educated and healthier workforces, improved economic and political governance, and better-quality infrastructure. Reporting on the continent's overall economic performance, ERA states that in 2003 Africa advanced to real GDP growth of 3.8%, compared to 3.2% in 2002. This encouraging increase reflects Africa's progress in a number of critical areas: - the continent has continued to exhibit good macroeconomic fundamentals; - fiscal deficits have been kept under control; - inflation has largely stabilized; - and the region's current account deficit fell. The challenge lies in translating these achievements into faster growth. In 2003, only five countries--Angola, Burkina Faso, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique--achieved the 7% growth necessary to reach the Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty by 2015. According to the ERA 2004, the regional outlook for 2004 is positive with growth projected at 4.4%. However, there are several downside risks. The recovery of the global economy is marred by significant international imbalances because of the United States' large current account deficit, and the matching surplus concentrated in a few countries. According to the report, adjustment through sharp depreciation in the US dollar could interrupt the recovery. The report also warns against protectionist sentiment, particularly in the form of cotton subsidies in the US and other industrial countries. These have damaged prospects for cotton- producing West African countries and further protectionist measures could seriously harm Africa in the medium-term, the report says. Agence France Presse September 29, 2004
IMF gives brighter assessment of sub-Saharan Africa economies
The International Monetary Fund forecast Wednesday a substantial jump in economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa this year and next, saying the outlook for the region was better than in years. The IMF, in its just released World Economic Outlook report, said gross domestic product was expected to expand 4.6 percent in 2004, after 3.7 percent in 2003, and a strong 5.8 percent in 2005. "The outlook is better than it has been for some time," the Fund said, citing greater macroeconomic stability, strong demand for commodities at higher prices, easing debt burdens and improved access to industrial markets. While the countries that export oil are likely to record the largest net improvements, "for the majority of countries, gains from higher-priced non-fuel exports are roughly equivalent to losses from higher-priced oil imports," the report said. It warned though that a sharp downturn in China, a major importer, could pose a risk to many African exporters of non-fuel commodities. The IMF urged African policymakers, given the volatility of commodity prices, to build up "precautionary savings" at a time when such prices are strong. It called for further reductions in government involvement in the economy and urged authorities to promote private investment, develop infrastructure and deepen institutional reforms. The IMF predicted growth of 2.5 percent in South Africa this year and 3.25 percent in 2005, supported by low interest rates and government spending. But it cautioned that inflationary pressures could be aggravated by the strength of domestic demand, a recent spurt in money-supply growth and wage settlements that have exceeded productivity gains. Such trends, it added, "will likely require an increase in policy interest rates over the coming year." It said that any further rise in social spending should be accompanied by increased tax revenues or cuts in lower priority expenditures. In Nigeria, growth is likely to slow to four to six percent in 2004-2005 from 10.7 percent in 2003 "as the boom in oil production in 2003 wanes." The Fund recommended that the government carry out privatization and trade liberalization measures as well as civil service reform. Elsewhere, GDP is projected to surge to 11 percent this year in Angola from 3.4 percent in 2003 in response to increased oil output. A grimmer picture was painted for Zimbabwe, where the IMF said "the economy is in sharp decline, with the disorderly land reform reducing agricultural production and concerns about governance discouraging investment and promoting capital flight and emigration." THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) September 30, 2004
Senator finds a legal sanctuary Anger in France as politician under suspicion wins an election - and immunity from criminal charges
FRANCE'S Right-wing establishment has rallied behind the former interior minister Charles Pasqua, who has come under furious attack after securing immunity from a series of criminal investigations by winning a parliamentary seat. Victory for Mr Pasqua, 77, in last Sunday's elections to the Senate has led to fresh calls for the abolition of what the former Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin describes as a "constitutional anomaly". Opponents of the ruling UMP party have seized on the rare unity inspired by the former minister's cause between President Jacques Chirac, himself a beneficiary of the protection of office from unwanted judicial attention, and Nicolas Sarkozy, the finance minister, who has unconcealed presidential ambitions. The Left-of-centre daily Liberation noted that Mr Sarkozy had described Mr Pasqua as a "role model" while the president, who shared with the new senator 40 years of political friendship and "secrets large and small", liked nothing less than judges looking into the actions of former colleagues. Liberation called Mr Pasqua a political refugee in the Senate and said his election to the upper house, an institution "detached from the real France" added to reasons why it should not exist. Noel Mamere, a leading figure of the Green Party, said it was "scandalous" that the former minister was able to use the democratic process to put himself beyond the reach of the law. Mr Pasqua, known as France's number one policeman during his days as a tough, no-nonsense interior minister, is at the centre of various judicial investigations. These involve allegations of illicit arms sales to Angola, the improper granting of casino licences to associates, a housing project fraud and irregularities in the funding of his former party, the RPF. Mr Pasqua, who denies any wrongdoing and complains that leaks about the inquiries threaten his personal security, has written to Mr Chirac complaining about his treatment. He has also made outspoken attacks on Philippe Courroye, a judge inquiring into his affairs, and dismissed as "totally unfounded" suggestions that a pounds 200,000 bank loan raised in Cyprus for his 2002 campaign for the presidency, which he later abandoned, may have hidden a money-laundering operation. In another twist to a complex affair, Mr Pasqua has criticised the imprisonment of Jean- Charles Marchiani, a close former colleague and former MP, on suspicion of involvement in corrupt commissions totalling pounds 9 million. They centre on allegations of kickbacks when he was negotiating the release of French hostages in Lebanon in 1988. Senators are chosen not by direct suffrage but by an electoral college of national and local politicians. Although the period of office has been reduced from nine to six years, Mr Pasqua's election gives him welcome breathing space by restoring the high degree of immunity he forfeited when he lost his seat in the European Parliament in July. Franois Fillon, the education minister, has leapt to Mr Pasqua's defence, denouncing the reaction of sections of the media towards his election to the Senate as "ferocious". He said Mr Pasqua deserved his new role in recognition of his record of service to the state. Mr Fillon said the former minister's parliamentary immunity was "not automatic". The investigating judge is still entitled to question Mr Pasqua, but not to place him under arrest or in provisional detention.
ANGOP 30 de Setembro
Crescimento Económico em 2005 irá situar-se em 11,7% do Produto Interno Bruto
O crescimento económico em 2005 irá situar-se em torno dos 11,7% do Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) como resultado do aumento da produção de petróleo e de taxas mais dinâmicas nos sectores da agricultura, silvicultura e pescas e no da construção e obras públicas, soube-se nesta quarta-feira, em Luanda.
Segundo o Conselho de Ministros, reunido sob orientação do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, a inflação programada para este período é de 15%, enquanto a Balança de Transacções Correntes deverá registar um saldo positivo que se calcula em cerca de 570 milhões de dólares, que resulta, sobretudo, do facto do volume de exportações ter aumentado mais rapidamente que o volume de importações.
Um comunicado de imprensa da sessão refere, entre outros aspectos, que as projecções do futuro Orçamento Geral do Estado acentuaram a ruptura com o ciclo económico que terminou em 2002.
Tratou-se de uma reunião, acrescenta o documento, ligada "à primeira abordagem da proposta do Programa Geral do Governo para 2005/2006 e do Projecto de Orçamento Geral do Estado para 2005".
A Proposta do Programa Geral traduz a vontade do Governo, no sentido de elevar o bem-estar da população através da implementação da estratégia de combate à pobreza, assegurando a melhoria das condições de vida dos mais desfavorecidos, fundamentalmente, por meio da implementação de políticas nos domínios da saúde, educação, segurança alimentar e reabilitação de infraestruturas económicas e sociais.
Igualmente fazendo menção ao comunicado, o Programa do Governo pretende ser extremamente operativo, concentrando-se num número restrito de prioridades e linhas de acção estratégicas e procurando uma maior articulação entre os vários órgãos e departamentos do Governo responsáveis pela sua execução.
O Conselho de Ministros tomou conhecimento da participação de Angola na 31ª Sessão das Nações Unidas referente à eliminação de todas as formas de discriminação contra as mulheres e também da realização do recentemente terminado II Encontro Nacional das Inspecções Administrativas, acrescenta o comunicado.
Agence France Presse September 29, 2004
Angola expels 300,000 in crackdown on diamond traffickers
More than 300,000 foreigners have been deported from Angola as part of a crackdown on diamond traffickers launched nine months ago, according to police. The joint police and army operation that has mostly targeted nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo has been criticised by UN agencies and human rights groups, who say women and children have been raped and forced to walk long distances without food or water. "A total of 300,000 migrants who were involved in illegal diamond exploitation have been repatriated during the two first phases of Operation Diamond and 4,877 in the third phase," said Deputy Police Commander Paulo de Almeida on public television. He added that several seizures of equipment were also carried out during the operation that should put diamond traffickers out of business. The UN bureau for humanitarian affairs has criticised the mass expulsions launched in December 2003, saying they violated "basic international standards" of human rights. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' government has defended the operation by calling it an "act of sovereignty in defence of the economy" of Angola, which depends on its diamond exports and oil for hard currency.
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks September 29, 2004
Angola: Donors Still Need Convincing for Reconstruction Funding
The international community should stop discriminating against Angola and instead help it hold a donor conference, a senior government official said on Wednesday. But western diplomats said the oil-rich country should first prove its commitment to reform. Speaking on his arrival in Luanda after attending a UN general assembly in New York, foreign minister Joao Miranda told state media he hoped foreign governments would be sensitive to Angola's need for a donor conference as it tried to reconstruct after a devastating 27-year civil war. The international community was practicing "discrimination" in terms of the financial support it offered Angola, he told state-run Jornal de Angola. "In identical [post-conflict] situations, the international community has had one attitude relative to some countries and another in relation to Angola," Miranda was quoted as saying. But western diplomats said Angola's priority should be to gain the approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "The basic line coming out of everybody is that there needs to be progress with the IMF," one western diplomat told IRIN. "Historically, people have seen an IMF Staff Monitored Programme (SMP) as a benchmark for progress. I'm not sure everyone agrees, but it doesn't matter. Ultimately we need real measurable reform; progress that has to be certified by the IMF," the diplomat said. Despite its oil riches - Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's second largest oil producer after Nigeria - the vast majority of its 13 million people live in abject poverty. The country's long civil war finally ended in April 2002 and although the government has taken steps to improve social services, most Angolans are yet to see the dividends of peace. One child in four is likely to die before their fifth birthday, around half the population has no access to clean, safe drinking water and almost half Angola's children do not go to school. The government has also been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. But the IMF has said that significant progress has been made and, during a recent assessment visit, said an SMP could be achieved by the year-end. Sources stressed that Angola could not underestimate the massive humanitarian aid that had already been provided by foreign governments. One Western envoy said it made no sense to compare the post-war context in Angola with others. "For example, Afghanistan, which recently had a donor conference, doesn't have natural resources in such abundance as Angola," the diplomat said. "In the past there have been questions raised about how that money is being spent." Ultimately it would be up to Angola, and not the international community, to decide when to hold a donor conference, he noted. "But most international donors have said it will be successful if we can convince taxpayers in our own countries that Angola is on the right track with regard to finances and organisation," the diplomat added.
Angola Press Agency September 28, 2004
President Dos Santos, South Africa Minister Analyse Intelligence Issues
The Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos has analysed, here, today, with South Africa's Minister for Intelligence Services, Donald Kasrils, matters linked to the strengthening of co- operation ties between the two countries' intelligence services. The 30-minute meeting between the Head of State and the South African official was held at the "Cidade Alta" Presidential Palace, and was witnessed by the director-general of the Angolan Intelligence Services, Fernando Garcia Miala Donald Kasrils, who arrived in the country on Monday, told journalists, after the audience, that "it is intended to strengthen the co-operation ties that exist for many years ago, (...) since South Africa and Angola have common interests on the African continent". There are also, he added, "common needs to guarantee that the Southern African region be safe and stable, in order to provide to its people the opportunity to develop themselves, as well as to achieve the economic growth". The South African Minister defended a "joint work" for the resolution of "areas of conflict and of concern" which remain on the African continent. To Mr Kasrils, the co-operation between Angola and his country "will grow", after the last meetings held between the officials of both Southern Africa States.
Washington File 22 September 2004
Africa Expert Named to Oversee U.S. Foreign Aid to Continent
Washington -- President Bush has chosen Lloyd Pierson, a development expert who has lived, worked and raised a family in Africa, to be the top U.S. government official in charge of overseeing more than a billion dollars in annual aid to the continent.
At his September 22 confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Pierson told presiding Africa Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (Republican of Tennessee) what he intends to do if confirmed as U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assistant administrator for Africa: "I pledge that I will do everything in my power to assure that our assistance to Africa is as effective as possible in addressing the region's most pressing economic, social and environmental problems."
