To the detriment of Manuel Neto da Costa, Sérgio de Sousa Mendes dos Santos takes over as holder of the portfolio of Economy and Planning. Prior to this appointment, he was Secretary of State for the Economy.
According to a press release from the Civil House of the President of the Republic, quoted by Angop, João Lourenço also appointed Sérgio Leonardo Vaz to command the destinations in the province of Cunene. Until now, the post was held by Virgílio da Resurrição Tyova.
Abrahão Pio dos Santos Gourgel also found himself this Tuesday exonerated from the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Angolan Development Bank (BDA). In its replacement was named Henda Essanju English.
Economist says new minister reveals government instability
Angolan economist Precioso Domingos considered the appointment of a new Minister of Economy and Planning as a sign of “some government instability”.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Precioso Domingos reacted to the dismissal of Manuel Neto da Costa from the post of Minister of Economy and Planning, for which Sérgio de Sousa Mendes dos Santos was appointed.
For Precioso Domingos, just as the President of the Republic has a five-year term, "it was important that he was also very careful when selecting his assistants, so that they have a term".
“On the other hand, the President of the Republic leaves the people he nominates very confused, when goals are not defined, it is not said what is expected of the ministerial incumbents”, he stressed, exemplifying that the former minister was exonerated, but “no it was said, from the point of view of performance, what it is that he will have failed and, however, of the nominee what is expected ”.
Precioso Domingos also pointed out that the problem of the economy at that time, whether from the Ministry of Economy and Planning, or from another, “is not in the people alone”, who must have “talent, capacity, curriculum vitae, history”, but is in the architecture of the economic team, the bodies or the economic institutions, “that doesn't help”.
"I don't see the new minister being very different or being an asset compared to the old one, because the Ministry of Economy has a big problem, there is a lot of fragmentation", he stressed.
