João Lourenço said that, because Angola is committed to developing tourism in the Okavango/Zambezi area, it is “very seriously considering the possibility of building the Mavinga (Cuando Cubango) and Cazombo (Moxico) airports”.
“All this taking into account the great tourist potential that the Okavango Zambezi region has in these two provinces”, João Lourenço told the press at the end of the inauguration ceremony of the new Luanda International Airport, named after the first President of Angola, António Agostinho Neto.
The head of state highlighted that the two airports will be able to increase access to that region, which will also have two road connections.
“One of them has already started and is underway, the Luau, Marco 25/Cazombo connection. The other road connection in Cuando Cubango will be Cuito Cuanavale/Mavinga/Rivungo, which is in the demining phase”, declared the President.
In July this year, João Lourenço announced the holding of an investors' forum for that region of Angola in the Okavango-Zambezi project, the largest cross-border initiative in Africa, which connects 36 conservation areas in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
According to João Lourenço, the transport sector has made some gains, the most recent being the Lobito Corridor, handed over to a European consortium.
“This is a great gain for the sector. Others of lesser importance also happened, but perhaps they are not as relevant at this moment. We have now just inaugurated and put at the service of the nation and the continent this important infrastructure that will serve, not only now, but will serve as an important airport transport hub for Africa and the world”, said João Lourenço.
The head of state highlighted that, in the near future, other investments will be made, particularly the completion of construction work on two new airports, specifically Mbanza Congo, capital of the province of Zaire, and Catumbela, province of Benguela.
João Lourenço also highlighted the construction, with great participation from the private sector, of the Barra do Dande industrial logistics hub, with a port and rail transport component, “which will represent a great gain” for the country's economic and social development.
