Ricardo de Abreu, who was speaking to journalists in Luanda on the sidelines of a round table on PPPs, said that the sector had also secured investment commitments of almost 1.5 billion dollars in the same period.
"With the signing of the extension of the Lobito corridor to Zambia that we will do later this year, we will increase this number even further. The overall project to connect to Zambia is worth 5.2 billion dollars and this obviously gives us a very important position here in the region and for the global economy", he declared.
The minister stressed that PPPs are included in the sector's master plan, from the point of view of boosting and investing in transport and service infrastructures.
According to the minister, the sector has been opting for this mechanism, starting with the concession of the multipurpose terminal at the Port of Luanda, the "most emblematic" project, the Lobito Corridor, which currently allows a private operator to make investments and seek to guarantee the extension of the railway line to Zambia.
"This year we will sign an agreement to extend the railway to Zambia, an investment that will be fully financed by the private sector, not the State. And we have very interesting cases, such as Doutor António Agostinho Neto Airport, which is also in the tendering phase for its concession," he said.
The Minister of Transport stressed that other important projects are on the agenda to be dealt with this year, such as the southern railway corridor in the Namibe province, the Caio deep-water terminal concession project in Cabinda and the Barra do Dande free trade zone.
Regarding public transport, Ricardo de Abreu said that preparations are being made to change the operating model of public transport at a national level, as well as the pricing model, the basis for ensuring the attraction of the private sector and the commitment to sharing risks with the public sector.
In his opening speech, the Minister of Planning said that PPPs are essential for the sustainable development of the country and an innovative approach to overcoming the scarce and insufficient public resources.
Victor Hugo Guilherme said that PPPs improve efficiency in project implementation, increase transparency and public trust in partnership processes.
"We are therefore working to ensure that PPPs can represent a viable solution, allowing the private sector to contribute capital, expertise and operational efficiency, while the public sector ensures that social interests and equitable development are prioritized," he said.
According to the Minister, the main objective is to use PPPs to seek solutions "that guarantee, on the one hand, the rationality and sustainability of public finances and, on the other hand, the improvement of the quality of infrastructure, with an impact on transport, trade, industry and employment", as well as improving the quality of public services for the population.
