SONANGOL UNIVERSO Uwww.universo-magazine.comniverso JUNE 2014 A NEW DYNAMIC: Angola and Russia NORTH FROM LUANDA: A new road ahead KIZOMBA: Angola’s dance sensation Life at Sea ISSUE 42 – INSIDE: JUNE 2014 oil and gas news Contents Universo is the international magazine of Sonangol Board Members Shutterstock Francisco de Lemos José Maria (President), ANGOLA NEWS BRIEFING Anabela Soares de Brito da Fonseca, 4 Ana Joaquina Van-Dúnem Alves da Costa, Fernandes Gaspar Bernardo Mateus, A roundup of national and international news concerning Angola Fernando Joaquim Roberto, Mateus Sebastião Francisco Neto, Paulino Fernando Carvalho Jerónimo 7 FIGURED OUT Sonangol Department for Communication & Image A brief glance at Angola in numbers Director Mateus Cristóvão Benza 8 A NEW DYNAMIC: ANGOLA−RUSSIA Corporate Communications Assistants 8 Nadiejda Santos, Lúcio Santos, Sarissari Diniz, José Mota, Beatriz Silva, Paula How Angola and Russia are refreshing their long-established relations Almeida, Sandra Teixeira, Marta Sousa, Hélder Sirgado, Kimesso Kissoka Full Frame Studio 16 WORLD DANCES TO ANGOLA’S TUNE Publisher: Sheila O’Callaghan Angola’s indigenous kizomba and semba dance styles are becoming Editor: John Kolodziejski popular abroad. We look at this growing hip-swinging phenomenon Managing Editor: Mauro Perillo Art Director: Tony Hill Sub Editor: Brian MacReamoinn 22 NORTH FROM LUANDA Proofreading: Gail Nelson-Bonebrake 16 The last major long-distance highway from Luanda is nearing Circulation Manager: Matthew Alexander www.angolaimagebank.com completion. We examine the impacts on investment and tourism Production Assistant: Sebnem Brown Project Consultant: Nathalie MacCarthy SONANGOL NEWS BRIEFING Group President: John Charles Gasser Magnificent Seven 30 Highlights of noteworthy news items from Sonangol EP and Universo is produced by Impact Media Custom Publishing. The views expressed its subsidiaries in the publication are not necessarily fter a long and lively campaign process involving every part of those of Sonangol or the publishers. Reproduction in whole or in part the country, Angola chose its seven favourite domestic tourist MAKING CAREER WAVES without prior permission is prohibited. 34 34 attractions in the 7 Natural Wonders competition in May. This magazine is distributed to a closed A woman’s place nowadays may be far from home. We look at the circulation. To receive a free copy: During the contest Angolans learnt more about their own land [email protected] Aand the natural treasures it possesses, thanks to the huge publicity generated. inspiring career choice of Angola’s first female marine engineer Circulation: 15,000 After weighing up all the candidate attractions, the people voted in their tens of thousands for the top seven, which included mountains, waterfalls, 38 ANGOLA’S HOUSING BOOM rainforest, grottos and a lake. Angola's new residential projects are now filling up with owners Davenport House What everyone learned from this engaging process is that Angola has and tenants. We take a tour and survey progress to date 16 Pepper Street magnificent natural riches which need to be cherished. London E14 9RP 38 United Kingdom The millions of Angolans who have followed the contest closely now 44 QHSE: IMPROVING WORK Tel + 44 20 7510 9595 know what their country has to offer them as tourists. The hope is that they Fax +44 20 7510 9596 [email protected] will help protect and preserve the Magnificent Seven and indeed all the other Quality, health, safety and the environment are major Sonangol Shutterstock www.universo-magazine.com wonders so that future generations can share the same enjoyment. concerns. We meet the QHSE team to see how they're reaching www.sonangol.co.ao these goals [email protected] John Kolodziejski 50 BOARDROOM BIOGRAPHIES Editor The backgrounds of Sonagol EP’s board members 44 2 SONANGOL UNIVERSO JUNE 2014 3 Angola news briefing Angola news briefing State visit to France Vatican homage ■ After making his visit to France, President dos Santos went to Rome, where Pope Francis received him in audience at the Vatican. Both acknowledged the important contribution of the Catholic Church to Angola through its educational and healthcare institutions. They also discussed various challenges in the region, such as the fight against poverty and social inequality. During his trip President dos Santos laid a wreath at the ‘O Negrita’ tomb. This contains the remains of a 16th-century envoy sent by the Congo Kingdom to make contact with the church authorities. ■ President José Eduardo dos Santos Angop made a three-day state visit to France at the end of April, where he met his counterpart François Hollande. In a speech to 80 key business people, President dos Santos encouraged investment in Angola to the mutual