The European Times - Angola by The European Times

ANGOLA

ANGOLA INTRODUCTION • From independence and Civil War to oil riches: president J.e. dos santos

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES 3

• eu Delegation acting head highlights investment opportunities

• angola Benefits from over a Decade of peace and stability

• imF representative praises macroeconomic progress but urges structural reform

• Dutch ambassador outlines exceptional investment opportunities

• Both angola and eu Benefit from Closer relations

GOVERNMENT • Development and Democracy: angola’s Government

• minister of industry Cites Vast potential in Diverse sectors

• investing in angola: it’s not Just oil anymore

• hse-ap

EDUCATION • higher education a top priority

• angola making education a priority

ENERGY & MINING • ministry ready to partner with mining investors

• angola aims to more than triple power Generation Capacity

TOURISM

ANGOLA

• tourists and Wildlife return to angola

• ilhamar hotel

• hotel Continental

• Grup hotel Golden park

regional Director: aukje oostendorp – regional manager: Carleen Krug – project manager: maarten pennings – editorial: emily emerson-Le moing, andrew Burger – translator: Vera melo – Design: martine Vandervoort, Johny Verstegen, Walter Vranken, Dirk Van Bun the european times po Box 685 66 – London eC1p 1Xp – united Kingdom – phone: +44 (0)208 371 2356 – Fax: +44 (0)208 371 2410 info@european-times.com – www.european-times.com the european times is a trading name of Crystal mediacorp Ltd this guide is protected by copyright. all rights reserved. this publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored electronically or transmitted in any form, without the prior written permission of european times. every effort has been made to ensure information contained in this publication is correct and up-to-date. the authors and publisher accept no responsibility for any errors it may contain, or for any loss, ﬁnancial or otherwise, sustained by any person using this publication. 260214

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From independence and Civil War to oil riches: president dos santos © Agência Brasil

Angola has known just two presidents since winning a 13-year long war of independence from Portugal in 1974. The ﬁrst, Antonio Agostinho Neto, led the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in the

Angolan War of Independence and the early years of the Angolan Civil War, which lasted from 1975-2002. Taking control of the capital, Luanda, in November, 1975, Neto and the MPLA

established a one-party state and socialist economy.

angola’s second president, José eduardo dos santos, took ofﬁce in 1979 upon neto’s death from cancer in moscow at the age of 57. one of the longest serving government leaders on the african continent, José eduardo dos santos, now 81, continues to serve as angola’s president to this day, having paved the way for angola’s ﬁrst multi-party elections, winning the most recent in 2012. Like his predecessor, José eduardo dos santos’ organisational and political instincts and skills were developed and honed during the long, bitter, and divisive struggle for independence, the ensuing civil war, and the mpLa’s consolidation of power.

From humble origins to national leadership Born august 28, 1942, president dos santos rose from humble origins. his father was a retired mason and his mother a homemaker. the president-in-the-making ﬁrst became politically active in the early 1950s while a student at salvador Correia national Lyceum. the mpLa was born at that time, providing fresh impetus to the national liberation movement, with dos santos taking an active part in the operations of underground groups in Luanda’s suburbs.

José Eduardo dos Santos, President

returning to angola from the soviet union, where he earned a degree in petroleum engineering and received military training, dos santos was able to apply the skills and knowledge he acquired as Chief of the northern Front’s communication centre from 1970-1974. Dos santos continued to move up the ranks of the mpLa as

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the war of independence drew to a close and rival political parties’ militias vied with the mpLa for control of the nation. in June 1975, he was appointed the mpLa’s Coordinator of Foreign affairs. three months later, president neto supported dos santos’s election to the mpLa Central Committee and membership in the political Bureau. Following angola’s declaration of independence from portugal on november 11, 1975, dos santos was appointed angola’s minister of Foreign affairs. During his tenure, angola was admitted as a full member to both the organisation of african unity (oau) and the united nations. Following president neto’s death in 1979, José eduardo dos santos was elected chairman of the mpLa and angola’s second president. inheriting a fledgling socialist nation in the midst of civil war, dos santos nonetheless took the first steps to reform and open up the political system to other parties and move angola toward a market-based economy. namibia winning its independence in 1990 opened the way to peace, if not reconciliation. the cessation of violence and hostilities enabled dos santos to continue political and economic reforms. the mpLa won a majority of seats in angola’s supreme legislative body in 1992, the country’s first multi-party elections. Dos santos received 49.57% of all votes for the presidency. For a second time, dos santos was chosen to lead angola.

through civil war to oil riches the civil war continued to cause strife and divided angola for another ten years. the country has come a long way since the signing of the peace accord in 2002.

During president dos santos’ time in office, angola’s economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world, expanding at an estimated average 11.1% rate per year from 2001-2010. the primary driver of economic growth and government revenue during president dos santos’ tenure has been oil exploration and production, almost all of which is taking place offshore. angola’s net oil export revenue totalled an estimated us$68 billion in 2012, and has come to account for some 80% of government revenue and grants. With oil flowing from offshore fields discovered in the 1990s, oil production increased an average 15% per year from 2002-2008, with angola becoming the second-largest oil producer in sub-saharan africa over the past decade. in 2013, angola produced 1.7 million barrels of crude oil per day, with much of it exported to China, the country’s largest trading partner. responding to those who say that the president has failed to deliver an oil dividend to the vast majority of angolans, José eduardo dos santos in 2012 established a sovereign wealth fund and began funnelling oil revenues from sonangol, the state oil company and industry regulator, into it. the fund’s primary purpose is to make investments that will benefit and provide some financial security for all angolans, as well as insulate the economy from the vicissitudes of global oil markets. having led angola from the depths of civil war through economic and political liberalisation to oil riches, president dos santos is now focussed on cementing the gains made to date, addressing international and domestic criticism, and building for the future. that includes paving the way for a new leader of the mpLa and for angola.

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eu Delegation acting head highlights investment opportunities Carolina Cordeiro, Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Angola, discusses recent progresses the country has made.

