Angola defends greater dynamics in financial cooperation with Portugal

“We already have many Portuguese companies operating in Angola, in several areas, especially in civil construction, but there is always room to do more, and we believe that this visit gives an important impulse for what we want to do from now on,” said Angolan Finance Minister Vera Daves de Sousa.

This was stated during her visit to the works of the construction project of the Muxima Sanctuary and the urban regeneration of the village of Muxima.

The Finance Minister said the project is available to pilgrims and those who make religious tourism to the basilica and has the merit of requalifying the village with a housing framework, a better quality school, and a medical center at the service of the citizens.

“It is a project that we believe will add value to this municipality and this village,” she stressed.

She highlighted that the project is divided into phases, with a requalification component of the village, namely repairing the infrastructures, with Portuguese funding of about €150 million.

The other part of the project, which includes the basilica and complementary infrastructures, is funded by an Angolan bank for around €159.4 million.

“The total of these two components will make up the total project. We are working with the two financiers simultaneously to ensure that the works also run simultaneously and finish within the 36 months planned,” the minister stressed.

In his turn, the Portuguese Finance Minister, Fernando Medina, said that the work is part of an agreement between the two states, which have a partnership with the objective of ensuring a faster development of projects in Angola for the more immediate satisfaction of the population’s needs with the participation of Portuguese companies.

“I was particularly impressed with what I saw, and I would like to congratulate the Angolan government and my friend, the Minister of Finance, who defined this priority, who went ahead with the projects, and who put into practice a critical and positive vision of the rehabilitation and regeneration of the area in this space, valuing the social, practical, cultural and religious dimensions of the quality of life,” he said.

The Portuguese minister says the project is progressing well and consistently, expressing satisfaction “that Portugal has been associated with this project.”

Fernando Medina underlined that this project is part of a financial agreement between Portugal and Angola and already includes many other projects, some more advanced and others yet to start.

“What I will discuss with Minister Vera is precisely the conditions of how we can ensure that the financing, the resources arrive as soon as possible, at the right time, so that the projects can happen faster to serve the population’s needs,” he stressed.

The Portuguese Finance Minister said there is a guaranteed line from the Portuguese State to Angola for the execution of these projects.

One hundred thirty kilometers from Luanda, in the village of Muxima, in the municipality of Quiçama, is the country’s largest sanctuary, whose first stone for the urban requalification of the village and construction of the basilica was launched in July last year.

The construction work, in charge of a consortium of companies led by Casais Angola, counts on the financing of BCP and Banco Português de Fomento and foresees the construction of the basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Conception of the Muxima Village, popularly known as the Muxima Sanctuary or Mamã Muxima.

With information from Lusa