In a statement, Ecodima, which brings together the country's main formal operators in the trade and distribution sector, emphasized that the incidents cause "disruptions to the sector's operations, with a direct impact on the integrity of supply chains, the safety of employees, and the preservation of corporate assets."
To ensure the "safeguarding of people and property," Ecodima announced that it temporarily closed its commercial establishments at 5:00 p.m. this Monday to "guarantee the mobility and safety of employees working in the commercial sector."
Several banks and commercial establishments issued alerts throughout the day announcing the closure of branches and establishments until Wednesday.
The events recorded this Monday in Luanda coincided with the taxi operators' strike and the demonstrations against the rising cost of living also scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in the capital.
In its statement, Ecodima emphasizes that "attacks and vandalism have been recorded at several commercial establishments and distribution centers, putting at risk not only private investments but also the regular supply of essential goods to the population."
Ecodima recalls that the sector it represents "is one of the main pillars of the formal economy, responsible for thousands of direct and indirect jobs, the majority of non-oil tax revenue, and the regular distribution of basic necessities nationwide."
"Any severe disruption to its normal operations compromises not only the immediate well-being of the population, but also the country's fiscal, social, and economic stability, as well as the normal supply and replenishment of stocks," it adds.
In this sense, Ecodima urges the public not to attack private properties and commercial establishments, which it emphasizes are "the guarantor of jobs and the livelihood of thousands of families," and that vandalism "compromises the continued maintenance of related jobs."
Also this Monday, in a statement read on television, the Ministry of the Interior classified the events that have occurred in Luanda "since the early hours" as "criminal acts," considering that they "represent an attack on the democratic and rule of law."
"These criminal acts, which undermine public stability, represent an attack on the democratic and rule of law and on the well-being of citizens," a statement read on national television emphasized.
