Talatona - The Angolan mining sector is developing an action plan for the country to achieve self-sufficiency in the area of fertiliser production, Angola's Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Pedro de Azevedo, said on Thursday in Luanda.
The government official, who was speaking to the press on the sidelines of the II International Conference and Exhibition on the Mining Sector, which takes place in Luanda, from 23 to 24 November, said that, with the implementation of the outlined actions, it is expected that the fertilizer produced in Angola can be exported, increase the country's foreign exchange and contribute to the eradication of poverty.
As projects that will lead the country to achieve self-sufficiency in fertilizer production, the official pointed to phosphate production in the province of Cabinda, where a factory is being built to produce phosphate granules, with direct application to some crops, the two concepts of phosphate in the province of Zaire, as well as the work carried out to identify the occurrence of potassium.
“All the ingredients necessary for the country to become self-sufficient in fertilizers are presented, which results in more agricultural production, greater guaranteed food security and a greater contribution to the eradication of poverty,” he said.
As a demonstration of the development of the sector, it exemplified the operation of internationally renowned foreign companies in the mining sector.
The country's potential currently points, according to the minister, to the possibility of, in the near future, with a lot of geological investigation work, in several stages, reconnaissance, prospecting, research and evaluation, having the exploration or production of several other minerals.
Diamantino de Azevedo stated that the National Geology Plan is being a success and that most of the actions have already been implemented, despite it meaning that when completed, prospecting and improving the country's geological knowledge will come to an end.
The geological knowledge of a country, according to the engineer, is a constant, continuous and infinite activity, not restricted to the development of mining work, but serves for the political and economic planning of a country and the development of almost every action to continue improving the country's geological knowledge, training technicians, creating laboratory infrastructures.
'The Executive continues to focus on creating a good business environment in the country, with a view to promoting foreign investment in the mining sector, with compliance with the National Development Plan indicated for the mining sector essentially, where the responsibility is to highlight private agents and create a good business environment for private companies to develop.
He stated that a good business environment also involves the creation of laws that are references, logical infrastructures, or the availability of more and higher quality information.
Still on the path of creating a good environment, the person responsible also pointed to the creation of laboratory infrastructures and human capital, in order to attract more and more technicians at all basic, medium and higher levels with greater skills so that companies feel supported and invest in the country.
“There is a need to publicize what Angola does, involve society, promote the mining sector, publicize what it intends to do, as well as listen to the expectations of all those who are interested in these events”, he stressed.
The minister highlighted that the feasibility studies confirm a high potential to boost the economy, making it imperative to publicize them so that potential investors are aware of them, as these are important minerals at an international level.
Projects such as copper exploration underway in the province of Uíge, niobium in Quilengues, province of Huíla, as well as the exploration of minerals containing rare earth elements in Longonjo, province of Huambo, were mentioned by the portfolio holder.
For two days, the event includes round tables on 'Angola's vision for sustainable development in the mineral resources sector', 'Perspectives of mining prospecting in the face of technological modernization sponsored by Ozango', 'Development of a workforce for excellence ', 'Diversity and economic growth and challenges of the international diamond market'. MAG/DOJ