advantage of both countries. Angola hosts Great Lakes summit “We consider it of the utmost importance that foreign investors establish true ■ Luanda was the venue for a Summit “We believe that there are many ways partnerships with Angolan investors with of the Heads of State and Government that can bring the parties to end the crises reciprocal benefits, involving not only of the Committee of the International and conflicts, and help to normalise the capital investments, but also knowledge Conference on the Great Lakes Region situation in all the countries of the Great and technology transfers and shared (ICGLR) on March 24. The leaders Lakes region,” said President dos Santos. participation,” he told his audience. discussed issues concerning the In a further development, US Assistant The Angolan head of state pointed out situation in the Democratic Republic of Secretary of State for African Affairs that the country had now consolidated the Congo (DRC) and steps to be taken Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and President macroeconomic stability and controlled to neutralise the negative forces that still Obama’s special envoy to the Great inflation while undertaking an ambitious persist there. Lakes region, Russell Feingold, paid a public investment programme in rebuilding, The summit, hosted by President working visit to Angola on April 10–11. modernising and expanding infrastructure dos Santos, included Presidents Paul The move highlighted the strategic in health, basic sanitation, education Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza partnership dialogue that exists between and transport. (Burundi), Jacob Zuma (South Africa), the two countries and demonstrated US Joseph Kabila (DRC) and Denis Sassou support for Angola’s leadership role in Nguesso (Congo). the ICGLR. Angop 4 SONANGOL JUNE 2014 5 UNIVERSO African Press Organization Angola news briefing Angola news briefing US envoy praises Angola Ferry service Angolan census on track expanding rapidly ■ President dos Santos officially opened four new ferry terminals on April 3. Two ferry boats, each with capacity for 420 passengers, will operate between the terminals. The service will initially connect the main hub, the Port of Luanda, to the southern suburbs of Macoco and Kapossoka, and the resort island of Mussulo. Eventually ferries will link all the main points along Angola’s coast as well as in the River Zaire estuary. Associated Press Shutterstock ■ US Secretary of State John Kerry has praised Angola’s role in ■ Angola conducted a general population and housing census in mediating peace in the Great Lakes region. the period May 16–31. This was the first to be done in the country “We heard congratulations from the American Secretary of State for since 1970. Voters choose the initiatives undertaken by President José Eduardo dos Santos and The procedure will be crucial for drafting public and private the Angolan government so that the continent may know peace,” said policies intended to improve Angola’s living conditions and the Angola’s foreign minister, Georges Chikoti. geographic distribution of the population. The census will discover 7 Natural Wonders Mr Kerry held private talks with President dos Santos during his how many Angolans there are, where they are and how they live. 48-hour visit, and the two men also discussed a $600 million credit for Camilo Ceita, general director of the National Statistics Institute ■ The result of Angola’s nationwide vote to select the Angola from America’s Ex-Im Bank to finance the purchase of more (INE), is co-ordinating the 2014 census. INE was temporarily nation’s top seven natural wonders was announced on May Boeing aircraft. Angola’s largest employer during the nationwide operation, with 2. Angolans in their thousands responded to the campaign, Virgilio Pinto around 65,000 people gathering information. Provisional results will which aims to publicise and protect the country’s natural be published three months after all the data is collected. assets and attract sustainable tourism. The top seven natural marvels were: the Fenda da FIGURED OUT Angola in numbers Tundavala, a spectacular gorge in Huíla province; the Mayombe rainforest, Cabinda; the Kalandula waterfalls, Malange; the Nzenzo Grottos, Uíge; Lake Carumbo, Lunda Norte; Rio Chiumbe waterfalls, Lunda Sul and the Morro do Môco mountains in Huambo. $594 million 35,000 diamond sales from Angola’s Catoca mine in 2013 number of homes Sonip is currently building Portuguese now enjoying Angolan beer $16 billion amount of Total investment in projects in Angola ■ Cuca, the market leader in Angolan beer, is now exporting to Portugal. It dispatched a first consignment of 86,000 bottle to Portuguese wholesaler Makro in April. Angolans living and working