The decision was taken at last Thursday's Council of Ministers, along with other measures to shrink the administrative apparatus and cut public spending because of the 'shocks' caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
The media portfolio now joins the existing Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology, in accordance with the presidential legislative decree of 1 April, which approves a change in the organisation of the President's auxiliary bodies.
Culture, Tourism and Environment, which used to form separate ministerial departments, are now merged into one super-ministry.
The same applies to Agriculture and Fisheries, which are now under the same umbrella as Industry and Trade.
The Ministry of National Defence will also bring together the Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland, previously in separate portfolios.
The Territorial Administration will drop the State Reform, which was in the previous costume, while the Ministry of Public Works will absorb that of the Territorial Planning
The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum now also adds Gas to its designation.
Finance Minister Vera Daves said after the Council of Ministers approved the reduction of ministerial departments from 28 to 21 that the next step would be the merger of public institutes and national directorates.
The aim was also, according to the final communiqué of the meeting, to reduce to a minimum the possibility of conflict of interests and competences, as well as to provide greater rationalisation of public spending.
The Government foresees a significant revision of the General State Budget (GSB) forecasts, anticipating a recession of 1.2 percent, oil below 35 dollars and the price of diamond carats at 100.3 dollars.
"Angola is being hit by a wave of several shocks, at the level of public health," Vera Daves said at the time, noting that the country, which declared a state of emergency for 15 days extendable on 20 March, is being hit "by restrictions on mobility, international trade," and "in the production of various types of goods that are reflected in lower trade flows.
