Author Archives: Teresa Carvalho

The drastic reduction in the time it takes to grant this type of visa was decided at a meeting on Wednesday (5 June) in Luanda between the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Angolan Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX), Arlindo das Chagas Rangel, and the Director General of the Migration and Foreigners Service, João António da Costa Dias.

As a result of the understanding reached, the times for granting work visas and residence permits, requested under the private investment programme, will also be reduced to the same periods.

Until Wednesday’s agreement, both the investor’s visa and the other essential authorisations were not granted in periods of less than 30 days.

With this understanding, AIPEX and the SME have taken a giant step forward, putting Angola on the same level as the countries most attractive to foreign investors.

This initiative is inseparable from the process of debureaucratisation and simplification underway in Angola, which the Executive is carrying out with the aim of opening Angola up to the world. This process places special emphasis on the issue of migration. Last year, Angola exempted tourist visas for citizens of more than 90 countries from all continents.

For AIPEX, the drastic reduction in the time it takes to grant entry, work and residence permits is a giant step towards attracting foreign investors and stimulating economic growth, job creation and the diversification of the national economy. It is a direct response to the demands of the global market for faster and less bureaucratic processes.

On 28 May, the mission included a visit to the Sines Industrial and Logistics Complex. The members of AIPEX and AICEP had the opportunity to learn about aicep Global Parques’ contribution to attracting investments and projects underway in the Sines Industrial and Logistics Zone (ZILS) and the Port of Sines. The visit included meetings with leaders from aicep Global Parques, ZILS and the Port of Sines Administration.

AIPEX plays a key role in attracting investment and organising large and medium-sized events in Angola, including business forums and business missions. AICEP, with its vast experience, organises several events and missions every year, both in the European context and in other regions.

It is hoped that, together, AIPEX and AICEP will create a synergy that will maximise the results of efforts to internationalise and attract investment. AIPEX offers detailed and specialised knowledge of the Angolan business environment, while AICEP provides the experience and resources needed to promote Angola on global platforms. This collaboration will allow for a more comprehensive and effective approach to investment promotion, benefiting Angola’s economic development and strengthening trade relations with other countries.

The ‘Best international practices for the preparation and organisation of business missions’ initiative aims to raise the quality and economic impact of the business events organised by AIPEX, bringing them into line with international planning and execution standards. This Strategic Action included:

Experience exchange workshop in Luanda on 15 and 16 April 2024
Online training for 20 AIPEX technicians and managers by the AICEP Academy
Drawing up a comparative study of the two organisations’ approaches to business missions
Creation of a good practice guide to strengthen AIPEX’s capacities

AIPEX’s visit to the Sines Industrial and Logistics Zone and the signing of the partnership declaration between AIPEX and AICEP rounded off the mission, highlighting the agencies’ commitment to promoting sustainable economic development and international cooperation.

As part of AIPEX’s mission to Portugal, a ceremony was held to sign a Declaration of Partnership between AIPEX and AICEP. The event was attended by the Presidents of AIPEX and AICEP, confirming their strong commitment to co-operation between the two institutions.

The Chairman of AIPEX’s Board of Directors, Arlindo das Chagas Rangel, emphasised that there was “total willingness for this partnership to become a solid foundation for a new and exemplary model of cooperation, innovation and success between AIPEX and AICEP”.

The Chairman of AICEP’s Executive Committee, Filipe Santos Costa, concluded that “the strengthening of this partnership signals a strong commitment to co-operation between the two institutions, and also indicates a strengthening of the competences of the two agencies with the aim of stimulating growth in both countries”.

Throughout the day, meetings were held between the partners, the conclusions of the study on export promotion and attracting investment in Portugal and Angola were presented and round tables on best practices in the agri-food and infrastructure sectors were organised.

These events took place as part of the “Best international practices for preparing and organising business missions” action promoted by the EU-Angola Dialogue Facility, which aims to promote a valuable exchange of knowledge and experience between the two organisations.

Abu Dhabi Ports Group, in collaboration with Unicargas, has embarked on a transformative venture to revitalise and operate the Port of Luanda, an initiative that aims to strengthen Angola as a key maritime centre in Africa. This partnership promises to modernise the port’s infrastructure and significantly improve its cargo handling capacities, with an expected growth rate of 3.3% per year over the next decade.

Substantial investment commitment

ADP’s commitment involves an investment of 410 million dollars with the aim of strengthening Angola’s economic outlook, increasing employment opportunities and expanding the port’s capacity to handle increased trade flows and connectivity.

Economic and regional impact

The improved port will act as a vital node for trade throughout Central and West Africa, providing unprecedented access to international markets and boosting economic activities in Angola and beyond. The initiative is expected to have a profound impact on the economic vitality of Angola and neighbouring countries.

Strategic importance

The strategic improvements to the Port of Luanda will make it one of the most capable and versatile ports in the region, ready to handle the future demands of maritime trade and logistics.

Quotes from the leadership

His Excellency the Minister of Transport, Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, said that the Port of Luanda “is a vital centre for regional trade and for the economic vitality of the country and its neighbours”. He reaffirmed that this agreement will “stimulate the economic growth of the entire central and western region of the African continent”.

“The multifunctional terminal will be upgraded to attract the operations of the world’s leading shipping companies”, said Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Group. He also emphasised that the aim is “to offer the highest levels of efficiency and quality of service, for the benefit of our two nations and all other stakeholders, in particular customers”.

Looking to the future

The collaboration between ADP and Unicargas reflects a shared commitment to promoting Angola’s commercial infrastructure and economic potential, setting a benchmark for future developments in the region.

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