Luanda – The Brazilian pharmaceutical company EMS will begin this year investing in the installation of an innovative unit for the production of medicines and other pharmaceutical products in Angola, with a view to meeting the needs of the national market, the chairman of this business group, Carlos Sanchez, assured on Wednesday in Luanda.
To make the implementation of the mentioned project a reality, the Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX) and EMS, in the same day signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the terms of the Brazilian company's intention to invest in Angola.
In this regard, Carlos Sanchez, clarified that the implementation of the project will depend on what Angola has, and then decide whether the infrastructure will be built from scratch or through existing structures.
He said that the current phase includes a survey of the Angolan market and that of neighbouring countries, as a result of the institution's experience in Brazil.
“The industry will be built taking into account the current conditions that the world demands in terms of quality,” he stressed.
Pedro Sanchez stated that from the brief contact he had with the Angolan authorities he felt strong political support for the project to become a reality.
Also within the framework of the signed memorandum, AIPEX ensures institutional facilitation and monitoring of the investment, working with the competent bodies of the Government, to ensure compliance with the regulatory and administrative requirements necessary for the implementation of the project.
The AIPEX´s CEO, Arlindo Rangel, currently considers the installation of the pharmaceutical industry as one of the priorities of the Angolan Government, taking into account that the aim is to reduce imports and subsequently, evolve towards exports.
He added that, after the economic and technical options study has been carried out, EMS Angola will be formally supplied and will submit its investment proposal under the Private Investment Law.
The official stressed that the implementation of this project will contribute to strengthening the national health system, reducing the costs of purchasing medicines, creating jobs and expanding Angola's export capacity in the pharmaceutical sector.
The signed Memorandum of Understanding is part of the Angolan Government's strategy for the industrialization of the health sector, with the aim of reducing the country's dependence on imported medicines, promoting technology transfer and creating local capacity for the production and distribution of pharmaceutical products.
The signing of this document marks a strategic step in attracting foreign direct investment to the health sector, in line with the priorities established in the National Development Plan 2023-2027 and the Government's vision of diversifying the economy and strengthening the business environment.
EMS is one of the largest manufacturers of generic drugs in the world, with a consolidated presence in the international market and a history of investments in innovation and industrial expansion.
ML/QCB/MRA/jmc