He added, "I will place a high priority on HIV/AIDS, democracy and governance, economic growth and trade, conservation, education, and addressing conflict areas on an urgent basis."
Alexander welcomed Pierson's nomination, noting that the post was previously held by Constance Newman, the new assistant secretary of state for African affairs. "I'm pleased to see the president has nominated another highly qualified and dedicated individual to serve in this important position," Alexander said.
Pierson was most recently chief of staff to the director of the Peace Corps, an agency in which he also served as a director of volunteers in five African nations: Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In that role, he supervised teaching programs as well as rural development and small enterprise projects for seven years.
Following his work abroad, Pierson became Africa director at the International Republican Institute (IRI), where he helped train and organize election monitors. In 1999 he led an IRI team consisting of Colin Powell (before President Bush named him secretary of state) and House Africa Subcommittee Chairman Ed Royce (Republican of California) to observe the Nigerian presidential election.
Royce introduced Pierson to his fellow lawmakers, saying: "For Lloyd, Africa is a labor of love. I have worked with him for several years ... and I have always appreciated his insights. I know that Lloyd understands the growing importance of Africa and that he has been making a difference. In 2003, he was responsible for reopening the Peace Corps missions in Botswana and Swaziland, which are dedicated entirely to combating HIV/AIDS, a key issue for USAID."
Pierson said he planned to work closely with Ambassador Randall Tobias, whom President Bush has named to be U.S. global AIDS coordinator, to implement the president's $15 billion initiative to fight AIDS in 15 countries, 12 of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Royce also remarked on Pierson's managerial abilities: "Throughout his career, Lloyd has been noted for his management skills and efficiency. These are valuable attributes, given the resource restraints we always face."
During his time at the Peace Corps, Pierson helped put the agency on a firm financial footing that convinced skeptics in Congress that foreign assistance and volunteer work could be a sound investment in both international development and good will.
He told the Senate committee that he planned to concentrate on several new management priorities at USAID. "First, I have a sincere appreciation that the monies supporting our foreign assistance programs are hard-earned taxpayer dollars," he said. "I will give very strong attention to how the money is being used and what the results are.
"Second, I strongly support efforts to harmonize our assistance with that of other donors whenever possible, to increase our overall impact. I also support efforts to further align our assistance programs with host-country priorities. The world is strewn with well-intentioned development projects that faile
PR Newswire Association, Inc. September 28, 2004
ChevronTexaco Issues Update on Corporate Responsibility Performance
ChevronTexaco today issued its 2003 Corporate Responsibility Update, providing highlights of the progress and challenges of the company's global social, economic and environmental performance. "The success of our company is directly tied to the economic and social health of the communities where we do business. So, wherever we operate we look for opportunities to improve people's lives in partnership with local communities," said Dave O'Reilly, chairman and CEO of ChevronTexaco. "This report highlights our progress in 2003 and the challenges we face going forward." The 2003 update builds on ChevronTexaco's inaugural report issued last year. This year's interim report highlights several specific examples of the company's performance: -- Award for Corporate Excellence: Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), a subsidiary of ChevronTexaco, received the U.S. State Department's Award for Corporate Excellence for its citizenship activities in Nigeria. The award cited a CNL airlift of 2,000 villagers to safety during interethnic and political conflicts in the western Niger Delta, a Riverboat Clinic that brought healthcare to thousands of people in the Niger Delta and ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in the country.
-- Angola Partnership Initiative: In partnership with the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Development Program and other organizations, ChevronTexaco continued its participation in a $50 million effort to build human capacity and a higher standard of living for communities across the country. In 2003, more than 660,000 Angolans benefited from this unique agricultural and development program.
-- HIV/AIDS Initiatives: ChevronTexaco finalized its corporatewide HIV/AIDS policy and initiated a partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa. In Angola, the company expanded its program to include the provision of anti-retroviral drugs to ChevronTexaco employees and their families.
-- Safety: ChevronTexaco recorded its safest year ever in terms of overall recordable incidents. Despite this record, the company had 12 fatalities, with motor vehicle accidents remaining the most frequent cause of death. ChevronTexaco continually strives to improve this record.
-- Spill Performance: The volume of petroleum spilled fell by more than 50 percent from the previous year, exceeding the company's year-over-year target of a 20 percent reduction through 2006.
-- Climate Change: In 2003, ChevronTexaco initiated a third-party verification of greenhouse gas emissions, which enabled the company to set an emissions goal for 2004 with the assurance that the goal is based on sound and robust baseline data. ChevronTexaco's goal is to find ways to meet growing energy demand while reducing long-term growth in greenhouse gas emissions.
-- Community Engagement and Development: Community investments totaled $61 million worldwide. During 2003, ChevronTexaco also continued to focus its community engagement activities toward enabling economic development and building human and institutional capacity in areas where it operates and that are most in need of support. "While we made considerable progress toward our objectives, we also have increased appreciation of the challenge of implementing an integrated, systematic approach to corporate responsibility across the approximately 180 countries in which we operate. We remain committed to achieving the goals we have set out for ourselves and to continually improving our performance in this important area," said O'Reilly.
Angola Press Agency September 28, 2004
World Sees Country With New Perspective - First Lady
The Angolan First Lady, Ana Paula dos Santos, said today, here, that the world sees the country now with other perspectives and the holding, for the first time, of a Chevron Texaco's Managing Board meeting, is the confirmation and sign of confidence in the prevalent stability. Mrs dos Santos made this affirmation during a meeting with a group of wives of the members of the oil giant's managing board, which aims to obtain aid for the Lwini Fund, an institution that gives assistance to the victims of land-mines. Nearly 150,000 people, among them 60 percent are women and children, are victims of anti- personal land-mines. "The long years of armed conflict that we faced left huge marks in the social sphere, and there is a lot to be done", said the wife of the country's Head of State. However, she referred that with the advent of peace the demands have increased the capacity of resolutions of the problems and the necessary resources are insufficient, thus there is a need to continue to mobilise other willing and energies. The delegation of the wives of Chevron Texaco's managing board's members is comprised by 20 individualities, in which 13 came from the United States of America and seven are residing in Angola. Before the meeting, the First Lady received in private Joan O'Reily, wife of the Chairman of the multinational's managing board, from whom she received guarantees that Chevron Texaco "will continue to work in partnership with NGOs and Governmental institutions in order to aid, through the initiatives, the education field.
Subject: Angolan government ministers predicts 11.7 per cent economic gro
Angolan government ministers predicts 11.7 per cent economic growth in 2005
Text of unattributed report entitled "Angola's economic growth expected to stay at 11.7 per cent in 2005" as published by Angolan news agency Angop web site Luanda, 30 September: It was announced in Luanda on Wednesday [29 September] that economic growth in 2005 is expected to settle at about 11.7 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (PIB) as a result of the increase in oil production and more dynamic tariffs in the sectors of agriculture, cultivation of forest trees, fisheries, construction and public works. According to the Council of Ministers, which met under the guidance of President of the Republic Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the planned inflation rate for this period is 15 per cent. In turn, the Balance of Current Transactions is expected to report a positive balance of about 570m US dollars. The principal reason for this is that that the volume of exports has gone up more rapidly than the volume of imports. A press communique issued at the end of the meeting noted among other things that the projections for the future General State Budget only made more clear the breakaway from the economic cycle that wound up in 2002. The document also noted that this meeting should be "a first approach to the General Government Programme Proposal for 2005 and 2006, and the Draft General State Budget for 2005." The General Government Programme Proposal reflects rather clearly the wishes of the government to raise the well being of the population through the implementation of a strategy aimed to combat poverty. The aim is to assure improved standards of living for the more vulnerable sections of the population, notably through the implementation of policies in the areas of education, health care, food security, and the recovery of economic and social infrastructure. Also in line with the text of the communique, the government's programme aims to be extremely operative by concentrating on a restricted number of priorities and strategic lines of action, thereby seeking a greater articulation among the various organs and departments of the state that are responsible for their implementation. The communique also pointed out that the Council of Ministers also learned about the participation of Angola in the 31st session of the United Nations, which focused on the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, and also holding of the recently ended Second National Meeting of Administration Inspections. Source: Angop news agency web site, Luanda, in Portuguese 29 Sep 04
Agence France Presse September 29, 2004
ChevronTexaco invests 11 billion dollars in Angola
US-based multinational ChevronTexaco, the biggest oil producer in Angola, is investing 11 billion US dollars (9 billion euros) in 12 oil and gas projects in the country over a period of five years, the chairman of the managing board said. Dave O'Reilly told a news conference on Tuesday that was broadcast on state television that seven billion dollars have been earmarked for Block 14 off the shores of the northern enclave of Cabinda. This amount includes one billion dollars to develop the Belize-Lobito-Tomboco fields, two billion for the Sanha gas and condensate project and four billion dollars for the Angola liquefied natural gas plant. O'Reilly arrived Sunday in Luanda for a meeting of ChevronTexaco's managing board and to meet with President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been in power for 25 years. ChevronTexaco produced an average of 550,00 barrels per day in 2003.
ANGOP 28 de Setembro
Presidente Eduardo dos Santos recebe líder da Chevron Texaco
O chefe de Estado angolano, José Eduardo dos Santos, concede hoje uma audiência ao presidente da multinacional petrolífera Chevron Texaco, David O`Reilly, que se encontra no país desde domingo.
Entre outras realizações, a companhia petrolífera norte-americana investiu em Angola, desde 2003, perto de nove biliões de dólares, para a implementação de três projectos de extracção de petróleo e queimaduras rotineiras de gás, ao longo da costa marítima angolana.
Trata-se dos projectos Sanha Condensados, Tômbwa-Lândana e Belize-Lobito- Tomboco, situados nas províncias de Cabinda, Zaire, Namibe e Benguela. 2005 é o prazo limite para a conclusão.
Por outro lado, o Governo da República de Angola e a Sonangol prorrogaram, até 2030, o período de produção no Bloco Zero, explorado pela Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, subsidiária da Chevron Texaco.
A Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, com 39, 2 por cento, é a exploradora do Bloco Zero, em associação com a Sonangol (41 por cento ), a Total (10 por cento) e Agip ( 9,8 por cento). A produção actual do Bloco Zero é de aproximadamente 400 mil barris/dia.
VOA 24 Sep 2004
Angola foi o segundo maior destino de investimento estrangeiro
Angola foi o segundo maior destino de investimento estrangeiro directo em 2004 envolvendo perto de 1.4 mil milhões de dólares.
A constatação faz parte de um estudo feito pela Conferencia da ONU para o Comercio e Desenvolvimento. O estudo assinala contudo que este valor era 12.5 por cento inferior ao do ano de 2003.
A área de energia eh a que atraiu maiores capitais estrangeiros em Angola. Em Luanda o economista angolano Pilartes da Silva chama entretanto a atenção para a necessidade de se abrirem o investimento estrangeiro a outras áreas que não apenas a dos petróleos. "Para um pais como Angola todo o investimento estrangeiro He importante. Mas o nosso pais deve atrair investimentos também para a cultura, energia eléctrica, infra estruturas técnicas entre outros" - disse
O relatório da Conferencia das Nações Unidas para o Comercio e Desenvolvimento indica que metade dos 15 mil milhões de dólares destinados ao continente africano concentrou-se em cinco países .
Com um investimento de 2.5 mil milhões de dólares o relatório coloca o Marrocos no topo do grupo .
Ocupam os lugares subsequentes a Quine Equatorial, o Sudão e a Nigéria. Nos países de língua oficial portuguesa outras fontes próximas ao estudo inclui também Moçambique que recebeu 337 milhões, Cabo Verde com 14 milhões, São Tome com 10 e Guine Bissau com dois milhões de dólares.
ANGOP 28 de Setembro
Presidente do Parlamento angolano será recebido pelo chefe de Estado vietnamita
O presidente da Assembleia Nacional, Roberto de Almeida, vai ser recebido hoje em audiência pelo chefe de Estado vietnamita, Tran Duc Luong, na sequência do programa de visita à República Socialista do Vietnam.
A agenda do presidente da Assembleia Nacional reserva um encontro com o secretário-geral do Partido Comunista do Vietnam, Nong Duc Manh, uma recepção oficial a ser oferecida pelo líder parlamentar vietnamita, Nguyen Van An, visita à residencia do Governo e uma sessão musico-cultural.
Roberto de Almeida encontra-se no Vietnam desde Segunda-feira, na sequência de um convite do seu homólogo Van An, destinado ao reforço das tradicionais relações de amizade e cooperação entre os dois povos e as duas instituições parlamentares.
