The official's statements were made this Tuesday, at the VII Portugal-Angola Business Meeting, promoted by CCIPA and whose objectives were "to promote rapprochement with high-level businesspeople from Portugal and Angola, create new partnerships and joint ventures, explore opportunities of investment and business in both countries and deepen knowledge about the Angolan market and its potential".
According to the president of CCIPA, tourism, agriculture, education and infrastructure are the four sectors that "represent fundamental pillars for Angola's sustained growth", and "by investing in these strategic pillars, the country is create the necessary conditions for sustained economic growth, job creation, economic diversification and improved quality of life for the population".
At the time, he said he believes that "good business and solid relationships are born from trust".
"We believe that good business and solid relationships are born from trust. Therefore, at this meeting, we sought to create an environment conducive to greater knowledge and interaction between professionals from different areas, building even more bridges between Angola and Portugal", he stated.
"At CCIPA, as catalysts of opportunities, we act on several fronts to strengthen business relations between the two countries, and this event was another step in that direction", he added, quoted in the note.
João Luís Traça also assured that, although during the more than 35 years of the chamber of commerce, the "Angolan and Portuguese economies have gone through different cycles, business and commercial relations between the two countries have always been solid and multifaceted".
"The challenges faced today by Angolan and Portuguese companies are not due to the relations between them, but rather to the current economic cycle of the Angolan economy. In recent years, this economy has registered modest growth, which has an impact on the economy in general, not only at the exchange rate and budgetary level, but also with regard to opportunities for business collaboration. However, despite the current challenges, better times will certainly come", he stated.
Regarding the beginning of a new political cycle in Portugal, he said he believes that "it could be an opportunity to improve what is already good, requiring the creation of more conditions for Portuguese companies to invest in the sectors in which the Angolan economy is estimated to record greater growth in the coming years".
On the occasion, he also took the opportunity to remember that, since it was founded, CCIPA's mission has been to "stimulate commercial relations between Portuguese and Angolan companies", having reiterated the will and commitment to build together "an even more prosperous future for Angola and Portugal".
In addition to the president of CCIPA, the Portuguese ambassador to Angola, Francisco Alegre Duarte, also participated in the event, who, on the occasion, highlighted the commercial and business relations between the two countries.
"We have many Portuguese-Angolan companies, more than 1250 Portuguese companies, our commercial exchange is well over two billion euros, and we are the second largest supplier. We also invest and have an important tool, the financing line, which matters diversify. Go beyond public works and invest in agriculture, tourism and technical-professional training", he said, having also highlighted the "importance of human capital training by the private sector".
The diplomat also acknowledged that "this has been a challenging year".
"We are aware of the difficulties that businesspeople have faced. The Portuguese Government is informed and we know the challenges we have had, such as exchange rate instability, difficult access to currency. But we are here to help you overcome these challenges. Angola is a bet which is worth it. Relations between Portugal and Angola are fundamental and the work of Portuguese and Portuguese-Angolan companies is very important", he stated, quoted in the note.
The director of the Legal and Exchange Office of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Anatólio Domingos, pointed out that "the numbers do not reflect the business ties between the two people, nor the investment intention that exists".
"Portugal has financing solutions and we have a market and the possibility of deciding on these financing solutions," he added.
The official also highlighted the "importance of creating networking and contact opportunities between Portuguese and Angolan businesspeople, praising the promotion of the Portugal-Angola Business Meeting", the statement reads.
