By: Mnena Iyorkegh, Abuja
Angolan Ambassador to Nigeria, Jose Bamoquina Zau has called on Nigerian investors to explore invest opportunities in his country.
The Envoy made the call in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, at Angola’s national day, and the 49th Independent anniversary, with the theme: Unity, productivity, and sustainable development”.
Speaking at the commemoration, the Ambassador stressed on the need to strengthening economic, political, and military cooperation between both nations. While assuring Nigerians of a better investment environment.
“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. 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”, he said.
He also noted that: “Angola has created a better environment for business with the review of legislation on private and foreign investments, protection and repatriation of profits. We are diversifying our 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,” he noted
The Envoy commended Nigeria and other countries for standing by them during the armed struggles for political emancipation and war.
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.
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”, envoy said
Also speaking, the Director General Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba-Ndace, said the event was not just about Angola, but about Africa, adding that for nations of Africa to be respected, they must be very intentional about how narrative is built around Africa.
“Whatever we do as nations of Africa, for us to be respected, we must be very clear. We must be very intentional about how narrative is built around us. And therefore, I want to urge all of us and also to appeal to all ambassadors that, Voice for Nigeria’s platform is available to all of you to tell your own story, because we’re in the age of misinformation and disinformation”.
“And therefore, nations must be very clear and very assertive about shaping their own narrative on the global stage. The story of Angola is the story of resilience of the African continent. And this is the time for us to go forward, look beyond the years of colonialism and go forward with determination, believe in our nation, and believe that it is possible”, he added.
Angola, is known to have engulfed in armed struggle for national Liberation which came to a halt in January 1975 following the change of government in Portugal.
The Southern African oil rich country got its independence from Portugal on the 11th November, 1975.
