The municipal administrator of Lúbia, in Angola’s Bié Province, has invited the business community to invest in diamond extraction in the area, with the aim of boosting the extractive industry and increasing state revenues.
Alfredo Capitango made the appeal to ANGOP on the sidelines of the third edition of Expo-Bié, which closed on Sunday evening in Cuito, the provincial capital of Bié.
According to Capitango, Lúbia holds abundant strategic mineral and water resources, with diamonds being the most prominent — though extraction has so far been conducted mainly by artisanal miners.
The administrator noted that five legally registered diamond-mining cooperatives currently operate in the municipality, but said that number falls well short of what is needed to drive meaningful growth in the locality and the wider province.
‘There is a need to increase the number of mining companies so that there is a direct impact on improving living conditions for the population, particularly through the creation of more jobs,’ he said.
Regarding Expo-Bié itself, Capitango said Lúbia was represented by 12 exhibitors, who displayed a range of products, with cassava — the region’s primary agricultural crop — taking centre stage.
The third edition of Expo-Bié attracted 636 exhibitors, up from 446 in the previous year, drawn from localities and provinces across Angola including Namibe, Huíla, Luanda, Cuanza Sul, Benguela, Huambo, Cabinda, Bengo, Icolo e Bengo, Moxico Leste and Uíge. The event was held under the theme: ‘Promote Production and Transform for Food Self-Sufficiency.’
The fair featured several attractions, with highlights including a Science and Technology Fair (FETIC), a Livestock Fair and Auction, and a Business Forum.
Over four days, exhibitors showcased products, equipment, technologies and services across the various stands.
Total revenues recorded at the fair reached 2.707 billion kwanzas, surpassing the 1.6 billion kwanzas generated at the previous edition.
More than 63,000 Angolan and foreign visitors purchased in excess of 6.62 million kilogrammes of various products during the event.
The third edition of Expo-Bié also generated indirect employment for more than 2,000 people and facilitated the establishment of partnerships among more than 100 companies.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: www.angop.ao