RTP Internacional TV, Lisbon September 25, 2004
Angola: Civil opposition parties request less censorship from media agencies
Civil opposition parties POC believe public information agencies are applying excessive censorship to information concerning these parties' existence. RTP reporter Inacio Cardoso Indignant is the word civil opposition parties in Angola today used to express themselves during the meeting with social communication minister. The reasons are a lack of exemption by public information agencies in handling information concerning the parties that oppose the ruling MPLA. POCs Executive Secretary Manuel Fernandes We presented our indignation for the excessive censorship the national network and other information agencies apply to information about these political parties. We were assured that perhaps something would be done to this effect. Cardoso Civil Opposition, who was assured by the Angolan Minister of changes in handling information, wants state media agencies to treat the parties in the same manner. Fernandes What we are saying is certain compulsoriness is needed but there should be equal treatment. What we have noticed is that when information is about the ruling party there is a different emphasis compared to information from the opposition and what we want is some equality in handling all political parties, whether the ruling party or an opposition one. We are not saying remove the focus from the ruling party but that this opportunity should be given to all parties. Cardoso Criticism concerning the media was recently made by UNITA in a meeting between members of the Black Cockerel Movement and the Minister of Social Communication, Hendrik Vaal Neto.
EBONet web site, Luanda September 22, 2004
Angolan army chief denies US asked to set up military bases
Text of unattributed report entitled "US armed forces never requested military bases in Angola - Gen "Sanjar" published by Angolan EBONet Media web portal on 22 September In Washington, the Chief of Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces said the United States had never shown the intention of establishing transit bases for US troops in Angola. Speaking to the Voice of America at the end of an official visit to the United States, Gen Agostinho Nelumba "Sanjar" said the "issue was never discussed" nor was "that intention" ever expressed to him during the official meetings that he had attended. It had been on the news previously that Angola would be one of the African countries where the US would be interested in having "forward operational posts" like small transit bases for US forces. According to "Sanjar," both countries are still "laying down the foundations for bilateral cooperation" at military level. "We do not intend to rush, to overstep the mark," said the general, for whom military relations with the US "will develop piecemeal." "Sanjar," who arrived in the US on 9 September at the invitation of the US Armed Forces said military cooperation between the two countries was still at an initial stage. At present, military cooperation is limited to the destruction of obsolete low calibre materiel, a campaign for the prevention of HIV/AIDS among members of the Angolan Armed Forces and teaching English to Angolan officers. He said proposals had been made to extend cooperation to the area of demining. The Angolan Armed Forces are going to extend the English teaching programme. A group of officers is currently studying the language at the US Air Force University in Dallas. During his visit to the US, besides meetings with officials from the US Department of Defence and the State Department, "Sanjar" toured several military institutions, including the Defence University, the Air Force University and the Army Academy. Officials at those institutions stated that they were willing to take in Angolan officers, which the Angolan authorities accepted. The details of the cooperation programme have yet to be outlined and approved. Gen "Sanjar" indicated that the US had also expressed interest in training members of the Angolan Armed Forces in peacekeeping operations and in supplying equipment needed for these operations. Angola said that it was willing to participate in peacekeeping operations "provided that the UN requests them." Gen "Sanjar" said he would visit Europe soon, where he will meet Gen Charles Wald, the deputy commander of the US European Command who is in charge of US military operations in Africa. Gen Wald who has called for greater and enhanced military cooperation between the US and Africa recently initiated a programme of regular visits to African countries. "During the meeting with Gen Wald, we will have the opportunity to hold in-depth discussions on cooperation with the US Armed Forces," Gen "Sanjar added."
COMUNICADO DE IMPRENSA
O Conselho de Ministros reuniu-se hoje, dia 29 de Setembro de 2004, no Palácio Presidencial sob a orientação do Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, tendo procedido à primeira abordagem da Proposta de Programa Geral do Governo para 2005/2006 e do Projecto de Orçamento Geral do Estado para 2005.
A Proposta do Programa Geral, traduz a vontade do Governo no sentido de elevar o bem-estar da população através da implementação da Estratégia de Combate à Pobreza, assegurando a melhoria das condições de vida dos mais desfavorecidos, fundamentalmente, através da implementação de políticas nos domínios da saúde, educação, segurança alimentar e reabilitação de infra-estruturas económicas e sociais.
O Programa do Governo pretende ser extremamente operativo, concentrando-se num número restrito de prioridades e linhas de acção estratégicas e procurando uma maior articulação entre os vários órgãos e departamentos do Governo responsáveis pela sua execução.
O Conselho de Ministros apreciou igualmente o Projecto de Orçamento Geral do Estado para o ano de 2005, como instrumento da Política Económica e Financeira que define as fontes de financiamento do Programa Geral do Estado.
As projecções do futuro Orçamento Geral do Estado acentuaram a ruptura com o ciclo económico que terminou em 2002.
Nesse sentido, o crescimento económico irá situar-se em torno dos 11,7% do PIB como resultado do aumento da Produção de Petróleo e de Taxas mais dinâmicas nos sectores da agricultura, silvicultura e pescas e no da construção e obras públicas.
Por outro lado, a inflação é de 15% enquanto que a Balança de Transacções Correntes deverá registar este ano um saldo positivo que se calcula em cerca de 570 milhões de dólares que resulta, sobretudo, do facto do volume de exportações ter aumentado mais rapidamente que o volume de importações.
O Conselho de Ministros tomou conhecimento da participação de Angola na 31ª Sessão das Nações Unidas referente à eliminação de todas as formas de discriminação contra as mulheres e também da realização do II Encontro Nacional das Inspecções Administrativas. Luanda, aos 29 de Setembro de 2004.
Radio France Internationale September 19, 2004
ORIGINAL CABINDAN MOVEMENT REGRETS INITIATIVES TAKEN BY FACTIONS
Text of telephone interview with Front for the Liberation of the Cabinda Enclave Public Information Secretary Willfrid Pena Pitra by Antonio Garcia in Paris published by Radio France Internationale on 19 September Recently, the Front for the Liberation of the Cabinda Enclave-Cabinda Armed Forces (FLEC-FAC) and FLEC-Renewed announced the formation of a forum. The aim is to negotiate with the Angolan government a peaceful solution to the Cabindan dispute. For a view on this latest development, Antonio Garcia spoke to Willfrid Pena Pitra, a spokesman for the original FLEC movement, which Luis Ranque Franque founded in the 1960's. (Pitra in French, fading into Portuguese translation by Antonio Garcia) Willfrid Pena Pitra noted that in 1992, Luis Ranque Franque had formed a forum that was supposed t serve as a platform for negotiations. At the time, the movements that are now interested in negotiating with the Angolan government boycotted Ranque Franque's initiative. Pena Pitra, who, in addition to serving as FLEC's publicity secretary, is a political adviser to Ranque Franque, regretted the position that other Cabindan factions had adopted in foreign countries recently, saying it had been done almost clandestinely. He viewed this as a political mistake in that it put Cabindan nationalism in a difficult position. After all, he added, the legitimacy of Cabindan nationalism rested on the people of Cabinda, who were supposed to air their views through the various movements. Pena Pitra called for a meeting involving the various Cabindan officials, notably Ranque Franque, N'Zita Tiago, Bento Bembe, General Da Costa, Antonio Lopes, Augusto Tufo, Peso Bambi, and Xavier Lomboto. Pena Pitra noted that the Angolan government continued to claim that it lacked an interlocutor to negotiate the problem of Cabinda. Nonetheless, he pointed out that the Angolan authorities had not as yet commented on the recently established coalitions. Pena Pitra confirmed that FLEC leader Luis Ranque Franque was sick, but continued to work with a team, whose activities were coordinated by FLEC General-Secretary Justino Pitra Pena. Luis Ranque Franque is still living in Paris, he said, adding that he had not gone into a coma as reported by certain Portuguese newspapers.
Angola Press Agency September 22, 2004 Wednesday
Fighting Illegal Extraction Of Diamonds Should Involve All Society - Commissioner Paulo Almeida
The fight against the illegal extraction of diamonds in Angola is a task that should involve all society, aiming at stopping some opportunist people, eager to get rich at the cost of the Angolan State, said Monday, in Dundo (north-eastern Lunda Norte province), the 2nd commander of the National Police for protection and intervention, commissioner Paulo Almeida. Paulo de Almeida, who was speaking to journalists of Angop, the State-run Television (TPA) and Radio (RNA) stations, as well as the magazine Tranquilidade, making a balance of the third phase of operation "Brilhante", which started in July and will go up to December, explained that this activity is not exclusively of the Police and the Armed Forces. "If we continue to think like that, we will take some steps, we will operate, but the situations will continue to repeat themselves. There will be waste of forces and means, without any profit on this gigantic effort", said the top police officer. The source explained that the corporation has the duty to dismantle the illegal groups operating in those areas and keep order and tranquility, leaving the responsibility for other sectors to occupy those diamond exploration zones, so that, as he said, "it must not be allowed that these individuals may occupy again the zones that have been cleaned by the law enforcement forces". He was referring to the sectors of Geology and Mining, the State-run diamond company Endiama, Social Reintegration, Territory Administration, Finances, Foreign Affairs, and others. Paulo Almeida regarded the operation Brilhante as bringing positive results, having considered the actions of the Police 75 per cent effective, despite the difficulties that have been found due to the long strip of the borders, the limitation in human and material resources, as well as the rains already befalling that region. According to the official, the main areas of illegal exploration of diamonds are clean, but there are fears that they may be occupied again as soon as the forces are withdrawn, reason why it is made this appeal for institutional involvement of other forces of society.
Lloyd's List International September 23, 2004
Oil supply shortage to keep prices high: High oil prices and tanker charter rates safe until year-end
High oil prices of more than $ 40 a barrel are having little effect on global oil demand and supply shortage issues are continuing to push prices up further. Every week new concerns emerge over oil supplies, either from Russia or Iraq or even from hurricanes crashing through the Gulf of Mexico. The worries stem from Iran's refusal to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency's demands to halt uranium enrichment, which adds more tension to Middle East politics. There also seems to be a constant stream of data confirming economic growth is not being dented by high oil prices. The latest to be reported comes from China, which confirms there was strong growth in oil demand and imports over the third quarter, despite expectations of a slowdown in the second half of 2004. US stock and import data also shows there is strong demand from North America as refiners look to build stocks before the onset of winter and the heating oil season. All this provides a springboard for even higher tanker charter rates in the fourth quarter. This week very large crude carriers have been chartered for rates over $ 70,000 a day. The Centre of Global Energy Studies is expecting oil demand to climb in the fourth quarter of this year, by around 2.5m barrels per day to 84.3m bpd, in a seasonal jump taking into account winter in the northern hemisphere. To meet this rise supplies will need to rise rapidly. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries is pumping at full capacity and very little extra will be coming. But there will be some rise in output from non-OPEC producers. "While non-OPEC oil production is expected to increase by about 750,000 bpd between now and the end of this year, global demand will grow too," said CGES in its latest monthly report. Other industry chiefs think output gains will provide some welcome relief to oil prices in the fourth quarter. "The current oil price problem is a temporary blip caused by surging demand and is likely to be resolved this year by strongly rising non-OPEC production capacity," said Lord Browne, chief executive of British oil major BP. He should know about increasing non-OPEC supplies, as his company is a partner in new projects in Angola and Azerbaijan that will add new oil barrels to the market this year and in 2005. BP, alongside ExxonMobil and other oil companies, is developing deepwater fields off Angola, including the Kizomba project, which started last month and is ramping up to 250,000 bpd. In Azerbaijan, BP is leading a consortium of oil companies developing the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli project, where the first main phase will begin early in 2005. The International Energy Agency thinks the world is well supplied with oil and that supply is running ahead of demand allowing refiners to build their stocks. The third quarter has always been a time when stocks are built after the North American driving season and before the winter grips the continent. "The physical evidence suggests that stocks are rising in the third quarter of 2004 at little more than half the rate implied by the IEA's latest supply/demand balance," said the CGES. "Global stockcover remains stubbornly static at 71 days of forward demand, down more than 10 days compared with 2001." Despite growing OPEC and non-OPEC output, analysts think oil prices will not fall below $ 40 a barrel and price movements are outside the cartel's control, as it has been for most of 2004. Saudi Arabia's work to raise output levels is having little effect on the light oil markets as most of its additional barrels are heavy oil, and these are unattractive to refiners. Even looking more medium term, well into 2005, there seems to be little to affect the market, unless oil demand takes a big slump, which is unlikely. Production growth is expected in 2005 from both the oil cartel and non-OPEC producers, and CGES expects OPEC's spare capacity to remain at 1m-1.5m bpd. "Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Libya are expected to boost their output capabilities over the coming months, which could lift OPEC production capacity by 800,000 bpd," said London-based CGES. "A similar increase in non-OPEC output between 2004 and 2005, led by Russia, Azerbaijan and Angola, yields an additional 1.6m bpd of production capacity worldwide. The tight market that we are presently experiencing will only ease if global oil demand growth is less than the 1.6m bpd of expected additional oil production capacity." So growing production will lead to more demand for tankers. It may also provide some relief to oil prices, except for the fact that oil demand is also climbing and perhaps at a higher rate.
