Retrospectiva2015: Angolan diplomacy in the context of diversification of the economy

Luanda – Throughout the year just ended, as in the previous, the country’s economy “found himself grappling” with a major setback if they can be considered, due to the continued drop in oil prices, which is in the house $ 37 a barrel, far from the historic $ 122 value, recorded in April 2012.

This change led the Angolan authorities to have to change your strategy as regards the diversification of the state’s sources of income, as these are closely based on this resource (petroleum), even, for example to represent 76 percent of tax revenues as in 2013. Therefore, there have been increased efforts in all sectors of national life, with the aim of its greater diversification, but this is not enough only domestic investments, whether State or the private, so that a gigantic work has been developed over the last few years, in particular 2015 to attract new investors and promoting the image of Angola abroad. In this chapter, the Angolan diplomacy has played its part, wants to central level or the different diplomatic missions, carrying out, in coordination with the different sectors of national life or ministerial departments, hard work, by programming entrepreneurial missions to and from Angola, conference and participation in the most distinguished events, such as negotiations and multilateral and bilateral agreements. In the multilateral chapter, in 2015, highlighting the participation of the Angolan statesman in the II Africa-China summit, where, among other things, defended the need for structuring cooperation on three levels (continent, sub African-regions and governments) and the definition of their means of action. In this regard, stressed that partnership can contribute to the development of countries, assist in the establishment of a new international political and economic order and promote the democratization of international relations. In Similarly, to promote new strategies and attracting more investors for the same purpose, the vice-president, Manuel Vicente, represented the country in forums in different regions of the world from America to Asia to Africa to Europe . Meanwhile, the bilateral strategies, among many, also focused on the search engines with the major world economies, especially the movement of foreign minister, Georges Chikoti, Brazil, a country with which Angola maintaining already close economic and trade cooperation ties, an opportunity that also served to the country’s image promotion in other events. Another point scale, this year, was the United States, where he also held talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry, who, among other issues, discussed strategies for increasing cooperation and also took part in the conference “Angola Day” and other activities organized by the Embassy of Angola in this country, in partnership with the Program for the Woodrow Wilson Center Africa and the Chamber of Commerce US-Angola. With the US, also during 2015, it was initialed an intergovernmental agreement under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which allows the negative consequences of non-adherence to the regime FATCA, specifically the higher rate of withholding 30% tax at source from the income of US origin, not being passed on to the country and its financial institutions. Also in order to create conditions for growth and diversification of the economy Angola have played a crucial role by promoting and supporting trade missions to and from Angola, diplomatic representations, which through the heads of missions as senior officials of the Angolan diplomacy, who contributed to make it possible for the year ended receive delegations , among other countries, Brazil, Portugal, South Korea, US and UK Mozambique, Zambia and the DRC. Many of these countries and businessmen are already present in Angola, but reaffirmed the willingness to extend the areas of cooperation such as is the case of the United Kingdom, with the cooperation mainly focused on the oil and natural gas, its authorities have expressed a willingness to directing for other areas where we have “plenty of experience”, including information technology , agriculture, infrastructure, education and training, capital markets, financial services, mineral and energy resource extraction. However, actions to increase bilateral cooperation not girded only to countries outside the continent, but also those border as Congo Brazzaville, Zambia and Namibia or in the same region as the DRC, South Africa and Mozambique, with the aim of increasing and diversifying trade. Among these, through various agreements signed in 2015, highlighting areas such as trade, industry, transport, agriculture and energy, which have the power to connect more African economies. These concerns (of greater diversification of the Angolan economy) were also expressed by the head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, in his year-end speech (2015 ), highlighting the difficulties the country is going through, and processes for a adverse international situation, require of all, creative and effective solutions to overcome. He said the drop in revenue caused by low oil prices in the market international, require an adjustment of state programs and plans, accelerating intervention in agriculture, fishing, tourism, food industry, timber industry, light and mining industry to increase exports and reduce imports, hence it is essential, among other, improving public financial management. He added that although a lot this aspect, the diversification of the economy, there is little that has been done yet, but argued that it is never too late to redouble efforts. “Angolans have won more complicated and difficult challenges in relation to those seen today because always acted with confidence and determination.”