The President of Angola invited Japanese businessmen to invest, first of all, in the agro-industrial sector of the country, currently providing conditions in Angola for “greater transparency, good governance”, with “clear actions” to combat corruption and impunity.
Angola is undertaking “important reforms to become a country increasingly open to the world, especially with a business climate more conducive to national private investment,” João Lourenço said on Monday.
Speaking at the opening of the Japan-Angola Business Forum in Tokyo, he assured that Angola is a country that respects and protects private property and healthy competition between economic agents, and also protects and ensures the improvement of the international circulation of capital, income and dividends.
“We will continue to deepen the initiated reforms, primarily to promote the development of national human capital and the socio-economic development of the country,” he assured.
João Lourenço, who made his first official visit to Japan until Wednesday, invited Japanese businessmen to invest in Angola “in a wide variety of business opportunities.”
He pointed to the need for Japanese businessmen to invest in various branches of economic activity in the Portuguese-speaking country, “besides oil and gas production”, in particular, in agriculture, fishing, industry, tourism and services.
But also in sectors with social impact, such as healthcare and education, he said.
“Angola intends to develop all sectors, but with more emphasis on the agro-industrial sector, seeking to increase the supply of jobs, achieve self-sufficiency in goods in the domestic market and diversify exports,” he stressed.
He also guaranteed “all necessary support” for the investment intentions of Japanese businessmen in various sectors of the Angolan economy.
Strengthening bilateral relations with the world’s third largest economy is the motto of João Lourenço’s visit to Japan, where he was received by Emperor Naruhito on Monday.
According to the Angolan head of state, cooperation between Angola and Japan is based on complementarity with benefits for both sides and, above all, with the aim of achieving and strengthening the economic and social development of both countries.
“It is in this climate of cooperation that Angola has benefited from the know-how and financial support from Japan in various fields, both public and private,” stressed Joao Lourenço, recalling that Angola has benefited over the years from several Japanese credit lines to finance government investment projects.
He noted that the governments of Angola and Japan are “tirelessly” negotiating the approval of the Mutual Investment Protection Agreement, a cooperation instrument that Joao Lourenço hopes to see concluded during his visit.
He also welcomed the various intentions and investment projects that Japanese companies have expressed interest in developing in Angola, such as the Toyota Tsusho Group, which intends to establish a car assembly line and a spare parts factory in Angola.
He also said that financial institutions in Japan tend to have “favourable” funding conditions, with low interest rates and fairly long maturities, expressing interest in working with the Japanese authorities to structure funding lines with the above characteristics.
He noted that “to support efforts to diversify the national economy in terms of expanding and modernizing the country’s infrastructure, as well as to stimulate the development of private business.”
João Lourenço also highlighted the presence of funding and Japanese businessmen in several Angolan public investment projects, such as the textile sector, Namibe port rehabilitation, Baia do Namibe complex project, telecommunications and others.
The Japanese and Angolans, “who have already experienced a period of war in the past, have several similar characteristics and have the ability to overcome great obstacles.”
“It is for this reason that Angola and Japan are in solidarity with all peaceful solutions that can be found for the various conflicts taking place today in different parts of the world, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which threaten world peace and security,” – he noted.
“The world needs development and sustainability, as well as countries that cooperate in this sense. I am sure that the cooperation relations between Angola and Japan are a good representation of this model of stable relations and are oriented towards socio-economic development,” the President of Angola concluded.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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