International Oil Daily September 23, 2004
Chevron, Gazprom to Study Integrated LNG Scheme, Other Projects
ChevronTexaco and Russian natural gas giant Gazprom have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that could lead to joint oil and gas development projects in Russia and North America. The two companies said Wednesday that the six-month binding agreement calls for them to undertake joint feasibility studies of an integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. It would include liquefaction facilities in Russia, Gazprom's potential participation in a Chevron-led LNG receiving terminal in North America, and Chevron's participation in existing Gazprom projects in northwestern Siberia. The arrangement also could include joint participation in other, unspecified oil and gas opportunities. A Chevron spokesman said he couldn't comment on whether the MOU covers the Shtokmanovskoye field or identify which of Chevron's two North American LNG terminals might be involved. The agreement was announced on the same day that Total confirmed the purchase of a controlling stake in Novatek, Russia's second largest gas company, and ahead of ConocoPhillips' anticipated purchase of a 7.6% stake in Russian oil major Lukoil next week (see p1). Gazprom has been looking for partners with deep pockets to help develop the 113 trillion cubic feet of gas contained in the Shtokmanovskoye field, located in the Barents Sea, offshore far northwestern Siberia. It previously signed an agreement with Norwegian Statoil regarding possible joint efforts. The company also has had discussions with ConocoPhillips, Petro- Canada and Norsk Hydro. Last week, Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller said he would be meeting with both Chevron and Exxon Mobil to discuss potential participation in the Shtokmanovskoye project. Gazprom has indicated it must line up a partner by the end of this year if it is to have an LNG venture in operation by 2010 to take advantage of growing North American gas demand. An Exxon spokesman declined to comment about any meetings planned with Miller or other Gazprom officials. Chevron is developing two LNG receiving facilities, Port Pelican offshore Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, and another offshore Tijuana, Mexico, in Baja California. Most likely the Gulf of Mexico site would be part of any Gazprom deal, as the project has not yet lined up firm LNG supplies. Chevron has said previously that it could bring in LNG from Angola, Nigeria or Venezuela. The facility has the necessary permits, but costs reportedly are running above initial estimates, and construction has not yet begun. Startup is targeted for 2007. The Chevron spokesman said the company is also evaluating undisclosed sites on the US East Coast for a possible LNG terminal. The Gorgon field offshore Australia is the expected supply source for the Baja California receiving terminal. In a prepared statement, Chevron Chairman and Chief Executive Dave O'Reilly said, "Chevron maintains a strong interest in making additional major, long-term investments in Russia that will help develop the country's long-term energy potential. In addition, the development of a global, integrated natural gas business is a cornerstone of our own growth strategy. The signing of an MOU with a company of Gazprom's stature is a positive step toward achieving both goals." Gazprom's Miller said: "The signing of the MOU is confirmation of the commercial dialogue between Russia and the US, as well as an example of the cooperation between our two companies. For Gazprom, access to the American gas market is strategically important, and in addition, we are keen to bring advanced LNG production and transportation technologies to Russia." Currently, Russia has no LNG export projects. Royal Dutch/Shell, as lead of the Sakhalin-2 venture, is developing a 9.4 million ton per year (1.3 billion cubic foot per day) LNG complex in the Russian Far East. Its output is expected to go to Japan, Korea, China and possibly the North American West Coast.
Jornal de Angola 23 de Setembro
Presidente do EximBank Chinês chega hoje a Luanda
O presidente do Banco Chinês para a importação e exportação "EximBank", Yang Zilin, chega hoje a Luanda, na sequência do acordo geral de financiamento assinado em Março deste ano entre o ministro das Finanças de Angola e aquela instituição financeira.
Durante a visita, as delegações dos dois países vão analisar o estado de implementação da linha de crédito concedida pelo EximBank, avaliado em cerca de dois biliões de dólares. O montante, de acordo com uma fonte do Ministério das Finanças, será utilizado no financiamento de projectos inscritos no Programa de Investimentos Públicos.
A fonte avança ainda que, ao longo de quatro dias de visita, está prevista a assinatura de três acordos individuais de crédito avaliados em cerca de 80 milhões de dólares para financiar três projectos aprovados pelo Conselho de Ministros.
O programa de visita prevê ainda a assinatura de quatro contratos comerciais entre empresas chinesas e suas congéneres angolanas no domínio da construção de vias rodoviárias.
Ainda hoje, aquela entidade manterá um encontro com o ministro dos Petróleos, Desidério Costa, onde estará presente o Presidente do Conselho de Administração da Sonangol, Manuel Vicente.
A delegação chinesa deverá ser recebida em audiência, amanhã, pelo Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, pelo primeiro-ministro, bem como manterá encontros de trabalho com outros membros do Governo.
Ainda na sexta-feira, Yang Zilin visitará o Estaleiro dos Caminhos de Ferro de Luanda (CFL), para no período da tarde deslocar-se ao perímetro agrícola do Waku-Kungo.
ANGOP 23 de Setembro
Responsável do Departamento de Estado americano em Luanda
A directora adjunta para a África Austral do Departamento de Estado norte-americano, Lois Cecsarini, encontra-se desde a manhã de hoje em Luanda, no âmbito de uma digressão por alguns países da sub-região.
Uma nota de imprensa do Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MIREX) adianta que esta deslocação insere-se no exercício das novas funções de Lois Cecsarini, que esteve em Angola na qualidade de observadora internacional do processo eleitoral de 1992.
A diplomata, que substitui nas funções Lois A. Aroian, fala fluentemente português e tem um conhecimento significativo da realidade política, económica e social de Angola. O seu périplo inclui deslocações à Moçambique e África do Sul.
O documento do MIREX anuncia igualmente a vinda à Angola, no dia 03 de Outubro, da responsável do Desk Angola junto do Bureau dos Assuntos da África Austral igualmente do Departamento de Estado norte-americano, Jeanne Maloney.
Jeanne Maloney, até a data da sua nomeação, funcionou no Consulado norte-americano em Brasília (Brasil) e expressa-se correctamente em português. Visita pela primeira visita à Angola.
IRIN 22 September
ANGOLA: Local communities to benefit from US $55 million grant
Angola's ailing social services sector this week received a much-needed boost from a US $55 million grant by international donors.
The European Union and the World Bank agreed on Wednesday to transfer half the money to the Social Aid Fund, already in its third phase.
An estimated $27.5 million is expected to go towards expanding the fund, which complements existing efforts by the government to upgrade and rehabilitate local infrastructure, largely destroyed during the country's 27-year civil war. Communities across the country's 18 provinces are expected benefit from these funds.
"The target of the fund is mainly to uplift the poorest communities living in rural, urban or peri-urban areas. They have the responsibility of identifying which [infrastructure] projects need to be addressed - the whole process is community-driven," European Commission information officer, Jeronimo Belo, told IRIN.
A key feature of the fund is that each of the targeted communities will identify social projects of importance to them.
"Communities identify the building of a primary school, the construction of health posts and, in some cases, the rehabilitation of bridges which are importance to linking communities to markets," Belo said.
There will also be an emphasis on building capacity, especially within municipality structures, to enable local communities to sustain the projects over the long term.
Belo noted that results from the previous two phases of the Social Action Fund had been positive.
Asia Pulse September 20, 2004
ANGOLA BLOCKS INDIAN DEAL TO BUY SHELL STAKE IN OIL FIELD
ONGC Videsh Ltd's attempt to buy oil major Shell's stake in a 10 million tonnes per annum oil field in Angola is unlikely to go through with Luanda deciding to block the deal. Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar met Angolan Minister for Petroleum Desiderio da Graca Verissimo e Costa on the sidelines of an OPEC conference in Vienna, but could only extract an assurance that Angola would consider farming-in OVL after Shell's 50 per cent stake in the block is taken over by Sonangol. "Our approach earlier was to get Sonangol to waive its pre-emption right. But we now understand that Angolan firm will go ahead and exercise its first right to buy Shell stake next month," Aiyar said in a teleconference from Vienna. In April, OVL cut a deal with Royal/Dutch Shell to buy the supermajor's 50 per cent stake in the offshore Block 18 for US $623 million but Angolan state oil company Sonangol blocked the move by exercising its pre-emption right. The handover of Shell's stake to OVL cannot go through unless the other partners in the field - British Petroleum (BP) and the Angolan government concessionaire Sonangol - give up their right of first refusal in favour of OVL. BP has already given its waiver but a go-ahead has not yet come from Sonangol. "The Angolan Minister informed me they have nothing against India...but Shell should have first informed Luanda before deciding to exit the country," Aiyar said adding he had the assurance of the Minister that Sonangol would consider giving OVL some share from the stake it would takeover from Shell. Business Report (South Africa) 16 September 2004
Angola opens cards in bilateral aid bid
Johannesburg - Angola had become more open about how it used its oil and mining revenue, and had made progress in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) crucial to unblocking bilateral aid, a senior World Bank executive said yesterday.
World Bank vice-president for Africa Callisto Madavo said the bank and the IMF were helping Angola to shed light on revenue into the country, where a 27-year civil war ended in 2002. "One of the key issues is the whole question of revenue from mineral resources, including oil, and the extent of its use in [Angola's] development," he said.
"Progress is being made in the disclosure of the flow of revenue in this regard," said Madavo, who is in Johannesburg for an African investment conference.
Angolan deputy prime minister Aguinaldo Jaime said last week that high oil prices had swollen state coffers by $275 million (R1.78 billion) in the first half.
This was an unprecedented admission from a government that has cloaked its revenue in secrecy and stands accused of graft on a grand scale.
Madavo said Angola and the IMF were discussing an IMF aid programme and prospects looked reasonably good. Such a programme would signal that Angola was managing its economy better and would lead to other donors freeing up aid, he added.
The IMF expected to agree to a full poverty reduction and growth facility lending package for Angola early in 2005 after a preliminary staff-monitored programme focusing in part on the use of oil revenue. A staff-monitored deal does not include the approval of funds, but a full lending package does.
Angola, sub-Saharan Africa's second-biggest oil producer, pumps close to 1 million barrels a day. But most of its roughly 13 million people live in abject poverty.
Economists have forecast that Angola's real gross domestic product will expand 11 percent in 2004, up from 4.5 percent last year, fuelled by a boom in oil production and diamond mining.
Madavo said it was necessary that Angola held elections to cement political stability and encourage foreign investment. Angola's ruling party has said general elections would be held in the second half of 2006. ANGOP 21 de Setembro
Bastonário dos advogados diz que morosidade dos tribunais conduz à justiça privada
O bastonário da Ordem dos Advogados de Angola (OAA), Raúl Araújo, afirmou segunda- fera, em Luanda, que os anos de demora no tratamento dos processos nos tribunais e a forma como são conduzidas muitas investigações motivam a tendência para realização da justiça por "mãos próprias", uma situação nada abonatória.
Raúl Araújo manifestou este posicionamento na abertura da 1ª conferência nacional dos advogados, promovida pela OAA, por ocasião do 8º aniversário da organização, assinalado hoje. Sob o lema "A advocacia e os novos desafios da justiça", o encontro decorrerá até hoje.
De acordo com o bastonário, a OAA entende que a par das sérias medidas correctivas que se deve implantar nestes órgãos, é necessário repensar na forma como funcionam e estão estruturados.
Neste sentido, disse ser urgente as reformas dos códigos Processual Civil e de Processo Penal, bem como da estrutura da administração da justiça, para que se simplifique o acesso dos cidadãos à justiça e a resolução dos seus litígios não se arraste interminavelmente.
Referiu que a OAA defende a criação de órgãos de mediação e reconciliação, os denominados julgados da paz, a nível dos municípios, que resolvam pequenos conflitos.
Raúl Araújo disse igualmente ser premente a aprovação das leis que permitam estas reformas no sector da administração da justiça, tal como o novo texto constitucional que prevê melhor organização do Estado democrático e de direito, particularmente do sector da justiça, e uma melhor protecção dos direitos fundamentais dos cidadãos.
