Angola Promotes the Cause of African Peace

The Republic of Angola since yesterday assumed the presidency of the Rotary Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), a mechanism created with the aim of promoting peace, security and stability in Africa.

Angola's presidency of the Council of the AU Peace and Security comes at a time when there are still some areas of tension in the continent such as Darfur in Sudan, the situation prevailing in Madagascar and the recent coup in Mali. 

On the agenda of Angola to the front of this body, which will focus on managing and finding solutions to these major crises that disturb and affect the development of the African continent, are also the stabilization of Guinea-Bissau, the situation in Somalia, where the AU has a contingent of peacekeepers (AMISOM), as well as the "dossier" Libya as a result of so-called Arab Spring. The political crisis in Madagascar, the electoral processes in Africa and the issue of violence against women and children in situations of conflict on the continent are also among the priorities of the presidency of Angola's Peace and Security Council of the African Union. 

Angola was elected to the Council for Peace and Security at the 17th Summit Conference of Heads of State and Government of the AU, held in January 2012 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), for a term of two years. Besides Angola, the other countries that are involved in the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, established in May 2004,  are Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Djibouti, Cameroon, Congo, Tanzania, Ivory Coast , The Gambia and the Kingdom of Lesotho.  Five of the 15 Member States are elected for a term of three years and the remaining ten for a term of two years. 
The Peace and Security Council responsible for promoting security and stability on the continent, secure protection and welfare of the population and work to peacekeeping, including missions of good offices. It is also the mission of the board, promote and implement peace-building and post conflict reconstruction. 

African Folklore: Why Dung Beetle is So Strong

(A Batonka story) Long ago, Dung Beetle and Butterfly were the best of friends.  They were always together as they went about their daily business.  One day, they were resting in the shade of a tree when First Man and First Woman walked by.

"Oh, what a beautiful butterfly!" they exclaimed. And they stood and admired her for quite some time.

When First Man and First Woman resumed their travels, Dung Beetle said to Butterfly, "Whenever First Man and his wife see you, they always stop and admire you.  They never take a second glance at me.  Am I so ugly?"

"Nonsense," said Butterfly.  "It is only because you have nothing to attract their attention.  Humans admire beauty and strength.  If you were to become the strongest insect in the world, for instance, they would surely take notice of you."

"I could never become the strongest insect in the world!" said Dung Beetle sadly.

"Certainly you could," Butterfly quickly replied.  "Remember, if you make no effort you can expect no results.  But if you try you might succeed."

Dung Beetle decide that she would try.  She went off on her own for a long time.  Dung Beetle tried all sorts of exercises and challenges to become strong. Through continued effort she became very strong.  At last, she returned to her friend Butterfly.

A Time of Hunger Predicted

(March 9, Luanda) Angolan agronomist Angolan Fernando Pacheco from ADRA (Action for Rural Development and Environment) is predicting that there will be periods of severe hunger and poverty at the center-south region of Angola as a consequence of prolonged absence and irregularity in rainfall almost throughout the country.   These areas most affected are in the provinces of  Huambo and Bie given that the majority of the local population lives on subsistence farming.

The environmental situation is already creating difficult problems for farmers who live on their own production and experiencing very little profitable return from their crop.

Besides these factors, the agronomist pointed as negative results of the drought as last seasons light rainfall for most of the country, rising unemployment, the breach of contract under the agricultural credit campaign or investment, as well as increased imports of farm products. Another consequence, in the view of the expert, is the emigration of people living in the countryside to the cities, which encourage even more hunger and poverty in certain locations in Angola.

Asked about possible solutions to counteract the current conditions, framework, Pacheco said that "now there is nothing to be done", but the situation requires heavy rains to fall in the near future, because the farmers missed the time to plant alternative crops adaptable to the situation such as corn, sweet potato and cassava. 

Pacheco recommends that increased national attention be given to farmers to assist in the distribution of seed, cars and essential farm implements and serious consideration given to investments in irrigation, though prohibitively expensive. (ANGOP)

Selling Sand For a Living

Sand is an ubiquitous and plentiful commodity throughout the world. But in some villages in Angola the sale of sand ensures a livelihood for many poor families.  The extraction and sale of sand along the river Cambogo in the Kwanza-Sul province, has begun to be a business option that will sustain them. 