European Times: Can you tell us about the relationship between the EU and Angola? Carolina Cordeiro: We have been working with angola for many years, first to provide humanitarian aid and then to assist the economic and social development in the country. in that sense, we are targeting social sectors where our assistance is most needed, particularly in the fields of rural development, education, water and sanitation, and energy. But over the past 10 years angola’s economy has been developing rapidly and we are adapting our activities here to respond to that. We are putting the focus on stronger political cooperation as well as stronger economic partnerships which involve the transfer of technology and know-how. We are working to redefine our relationship with angola for the future in order to adapt to the country’s needs. European Times: Can you highlight some major recent developments? Caroline Cordeiro: angola’s economy has developed tremendously over the past decade and we believe that the country has significant growth prospects. the country still presents specific challenges in terms of institutional capacity, development of a domestic market, and

bringing the benefits of development to people all over the country. however, great progress has been made. angola has also demonstrated an ability to maintain political stability and the democratic process, and we fully support the angolan government in its efforts. angola’s second elections were an important step forward. European Times: Can you single out some high-potential sectors for investors? Caroline Cordeiro: there are significant opportunities in all sectors. the services, iCt, transport, medical and pharmaceutical, agriculture and energy sectors, just to name a few, have great potential, and we have already seen strong european investment in the construction and banking sector. european companies are welcome here because of the technology transfer and know-how they can bring. European Times: What is your personal message to potential investors? Caroline Cordeiro: First of all, after its long civil war, angola has managed to maintain peace and security, achieve national reconciliation and a multi-party democratic government. this is a signifi-

Carolina Cordeiro, Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Angola

cant achievement investors should be aware of. at the same time, the country has experienced robust growth and further economic reforms aim to consolidate this positive record. my advice is that potential investors should come to angola, meet local people and learn about the country and its challenges and opportunities. they should establish fruitful partnerships in angola. angola definitely merits the attention of the international business community.

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ANGOLA introduction

angola Beneﬁts from over a Decade of peace and stability Serious problems and challenges remain, but

duction and foreign direct investment, as well as trade with China, international lending, and foreign aid.

– has made signiﬁcant strides in economic and

many challenges remain, however. effectively a one-party democracy, president José eduardo dos santos has ruled the country since 1979. though flush with cash from oil revenues, a large percentage of the population continues to live below the poverty line and still lacks access to reliable supplies of clean water, electricity, or basic sanitary and health services. Despite a tropical climate, ample freshwater resources, fertile soils, and a predominantly rural population, half the country’s food needs are met by imports.

Angola – now one of Africaʼs largest oil producers social development over the last ten years.

rich in ecological and cultural diversity, as well as natural resources and economic opportunity, angola still remains largely unknown and unexplored by international businesses and tourists. Yet the history of angola, and the events now taking place in this country on the western edge of africa, offer the world a salutary example of geopolitics and socioeconomic development in africa in microcosm, replete with promise, successes and heartbreaks. an independent angola has emerged from the aftermath of more than 40 years of war and civil strife – ﬁrst the angolan War of independence, which lasted from 1961 till 1974, then the angolan Civil War, which began in 1975 and ended in 2002. angola today holds all the promise and potential, as well as pitfalls and paradox, inherent in developing nations across the african continent. Beneﬁting from over a decade and counting of relative peace and stability, life in angola has improved substantially for many, fuelled by booming oil pro-

Furthermore, the rapid inﬂux of oil money and capital has been a two-edged sword, engendering something of a getrich-quick, winner-take-all mentality that has led to corruption and a very unequal distribution of income, wealth and beneﬁts across the country.

rising from the ashes of a 27-year civil war it’s difﬁcult for anyone who didn’t experience it to fully appreciate the devastation and despair caused by the angolan War of independence and the subsequent angolan Civil War. the latter served as a proxy war for the Cold War era’s

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Luanda

two superpowers, the us and the ussr, and drew in other countries as well, including south africa and Cuba. it is estimated that as many as 1.5 million people lost their lives, more than 4 million – one-third of the entire population – were internally displaced and another 0.5 million fled the country during the angolan Civil War. What remained in the aftermath was an all but totally destroyed infrastructure, a deeply torn social fabric, damaged ecosystems, and a devastated economy. much has changed since then, and for the better. international loans and foreign aid from governments around the world began flowing into angola in the wake of the signing of a peace accord in 2002, while the discovery of vast oil deposits off the coast and in northern Cabinda touched off a modern-day bonanza. economic activity skyrocketed, with national GDp growing more than 17% per year from 2004-2008. angola’s economy was one of the fastest growing in the world over the first decade of the new millennium, with the economist estimating that angola’s GDp rose an average 11.1% from 2001-2010. representing 45.1% of GDp and some 80% of government revenue, oil exploration and production, along with China trade, international loans, foreign aid and foreign direct investment, has provided funds for the government to rebuild angolan society. programs have been launched

to resettle displaced angolans, renovate old and build new infrastructure, boost agricultural productivity, and erect an institutional framework capable of bringing basic services to the population, the large majority of which live in rural areas and rely on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods. the heady growth and influx of oil revenue and foreign investment has proved difficult for angola’s leaders to manage, particularly given that half the population is 15 years old or under, however. having fallen some us$9 billion in arrears to foreign construction companies, angola in 2009 abandoned its currency peg and signed a us$1.4 billion stand-By arrangement loan to rebuild its currency reserves. Compounding this, angola’s economic growth – dependent largely on oil exports – dropped sharply to 2.4% in 2009 with the onset of the global recession. it has resumed since, however, with the economy estimated to have expanded 3.4% in 2010, 3.9% in 2011, 5.2% in 2012, and an expected 8.2% in 2013. though angola continues to face difficult challenges, significant progress is being made. angola’s economy is now the third-largest on the continent, after south africa and nigeria, and it ranks among the top 10 oil producers in the world. in a recent assessment, the african Development Bank noted that though it still ranks very low overall, angola has made “significant strides in a variety of human development indicators, including poverty, health and education.”

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imF representative praises macroeconomic progress but urges structural reform great strides in this area over the last few years and should receive credit for what it has accomplished. positive things are happening here that the international business community needs to pay attention to. But this obviously needs to be qualiﬁed as there is still a long way to go in improving the business environment. European Times: How has the IMF supported Angola’s development? Nicolas Staines: angola has been a member of the imF since 1989 and engagement has been mostly based on a surveillance relationship, as is the case with most imF’s members that do not have a formal program. angola was badly affected by the collapse of oil prices during the recent global crisis and requested support from the imF in late 2009 under a standby arrangement that focussed on restoring macroeconomic stability and improving transparency and the ﬂow of information to the public – and the program objectives were largely achieved. the imF’s engagement since the program ended in march 2012 has been less intense but we continue to follow developments closely as part of our ‘post-program monitoring’. We also provide policy advice, technical assistance and capacity building. angola is an important economy in sub-saharan africa and to the imF’s work on monitoring developments in the region, so we will continue to pay close attention. Nicholas

Staines,

the

IMFʼs

Resident

Representative in Angola, discusses the IMFʼs priorities for the country.