Segundo afirmou é igualmente necessário proceder-se à reforma do Código Penal, para sancionar sem dificuldades alguns crimes que se têm tornado frequentes na sociedade angolana, como os de corrupção, assédio sexual, comércio de órgãos humanos, pedofilia e dos crimes resultantes das agressões contra as mulheres e as crianças nos lares.
O encontro visa analisar o percurso dos 25 anos de existência da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Agostinho Neto, assinalados igualmente hoje, bem como avaliar o exercício da advocacia em Angola e debater o futuro e os desafios dos advogados numa época da globalização.
Durante os dois dias, os participantes vão debater a "situação dos cursos Jurídicos: realidade e perspectivas", "Autorização, reconhecimento e avaliação do candidato a advogado", "Reforma e mudança da formação profissional do advogado", "O ensino do direito na experiência brasileira e portuguesa", entre outros temas.
A sessão de abertura do encontro contou com a presença do presidente da Assembleia Nacional, Roberto de Almeida, e do ministro da Justiça, Paulo Tjipilica, entre outras individualidades. Radio France Internationale September 21, 2004
Angolan Catholic bishops call for creation of oil fund
The Catholic Church has called for the establishment of an oil fund with a view to ensuring the effective use of petroleum earnings in the socioeconomic development of the country. The fund would guarantee the future of the coming generations. This issue was widely debated during a national session of CEAST's Angola and Sao Tome and Principe Episcopal Conference Justice, Peace, and Migration Commission in Luanda last week. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Radio Ecclesia today, Father (Belmiro Issekendji), chairman of the commission, said poverty in Angola was scandalous. He criticized the lack of transparency in the management of oil earnings, which, to all intents and purposes do not benefit the people of Angola. As an example, Father Belmiro mentioned the oil-rich provinces of Cabinda and Zaire, whose oil resources impact very little on the lives of the respective residents. Passage omitted
Angolan news agency September 18, 2004, Saturday
Angola: Opposition party announces poll candidates for top seat
At a news conference on 15 September, it was announced that Alvaro Holden Roberto and Lucas Ngonda, of the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), are the only candidates for the position of president of this party at the Reconciliation Congress, to be held in Luanda from 18 to 21 October. The news conference which was organized by members of the party's information subcommission responsible for organizing the congress, served to officially announce the holding of the event. The Reconciliation Congress will take place at the show grounds of the Luanda International Trade Fair. The possibility of electing a new deputy president for the FNLA was also announced. The FNLA was one of the parties whichin conjunction with the MPLA Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola and UNITA National Union for the Total Independence of Angola , signed the Alvor Accord that outlined the formation of an Angolan transitional government and the country's declaration of independence. According to Andre Paulo, a member of the subcommission, preparations for the event are at a fairly advanced stage with fundamental documents for the proceedings almost finalized. A total of 1,380 delegates will be taking part in the congress, including those from the country's provinces, the national constituency, the members of municipal assemblies in the province of Luanda and emigrants. Paulo, who is also an MP for the FNLA's parliamentary group, emphasized that the preparatory commission which is coordinated by Holden Roberto, the party's historical leader, is making every effort to make the reconciliation congress a venue for ideas to be debated so as to strengthen the party. According to him, from a financial point of view, the party is in a position to hold the congress.
The Washington Post September 19, 2004 Sunday
In Postwar Era, Angolans Now Face Threat Of HIV-AIDS
Manuel Faustino Gomes, 15, lost both his parents during Angola's long civil war and spent years as a child of the streets, scrambling to survive in this battered city. Yet on at least one score, Gomes, who has a baby face and a picture of Britney Spears wearing a lacey black bra by his bed, has been fortunate compared to boys in similar circumstances across southern Africa: He has come of age sexually in a country where the HIV infection rate has been relatively low. Decades of warfare trapped Angola in a kind of medical time warp. Borders were closed. Civilians moved cautiously or not at all. And the disease that has ravaged this continent more than any other largely bypassed Angola. The estimated HIV infection rate for Angola remains under 10 percent for non-elderly adults, less than half of the rate in neighboring Congo or Zambia, and about one-fourth the rate in Botswana, which despite being among the region's most prosperous and peaceful countries, has an HIV rate estimated at 38 percent. The danger, humanitarian groups say, is that the situation in Angola is already changing quickly. Two years of peace, combined with the social dislocation, poor health and low education levels created by war, have put the country on the path to reach the infection rates of its neighbors in just a few years. Adding to the danger are the opening of new trucking lanes and the surge of hundreds of thousands of refugees returning from camps in countries with far higher HIV rates. In addition, soldiers from both sides of the conflict are resettling across Angola, and bringing infection to areas where previously it was rare. Sudden jumps in infection rates already have been recorded in Luanda, the capital, among prostitutes and pregnant women. A nationwide study due to report results in several months is expected to show an increase among the entire population. "All of the factors are there," said Laurie Bruns, an expert on HIV in southern Africa for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. "It's kind of a risky mix." The relatively low infection rates have kept Angola from receiving as much in international funding and attention as some neighboring countries. All but two of the 15 "focus countries" for President Bush's $15-billion initiative to combat HIV and AIDS are in Africa, but Angola is not on the list. Even with the current rates, UNICEF estimates that 500,000 Angolans are infected. In Angola, a country of 14 million people, 70 percent of the population is younger than 25 years old. Young adults and teens are considered among the most vulnerable and the most likely to spread HIV to others. The rate is especially low in the interior provinces such as Huambo, where the fighting was most intense. Huambo, a former rebel stronghold, is now surging with new activity. The streets still have deep craters, and many of the buildings are missing roofs or walls lost to the war. But the city has a functioning motorcycle factory, a new hotel and at least one aspiring Internet cafe. There is also a growing freedom of movement, both within the city and beyond its borders as minefields are cleared and repairs are made to highways and bridges. Gomes lives at Okulissanga, a home for orphaned street children in Huambo. Okulissanga operates on the edge of the city, in an area booming with new housing construction. The boys sleep four to a room in crude barracks beside a roofless, bullet-pocked building that once housed a dairy. Gomes and others walk into the city center to meet girls and other friends. Many of the boys said they know about condoms and have easy access to them through the nurse at Okulissanga, who hands out nearly 600 a month. Gomes said he always uses one during sex with his 16-year-old girlfriend, but many of his friends do not. "They say it's not nice to do it with a condom," he said. Studies show that Angolans start having sex at a younger age and have more partners than others in southern Africa. The average age for a girl's first sexual encounter is 14. And these young teens are prized by older men who exchange sex for cell phones, blue jeans or, in rural areas, such basics as seeds or a ride to the market. "HIV here is probably going to explode because of this informal exchange sex," said Melanie Luick, an AIDS expert with the UNICEF office in Luanda. As the infection rate lags behind the region, so does the medical response and the public understanding of AIDS. Most of the public health system was destroyed during the war, leaving an acute shortage of hospital beds and medication, especially of the antiretroviral drugs key to treating AIDS. There are only 12 HIV testing and counseling centers in Angola. And compared to other southern African nations, Angola has few billboards or public education campaigns devoted to preventing spread of the disease. The messages, by contrast, are explicit at Okulissanga, which has weekly HIV education classes that are open to the general public in Huambo. At one recent class, a drama group comprised mostly of boys from the program performed a skit about HIV. A 17-year-old girl tore open a wrapper, pulled out the condom inside, then rolled it onto a model of a penis held at the midsection of a teenaged boy. "If you want to live," the group said in unison, "use a condom." But six boys interviewed after the class all shook their heads vigorously when asked whether they knew of anybody with HIV or AIDS. They agreed that most sexually active boys they knew did not use condoms regularly. And several said that girls resent it when boys suggest they do, especially within a steady relationship, because of the stigma associated with AIDS. "I try and I insist, and if she still says 'No' . . . ," said Ezequiel Chilena, 17, his voice trailing off as he lowered his eyes. "And maybe the next time I'll try to convince her again." Another boy, Martinho de Lima, 16, has been at Okulissanga for three years. But when he had his first sexual encounter in January, de Lima said, he had not yet attended an HIV awareness class. The couple did not use a condom. "We didn't know," he said.
Governo aprova memorando para exploração petrolífera comum
Luanda, 07/09 - O Conselho de Ministros aprovou o Memorando de Entendimento para uma Exploração Petrolífera Comum das Águas Profundas da bacia inferior do Congo, assinado em 2003 entre os governos de Angola e da República Democrática do Congo.
Uma das edições recentes do Diário da República (órgão oficial do Governo angolano) que à Angop teve hoje acesso, indica que as duas partes acordaram a criação de um corredor marítimo de exploração petrolífera comum, a partir da qual serão definidas zonas de interesse comum.
De acordo com o documento, o corredor localizar-se-á na região marítima compreendida entre o Sul do Bloco 14, o Norte do Bloco 15 e o Norte do Bloco 31 das concessões petrolíferas angolanas.
Acrescenta que as Zonas serão constituídas por jazigos que serão identificados a partir do corredor e definidas por comum acordo das partes.
Entretanto, a fonte sublinha que o corredor não integra os jazigos petrolíferos já descobertos pelas empresas operadoras das concessões petrolíferas angolanas, "a não ser que os mesmos sejam abandonados ou libertados".
As partes comprometem-se a iniciar as operações no mais curto espaço de tempo possível e a repartição dos interesses entre ambos no corredor relativamente a cada zona é de 50 por cento.
CONFLITO DE TERRAS INTER-ÉTNICO NO SUL 2004-09-08
Um violento conflito de terras opõe duas etnias vizinhas das províncias de Huila e Namibe, no Sul de Angola. A situação foi divulgada ontem pela Rádio Nacional, anunciando o último dia da missão de bons ofícios destacada pelo executivo central à região. Com armas de fogo e brancas, os confrontos estão a ser travados entre a tribo dos mukuahona, residente nas áreas dos Gambos do lado da Huíla, e a tribo dos mukubal, do Namibe.
A rivalidade assumiu contornos violentos na sequência de sucessivos roubos de gado, agravados há semanas atrás pelo espectacular extravio de mil cabeças de animais. A emissora pública não revelou o balanço das hostilidades, realçando somente que a missão do Governo tenta apaziguar os beligerantes. A missão integrou responsáveis de diversos ministérios assim como oficiais superiores das Forças armadas e da Polícia.
O governador provincial do Namibe, Boavida Neto, em declarações à Ecclesia atribuiu os desentendimentos à seca que obriga a intensas transumâncias de manadas e pastores à procura de água e pasto de um lado para outro. «O movimento das populações e do gado para as zonas onde há pasto e água continua a ser muito forte e, naturalmente, isso gera problemas entre as populações», comentou. Admitiu que os recontros tivessem vitimado algumas pessoas, sem mais precisão. A seu ver, «neste momento, trata-se de um caso de polícia. As forças policiais que estão no terreno conseguiram recuperar o gado roubado e detiveram alguns indivíduos, suspeitos de serem os culpados por esta situação». Rematou, sublinhando a sua convicção de que «a solução para o problema está nas chuvas, tem que chover para que seja possível sairmos desta situação».
Seja como for, é a primeira vez que a problemática do gado naquela região toma o carácter de luta inter-étnica. Nas vezes anteriores, ela evidenciou-se mais sob a forma de desentendimentos entre fazendeiro proprietários de terras fertéis e população forçada a procurar pastagens para as suas manadas.
OUTROS TÍTULOS
Jean-Christophe Mitterrand doit comparaître devant le tribunal de Paris pour "fraude fiscale" LE MONDE | 07.09.04 | 14h14 A 12 h 15 par e-mail, découvrez toute l'actualité économique et financière. Le fils de l'ancien président de la République, poursuivi dans l'enquête sur les ventes d'armes vers l'Angola, est accusé d'avoir dissimulé les fonds versés par l'homme d'affaires Pierre Falcone. Le fils aîné de l'ancien président de la République, Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, comparaîtra, mercredi 15 septembre, devant la 11e chambre du tribunal correctionnel de Paris. M. Mitterrand est poursuivi pour "fraude fiscale"sur citation directe du parquet de Paris, qui avait lui-même été saisi par l'administration fiscale. Cette procédure avait été déclenchée à la faveur des développements de l'enquête sur les ventes d'armes vers l'Angola réalisées, en 1993 et 1994, par l'intermédiaire des hommes d'affaires Pierre Falcone et Arcadi Gaydamak.
Dans cette enquête, instruite par le juge du pôle financier parisien Philippe Courroye, M. Mitterrand a été mis en examen, le 21 décembre 2000, pour "trafic d'influence, recel d'abus de confiance, recel d'abus de biens sociaux et complicité de commerce d'armes illicite". M. Mitterrand est poursuivi pour avoir perçu, en 1997 et 1998, sur un compte ouvert au nom de la société Iwik à la banque Darier de Genève (Suisse), 1,8 million de dollars et, en 1999, 300 000 dollars provenant de différentes sociétés appartenant à M. Falcone.
