On the eve of the visit to Luanda by the head of Brazilian diplomacy, Carlos Alberto França, to participate in the Brazil-Angola high-level bilateral commission and in the ordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, the ambassador of Brazil to Angola, Rafael Vidal highlighted the "intensity of bilateral relations", underlining the interest in relaunching the strategic partnership, with a focus on commercial and economic channels.
"We must prioritize the recovery of trade and the resumption of high-level investments by Brazil in Angola and vice versa," the diplomat told Lusa, recalling that Angola and South Africa are Brazil's only strategic partnerships in Africa, which involves high-level meetings.
In less than a year, since the official visit to Angola of the Brazilian vice-president, Hamilton Mourão, a new meeting of the Brazil-Angola High Level Bilateral Commission (CBAN) is taking place on Wednesday.
In addition to this meeting, Carlos Alberto França will also participate in the XXVII Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), on Friday.
Earlier, in February, the second meeting of the Brazil-Angola Cooperation and Facilitation Agreement (ACFI) Joint Committee was also held, involving the public and private sector, demonstrating that there are favorable conditions for the expansion of investments between the two countries, with an estimated portfolio of around 1.8 billion dollars, according to the Brazilian ambassador.
The amount involves Brazilian capital already installed in Angola or planned for new projects, including the first phase of the construction of the Cabinda refinery, the Barra do Dande port terminal (in Bengo province) and the fuel storage and marketing hub, both under the responsibility of Novonor/Odebrecht (OEC), centralities in some provinces, and the development of a drug factory in the Special Economic Zone, he said.
In perspective is also the cultivation of rice associated with an agro-industrial project of rice, corn and beans, by the Brazilian company Ruzene in partnership with the Angolan Sílaba, which is being financially structured with an Angolan bank.
Another promising area for Brazil is the agricultural development of irrigated areas, in view of the Angolan government's projects to combat drought in the Cunene Valley and the Brazilian experience of irrigation and support for family farming in the São Francisco Valley, a region located between the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia and Pernambuco, which has become an important producer of fruits and vegetables.
"The idea is, through cooperation, to help the Angolan government to carry out the economic development of the Cunene Valley, as was done in the São Francisco Valley, especially because the geographical similarities are great", stressed Rafael Vidal, adding that this objective is in line with the priorities of the President, João Lourenço.
Finally, the potential of sustainable tourism is highlighted.
"We are proposing to the Angolan government a very creative and innovative partnership, which is investment in sustainable tourism, involving 'know-how' and capital from Brazilian companies, in concession areas, on the coast", said the diplomat.
Associated with tourist developments would be environmental projects, including water and waste treatment, waste recycling, urban rehabilitation and water desalination, said Rafael Vidal, noting that the proposal, which involves the Brazilian Hotel Association, has already been presented to the Angolan government.