European Times: What would you like the international community to know about Angola? Nicholas Staines: in my view, the international community’s perception of angola’s macroeconomic management needs to be revised. the angolan government has made

European Times: How does Angola’s oil industry affect the economy? Nicholas Staines: angola has only recently emerged from a long conﬂict that severely depleted its economic and social fabric. in this context, angola’s large oil earnings provide valuable resources for reconstruction and development. But the needs are also high and known oil reserves limited, probably lasting only two to three decades. the oil earnings also bring large challenges typical to resource-dependent economies, such as high prices, an appreciating real exchange rate, an uncompetitive non-oil sector, and income inequality.

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an important legacy of the conflict is the weakened capacity of the state and the outsized role of the national oil company, sonangol. With both the financial resources and capacity, sonangol found itself involved in many areas that are properly the role of the state, complicating the implementation of macroeconomic policy. an important challenge is therefore to delineate relations between the oil sector and the budget more clearly and, more broadly, to strengthen the state’s capacity to deliver on its policy objectives. the 2013 budget is an important milestone as all state spending is now included within the budget envelope. angola’s heavy dependence on oil makes it vulnerable to oil price fluctuations. the tendency is for budget spending to follow oil revenues in a boom-bust cycle, as was the case over the recent global crisis. this is detrimental to macroeconomic stability and longer-term economic development. a major policy challenge is therefore to smooth budget spending in the face of volatile oil revenues by saving resources when oil prices are high and then drawing down on these savings when prices are low. the government’s work towards a medium-term macroeconomic framework is an important step in this direction. European Times: What are some other challenges Angola faces? Nicholas Staines: angola’s key developmental challenge is to diversify the economy to grow the non-oil sector. maintaining macroeconomic stability is the foundation stone. But angola also has to address the devastation of conflict and the challenges posed by its dependence on oil that together make it very difficult for local business to compete with imports. the priority is to build public infrastructure, especially for roads, water and electricity and this will go a long way to improve the external competitiveness of the non-oil sector. in the longerterm, improving education and human capital are essential to reduce angola’s reliance on imported skilled labour. angola also has a long way to go in improving the business environment in other areas, such as government regulation and bureaucracy, judicial systems, and access to financing.

easier to withstand another oil price shock: foreign reserves are much higher than before, the exchange rate is stable, inflation is in single digits, and non-oil fiscal deficits are more manageable. there has also been a significant, though uneven, move towards greater transparency and the flow of information to the public, as can be seen, for example, on the Central Bank’s website. these are important achievements, but angola’s still has a low rank on the World Bank’s ease of Doing Business index. the government’s capital infrastructure program will take time to complete as will the graduation of a generation with adequate schooling. in some ways, the structural changes needed at the microeconomic level are more difficult than those at the macroeconomic level and will require a sustained effort.

“Angola offers big possibilities for foreign direct investors that have the stamina to deal with a challenging but rewarding business environment.” European Times: How about opportunities for foreign investors? Nicholas Staines: angola offers big possibilities for foreign direct investors that have the stamina to deal with a challenging but rewarding business environment. the government has a large capital spending program over the medium term, and there are also opportunities that do not rely directly on the budget as the economic landscape is evolving rapidly. rates of return on investments have historically been high, but so are the hurdles, and companies coming to angola need to have a long-term focus and recognise that business in angola relies on building relationships. there are good examples of local and foreign partners doing business together. European Times: What do you predict for Angola’s future?

European Times: What progress has been made in coping with the challenges? Nicholas Staines: angola has greatly strengthened its macroeconomic management and has largely established macroeconomic stability. this now needs to be maintained. the country has built up the policy space that will make it

Nicholas Staines: angola’s prospects are positive. the country is much better placed than before to face another oil price crisis but now needs to make a concerted effort to address the structural hurdles to more diversiﬁed growth. the country’s oil earnings provide valuable resources to support this effort, but are also limited and need to be used carefully.

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Dutch ambassador outlines exceptional investment opportunities Susanna Terstal: angola is not an easy country to do business in, but the potential is massive. poverty remains a problem in spite of oil revenues. the new government recognises the country’s issues and is focused on diversifying the economy and on promoting FDi. For european investors facing a challenging climate in europe, angola represents a great new opportunity for tremendous returns on investment. this is not a country for easy money, but it is one which can result in great proﬁts for those willing to invest in angola and its people long-term. European Times: What is the Dutch embassy doing to support foreign investors?

Dutch Ambassador to Angola, Susanna Terstal discusses the tremendous opportunities Angola oﬀers European businesses and investors willing to persevere and help meet the countryʼs development needs. European Times: What is the relationship between Angola and the Netherlands? Susanna Terstal: the netherlands was one of the ﬁrst countries to recognise angola’s independence and the two countries have had a positive relationship ever since. initially the netherlands supported angola’s independence and recovery from the war, but now angola is mainly an economic partner. my role as ambassador here focuses on promoting Dutch investment in angola. European Times: What are the main opportunities for foreign investors in Angola?

Susanna Terstal: We have a programme to help Dutch companies find local partners and the privatesector investment programme (psi), which is open to non-Dutch companies, through which projects can receive up to 50% of their start-up funding from the Dutch government. We have several psi projects up and running. on a day-to-day basis, we answer trade requests from companies and help them in their first steps in angola. European Times: Can you single out some highpotential investment opportunities in Angola? Susanna Terstal: the agriculture sector is a major opportunity, although there are still land mines in the countryside. angola also offers hydropower potential, and the infrastructure and transport sectors deﬁnitely need foreign investment and have outstanding growth prospects. having a local partner is recommended for any investment here. European Times: What is your personal message about Angola? Susanna Terstal: i am an optimist. i believe that the current government is serious about diversifying the economy and developing the country. my advice to investors is not to wait, to come here and go for it!

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Both angola and eu Beneﬁt from Closer relations Located

the

simbrao de Carvalho. the eu and angola both stand to benefit greatly from forging closer relations, an opportunity recognised by both sides. With president dos santos and the ruling mpLa party intent on taking further steps to liberalise and strengthen both angola’s economy and its fledgling multi-party parliamentary democracy, the eu can play an important and valuable role in angola’s development.

European

Unionʼs capital city, the Angolan Embassy to the EU in Brussels, Belgium plays an important role

in Angolaʼs growing presence among

the

international

community of nations.

