Luís Montenegro, on his second day of visiting Angola, addressed Angolan and Portuguese businesspeople present at the Portugal-Angola Economic Forum, after visiting the Luanda International Fair (FILDA) where he visited the Portugal pavilion and spoke with those responsible of some of the 20 national companies present.
The Portuguese Prime Minister stated that the executive intends to have a more investment-friendly tax regime to attract investment to Portugal, in an implicit reference to the Government's proposal to lower the IRC from the current 21 percent to 15 percent in three years, which has not yet been debated or voted on in parliament.
The head of the Portuguese government highlighted that there are many Portuguese companies that are already exporting and that contribute to Angolan exports and that Portugal is "with open arms" to welcome Angolan companies to Portugal.
"We are truly open to anyone who can believe in the Portuguese economy", he told the businesspeople, stressing that "Angola opens the doors of this region, this continent to Portuguese companies, and Portugal opens the doors of Europe to Angolan companies, the doors from another large market".
"We are interested in capturing, in attracting your investments", he urged, stressing that there are in Portugal human resources "of the highest quality", higher education establishments "of excellence" and potential knowledge acquired in many areas of the economy to be able to accommodate these investments.
"My presence here is also to tell you this, to tell you (...) that we have a lot of confidence in what Portuguese companies can do in Angola, but I also want Angolans to know that we have a lot of confidence in what Angolans can do do in Portugal", he insisted.
The head of the Portuguese government stated that investment decisions are up to companies, but assured that, on the executive side, the objective is to facilitate investments through public policies and bring out the potential that exists in organizations and people.
Montenegro used the traditional Angolan expression "we are together" to highlight the proximity in the political and economic relationship, adding that strategic sectors for Angola such as agriculture and fisheries are also strategic for Portugal, but also "together in language" and in the connection of friendship and cultural.
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Rui Miguéns de Oliveira, also addressed at the Forum the importance of the private sector, the "backbone" of the Angolan economy, saying that food security is a national goal for the coming times.
He added that Angola wants partnerships with "everyone who wants to work for this purpose and pointed out the wine sector as an example of collaboration, in which the experience of Portuguese businesspeople can help Angola in production, being a "space of complementarity for Portuguese producers to grow with Angolan businesspeople".
