Francisco Pereira Furtado, who traveled to the oil-producing region in the north of the country for work, admitted that despite the stability, the authorities have been monitoring "the specific situation in Cabinda with apprehension".
"Cabinda is experiencing stability from the point of view of security and territorial defence, but phenomena involving acts planned from neighbouring territories have periodically created some situations of instability on the border, particularly with the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC]", said Francisco Pereira Furtado.
Without specifying these acts, the head of the Military Household of the President of the Republic said that this situation has been changing.
"Fortunately, for some time now, our neighbours (...), as a result of work carried out between the security and intelligence services of both countries, the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo have understood that good neighbourliness and the guarantee of security on the common border (...), particularly in the border region of the province of Cabinda, must take another direction", he stressed.
According to Francisco Pereira Furtado, the authorities in neighbouring DR Congo have begun to take action to "eliminate the gaps that existed in terms of hostile forces that could create instability along the common border".
"However, we still have other risk factors, namely the smuggling of foodstuffs, risks and threats in the transport of passengers and cargo along the river route between Soyo [Zaire province] and Cabinda, and we have had consequences that are within everyone's control, with the loss of human lives and resources, which could be safeguarded if the conditions (...) were better assured and with the stability they deserve", he said.
The minister stressed that the authorities are also concerned about the phenomenon of fuel smuggling, gold mining and smuggling, illegal immigration and the security of the coast and strategic objectives in the province of Cabinda.
Human trafficking, arms trafficking and smuggling, illegal fishing and insecurity around oil platforms were also cited by Francisco Furtado, noting that "they have created numerous constraints for companies in the oil sector and have constituted risks and threats to the security of these targets installed along the coast".