H.E. Maria Simbrao de Carvalho, Angolaʼs Ambassador to the EU

recovering and rebuilding in the aftermath of more than four decades of military conflict, angola’s economy has consistently been registering some of the highest growth rates in the world over the past decade. a growing list of european companies and investors have been joining their counterparts from China, other parts of asia, the u.s., the middle east and other parts of africa in flocking to the angolan capital of Luanda to establish their presence and capitalise on business development opportunities in the southwest african nation. Booming offshore oil production has been the main engine of economic growth, and government revenue, in angola. mineral resource development – in particular diamond mining – has historically been a significant part of angola’s exports and economic activity, and that continues

today. most every other aspect of angola’s economy and society, continue to suffer the devastating after-effects of the angolan War of independence and angolan Civil War, however. though attracting investment capital and development aid from the eu holds an important place on the angolan embassy to the eu’s agenda, it does not figure as prominently as it does for most diplomatic missions from african nations. Flush with cash from rising oil exports, and with its population and agriculture, water, energy, health, sanitation and educational infrastructure devastated by war, it is the transfer of knowledge and technology that angola requires most. this point isn’t lost on angola’s ambassador to the eu, h.e. maria

this is the case when it comes to sustainable development, renewable energy and clean technology, for example, areas in which the eu has been providing global leadership. angola still has a rich diversity of increasingly rare wildlife and healthy ecosystems, and these will increasingly come under pressure as fossil fuel; mineral and natural resource development continues. angolans and europeans both stand to gain by conserving and protecting them while also working to assure economic opportunities and healthy lives and sustainable livelihoods for all angolans. ambassador simbrao de Carvalho joined with her eu and other african counterparts in 2007 to lead the launch of the africa-eu energy partnership (aeep). moreover, both angola and the eu are members of the un’s sustainable energy For all initiative, which links the clean, renewable energy development and realisation of the un’s millennium Development Goals.

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Government

Development and Democracy: angola’s Government type of government

Government organisation

Formerly a one-party socialist state, the republic of angola has been gradually making a transition to a multi-party democracy over the past two decades.

Executive Branch: the executive branch is led by the president, who is both chief of state and head of the government. in addition to executive power, the president has the power to legislate by decree.

a shift from a popular to a parliamentary representative democracy took place in 2010 with the adoption of a new constitution. today, angola is classified as a one-party dominant state. angola’s most recent general election was held in august, 2012. the governing mpLa won a large majority (71.8%) of the popular vote. mpLa leader and incumbent president José eduardo dos santos was chosen to serve the first of a possible two consecutive terms in office under a new constitution that was adopted in 2010. manuel Domingos Vicente became Vice-president. one of the longest serving government leaders in africa, dos santos has led the mpLa and served as angola’s president since 1979.

prior to 2010, a prime minister had served as head of government. the office of prime minister was abolished with the adoption of a new constitution, with its powers and responsibilities assumed by the president. the office of vicepresident was created in its stead. the leader of the political party that wins a majority of votes in national elections becomes president as opposed to being elected by popular vote, which had been the case prior to the adoption of the new constitution in 2010. also under the terms of the new constitution, the president is limited to two consecutive five-year terms of office. Legislative Branch: the legislative branch of the angolan government is the

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national assembly, which consists of 220 representatives. 130 are elected by popular vote according to proportional representation and 90 are elected by provincial districts, of which there are 18. By law, national assembly representatives are elected for four-year terms. in practice, this has not been the case. Following an initial election in 1992, a second election wasn’t held until 2008. the most recent took place in august, 2012. Judicial Branch: Based on portuguese law, angola’s legal system is made up of the attorney General’s ofﬁce, the Constitutional Court, and the high Council of the Judicial power. the attorney General’s ofﬁce represents the state in defending the interests and taking punitive actions assigned to it by law.

political activism took root in his teens while a student at the Lyceum in Luanda during the early phases of the liberation movement. having established the mpLa’s youth wing, dos santos joined a stream of refugees ﬂeeing portuguese repression and helped set up resistance operations in the Congo. awarded a scholarship to study in the ussr in 1963, dos santos earned a degree in petroleum engineering at university in Baku, azerbaijan and received military training in communications. upon his return to angola, dos santos was appointed to a series of positions of increasing responsibility and prominence. upon winning independence from portugal, dos santos was appointed minister of Foreign affairs in 1975 and minister of planning in 1978.

the Constitutional Court is responsible for the administration of justice on legal and constitutional matters, including the constitutionality of international treaties and rules. it also reviews and considers appeals of all decisions made by other courts.

Dos santos was named president of the popular republic of angola in 1979 following the death of angola’s ﬁrst president, mpLa co-founder antonio agostinho neto. he led the mpLa and the angolan government through most of the angolan Civil War and began taking the ﬁrst steps to open up and liberalise angola’s political system and economy in the 1990s.

the high Council of the Judiciary is responsible for proposing the appointment of judges to the supreme Court; appointing, placing, transferring and promoting judges, and considering the qualiﬁcations and capacity of judges, including taking disciplinary action when necessary.

Winning the ﬁrst multi-party election in 1992, dos santos was elected president by popular vote a second time in 2008. he was re-elected to the ﬁrst of a possible two terms in 2012 under election rules established with the adoption of a new constitution in 2010.

the high Council of the Judiciary is composed of three lawyers nominated by the president of the republic, ﬁve lawyers nominated by the national assembly, and 10 judges elected by judiciary members. it is presided over by the president of the supreme Court.

Vice-President Manuel Domingos Vicente alongside president J.e. dos santos, Vice-president manuel Domingos Vicente rose through the ranks of the mpLa and angola’s government during the angolan War of independence and the angolan Civil War.

Key Leaders President José Eduardo dos Santos Born on august 28, 1942 in Luanda, president José eduardo dos santos has risen from humble origins to dominate angolan politics and government. Dos santos’

Born in Luanda, Vicente earned a degree in electronic engineering from the university of angola. having served as chief engineer and then head of the technical department at the ministry of oil from 1987-1991, Vicente was appointed deputy director-general of sonangol, the state-owned oil company.