Devant les enquêteurs, il avait déclaré, dès décembre 2000, que la majeure partie de ces virements avait rétribué ses "conseils sur l'évolution de la situation politique et régionale de l'Angola". "Je ne savais pas qu'il vendait des armes", avait assuré M. Mitterrand à propos de M. Falcone. En mars 2001, ce dernier avait indiqué au juge Courroye avoir rémunéré M. Mitterrand entre 1993 et 2000 en contrepartie "des conseils qu'il -lui avait- donnés et des analyses qu'il -avait- faites sur des pays d'Afrique".
L'enquête a mis au jour d'autres mouvements de fonds, dont certains en espèces, détectés notamment sur le compte détenu à la banque Darier par Iwik, la société que M. Mitterrand a créé en Mauritanie fin 1997 afin d'y construire une usine de traitement de poissons.
L'administration fiscale estime que les sommes perçues par M. Mitterrand auraient dû être déclarées en France, notamment celles versés par Brenco France, l'une des sociétés de M. Falcone dont le siège était à Paris. L'un des avocats de M. Mitterrand, Me Olivier Schnerb, entend au contraire convaincre le tribunal que son client n'a commis aucune infraction, "puisqu'il a déclaré ces fonds en Mauritanie, où il était assujetti à l'impôt sur le revenu".
Interrogé par Le Monde, M. Mitterrand s'est dit "las" qu'on l'"accuse de tout". Assurant se trouver "dans une situation kafkaïenne", il précise que le fisc français lui réclame "plus de 2 millions d'euros sur la période 1996-2000", durant laquelle, selon lui, il résidait en Mauritanie.
"Je détiens quelques documents qui prouvent que j'ai bel et bien payé mes impôts là- bas, mais pour prouver que je ne raconte pas d'histoires, il faudrait que je puisse me rendre à Nouakchott. Or, depuis quatre ans, je suis contraint de rester dans l'Hexagone, le juge m'ayant confisqué mon passeport", déplore M. Mitterrand, qui concède toutefois avoir commis "une erreur, par méconnaissance des textes", lorsqu'il s'est établi en Mauritanie, en 1996. "J'aurais dû demander à cette époque un quitus au fisc français", affirme-t-il.
Le fils de l'ancien président de la République espère convaincre de sa bonne foi le tribunal auquel il entend expliquer que, "contrairement au postulat du fisc", il ne résidait pas, entre 1996 et 2000, rue de Bièvre, au domicile parisien de sa mère. "Je n'avais qu'une chambre à cette adresse, mais ni bureau, ni téléphone, ni télécopie. En revanche, durant cette période, je louais une maison en Mauritanie, où je payais l'eau, l'électricité, le téléphone..."
Le 4 juillet 2001, M. Mitterrand avait été interrogé par le juge Courroye sur d'autres virements effectués en 1996 sur l'un de ses comptes à la banque Darier par "une société nigériane", qui l'aurait rémunéré en échange d'une "analyse d'investissements dans les pays francophones". "Le travail a été fait principalement à partir de la Mauritanie", avait assuré M. Mitterrand.
"Avez-vous déclaré ces honoraires à l'administration fiscale ?", l'avait questionné le juge. "Non", avait répondu M. Mitterrand, avant d'ajouter : "Ce n'était pas un travail fait à partir de la France. Mon installation en Mauritanie date de 1996 et je suis en discussion avec l'administration fiscale aujourd'hui sur mon lieu de domiciliation fiscale." Cette "discussion" devrait trouver son épilogue, le 15 septembre, devant le tribunal correctionnel de Paris.
Fabrice Lhomme
Privé de passeport depuis décembre 2000
Depuis sa mise en examen, le 21 décembre 2000, Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, astreint à un contrôle judiciaire, ne peut plus quitter la France. "Je réclame en vain depuis cette date que le juge me rende mon passeport, sans lequel je ne peux rien faire", explique-t-il. "Mon travail consiste en des missions de consultant à l'international, ce qui implique précisément de quitter le territoire !", rappelle M. Mitterrand qui se dit aujourd'hui dans l'incapacité de subvenir à ses besoins.
"Même ma banque me poursuit aujourd'hui, car je ne peux rembourser mes prêts. De plus, tous ceux qui m'approchent en France sont l'objet d'un contrôle fiscal. Du coup, plus personne ne veut travailler avec moi, ce que je peux comprendre", conclut le fils de l'ancien chef de l'Etat.
• ARTICLE PARU DANS L'EDITION DU 08.09.04
Fuga ao fisco dificulta crescimento económico
O combate à fuga ao fisco é uma das premissas fundamentais para o crescimento da economia nacional, considerou ontem o director provincial da Polícia Económica em Benguela, Pedro Rodrigues. Ao falar à Angop, na abertura da jornada comemorativa do 23º aniversário daquele ramo da Polícia Nacional, a assinalar-se a 18 do mês em curso, referiu que o aumento de receitas para o Orçamento Geral do Estado (OGE) exige, cada vez mais, maior intervenção dos órgãos de inspecção e investigação das actividades económicas. Admitiu existirem casos de fuga ao pagamento de impostos, em Benguela, mas assegurou estarem salvaguardadas as receitas do Estado, “pois a situação não atinge proporções alarmantes. Para contrapor a resistência dos contribuintes ao pagamento de impostos, disse, estão a ser cumpridas com rigor as medidas delineadas pela Direcção Nacional da Polícia Económica, o que, na sua óptica, faz antever melhorias na condição de vida da população. Sem especificar valores, Pedro Rodrigues afirmou que altas somas em dinheiro foram repostas, nos últimos dias, ao OGE, enquanto notas falsas (kwanza e dólar americano) foram retiradas do mercado, na sequência da denúncia feita pelas estruturas centrais do Banco Nacional de Angola. Quanto aos jogos ilegais, conhecidos vulgarmente por “Kixikila”, o responsável disse que, terminada a fase de instrução preparatória, a sua instituição remeteu já os processos ao Ministério Público e aguarda apenas pelo desfecho do caso em tribunal. O director da Polícia Económica em Benguela não confirmou nem desmentiu rumores que apontam para a prática destes jogos na cidade do Lobito (província de Benguela) e alertou a população a denunciar tais práticas.
Ocean Rig Inks Contract with BP for Leiv Eiriksson Ocean Rig Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Reference is made to announcement dated September 1st regarding a Letter of Intent with BP's Angola Business Unit for two wells and two optional wells in continuation, to be drilled on Block 31 offshore Angola. The optional wells can be exercised on or before October 15th.
Ocean Rig has signed the drilling contract with BP for the 2 + 2 well program starting on October 1st with a net combined value of approximately $ 59 million.
Roc Oil Begins Trading Shares on London's AIM Market Roc Oil Tuesday, September 07, 2004
ROC, an Australian Stock Exchange 200 company, announces that its ordinary shares have been admitted to trading on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange ("AIM") under the symbol 'ROC'. Total volume of ROC shares traded on September 6th, the first day of London trading, was 128,829 and the closing price was 74.5p, equivalent to A$1.915 at the current A$-₤ exchange rate of 0.389. Canaccord Capital (Europe) Limited is acting as nominated adviser and broker ("NOMAD") to the Company.
On Monday, September 6, 2004, UK time, ROC released the following comments to AIM:
ROC, an independent oil and gas exploration and production company, has A$100 million net cash, no debt, and produces approximately 3,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from its 100% owned and operated Saltfleetby Gas Field in Lincolnshire, which is Britain's largest onshore gas field.
The Sydney-based company has a strong operating emphasis and an international focus, with exploration assets in West Africa, China and Australasia and producing and exploration assets in the UK. Each area of activity is associated with a proven petroleum province, two of which were discovered by ROC and its co-venturers. The company has a global acreage holding of approximating 26 million acres/105,000 sq km gross or 4.3 million acres/17,400 sq km net.
The Company has discovered commercial and / or potentially commercial oil with each of its initial wells offshore Mauritania, Australia and China.
During June 2004, ROC operated its first deep water well located in 1,500m of water offshore Equatorial Guinea, West Africa. In total, ROC has drilled, or participated in the drilling of, 37 wells during the last five years with an overall success rate of 62% and an exploration success rate of 33%, based on the 18 exploration wells drilled during this period. ROC's list of current projects includes one new field development (offshore Mauritania) and three potential new field developments (offshore Mauritania, offshore Western Australia and, possibly, offshore China) as well as a possible field development in the UK North Sea.
Over the next six months ROC expects to participate in multi-well exploration, appraisal and development drilling programs in, around, and on trend from its recent discoveries offshore Mauritania and Western Australia, as well as exploration drilling onshore UK. In total, more than 20 wells are expected to be drilled during this period.
ROC is not seeking to raise any fresh capital as part of its AIM listing because, in May 2004, the company completed a A$92 million fully underwritten, Rights Issue in Australia. The proceeds of that issue will be used to partially fund ROC's development and potential development projects, in Mauritania, offshore Western Australia and, possibly, China, as well as exploration programmes in West Africa, including Mauritania and Angola. A corporate debt facility is expected to fund the balance of the development expenditures.
John Doran, Chief Executive Officer of ROC said:
"Listing ROC shares on AIM is the next logical step in the Company's growth strategy. Although ROC's trading record would qualify it to list on the Main Board of the London Stock Exchange, ROC chose to list on AIM because the recently introduced "fast track" concept makes it an administratively simple, cost efficient and relatively quick process.
ROC's conveyor belt of projects runs from new ventures and exploration to mature production, in areas which appear to be of interest to UK investors, particularly West Africa where ROC has established a meaningful presence and a successful track record during the last five years."
04090929 companhias holandesas sondam mercado angolano
Uma missão empresarial holandesa, chefiada pelo vice-governador da Holanda do Norte, Cornelis Mooij, chegou ontem a Luanda para estreitar as relações comerciais e de investimento com Angola. A delegação é composta por companhias portuárias, transporte marítimo, drenagem, fornecimento de plataformas marítimas de petróleo e gás e indústria alimentar. A expectativa das 29 empresas que integram a missão é de identificar oportunidades de cooperação empresarial e comercial, de acordo com Cornelis Mooij. “A atenção da Holanda, há muitos anos, tem sido virada à África e temos já relações com o Ghana e a Nigéria, sendo esta a primeira vez que viemos a Angola com uma delegação tão importante”, apontou. De acordo com o diplomata, há muito interesse da parte holandesa sobre Angola, especialmente do porto de Amestardão, que até aqui se tem dedicado à transacção de produtos como o cacau e óleo. A vinda da delegação a Luanda é uma iniciativa do presidente da empresa holandesa “Amestardan Ports Association”, Wim Ruijgh, Ministério angolano dos transportes e da Embaixada de Angola na Holanda. Durante a sua estada de cinco dias no país, a missão manterá encontros com responsáveis do Ministério dos Transportes, governos provinciais de Luanda e de Benguela, bem como visitará os Portos de Luanda e do Lobito. Integram a comitiva, composta por homens de negócios dos sectores do comércio, tecnologia e engenharia, empresas holandesas como a NDS (Nile Dutch Africa Line), Van Vliet Trucks e Delmas Nederlanden.
Doing Business 2005: Poor Nations Struggle To Reduce Red Tape For Business, Miss Large Growth Opportunities
News Release No:2005/69/S
Washington D.C., September 8, 2004 — Slovakia and Colombia were the world's most successful investment climate reformers over the past year, creating electronic one-stop shops for new businesses, shrinking regulatory delays by weeks, improving credit registries, and increasing the flexibility of labor laws, according to a new report from the World Bank Group.
The Doing Business in 2005: Removing Obstacles to Growth report, co-sponsored by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation, the private sector lending arm of the World Bank Group, finds that such reforms, while often simple, can help create job opportunities for women and young people, encourage businesses to move into the formal economy, and promote economic growth.
The report, however, which benchmarks regulatory performance and reforms in 145 nations, finds that poor nations, through administrative procedures, still make it two times harder than rich nations for entrepreneurs to start, operate, or close a business, and businesses in poor nations have less than half the property rights protections available to businesses in rich countries.
Overall, rich countries undertook three times as many investment climate reforms as poor countries last year. European nations were especially active in enacting reforms. The top 10 reformers for the most recent survey year were Slovakia, Colombia, Belgium, Finland, India, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Of the 58 countries that reformed business regulation or strengthened the protection of property rights in the last year, fewer than a third were poor or lower-middle-income economies.
