Lubango - The production of ornamental rocks in Angola is set to increase by 10% per year from 2023 to 2027, with the implementation of priority actions for the development and modernisation of geological-mining activities.
The information was provided by the director of the Studies, Planning and Statistics Office (GEPE) of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Alexandre Garrett, on the sidelines of the workshop on Ornamental Rocks in Angola (ROA-2023), held in the city of Lubango, Huíla province.
Speaking on the subject of "Objectives, targets and priority actions for the ornamental stone production chain 2023-2027", the director said that in order to achieve the recommended target it is planned to increase the attraction and attraction of investment by improving the legal framework and geological information, with the aim of guaranteeing a sustainable increase in prospecting, exploration and processing activity.
He said that the intention is to continue with geological mining research in order to expand areas with potential for mining and create prospects for investment, as well as providing institutional support for operations.
Alexandre Garrett said that during the five-year period the sector would encourage an increase in the number of quarries in production, as well as creating incentives and financing solutions to promote prospecting and exploration.
Among the priority actions, he said, is the development of the sector's human and technological capital, through the specialised training of national technicians to increase ornamental stone production, with the construction of a development centre.
The director emphasised that strengthening environmental sustainability in the development of mining activities and reaffirming the sector's commitment to implementing social responsibility projects and actions are among the priorities of the ministry.
"With the materialisation of the objectives, targets and priority actions for the five-year period, the vision formulated for the mineral resources sub-sector will be fulfilled, making it more diversified in order to boost the development of multiple mineral value chains," he stressed.
He said that the policies for the production of ornamental stones were set out in the Long-Term Strategy "Angola 2050", the National Development Plan (PDN) 2023-2027 and the Development Plan for the Mineral Resources Sector.
Production for 2022 was guaranteed by 20 companies. Among the main actions carried out in the previous five-year period was the creation of the Huíla Ornamental Stones Valorisation Centre, the promotion of associations to enhance the national product.EM/MS/DAN/DOJ