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Government

Vicente was appointed sonangol’s chief executive in 1999, overseeing a rapid expansion of angola’s oil production. oil exploration and production is the largest sector of the angolan economy by far, accounting for some 80% of government revenues and 45% of GDp. Developing under his direction, sonangol’s reputation has grown. today it is considered by industry insiders to be one of the most professional national oil companies in africa. president dos santos appointed Vicente minister of state for economic Coordination in september, 2011, with Francisco de Lemos Jose maria taking his place as chief executive of sonangol. Designated second candidate by the mpLa in the run-up to the June, 2012 general election, Vicente became vicepresident in september, 2012 following the mpLa election victory.

ministers

minister of hotels and tourism pedro mutinde minister of Construction Waldemar pires alexandre minister of urbanism and housing José antónio da Conceição silva minister of energy and Water João Baptista Borges minister of transport augusto da silva tomás minister of environment maria de Fátima monteiro Jardim minister of telecommunications and information technologies José de Carvalho da rocha

minister of territorial administration Bornito Baltazar Diogo de sousa

minister of science and technology maria Cândida teixeira pereira

minister of public administration, employment and social security antónio Domingos pitra neto da Costa

minister of social Communications José Luís de matos

minister of Justice and human rights rui Jorge Carneiro mangueira minister of Former Combatants and motherland Veterans Kundi paihama minister of agriculture pedro afonso Canga

minister of health José Vieira Dias Van-Dúnem minister of education mpinda simão minister of higher education adão do nascimento minister of Culture rosa maria martins da Cruz e silva

minister of Fisheries Victória Christopher Francisco Lopes de Barros neto

minister of Welfare and social reintegration João Baptista Kussumua

minister of industry Bernarda Gonçalves henriques da silva martins

minister of Family and Women promotion maria Filomena Lobão telo Delgado

minister of oil José maria Botelho de Vasconcelos

minister of Youth and sports manuel Gonçalves muandumba

minister of Geology and mines Francisco Queiroz

minister of parliamentary affairs rosa Luís de sousa micolo

minister for trade rosa pedro pacavira de matos

(source: www.angola.org)

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• Investing in Angola: It’s Not Just Oil Anymore

Business & investment opportunities

“Angola has a number of investment incentives in place and we will announce new ones soon.” Bernarda Henriques da Silva, Minister of Industry

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Business & investment opportunities

minister of industry Cites Vast potential in Diverse sectors plastics. there are still many opportunities, for example in food production, since angola imports all its essential food yet the country has vast amounts of fertile land. one of the government’s top priorities is to encourage agriculture and food processing, including the production of crops, meat, poultry, dairy products and ﬁsh as well as animal feeds, fertilisers, machinery and related products. We also want to foster sustainable wood production, including furniture manufacturing. our mining sector has great potential, but rather than just mining and exporting raw materials, like iron, we are encouraging value-added activities like steel production. We are also targeting the pharmaceuticals sector and the textiles industry, which is soon to be privatised. We see great potential for european companies to invest in all these areas. to support these activities, the government is setting up logistics centres all over the country. Bernarda Industry,

Henriques

discusses

international investors.

Silva,

priority

Minister

sectors

for

European Times: What are some of your ministry’s current projects? Bernarda Henriques da Silva: We are establishing industrial parks throughout the country, developing clusters in different sectors, creating new investment incentives, and improving our human resources. We want to empower angola’s private sector. European Times: Why should European investors target Angola? Bernarda Henriques da Silva: angola has a number of investment incentives in place and we will announce new ones soon. angola has already seen some very successful investments in many sectors, including in beverage production and

European Times: What are the main challenges for industrial development? Bernarda Henriques da Silva: We need more energy capacity but we are in the process of changing this rapidly. We are also focussing on improving the business climate and developing the right infrastructure to support economic growth, not only transport and communications infrastructure but also our water and electricity systems and support services. We are ready to help foreign investors get their projects up and running. investing in angola today does not mean that you have to start from zero. the current government has made great progress in getting angola back on track for growth. We have rail connections to neighbouring countries again, for example, and we have achieved over half of the 2015 un millennium Goals. European Times: What is your personal message to potential investors? Bernarda Henriques da Silva: angola is now safe and secure. We welcome you to come here and see all the opportunities our country offers.

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master ANGOLA reGio

investing in angola: it’s not Just oil anymore © Maarten Pennings

Encompassing an expansive 1.25-million square kilometres

of tropical land along the south-western edge of the African

continent, as well as Atlantic Ocean waters extending 200 nautical miles oﬀ a 1,600 kilometre coastline, Angola is a country with an ecologically rich diversity of life and natural resources. angola’s economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world over the past decade, fuelled by a rapid expansion in oil production. increasing oil production has been the predominant engine of socioeconomic development in angola to date, and the overwhelming focus of president José eduardo dos santos and the ruling mpLa (people’s movement for

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santos and the ruling mpLa have stated their intention to liberalise and diversify the economy in a bid to accelerate the shift to a market-based economy and pluralist representative democracy. part-and-parcel of such efforts, angola’s leadership has taken steps to rebuild infrastructure, privatise state-owned enterprises and improve their accountability, transparency and integrity, including that of sonangol, the national oil company. angola’s government is trying to promote and foster sustainable development of agriculture, ﬁsheries, forestry, mineral resources, telecommunications, tourism and hospitality, as well as development of hydroelectric power and renewable energy resources, as a means of boosting development, eradicating poverty, and improving the lives for a much greater percentage of angolans. rebuilding infrastructure – for water, electricity, transportation, sanitation, health and education – has been one sponsored by:

the Liberation of angola) party. With net oil export revenue estimated to have totalled us$68 billion in 2012, revenues from oil production account for some 45% of national GDp and 80% to over 90% of government revenue. acknowledging the limitations and downsides to development based almost entirely on oil exports, president dos

afrimer trading rua ilha da madeira nº 27, hoji Ya henda, Cazenga Luanda tel: +244 923 72 54 18 / +244 948 29 25 13 afrimertradinglda@yahoo.fr

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sector opportunities Business & investment

sector

ensuring World-Class standards in Local Business sector HSE-AP makes sure Angolaʼs business sector operates according to world-class standards.

Alan Gignoux-Dreamstime.com

focal point of the government’s development efforts. some us$4 billion of non-oil foreign investment is forecast to ﬂow into angola by 2017. ports are being built in Bengo, Cabinda and Zaire provinces, and a new airport and cargo terminal are under construction in Viana, 12 kilometres southeast of Luanda. the Benguela railway that will connect Luanda and angola’s atlantic coast to Zambia is nearly completed. prior to independence, angola was not only self-sufﬁcient in food, it exported a variety of agricultural commodities, including bananas, coffee and sisal. since the 1980s, it has been unable to meet its own food needs, relying on imports to make up the shortfall. that being the case, the angolan government has established agro-industrial, as well as industrial, development zones around the country, including in Luanda, Benguela, huila, Cabinda and huambo. With the support of the government, foreign companies and investors can establish partnerships with managerial-class owners of property and resources in these areas. Cia. de Bioenergia de angola, for example, recently announced it would invest us$452 million to develop a sugar plantation. Building up the capacity of angola’s human resources is perhaps the greatest challenge facing angola’s leaders and population. the government is considering reducing the minimum investment for foreigners from us$1 million and revising tax incentives for industries based on their capital expenditures and their plans to invest in training and education.