"Poor countries that desperately need new enterprises and jobs risk falling even further behind rich ones who are simplifying regulation and making their investment climates more business friendly," said Michael Klein, World Bank/IFC Vice President for Private Sector Development and IFC Chief Economist.
On average, it takes a business in a rich nation six procedures, 8 percent of income per capita, and 27 days to get started; in a poor or lower-middle-income economy, the same process takes 11 procedures, 122 percent of income per capita, and 59 days. In more than a dozen poor countries, registering a new business takes more than 100 days.
Potential investors in many rich nations enjoy full access to the ownership and financial information of publicly listed companies while investors in most developing countries have hardly any access.
Doing Business in 2005 updates the work of last year's report in five sets of business environment indicators: starting a business, hiring and firing workers, enforcing contracts, getting credit, and closing a business; it expands the research to 145 countries and adds two new indicators, registering property and protecting investors. Since last year, 13 governments have asked for their countries to be included in the Doing Business analysis.
"This year, Doing Business gives policymakers an even more powerful tool for measuring regulatory performance in comparison to other countries, learning from best practices globally, and prioritizing reforms," said Simeon Djankov, an author of the report.
For example, this year's report catalogs wide variances in hiring and severance costs across countries and shows that high severance costs can discourage job creation. The report also shows that poor regulation of bankruptcy can cause business loans to dry up: in 50 countries, creditors can expect to recover less than 20 cents on the dollar when a business goes bankrupt.
The main research findings of Doing Business in 2005:
Businesses in poor countries face larger regulatory burdens than those in rich countries. Poor countries impose higher costs on businesses to fire a worker, enforce contracts, or file for registration; they impose more delays in going through insolvency procedures, registering property, and starting a business; and they afford fewer protections in terms of legal rights for borrowers and lenders, contract enforcement, and disclosure requirements. In administrative costs alone, there is a threefold difference between poor and rich nations. The number of administrative procedures and the delays associated with them are twice as high in poor countries. The payoffs from reform appear to be large. The report estimates that an improvement from the bottom to the top quartile of countries in the ease of doing business is associated with an additional 2.2 percentage points in annual economic growth. An indication of the payoff comes from Turkey and France, each of which saw new business registration increase by 18 percent after the governments reduced the time and cost of starting a business last year. Slovakia's reform of collateral regulation helped increase the flow of bank loans to the private sector by 10 percent. The payoff comes because businesses waste less time and money on unnecessary regulation and devote more resources to producing and marketing their goods and because governments spend less on ineffective regulation and more on social services. Heavy regulation and weak property rights exclude the poor - especially women and younger people -- from doing business. The report finds that weak property rights and heavy business regulation conspire to exclude the poor from joining the formal economy. "Heavy regulation not only fails to protect women, young people, and the poor - those it was intended to serve - but often harms them," said Caralee McLiesh, an author of the report. Doing Business shows that countries with simpler regulations can provide better social protections and a better economic climate for business people, investors, and the general public. The report builds on noted economist Hernando de Soto's work, showing that while it is critical to encourage registration of assets, it is as important - and harder - to stop them from slipping back into the informal sector.
Doing Business in 2005 finds that reform took place last year mainly in countries that faced competition and had incentives to measure regulatory burdens. In the enlarged European Union, accession countries reformed in anticipation of the new competitive pressures on their businesses; existing members reformed to maintain their advantage against the lower-wage producers from accession countries.
In developing countries, performance targets set by the International Development Association and donor country aid programs spurred poor countries to examine regulatory obstacles and propose reforms. Most reforms focused on simplifying business entry and improving credit information systems. African countries reformed the least of all regions and had the most regulatory obstacles to doing business, followed by Latin American countries.
The top 20 economies in terms of ease of doing business are New Zealand, United States, Singapore, Hong Kong/China, Australia, Norway, United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Belgium, Lithuania, Slovakia, Botswana, and Thailand.
The Doing Business project is the product of more than 3,000 local experts - business consultants, lawyers, accountants, and government officials - and leading academics, who provided methodological support and review. The data, methodology, and the names of contributors are publicly available online.
Thursday 09.09.2004, CET 08:42
September 8, 2004 6:00 PM
African leaders draw up anti-poverty plan
By Alistair Thomson
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - More than a dozen leaders from across Africa have met hoping to draw up a battle plan to fight poverty and create jobs in the poorest continent.
Leaders from Africa's biggest and some of its smallest economies hope to succeed where previous efforts have failed and break the twin scourges of poverty and unemployment.
"The peace and stability of our states will be built on the victories won in the field of employment," Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore told delegates at the opening ceremony on Wednesday.
Leaders from Algeria in the north to South Africa in the south, from Ethiopia in the east to Sierra Leone in the west of the continent converged on Compaore's poor, landlocked country for the summit, called by the African Union (AU).
Alpha Oumar Konare, former president of neighbouring Mali and now chairman of the AU Commission, painted a grim picture of a continent gripped by HIV/AIDS, malaria and malnutrition and let down by donors who failed to live up to their pledges.
"This is an embarrassing score card for a continent so richly endowed," said Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who currently chairs the AU.
"The adoption of an investment-led poverty reducing employment strategy has become therefore a necessity," he said.
Rodrigo Rato, on his second trip to Africa since becoming International Monetary Fund managing director three months ago, said Africa needed higher, sustainable economic growth in order to beat unemployment and poverty.
He said developed countries must help Africa by opening up their markets to African produce and contributing more development aid, but stressed that African countries themselves must act to promote private enterprise and trade.
"Trade barriers in and among developing countries themselves remain too high," he said.
Callisto Madavo, the World Bank's vice president for Africa, picked up the private sector baton, insisting African countries must invest in infrastructure to increase access to services, accelerate regional integration and make it easier to do business.
"It is not enough to provide workers with the skills to compete if the regulatory environment drives investors overseas." he said.
African nations are the least friendly places to do business, the World Bank said in a report out on Wednesday.
The study found 16 out of 20 countries with the most excessive business regulations and weakest protection of property rights are in Africa. It pointed out, for example, that Chad requires 19 procedures to register a new business, while in Angola it takes more than three years to enforce a contract.
Holandeses investem na reabilitação dos portos de Luanda e Lobito
Luanda, 08/09 - Os empresários holandeses, que se encontram em Angola desde terça-feira, manifestaram hoje a vontade de investir na reabilitação dos portos de Luanda e do Lobito.
Em declarações a Angop no final do encontro com o ministro angolano dos Transportes, André Luís Brandão, o vice-governador de Amsterdão, Cornelis Mooij, referiu que a sua delegação está apostada em investir nos dois portos, precisamente na reparação dos cais, armazéns, a parte de engenharia, como fundo dos cais e dragagem, transportação e costagem de navios.
Cornelis Mooij disse ainda, que constam na bagagem da sua comitiva investimentos nas áreas de comércio e transportação de mercadorias.
Avançou que a materialização de alguns projectos passa necessariamente pela análise dos pontos discutidos hoje com o ministro angolano dos transportes e pelo estabelecimento de parcerias com empresarios angolanos.
A comitiva de 29 empresários holandeses visitou os terminais das empresas Sogep, Unicargas, Angonave e a base logística da Sonils.
Tem ainda agendada uma visita as instalações do Porto do Lobito na próxima sexta- feira, 10 de Setembro.
BHP Billiton, Petra close to gem deal
Antwerp Correspondent
JUNIOR miner Petra Diamonds is close to signing a formal agreement with BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining group, to explore a high-value Angolan diamond project. Petra, listed on London's Alternative Investment Market , has a fiveyear mining licence for the Alto Cuilo property in Angola's northeastern Lunda province, and is understood to be signing a deal with BHP Billiton as early as next week.
BHP Billiton is believed to be in a position to become the majority operator and marketing agent of any future production from Petra, if and when the project comes on stream in the next five years. This would leave Petra with the right to market part of the stones produced .
Given BHP Billiton's stated view that it will only look at projects the size of its Ekati mine in Canada, which produces about 700m worth of stones a year, Alto Cuilo is estimated to have the same potential.
Angola's state-owned diamond company, Endiama, owns 51% in the Alto Cuilo project.
Adonis Pouroulis, Petra's chairman and CEO, said it was too early to comment, but that the company was always looking at expanding its portfolio through acquisitions and partnerships.
In a statement yesterday, Petra said a significant number of gemquality diamonds had been found at Alto Cuilo .
"The grade and quality of the initial results are very promising, and although the sample is small this is an indication of the quality stones and grades we are hopeful will come when we commission the DMS (Dense Media Separation) plant (in October)."
Petra restarted exploration at Alto Cuilo two years ago under an exclusivity agreement with BHP Billiton. Petra did exploration work on the property from 1997 to 1998, but pulled out after an outbreak of hostilities in Angola. Both companies are working on a structure and schedule to develop the concession.
Petra also has a fiveyear option agreement with Rio Tinto to develop the Limpopo concession in SA, giving the mining giant the option to acquire a 70% stake in the local project.
The company has two smaller kimberlite pipes in SA that are currently being bulk-sampled.
One mining expert in Johannesburg, who previously worked for De Beers and declined to be named, said Alto Cuilo, which consists of four diamondiferous kimberlite pipes, was a promising area. "In terms of prospecting it warrants BHP's participation."
Pouroulis said he was still interested in the Alexkor diamond mine in SA . The company is trying to resolve a dispute over payment remaining from when it ran the mine for two years for the South African government.
Petra's share price rose to 53,5p, up 0,94%. Sep 09 2004 07:28:11:000AM Emma Muller Business Day 1st Edition
Diario de Noticias September 8, 2004
PORTUGAL WELCOMES U.S. REQUEST TO OBSERVE CPLP MILITARY EXERCISE
Foreign Minister Antonio Monteiro, has said that the USA's request to participate, as an observer, in the next CPLP (Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries) military exercise "is an obvious benefit" to the activity of the organization, his spokesman told Diario de Noticias. Washington's request will be formally made to the CPLP Secretariat and it is up to the current presidency (help by Sao Tome e Principe) to reply after consulting member states, Jacinto Carneiro added. The next CPLP military exercise will be held in Angola between 16 and 26 October. The USA's involvement in the exercise as an observer, is linked to an extended US project for the implementation of a higher security scenario in the western coast of Africa, as Diario de Noticias reported on 22 July, quoting Gen Charles Wald, second US commander in Europe. (Passage omitted) The foreign minister's spokesman told Diario de Noticias that Lisbon knows that the USA has "in fact asked to be observers in the Felino military exercise".
Financial Times (London) September 8, 2004 Wednesday
Shell faces challenge of where to pump its sell-off proceeds
While Royal/Dutch Shell has been engaged in its high-profile battles over the international investigations and lawsuits following its oil reserves scandal, it has been quietly conducting a huge sale of assets. So far this year, it has sold twice the assets earmarked in 2003 for disposal in 2004. Last year, it also more than doubled its goal, selling Dollars 4.5bn (Pounds 2.5bn) worth of assets and making a Dollars 2bn net profit. Yesterday it agreed a further disposal, the Euros 380m (Pounds 257.9m) sale of its 16.7 per cent interest in two Belgian gas companies, Distrigas and Fluxys, to Suez- Tractebel, the utility group. Shell's divestment drive is expected to play a prominent role in the strategic review it presents to investors on September 22. The sell-off has come in both the upstream exploration and production division and the downstream marketing and retail division. Recent sales include all of its oil fields in Bangladesh and Thailand and almost all its stake in Angola, as well as its 40 per cent stake in a gas field in Egypt. Shell has also sold or announced the sale of refineries in the US, Sweden and Thailand and pipelines in Mexico and the US. Retail disposals include petrol stations in Sweden, Spain, Portugal and Peru. Shell has also sold its Dollars 734m holding in China's Sinopec. The Dollars 3.5bn that Shell announced it had sold by July 1 this year did not include assets put on the block for which it has yet to secure a buyer, including its Dollars 6bn chemical venture with BASF, Basell. The group commented: "We are continuing our divestment programme to take advantage of good asset prices and to recycle capital into higher value opportunities." However, Shell is struggling to find new oil and gas ventures into which to pump the extra cash. Mid-year, it announced it would make an additional Dollars 1.5bn to Dollars 2bn in capital expenditure in 2004, mainly to boost its Dollars 9.5bn to Dollars 11bn exploration and production budget. At first glance, such an increase looks like good news for a group that has the shortest oil and natural gas reserves life of its peers, after having to admit in a series of announcements beginning in January that it had wrongly booked more than 20 per cent of its proved reserves with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. On closer examination, the picture looks far less rosy, analysts said. Only Dollars 200m of the additional funds will be spent to explore for oil and gas. Much will go to cover cost overruns, especially on two key projects - one in Siberia and one in Nigeria - and on extra expenses associated with unfavourable exchange rates and increased input costs rather than new, high-margin opportunities. Shell is not the only oil group reviewing its portfolio. But its exploration and production cuts are especially significant because it can afford less easily than its competitors to lose reserves or production. What is more, several of the sales have highlighted some of the group's shortcomings. The disposal of its stake in Block 18 in Angola all but removed it from one of the most important new exploration regions in the world. Echoing the view of many industry observers, one analyst said "Shell missed the boat" in Angola, where BP, its biggest European rival and ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco, its US competitors, have staked large claims. In the Indian basin, Cairn, the small UK exploration company that bought Shell's stakes, has shown up its larger rival by striking oil and increasing the value of one of its purchases by 75 times. Meanwhile, Shell has decided to hang on to some of its more mature fields, even injecting money into short-term ventures in the North Sea and the US. In the North Sea, it has decided, for now, to keep its historic Brent field; by contrast, BP sold its ageing Forties field late last year.
