"The provinces of Bengo and Shandong signed on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, in Caxito, a 'Declaration of Intent' within the scope of boosting and strengthening friendly and cooperative relations", informed the Provincial Government of Bengo, in a statement to which VerAngola had access.
According to the provincial government, the document "expresses the will of both parties to develop friendship and solidarity guided by equality and reciprocal benefit, namely in the promotion of cooperation programs taking into account development based on interests and options based on availability".
Furthermore, the declaration expresses "the interest of the parties in signing a twinning protocol in the near future", as well as "also engages the signatories in providing support for training internships and considers the sectors of economy, culture, education, sport, health, social action, planning and urbanism, environment, tourism and technology, as aspects of future twinning", the note reads.
Speaking at the declaration signing ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shandong People's Congress Sun Licheng said that last year, "the gross domestic product reached 1.2 billion dollars, the value of agricultural production exceeded the 142 billion dollars", considered as "advantages that provide economic solidity for cooperation with mutual benefits".
In turn, Maria Antónia Nelumba, provincial governor of Bengo, highlighted the growth of cooperation between the two countries. "In the last 20 years the volume of investment has gone from 150 million to around 27.34 billion dollars in 2022", she said, adding: "Cooperation is important because it allows working together to achieve common objectives and obtain mutually advantageous benefits."
According to the statement, the Chinese delegation, in Angola since October 31, concluded its agenda in the province of Bengo, having visited the Novagrolíder agricultural farm, among others.
