Angolan Ambassador to Nigeria, Jose Bamoquina Zau has revealed plans to open the Angola-Nigeria Bilateral Joint Commission early next year.
Besides, Bamoquina Zau also called on Nigerian investors to come invest in his country.
He made the call during the 49th Angola national day celebrations held in Abuja, Nigeria on Monday 11 November 2024.
Angola, an oil rich country got its independence from Portugal on the 11th November, 1975. The country was engulfed in armed struggle for national Liberation which came to a halt in January 1975 following the change of government in Portugal.
Speaking at the Independence Day celebration, the envoy commended Nigeria and other countries for standing by them during the armed struggles for political emancipation and war.
He said as part of the efforts to strengthen relations with Nigeria, “By 2025, we want to open the year with the Angola-Nigeria Bilateral
Joint Commission Meeting to update all legal instruments that guide
our political, economic and military cooperation.”
He added: “Here we renew our invitation to investors from the countries that you
represent, to invest in: Little Wolf Corridor; Lobito Refinery; Tourism Infrastructure; New Luanda International Airport; Special Economic Zone; Barra do Dande Free Trade Zone; Agri-food industry and In the construction project of 1,300 kilometers of the 1st Angola
Highway that will connect the North and South of the country passing
through 13 Provinces.”
On Bilateral relations with Nigeria, the envoy said: “Our brotherly and cooperation with the Federal Republic of Nigeria
have lasted more than 60 years . They dating back to the beginning
of the Armed Struggle for National Liberation for the Independence
of Angola, end of the war and peacekeeping through the United
Nations –UNO
“Today our cooperation with Nigeria is strongly based on increased
trade between Luanda and Lagos. In the exchange of business
missions from the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the
Angola-Nigeria Business Council (ANBC).
“We are also committed to permanently agreeing positions in the
African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) and defending
common interests through the Gulf of Guinea Commission, where
important fishing and hydrocarbon reserves are concentrated.”
He said: “Angola has created a better environment for
business with the review of legislation on private and foreign
investments, protection and repatriation of profits.”
He also revealed that they are diversifying the economy and also carrying out energy transition to the use of CLEAN and environmentally friendly ENERGY.
“We invested $4 billion in photovoltaic, green hydrogen, biofuel and
hydro-electric dams to have 8 GIGA WATTS OF ELECTRICITY
available by 2025.”
The envoy therefore urged Nigerians to seize the opportunities to invest in the various sectors of the economy, assuring them of a better investment environment
Speaking on the occasion, the envoy said: “Today, we are celebrating 49 years of Angola’s Independence, after
long years of anti-colonial struggle and the achievement of definitive
peace throughout the national territory.
“This struggle cost thousands of human lives, millions of Angolans were
displaced from their comfort zones and thousands of infrastructures
vital to the country’s economic and social development were
destroyed.
“The country was completely mined from North to South. Large
investments were needed to demine millionsof square kilometers of
our territory in order to once again construct roads and rail lines and
make use of arable land.
“Today, we are at the forefront ofa new struggle: the fight for the
country’s economic and financial stability and the consolidation of
social development projects.
This entire process was only possible due to the support of the
International Community, sister countries and friends of Angola.
Notably, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cuba, the Russian
Federation and the People’s Republic of China, which in Angola’s
most difficult moments, took up the challenges of rebuilding the country in different sectors.”
