缅北禁地

The first question is straightforward: Is Angola ready for business?

Angola has been ready for business for a long time. If we analyze the history of Angola before independence, trade was very prosperous, so prosperous that Angola imported only supposed superfluous products. We were very self-sufficient in terms of food.

Where would you like Angola鈥檚 economy to be?

Our short-term ambition is not to depend so much on oil exports. We want to diversify the economy.听

That means increasing production for听almost all听goods, not just primary ones. We must increase agricultural production to feed our population and accelerate our country's industrialization. We need to increase production also for export, with added value in processing.

Which primary products do you want to focus on?

These are cereals, like corn, rice, beans, and animal protein鈥攅ggs and chicken. That is why we have major programmes like听

• PLANAG脙O, for promoting grain production in agriculture for cereals,听
• PLANOAPESCA, for promoting fisheries, and听
• PLANOAPECU脕RIA, for promoting and developing livestock.

Does the government鈥檚 programme for agriculture support the private sector?

In these three major programmes, the state and the private sector are in alignment. The private sector鈥檚 involvement is fundamental within the institutional framework of the state.听

Naturally, arable lands belong to the state, and the state gives concessions for these lands to private entities, especially for agriculture purposes.

Do you have incentives such as financing guarantees for the private sector?

Yes, there are significant incentives. For programmes that we need to develop, banks like the听Banco Nacional de Angola [Angola鈥檚 central bank] are providing incentives such听as financing with lower interest rates than those offered by commercial banks.听

For essential products, we are lowering the Value Added Tax, from 14 per cent to 5 per cent.

These initiatives support the private sector.

Are you making any plans to take advantage of the AfCFTA, which will allow the free flow of goods and people and eliminate most tariffs on goods?

We are working with the听听on a national strategy for implementing the AfCFTA. We think that by May or June of 2024, we will have it.听

I always say that, in Africa, we are competitors because most of the goods we produce in Angola are the same as those of Namibia, Zambia, or Congo. So, we need to seek听complementarity 鈥� offering goods and services that complement those of our neighbors. That鈥檚 why I asked ECA to analyze our strategy for complementary mechanisms that we can set up with our neighbours.听

Think of transportation. South Africa has an automobile industry, but the country doesn鈥檛 make all the parts of the car. Likewise, the parts of an Airbus aircraft come from various places鈥� the engine may be from England, the wings from Germany, the seats from Portugal or Spain鈥� and then the assembling is done in Toulouse, France. This is a necessary complementarity.

Conceptually, some tout the AfCFTA听听as a transformative project, one that will create millions of jobs and turn Africa around. What do you think?

Based on my experience and my knowledge of such matters in Europe where I studied, the AfCFTA is our aspiration; it will succeed only with serious political commitment from our countries.听

Without such commitment, AfCFTA is just another instrument, and each country can do business in its own way. There was such commitment in Europe. The countries managed to develop the EU to where it is now.

Are you very hopeful about its success?

I have hope, but I tell my colleagues [fellow trade ministers] that success requires continuing dialogue, explanation, and consent of the people. We can have a super-structure like the AfCFTA, but we must truly involve our people鈥攅ntrepreneurs, businesses, the private sector, students, and academia.听

Often with our programmes, we don鈥檛 pull everyone together, meaning we can鈥檛 be inclusive. So, if we can achieve inclusiveness, then we can move forward.

Women constitute about 70 percent of informal cross-border traders in Africa. How is the government supporting women traders?

Yes, women carry out a large percentage of informal trade. We have a programme, financed by the EU, to convert the informal economy into the formal economy. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Family, and Women Promotion is fully involved in this programme.听

In Bailundo, a village in Huambo, we met with a group of women who were applying what they had learned been taught by the University in Huambo to their honey production business. They could use a little support from the government.听

Honey production has increased across the country. Every part of the country 鈥� Huambo, Cuando Cubango, Moxico and so on 鈥� has honey. When we go to local trade fairs, we see a lot of honey, and it鈥檚 quality honey.

A gentleman keeps calling me, saying, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how I鈥檓 going to sell my honey. I don鈥檛 even have a car to transport my honey. I鈥檓 going to lose the honey. The honey will spoil.鈥� Imagine people like him all over the country!

So, we need to work on certification and everything else that adds value. Also, Train for Trade II has a honey programme, and I think we should explore it more vigorously.

From what you know about the Angolan industrial base, commerce, trade, and development, where do you see this country in the next five years?

The government is working to improve the living conditions of citizens. We are all working towards achieving food security. I am confident that we can significantly reduce our dependence on imports for some goods, increase production in many other goods, and ensure food security.