Luanda - The industrial hubs in operation and the political measures of the Angolan Executive contribute to advances in the country's industrialization process, as well as to regional economic integration, said this Wednesday the minister of Industry and Commerce, Victor Fernandes.
Angola has planned 22 industrial hubs, of which seven are already in operation in the provinces of Luanda, Benguela, Cabinda, Huambo, Malanje, Bié, Uíge and Cuanza Norte, each one of them already in the context of the integration into the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Southern Region.
According to the official - who was speaking at the opening of the 5th edition of Expo-Indústria/2023 (Expo-Industry), inaugurated this Wednesday by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, in the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone (ZEE) - the
industrial centers also contribute for the materialization of projects like Planagrão (cereals), Planapescas (fisheries) and Planapecuária (farming).
In this context, the minister highlighted the focus on the effective functioning of the Industrial Development Hubs, the Rural Industrial Parks and the Integrated Plan
for the Development of Rural Commerce.
According to the minister, only three of the 10 planned rural industrial parks are infrastructured and operational, namely Cacuso (Malanje), Tomboco (Zaire) and Canjala (Benguela). The Integrated Rural Trade Development Plan (PIDCR), according to the official, is boosting trade and industry. “The PIDCR is boosting, through freight transport operators, reducing limitations on producers' access to markets, and increasing, in quantity and quality, access by commerce and industry to primary goods”, asserted the minister.
In the view of the holder of the industry and commerce portfolio, the Industrial Development Poles and the Rural Industrial Parks figured as capacity
infrastructures for the installation of large, medium, small and micro industrial units.
Regarding the 5th edition of Expo-indústria/2023, which runs from March 29th to April 1st, in an area of two thousand square meters of exhibition space, at ZEE - Luanda-Bengo, with 238 national and international exhibitors, he considered “a true showcase of the transformation of national production”.
Victor Fernandes added that the main sectors on display with emphasis on civil construction with 22%, commerce and distribution (12%), the textile and catering sectors with 11% each, crafts (10%), oil and gas and agribusiness with 8%, respectively, with banking and insurance, the furniture industry with
5% each.
Victor Fernandes reiterated that the Angolan government is working to strengthen the agro-industry with a view to the country's food self-sufficiency, which will reduce dependence on imports and create more jobs.
