The information was disclosed to the Angolan press, as part of a visit to China to speak with the contractor about the conclusion of work on the future airport. Thus, the holder of the Transport portfolio said that they were "preparing the necessary parts" to launch the tender.
"We are preparing the necessary parts for the launch of the international tender. We should launch this international tender in September 2023," he said, quoted by Angop.
Thus, for the referred tender, qualified companies in the management of international airports in the world are expected, writes Angop.
According to the person in charge, the executive already has some "targets with whom" he would like "to work and who have also expressed interest".
Ricardo D'Abreu also made it known that the Government's intention is to start operating the NAIL through cargo transport and, subsequently, move forward with the following stages.
He also took the opportunity to mention that the contract is progressing at a "good pace", and his trip to the Asian country serves to conclude technical details, namely technological matters, equipment to be installed in the infrastructure, among others, with a view to operationalizing of the venture within the established deadlines, writes Angop.
Among other aspects, according to Angop, the official said that the Office of Operationalization of the new airport, two weeks ago, declared open the candidacies for functions of the future airport infrastructure, considering that young professionals will be needed to guarantee the activity of the new airport.
In an exclusive interview with the Chinese TV CGTN chain, the holder of the Transport portfolio reiterated the inauguration of the infrastructure for the end of the year: "We are in the final phase of the contract for the new international airport Dr. António Agostinho Neto. We are convinced that by the end of the year it will be inaugurated and ensure its operationalization immediately".
"At the moment we have several activities taking place simultaneously in Luanda. Both the civil construction works, which are in the final phase, and the level of physical execution of the works which are in the order of 85 percent, and by the end of the year it will be completed according to the contractor's work schedule, in this case AVIC [Avition Industry Corporation of China]", the person in charge also informed.
During the interview, Ricardo D'Abreu said that it is "a large and very complex infrastructure and a reference for the largest airport built at one time by a Chinese company and one of the largest airports on the African continent".
Thus, he considered that they had "the opportunity there" to ensure "the support of the need for diversification of the Angolan economy, both in terms of support for the tourist activity, guaranteeing better connectivity" with the country, but "also from the point of view of the treatment capacity of goods and cargo".
"One of the strategic factors and competitive advantages that we want to introduce in this new infrastructure is its ability to handle cargo. And this element – cargo, obviously brings us to China, because currently Angola is already a transit point of goods from Latin America to China, and with great potential for development. We want to develop a hub – a connection point, important logistics in what concerns the Betl and Road initiative", said the minister to CGTN TV.
The minister also said that there are other initiatives for works and infrastructural projects, not just in the field of transport. "Our relationship with the China Popular Republic, it is strategically very relevant, because China, was in crucial moments of our country, as the moment right after the achievement of the peace, in which the China Popular Republic, had a very strong role, in what was the reconstruction of a country, much suffered and obviously destroyed by the war that took some years", he added.
Ricardo D'Abreu also considered that at the moment they continue "to have this strategic relevance with China, exactly allowing other important infrastructure projects to be carried out in strategic areas such as transport, energy and water and other important projects".
According to a note from the Transport Ministry, Ricardo D'Abreu's visit lasted four days and ended on Tuesday afternoon. This aimed to "guarantee the necessary conditions to comply with the inauguration schedule of Dr. António Agostinho International Airport in Luanda, whose construction works are in charge of the Avition Industry Corporation of China AVIC – which is the general contractor".