HSE-AP team

Created in 2007, the company helps angola comply with iso criteria concerning quality-management systems, occupational health and hygiene, security in the workplace and environmental protection in line with iso 14001. Former General manager Francisco Cobe explains that since last year hse-ap has also been monitoring ﬁre-control systems in buildings. he says, “We work in all these areas with our various clients, and we work with the ministries of petroleum, industry, environment, interior, and tourism.” hse-ap has projects all over the country.

environmental compliance a priority to ensure that companies receive the required environmental license from the ministry of the environment, hse-ap goes into the ﬁeld to identify any possible problems that might occur during a company’s operations and helps ﬁnd ways to reduce any risks. Francisco Cobe says, “We differentiate ourselves from the competition by working with full transparency. We are also present at Luanda’s trade fairs, and we have very good contacts with ministries and large companies. We have signed an anti-corruption agreement with the us government.” hse-ap is actively looking for a joint-venture partner who can invest around €760,000. For investors looking to enter the angola market, hse-ap is an excellent choice. HSE-AP Rua Jose de Oliveira Barbosa Nº85, Maianga, Bairro da Alvalade, Luanda Tel: +244 22 00 0427 hse@hseap.com, www.hseap.co.ao

the european times

ANGOLA

• Angola Making Education a Priority

education

“I welcome cooperation with European partners who can help us improve our capacities in education, teaching and research.” Adão do Nascimento, Minister of Higher Education

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education

higher education a top priority European Times: How are you ﬁnancing these projects? Adão do Nascimento: our budget has almost doubled this year compared to last year. We are working to attract top-level teachers from abroad while training our local teachers and administrators. in addition, we are investing in physical infrastructure, including buildings, equipment, laboratories and books. and, we will continue to offer scholarships to make higher education, public and private, more accessible for more students. European Times: What is your ministry doing to help improve Angola’s human resources?

Adão

Nascimento,

Minister

Higher

Education, explains that the government has prioritised educational development.

Adão do Nascimento: We have only been developing our higher-education system since 2002 when the country achieved political stability. While we are making progress, we cannot yet supply multinationals with all the skilled workers and research support they need. For example, oil enterprises employ innovative scientiﬁc and technological practices and there is an obvious gap between their requirements and what our institutions can provide. our main goal is to analyse this gap, work hard to meet investors’ requirements, and deliver what the oil and other industries need. We are open to international cooperation as we pursue this goal. European Times: What about vocational training?

European Times: What are the Ministry of Higher Education’s current priorities? Adão do Nascimento: We are focussing on higher education. angola now has 53 higher-education institutions, both public and private, plus 15 authorised institutions that have not yet opened. We have more than 150,000 students. We have awarded 12,600 scholarships this year and plan to award 6,000 more, and we have awarded 3,600 scholarships for study outside the country and plan to offer 400 more. We are focussing on quality as well as growth. our strategy is to promote quality standards to bring all institutions up to the next level. We also want to acquire books and equipment that match the highest quality available in other countries in the region.

Adão do Nascimento: the ministry is working with secondary schools in orientation programmes, and we have created a department within the ministry to focus on vocational and professional training. European Times: Are you partnering with European educational institutions and investors? Adão do Nascimento: our cooperation with the eu as a whole is not extensive but we have relations with several individual european countries. i welcome cooperation with european partners who can help us improve our capacities in education, teaching and research. We angolans are very keen to learn.

the european times

ANGOLA education

angola making education a priority There are many casualties wherever there is

war, or any type of protracted armed conﬂict.

Perhaps the most damaging in terms of limiting the potential of a nation are those inﬂicted on the younger generation and education.

angolans have suffered through 40 years of war, ﬁrst the war for independence from portugal, then a civil war that lasted some 27 years. Both took a heavy toll on angolan children and the young, including depriving them of any chance at even a basic level of formal education. the signing of the peace accord between the ruling mpLa, unita and FnLa in 2002 and the beginning of a rapid expansion in oil production, with associated revenues ﬂowing into the state treasury, marked a turning point and the renewal of government efforts to develop a nationwide system and standards of education. the angolan government, with support from international institutions, foreign investment, and local and international nGos, began rebuilding angola’s educational infrastructure. Looted and destroyed during the wars, thousands of schools are being rebuilt across the nation. Curricula are being revised and developed, and thousands of teachers are being trained according to international standards.

Universidade Agostinho Neto, near Luanda

the number of angolans seeking higher education is on the rise as well. there were 45,000 new students in institutions of higher education in 2012, bringing the total to around 195,000. students who intend to apply to university are required to undergo an additional two-three year ‘pre-university’ course.

Literacy and numeracy on the rise in angola

With many adult and young angolans damaged by the wars and held back by illiteracy and/or innumeracy, the ministry for social reinsertion and Banco de Desenvolvimento de angola offer vocational and practical training. so far, around 5,000 students have gained valuable skills and employment as a result.

in angola today primary education begins at age six and lasts eight years. the ﬁrst four years are free and compulsory. secondary education lasts three years for general education and four years for vocational and technical education students.

With oil production the engine of economic growth and supplier of government revenue, us$0.15 from the sale of every barrel of oil produced goes toward the development of human capital.

according to government ﬁgures, 85% of urban children and nearly 70% of those living in rural areas are enrolled in primary school. nearly 243,000 teachers have been trained over the past four years and are now at work teaching.

the angolan government has also instituted an ‘angolanisation’ program whereby companies in the oil and gas sector are required to employ and train angolans to ﬁll positions currently occupied by expatriate workers.

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the european times

• Ministry Ready to Partner with Mining Investors • Angola Aims to More than Triple Power Generation Capacity

energy & mining

“Angola is changing positively and the Ministry of Geology and Mines is doing everything in its power to promote transparency.” Dr. Francisco Manuel Queiroz, Minister of Geology and Mines

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ANGOLA

ministry ready to partner with mining investors

Dr. Francisco Manuel Queiroz, Minister of Geology and Mines, discusses Angolaʼs priorities

for developing its high-potential mining sector. European Times: What are your ministry’s main goals? Francisco Queiroz: the ministry of Geology and mines, which was established as a separate ministry in the year before last, has implemented a development programme for 2013 to 2017 which focusses on diversiﬁcation of the mining sector away from the current focus on diamonds, as well as environmental protection, community-building,

adding value to our mineral resources and increasing revenues. our strategy is set out in the national plan of Geology, and we have also established a new mining code. We are currently mapping the entire country to locate mineral deposits that have mining potential, and we have launched a campaign to attract private investment to the mining sector, in exploration as well as exploitation. We anticipate that the exploration phase will last three to ﬁve years. after that we will have all the necessary knowledge about our mining reserves and can begin to promote more private investment in exploitation. European Times: What are the opportunities for private investors in the mining industry?

