According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to which VerAngola had access, the Naval Group is responsible for this undertaking, and the infrastructure is expected to be inaugurated at the end of this year.
"With its own efforts, the Naval Group recently acquired, through a public tender, the facilities of the former Textang I factory, in the Boavista area, where it is carrying out its requalification and building the first Vegetable Oil Refinery in Angola, whose inauguration is scheduled for the end of this year", the note reads.
According to the general director of the project, Hélder Caetano, the works started approximately a year ago. "This work started about a year ago, it is budgeted at around 150 million dollars. It is part of our investment plan", he said, quoted by Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA).
The person in charge said that what can be expected from this venture are "good quality products" and also jobs: "You can expect good quality products and some employment".
He also said that they hope "it will bear fruit", mentioning that they also have their eyes set on exports.
The project manager, Tiago Narciso, said that the intention is to "respond" to the needs of the market. "We want to respond to all the market's needs (...)", he stated, quoted by RNA.
It should be noted that the future factory was visited, on Saturday, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, who was accompanied by Cristiano Gallo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy in Angola, as well as senior officials from the ministry.
On that occasion – according to a statement from the authority, to which VerAngola had access – the holder of the Foreign Affairs portfolio "received detailed information about the new project that could soon benefit the population of Luandina and beyond".
Téte António assured that foreign investors have the support of the Government. "Keep in mind that you have the support of the executive. The whole perspective that we heard in terms of not only promoting industrialization, which diversification is the path for us, but also complementarity with national production so that industries can use raw materials produced in the country", he pointed out, quoted by RNA.
The Italian ambassador said they were following the process of economic diversification. "The machines here are Italian, which means we are following a process of economic diversification," he said.