ANGOP 8 de Setembro
CPLP: Representantes militares acertam Execício Felino 2004
Luanda, 08/09 - Representantes militares dos países da Comunidade de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP) reúnem-se na quinta-feira, em Luanda, para acertos finais de planeamento sobre o Exercício Felino 2004, a ter lugar na localidade de Cabo Ledo (província do Bengo-Angola), de 12 a 26 Outubro.
Participarão no Exercício, que visa capacitar os membros da força multinacional para intervir em operações e missões de paz, a até mesmo humanitária, mediante busca e salvamento, efectivos militares de Angola, Brasil, Cabo Verde, Guiné-Bissau, Moçambique, Portugal, São-Tomé e Príncipe e Timor-Leste.
Contactado hoje pela Angop, em Luanda, o coordenador do grupo, brigadeiro Américo José Valente, do Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas Angolanas (FAA), assegurou que já se encontram na capital do país as delegações do Brasil, Cabo Verde, Moçambique, Portugal e de São Tomé e Príncipe, estando em falta os efectivos da Guiné-Bissau e de Timor-Leste.
Nesta combinação, serão exercitados os procedimentos a aplicar em operações de paz, gestão de crise, escolta a comboios humanitários, postos de observação, reconhecimento, manobras com helicópteros, segurança de altas entidades, tiro e evacuações médicas.
A decisão da criação do Exercício Felino surgiu de uma proposta apresentada por Portugal, no decorrer da primeira reunião de chefes de Estado Maior das Forças Armadas da CPLP, realizada em Maio de 1999, na capital do país.
Nesta edição, cada país membro será representado por 20 militares, cabendo a Angola, na qualidade de anfitrião, 500 efectivos das suas tropas especiais.
Esta será a quarta edição do Exercício Felino. As anteriores realizaram-se em Portugal (2000 e 2001), e Brasil (2003). ANGOLA: Cabinda separatists merge to negotiate with government [ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
© IRIN
Church groups have alleged ongoing rights abuses in the province
JOHANNESBURG, 8 Sep 2004 (IRIN) - Separatists waging a low-intensity struggle against Angolan troops for control of oil-rich Cabinda have merged in a bid to engage the authorities in dialogue over the future status of the troubled province.
The Front for the Liberation of the Cabinda Enclave (FLEC) and the Front for the Liberation of the Cabinda Enclave-Cabinda Armed Forces (FLEC-FAC) would now be known as FLEC. The leadership of the new organisation would be drawn from members of the two former rebel groups, a senior rebel leader told IRIN on Wednesday.
The two factions have been battling the central Angolan government since the country achieved independence in 1975. They claim the province has its own distinct and separate identity, history and culture, and that it was illegally occupied.
"Our decision to merge was based on a request from ordinary Cabindans, civil society and the church. They made it clear that it would be preferable to negotiate with the government under a single banner," FLEC politburo member, Antonio Mbemba, told IRIN on Wednesday.
"Our first step is to set up a commission that will decide how to approach the government in Luanda [the Angolan capital]. The government has claimed that because of the fragmentation, there was no valid interlocutor with which it could negotiate. But now they have no excuse," he added.
Discussions between the government and leaders of FLEC's various factions have so far been limited, and without tangible results.
"The last time we had any contact was in Paris in 2003 and these were merely exploratory talks," Mbemba pointed out.
Despite the defection of several key officials to Angola's ruling MPLA last year, he said FLEC remained "strong and committed" to fighting for the self-determination of the people of Cabinda.
Father Raul Tati, a leading cleric and civil rights activist in the province, told IRIN he hoped the merger would signal to the authorities that the separatists were serious about negotiations.
Sporadic clashes between the rebels and Angolan armed forces in the countryside over the past two years have caught the attention of the international community.
On a recent visit to the province, the UN Special Representative for Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani, raised concern over the high number of government troops in the enclave, commenting that human rights violations continued to occur because of the close proximity of the military to civilian populations.
An ad-hoc commission for human rights in Cabinda published a report in November last year detailing accounts of violence, abuse, torture, summary killings, rape and illegal detentions against the civilian population.
UNIFICAÇÃO DE INDEPENDENTISTAS DE CABINDA 2004-09-07
As organizações independentistas de Cabinda anunciaram a criação de uma plataforma unitária para dialogar o fim do conflito com o governo angolano. Denominado “Fórum Cabindês para o Diálogo”, o seu anúncio vem num comunicado de imprensa divulgado hoje pela Ecclesia.
Segundo esta nota, a iniciativa é obra conjunta dos dois ramos mais significativos da resistência armada, FLEC-FAC e FLEC-Renovada, em parceria com figuras locais da Sociedade Civil e da Igreja Católica. Resultou, explica o comunicado, de uma «Conferência Inter-Cabindesa», verificada de 23 a 29 de Agosto de 2004, na localidade de Emmaus, Helvoirt, na Holanda. Participaram nela «delegações do mais alto nível tanto da FLEC/FAC como da FLEC Renovada, além da Igreja de Cabinda e de outras personalidades da sociedade civil cabindesa», prossegue o texto. Especifica que as delegações estavam dirigidas respectivamente por Henriques Nzita Tiago (presidente da FLEC-FAC), António Bento Bembe (FLEC-Renovada) e pelo Vigário Geral da Diocese de Cabinda, Raul Tati. Informa que, na ocasião, «António Bento Bembe foi designado pelo presidente da FLEC presidente do Fórum Cabindês para o Diálogo».
Justifica a criação do Fórum pelo «intuito de responder ao imperativo da busca pela paz entre o povo cabindês e o Governo de Angola». Doravante, sustenta a nota, o Fórum torna-se«o único interlocutor válido, representativo e capaz de estabelecer o diálogo com Angola (....) afim de encontrarem uma solução pacífica para o conflito».
FUSÃO FLEC-FAC/FLEC RENOVADA
A nota anunciou, simultaneamente, a fusão assente entre a FLEC/FAC (Frente de Libertação de Cabinda/Forças Armadas de Cabinda) e a FLEC Renovada. «Deste encontro resultou a fusão dos dois movimentos político-militares que assumiu o nome de FLEC (Frente de Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda)», reza o texto. Nzita Tiago tornou-se presidente e António Bento Bembe Secretário Geral da organização reunificada. Todas estas informações foram confirmadas pelas autoridades religiosas a começar pelo Vigário Raul Tati, entrevistado pela Ecclesia. Precisou que participara no encontro da Holanda em representação do Bispo da Diocese, Dom Paulino Madeka. Qualificou de «luz no fundo do túnel», os resultados do encontro para o desfecho do conflito, pois acredita que «nenhuma parte está interessada em continuar com o conflito ou ultrapassar o problema exclusivamente». Abundou no mesmo sentido o próprio Bispo, abordado no princípio da tarde pela “Rádio Renascença”. Dom Madeka começou por recordar o insucesso de tentativas anteriores de diálogo, feitas pelo governo angolano, devido à divisão da FLEC. «Agora com esta modificação, facilmente se poderá acabar com este caso de Cabinda, acabar com a guerrilha, acabar com tudo e chegar ao consenso», comentou em remate.
MPLA, GOVERNO, NOVA SITUAÇÃO
Por sua vez, o Secretário do MPLA para a Informação, Norberto Dos Santos Kwata Kanawa, indicou que o governo angolano poderia reagir à notícia nas próximas horas. «É da competência do executivo responder ao apelo da Igreja Católica e da FLEC unificada sobre o diálogo pretendido para Cabinda», disse, à LAC. Também o chefe da “FLEC-Nova Visão”, José Tibúrcio, se regozijou da notícia, lembrando a sua condição de figura da tendência independentista interna, diferente à do exterior. Antigo chefe da Flec- Renovada recuperado pelo regime angolano, Tibúrcio frisou, por outro lado, a necessidade de «seriedade» e «responsabilidade» com a qual as partes deverão encarar a nova situação.
De acordo com os arquivos da FLEC original, esta organização, que reclama a independência da província petrolífera mais a Norte de Angola, nasceu em Ponta Negra, República do Congo, a 2 e Agosto de 1963. Resultara então da fusão de três formações, nomeadamente, o Movimento para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (MLEC), o Comité de Acção e da União Nacional de Cabinda (CAUNC) e a Aliança do Maiombe (ALIAMA). A participação da Sociedade Civil e da Igreja de Cabinda na nova fusão e a criação do Fórum para o Diálogo inovam os dados da equação e as perspectivas para a busca de uma solução política ao conflito.
http://www.fews.net/Angola/ for crops reports *************
Source: Integrated Regional Information Networks Date: 6 Sept 2004
Angola: Govt needs to meet its commitment, WFP
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
JOHANNESBURG, 6 September (IRIN) - Angola's recovery after decades of war is being threatened by a lack of funding support from both the government and the international community for assisting returning refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.
WFP has had to halve the cereal ration most of its beneficiaries receive and the agency has approached the Angolan government to make good on a pledge of US $7.5 million toward its food aid operations in the country. With nearly 4 million refugees and IDPs having either returned to their home areas or settled in new areas, the focus has shifted to the re-establishment of livelihoods, noted Dawn Blalock of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Luanda. "This process is still far from complete," she said, explaining that returnees needed support while trying to re-establish themselves in their homeland.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR expects a total of 145,000 more Angolans - 90,000 of them with UNHCR assistance - to head home from neighbouring asylum countries this year. The remainder are expected to make their own way back.
Like those before them, the returning refugees will depend on food aid while they begin to cultivate the land and await their first harvest.
To this end, WFP has launched its Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation for 2004/05, appealing for US $253 million in funding to be able to continue its critical support of returnees, its food-for-work schemes and distributions to the most vulnerable, such as malnourished children and the chronically ill.
"So far we have received $63 million, but we still need $14 million for this year, which is enough to purchase 23,000 mt of food," said WFP spokesman Manuel Cristovao.
The government's promise of $7.5 million, which Cristovao said was made towards the end of last year, would allow WFP to purchase more than half the food it needs for the rest of the year. However, Cristovao said, "our counterpart in government, the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration, [assured us] the money was approved but so far ... it has not reached WFP yet due to some bureaucracy".
The government's recent memorandum on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is also complicating matters for WFP. "We can get in-kind donations [of cereals] as long as it's not GMO. If it is GMO, it has to be milled before distribution, which has cost and time implications. There's also concern that there's not enough capacity to mill the quantity of grains we [need] to distribute to beneficiaries," said Cristovao.
WFP assists returnees for a year, giving them time to cultivate the land. "They need our help in the first stage of their arrival," Cristovao said.
"The returnees who are arriving now, in the last month or so, are arriving after the harvest and they need to prepare the lands now and cultivate, so that by the beginning of next year they can start getting something out of the land they worked on. But until then there is little [available] for them," he explained.
"We urgently need the funding from the international community to support this process of recovery after 30 years of conflict. The general opinion seems to be that the country has had peace for two years now and can stand on its own, but to solve all these problems in two years is not possible. This country and its people still need [international] assistance ... we need the international community to continue supporting us," Cristovao said.
[ENDS]
From worldbank.org and see country brief The World Bank is helping to fight poverty and improve living standards for the people of Angola. As of March 2004, the Bank had approved 14 IDA credits and grants for Angola for a total amount of approximately US$415.38 million. The commitment value of three ongoing IDA-financed operations is approximately US$104.6 million, with an undisbursed balance of about US$104 million. The three active operations are in the following areas:
Education
Law and public administration
Water, sanitation and flood protection
Health and social services
Finance.
Please refer to the Country Brief for more information about World Bank assistance in Angola.