Luanda – Brazil wants to develop, along the shore of the Cafu canal, in southern Cunene province, several agricultural and livestock projects, through a financing mechanism, its ambassador to Angola, Rafael Vidal, said on Thursday.
As part of Brazil's investment strategy in Angola for the coming years, the Cafu canal was defined as the “flagship” of expanding cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking at the end of an audience with the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, António Assis, the diplomat clarified that initially Brazil intends to install soon two or three pilot agricultural projects along the shore of Cafu, in view of the requirement plan that the Ministry of Agriculture presents shortly.
Meanwhile, Brazil is setting up a financing mechanism to support the costs of the projects to be developed in Cafu canal, and has the support of the Brazilian Minister of Finance (Finance) and President Lula da Silva.
According to the ambassador, it is Brazil's intention to strengthen cooperation with Angola in agriculture, specifically in the growth of the productive base, transforming water into economic development.
“We are going to bring development, technologies and transfer knowledge, through Brazilian companies that developed a similar project in the San Francisco valley”, argued the Brazilian diplomat.
The Brazilian ambassador added that one of the biggest food companies in the world, the Brazilian company BRF, intends to establish itself in Angola, in the near future, with a white meat (chicken) processing factory.
As for the trade balance between Brazil and Angola, the diplomat considers that it can be improved in the near future, at a time when it is estimated at more than a billion dollars.
Rafael Vidal announced plans for a visit by President of Brazil, Lula da Silva, to Angola between May and July of this year.
Angolan minister of Agriculture and Forestry, António Assis, said that conditions will be created for a joint delegation of technicians from the Ministry and staff from the Brazilian Embassy for a tour aimed to verify and indentify the potential of the areas for the implementation of agricultural projects in the country.
"In the next few weeks, a joint delegation is to visit the provinces of Cunene, Huíla, Huambo and Malanje to identify areas to develop some projects within the Brazil´s initiative framework", said the minister.
Since 2002, Brazil has invested over US$20 billion in the Angolan economy.