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sector energy & mining

Francisco Queiroz: Concerning exploration activities, we offer five-year licenses which can be renewed twice. investors can then be granted a 35-year license to exploit mining resources. We also license mining exports but we are promoting adding value rather than just exporting raw materials. We are committed to ensuring transparency in the mining-investment process, which is why we have developed our mining code. We want to make sure that companies operating in the mining sector are very transparent themselves and that our investors feel protected doing business here. the mining code clearly presents all our current laws and regulations on investment in the mining sector, including mining licenses. European Times: What incentives does Angola offer investors in mining operations? Francisco Queiroz: to make angola more competitive as a choice for mining investment in africa, our mining code allows investors free repatriation of profits as well as reduced taxes on profits (25% instead of the usual 35%). We have also increased royalties from 2% to around 5%. We have established an environmental fund and 5% of the revenues we receive from the 25% in taxes on mining will be applied to this fund. European Times: What are some new developments in diamond-mining? Francisco Queiroz: our mining industry is currently centred on diamonds, and while we want to encourage other types of mining we also want to continue to improve and boost the revenues from our diamondmining activities. state-owned endiama will always be the concessionaire in the diamond industry in angola, but we know that we need to encourage joint ventures to stimulate growth and increase capacity. endiama, through its new company endiama mining, will offer partnership opportunities for private investors. endiama will serve as the regulator of diamond rights. We aim to increase the diamond sector’s GDp contribution from the current 5% and we believe that the diamond sector can achieve 5% annual growth.

European Times: What about other mineral resources? Francisco Queiroz: angola has much more than diamonds to offer. a major mining project in the pipeline is the Casinga, the iron mine, which is expected to start with this year’s initiative. in addition, a project of signiﬁcant exploration of manganese and iron will begin in the northern Kwanza norte province, in 2015. another project is in mavoio, focussing on copper and is ready to start producing in 2015 or 2016. We also have two phosphate projects on the way, one of them in the province of Zaire from this year, along with a site design and another energy project in the province of Cabinda, which has already started end of 2013. many of these projects, along with others, are still open for investors to step in. mining operations require huge resources to get off the ground and while the government will support, we also want to attract private investment. European Times: What are the main challenges the mining sector faces? Francisco Queiroz: providing adequate energy and infrastructure for mining operations are the main challenges in angola as elsewhere in the world. We are also focussing on protecting the environment. poor mining practices in the past resulted in polluted water and soil, and we are determined to prevent this in the future. angola is therefore very open to working together with all institutions, organisations or private companies which have shown that sustainability is at the top of their agendas. We welcome investors who can not only provide funding but also know-how and capacity-building. European Times: What is your personal message to potential investors? Francisco Queiroz: angola is changing positively and the ministry of Geology and mines is doing everything in its power to promote transparency. the fastest way for an investor in mining to start doing business here in angola is via this ministry. We are ready to partner with you.

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

ANGOLA

Angola Aims to More than Triple Power Generation Capacity Angola

has

made

signiﬁcant

strides

building out infrastructure since the signing of a peace accord in 2002 ended a civil war

that lasted over 25 years. However, much remains to be done, particularly when it comes to delivering power, water and other

basic services to the mass of the population, as Angolaʼs Minister of Energy João Baptista Borges explains in this interview.

European Times: Can you give us an overview of the Angolan power sector today, and what’s in store with regard to energy projects in the next ﬁve to ten years? João Baptista Borges: Since 2002, the year the peace agreement was signed, we have not only regained all that previously installed power capacity, we have increased it from 500 to 1,500 megawatts (MW). Unfortunately, due to an ongoing imbalance between supply and demand, this substantial increase has not really been felt by consumers. There is still a lot to be achieved if we are to increase the actual rate of access to electricity, which now stands at about 35%. Our aim is to increase generation capacity to 5,000 MW by 2017, ensure the immediate rehabilitation of infrastructure, and start to strengthen the process of reducing tariffs to the customer. At the same time, we are launching the National Rural Electriﬁcation Programme. European Times: How can Europe assist Angola in achieving the goals the government has set for the power sector? João Baptista Borges: The government is preparing legislation which promotes the entry of private capital in the areas of power generation and distribution. Public-private partnerships for the establishment of companies dedicated to

João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy

the provision and manufacturing of equipment are encouraged as well. Investors are equally welcome to build and operate infrastructure. The government will set a remuneration mechanism which is attractive to all private entities desiring to invest in power generation through PPAs (power purchase agreements) for large interconnected units and feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for smaller isolated projects. There are already some concrete examples of private sector investment in Angolan power generation, such as the Mabubas power station in Bengo and Hidro Chicapa in the mining areas. And there are projects now open to development: a 100-MW wind power generation project at Tombwa, a 500-MW combined-cycle thermal power station in Soyo, and 78-MW and 227-MW hydro power stations on the Keve River.

the european times

â&#x20AC;˘ Tourists and Wildlife Return to Angola

tourism

the european times

ANGOLA

tourists and Wildlife return to angola Rich in geography and biodiversity and with a long tropical Atlantic Ocean coastline,

Angola has a lot to offer adventurous tourists. As it was described in a Washington Post International Spotlight feature, “Angola is a giant jigsaw puzzle of different climates, landscapes, cultures and colours. From mountains to vast open plains, wide, white beaches to thick tropical rainforest, Angola has it all, as if each of its eighteen provinces were a different country.”

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tourism sector

the number of visitors to angola has quadrupled since the signing of the peace accord in 2002 to 2012 to reach some 365,000. Luanda, the capital city, offers tourists a taste of angola’s portuguese colonial-era past, an appreciation of its close ties with Brazil to the west across the atlantic, and a head-first dive into life in a fast rising, developing world city. an oil and property development boom tends to drive prices up fast, as well as strains the capacity of infrastructure and the delivery of basic and essential services. expanding at a breakneck pace over the past decade and counting, Luanda has been experiencing all of the above.