The activity of small-scale sand extraction in bucket-sized measures, is carried out mainly by women who have no other means of employment and have a very low education.  The sand is normally sold to other Angolan entrepreneurs who used the sand to make blocks for building construction.

One Angolan mother, Susana António, has been selling sand for three years, but originally found that the activity required for work than what she imagined to do in one day's work.  But due to the various economic difficulties that she is facing, she does not measure the consequences when it comes to getting something for her family. 

Because of the river flow, there is not an abundance of sand along the river-edge.  Instead the women must dive to the bottom of the river and collect the sand from the river bottom all the while facing the river current.  The conditions make these 'sand-gathers' vulnerable to accidents. 

One sand seller said the price of each lot of sand varies from three thousand to four thousand kwanza (USD$31 to USD$42), depending on size of the sand pile that make. Another seller, Julia Andrew, who is six years practicing this activity, the Jornal de Angola said that the money they earn does not solve all your problems, but it helps in feeding and clothing their children. 

For their effort, the women demonstrate their capacity and ability as mother and family leader since they do not have the support of other family members.   The women recognize that this job requires great sacrifice, but the need to ensure the sustenance of the children speaks louder than any sacrifice. (Journal de Angola)

Leading Angola

Luanda, February 12 — Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos will seek a new term with former state oil company head Manuel Vicente as his vice- president in the September polls, a source in the ruling MPLA said.

This announcement follows Friday's meeting of the ruling party's Central Committee Fourth Ordinary Session, which was attended by 286 members.

The southern African oil giant is expected to hold elections in September, and the run-up is being closely watched for signs of whether Dos Santos will seek a new term and whom the MPLA might pick to replace the long-serving leader, in power since 1979, when he eventually steps down.

A member of MPLA's central committee told AFP on condition of anonymity that the party had given Dos Santos the number one spot on its election list with Vicente at number two.

"Manuel Vicente appears as number two on the party's list for the next general election of September 2012, that is, as future vice-president of the republic or successor to the president as stipulated in the constitution," the source told AFP, saying the decision was taken at a central committee meeting held on Friday.

The election will be just the second since Angola's 27-year civil war ended in 2002. The MPLA took 81 per cent of the vote at the last polls, in 2008, and is again seen as the overwhelming favourite.

Under a new constitution ratified in 2010, the president will be chosen from the top of the winning party's list in the parliamentary vote. Dos Santos, 69, has not said publicly whether he will run. (The NATION)

'Banking' on Angola's Future

Angola's soaring economy has excited the interest of foreign investors since peace returned to the country some ten years ago. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in the booming banking sector.

Luanda, the capital, is now the third-largest financial centre in Sub-Saharan Africa, after Johannesburg and Lagos.  Hosting 20 commercial banks, compared to just six in 1999, Luanda currently has a further ten more banks awaiting operating licenses.  The total banking sector in Angola to date has over 700 branches, 11,000 employees and net assets $4.3 billion; remarkable growth considering the total rebuilding of the sector and country after the cessation of the war.

South Africa’s Standard Bank recently opened a branch in Luanda, becoming the first non-Portuguese foreign bank to offer full banking services in Angola. Meanwhile, the first private equity fund exclusively for Angolan investment has been launched and brokers are now moving in ahead of the opening of Luanda’s stock exchange – Bolsa de Valores e Derivativos de Angola (BVDA). 

The idea for the private equity fund came from the state-owned Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund). Promoting the fund in partnership with Norfund is Angola’s largest commercial bank, Banco Africano de Investimentos (BAI). The two have made a joint commitment of $15 million after the initial round of a financing agreement valued at $28 million. 

Bringing new direct foreign investment into the economy is also firmly on the agenda of Angolan banks. BAI has overseas branches in Cape Verde and Portugal and recently opened a representative office in Johannesburg, the first Angolan bank to do so.

Building on its South African ambitions, BAI announced in December that it would be managing a $255 million credit line from the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the African Development Bank.

The credit line, signed during Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos’s visit to South Africa, was the first of its kind between the two countries and will finance infrastructure and development projects. It mirrors a model used by Angola and the China Development Bank.

Another bank also spreading its wings is BPA. Despite opening only in 2006, BPA already has a branch in Portugal, dealings in Brazil and China, and plans to launch operations in the United States by 2013. (Sonangol Universo Magazine)