According to presidential decree n.º 71/23, of March 14, consulted this Thursday by the Lusa agency, trade negotiations in Angola are currently marked by the existence of several negotiating commissions and, within the framework of the political agenda of the Government for international trade, there was a need to create a single entity that would integrate specialized staff in matters of bilateral, multilateral and plurilateral trade negotiations.
The CNNC is a multisectoral body in charge of conducting multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations, analyzing agreements to which Angola is a party and ensuring institutional strengthening at national and sub-regional level in terms of trade negotiations.
Among its attributions, the CNNC will technically support the executive in his decisions regarding trade negotiations in its various domains, establish the guidelines for negotiations in discussions on the Commercial Organization of Commerce, Free Trade Area of the African Development Community Africa (SADC), African Continental Free Trade Area, Tripartite Free Trade Area and others.
The body is headquartered in the province of Luanda, capital of Angola, at the premises of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and is coordinated by the Minister of State for Economic Coordination, who is responsible for representing the CNNC, signing contracts on behalf of the structure, approving the proposal of CNN's budget, among others.
The CNNC coordinator is assisted by the holder of the Industry and Commerce portfolio, who replaces him in his absences or impediments.
The ministers of Industry and Commerce are part of the commission; of the Interior; of Foreign Affairs; Finance; Economy and Planning; Agriculture and Forestry; Fisheries and Marine Resources; Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; Public Works, Urbanism and Housing; Energy and Water; Transport; Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication; Health; Culture and Tourism; Environment, the Secretary for Economic Affairs of the President of the Republic and the chairman of the board of directors of the Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX).
The CNNC is also supported by a technical unit, coordinated by the Secretary of State for Commerce, made up of representatives of the ministerial departments that make up the body.
"Whenever the matters to be negotiated or the specificity of the matters to be dealt with so justify, the coordinator may invite other representatives of the public or private sector, civil society and academia to, as external experts, assist in the execution of the tasks of the CNNC, without prejudice to the possibility of its integration, with the status of observer", says the decree.