Boutique hotel in the heart of ilha Curled around Luandaʼs harbour is a long strip of land known to the locals as Ilha. Once comprised

of sleepy ﬁshermanʼs settlements, Ilha is now

known as one of Luandaʼs hottest spots for surf, sand and entertainment.

rivalling London, new York, oslo, Geneva and Zurich, Luanda has been rated as the world’s most expensive city in recent years. Yet, some 2/3 of the city’s 5 million residents reportedly live in shanty-town squalor, lacking reliable supplies of clean water, sanitation or electricity. the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the city strike and envelop you. the contrasts – old and new, rich and poor, haves and have-nots – can be shocking, exciting and mind boggling. an entirely different world awaits travellers venturing outside the hustle and bustle of angola’s capital city. From north-western Zaire province to Cuando-Cubango in the southwest, angola offers visitors the opportunity to experience a rich mix of geographical, cultural and biological diversity. Lovers of nature and wildlife may find angola a particularly rewarding experience. though they suffered badly along with many angolans during the angolan War of independence and ensuing angolan Civil War, angola can still boast of some of the world’s largest, most remote and untouched nature reserves, wildlife parks, ecosystems and biodiversity. Good places to start are the country’s national parks and wildlife reserves, around which a network of hotels, resorts and safari camps has been growing. since 2002, international environmental organisations, multilateral development agencies and angola’s government have joined in rehabilitating and revitalising them.

hotel ilha mar, occupying a central location on ilha, is gaining a reputation as one of Luanda’s best-kept secrets. Just minutes from the city centre, it offers peace and tranquillity by day, and myriad dining and nightlife options after the sun goes down. in operation for just two years, hotel ilha mar is a small hotel with modern flair, from the lobby’s tasteful monochromatic décor, to the vibrant fiery shades found in the rooftop bar. With decks on both the sea and city sides, hotel guests can enjoy sunsets over the ocean and an unmatched view of the twinkling city skyline at night. But what truly makes hotel ilha mar shine is its incredible food. as one guest remarked, “You can tell that the chef made this with passion.” From traditional portuguese cuisine reminiscent of angola’s colonial past, to daring combinations of flavours, long-staying guests will take pleasure working their way through the menu. Hotel Ilha Mar Av. Murtala Mohamed Ilha do Cabo, Luanda Tel: +244 222 309 603 www.hotelilhamar.com

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the european times

master ANGOLA reGio

heritage hotel specialises in personal service The iconic Hotel Continental

opened in 1955 and has been providing high-quality services to its guests ever since. Luandaʼs only hotel with food safety and ISO 9001/2008 certiﬁcation by

DNV, the landmark three-star

property has earned a strong reputation

comfortable,

for

its

clean,

well-maintained

facilities and for its commitment to satisfying its customers.

Following major modernisation projects since 2002, the hotel now has 83 guestrooms, including eight suites, each equipped with air-conditioning, wireless internet, direct-dial telephone, a safe and a minibar. the hotel Continental’s modern amenities include two very popular restaurants (Caravela and Baia), two bars (‘equador’ Bar and ‘o navio’ terrace), two meeting rooms, a business lounge, a gift and tobacco shop, 24-hour room service, catering and banquet services, and a ﬁtness centre.

Guests appreciate the chance to relax on the hotel Continental’s rooftop terrace overlooking the city. Luis Gouveia, General Director, explains, “We continue to refurbish our guestrooms one by one so that we can meet our clients’ needs in today’s hospitality sector. We want all our guests to feel comfortable, including our many long-stay guests. our iso certiﬁcation ensures that guests can trust us and is the result of our hard work over many years.”

Dedicated employees, personalised service the success of the hotel Continental reﬂects the dedication of its employees. Luis Gouveia points out, “the hotel Continental is well known for its high standard of personalised service, and this is a result of our staff members, who are very important to us. We try harder every day to do the best we can for our

130

guests.” the hotel provides daily english lessons to its staff and invests in training programmes to keep service levels high. the hotel Continental is stepping up its marketing efforts to help make potential visitors around the world more aware of what the hotel can offer. Luis Gouveia urges international travellers to take another look at Luanda and angola. he says, “the bad reputation angola has is inaccurate. We are working hard to help change that negative image and to make more people aware that Luanda is now a good place to visit and live in. i am looking forward to even more improvements over the next ﬁve to 10 years as angolans work to build a better country.” Hotel Continental Rua Rainha Ginga 18-21 Luanda Tel: +244 222 33 4241/42/43/44 geral@hotelcontinentalluanda.com www.hotelcontinentalluanda.com

the european times

tourism

Boutique hotel offers Great alternative to Business travellers Tucked on a corner in the heart of bustling Luanda, Golden Park Hotel is a hidden gem, much like

the diamonds found throughout the countryside of this West

African nation. A boutique hotel with just 24 rooms, the Golden Park Hotelʼs size allows it to

provide personalised service to each and every guest.

Carlos Lourenco, General Manager

Despite its small size, it still offers the amenities business travellers staying in a larger hotel have come to expect. operating in Luanda since 2005, the hotel features two bars, one of which is perched on the rooftop, offering sweeping views of the hustle and bustle of the capital city of one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Fully equipped business and ﬁtness centres, a restaurant serving up sumptuous meals, and conference facilities for up to 60 people round out the hotel’s facilities.

While the hotel’s amenities and small size create a tempting offer for business travellers looking for a more personalised environment, it’s the location that truly has allowed the Golden park hotel to thrive. serving some of the top companies operating in angola, the hotel is just 15 minutes from the airport. it enjoys an unrivaled central location that allows for easy access to the main commercial centre of Luanda and government ministries. explaining the Golden park’s success story ever since it opened eight years ago, General manager Carlos Lourenco points out, “We stand out in the level of service we provide. other than myself, all our staff members are angolan and we put major emphasis on training them according to international hospitality standards. as an expat, i see it as my duty to share my experience and help train the

local community. Based on our guest reviews, we can proudly say we offer a competitive alternative to big four and ﬁve-star hotels in Luanda.” in the increasingly competitive hotel market within Luanda, the Golden park hotel will continue to build on its solid reputation for consistency and quality. as angola continues the unprecedented economic success of the last decade, Golden park stands ready to cater to the business travellers attracted by the vast rewards angola offers. “We invite you to come see angola for yourself,” Carlos Lourenco says. “i can assure you that we’ll make you feel right at home.” Grup Hotel Golden Park Rua Pinto de Azevedo nº 16 Luanda Tel: +244 222 39 0246 gruphotel@netcabo.co.ao www.hotelgoldenpark.co.ao

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