Speaking to journalists after the inauguration, which took place this Tuesday, João Lourenço stressed that that space will "more easily" help young Angolans to be absorbed by the labor market, but also to "develop their own businesses, be independent and not waiting for an employer".
"In my view, this is the most important aspect of what can be achieved here with this centre", he underlined.
The head of state said that there is already a project of the kind in the province of Uíge, on a smaller scale, and it is intended that "whenever possible" similar projects are extended to other parts of the country, in a regional dimension.
The President appealed to the youth to make good use of information technologies and to those who misuse it to refrain from these practices.
"There are those who use them well, there are those who use them badly, our appeal is that they always use them well", said João Lourenço, adding that for those who misuse them, "refrain from the practices that you have been carrying out so far and use these instruments, this knowledge, which they end up acquiring, at the service of themselves, their families and society".
For his part, the Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication, Manuel Homem, said that the infrastructure had started its works in 2016, however, paralyzed for financial reasons and resumed in 2019, with own resources from the sector and the public treasury. .
The work had a final cost of construction and equipment budgeted at around 1.3 billion kwanzas.
Manuel Homem stressed that Digital.AO aims to facilitate the transformation of innovative ideas from young Angolans into concrete and sustainable businesses.
According to the minister, the infrastructure is equipped with information technology and telecommunications equipment "capable of responding to your needs".
The building located in the urban district of Rangel, in the province of Luanda, brings together three floors, with several compartments, which are distributed over six 'startup' rooms with the capacity to house about 25 entrepreneurs simultaneously, 12 multifunctional spaces for working', meeting room, videoconferencing, training, capacity building and international certification training.
The infrastructure also includes an auditorium, a laboratory for training in electronics, analog, digital and robotics, in addition to other digital services, including the registration of point AO domains, the software factory, the hosting of web pages and email corporate email, incubator, mentoring and monitoring of 'startups'.
The official stressed that the training laboratories for the assembly and installation of video surveillance cameras, training for repair, maintenance and configuration of computers, printers and mobile phones, training in testing and fiber optic cables, training in assembling antennas and satellite transmission systems, Cisco and Huawei expertise in configuration.
Users of that infrastructure will also be able to take advantage of training in the area of design and installation of computer networks, configuration and installation of telephone exchanges, training for the development and production of multimedia content, graphic design, digital marketing and management of social networks. .
"The space we present today was not born in isolation, but is part of the strategy for medium and long-term massification and digital inclusion throughout the national territory, involving various sectors and personalities of society, where various programs and projects are generating more appreciation of ICT, increase of digital and technological literacy, improvement of professional qualification, increase of business competitiveness and improved offer of electronic products and services", he said.
The minister highlighted that professionalization scholarships were awarded, generally covering young people with low financial capacity, having been trained and qualified, in the last four years, in various technical and technological areas, close to 10,000 people.
João Lourenço inaugurated technology center Digital.AO budgeted at 1.3 billion kwanzas
The President of the Republic inaugurated the Digital.AO technological center, an infrastructure budgeted at 1.3 billion kwanzas, highlighting that it is an opportunity for training and insertion in the job market for youth.
