According to a note from CIPRA, to which VerAngola had access, during the visit, João Lourenço visited the entire perimeter of the project.
"Always accompanied by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Maria do Rosário Bragança, the Head of State toured the entire perimeter of the works, observing the pace of work in buildings to be built from scratch and in old facilities that benefit from improvements", the note reads.
On the occasion, Maria do Rosário Bragança said that they have "this park installed in an area of 60 thousand square meters" and that "nine new buildings will be built".
Among the park's strengths, she mentioned "(...) the national scientific research center which currently also has laboratories at the Agostinho Neto University installed here, namely the botany center, the plant genetic resources center".
Quoted by Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA), the minister also said that "the area will include park administration, a business incubator, spaces for research centers, space for consolidated companies, a library, an auditorium with up to around 250 seats, offices, restaurant, commercial area, a greenhouse (...)".
In turn, Ricardo Queirós, coordinator of the Science and Technology Development project, stated that construction of the park began in February 2023 and that there are "five buildings under construction at the moment and the rehabilitation of the national scientific research center, in addition to of streets and other work in progress", adding that there are nine buildings to be built from scratch and others to be rehabilitated.
The coordinator also mentioned that the execution of the contract is around 46 percent: "In terms of execution, we are at around 46 percent in terms of financial execution."
He also informed that the works should be completed next year. "Completion is scheduled for 2025, the second half of the year (...)", he stated, quoted by RNA.
According to the CIPRA note, the future park "is a public investment valued at one hundred million dollars, ninety percent financed by the African Development Bank."
"When completed, it will be a complex of several buildings with different values and purposes, nine of which are new. Technological research, in its broadest concept, is the ultimate aim of this project by the Angolan State", also reads in the communicated.
