Luanda, Angola – The Angolan President said today that the national fishing industry should be at the service of “fighting hunger, poverty and job creation”, calling for “better organization of the sector” for ” of catches “.
João Lourenço, who spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the new members of the central and provincial government and the Council of the Republic, which took place at the Presidential Palace in Luanda, said that he wanted “better policies” to “attract investment” in the fisheries sector.
For the President of the Republic of Angola, being fish and seafood, a source of animal protein “it is necessary that the sector is organized in order to increase the volume of catches, increase employment.”
In this sense, “fisheries like agriculture can be an important source of employment for national citizens,” he said.
The Angolan President has today appointed Maria Antonieta Batista as Minister of Fisheries and the Sea, Faustina Fernandes de Almeida for the position of Minister of Social Action, Family and Promotion of Women and José Carlos Lopes Bettencourt for the post of Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock.
In his speech, João Lourenço urged the new Minister of Fisheries and the Sea to “use the policy of granting licenses” as a way to “attract investment, especially in infrastructures on land, in cold and fish processing.”
“So that he (the fish) can arrive with quality to the table of the consumers either national or that part dedicates the export”, indicated.
The fishing development centers of Tômbua, Angolan province of Namibe, and Baía Farta, Benguela province, were pointed out by the Angolan President, as examples that must be replicated in the country’s extensive maritime area.
“As a way of fighting against poverty and against hunger, that is why we have bet on the minister who has just been sworn in, we are confident that he will be able to do that, of course, not in a day, but the important thing is to take steps courageous, “he pointed out.
According to João Lourenço, for the success of this endeavor, “the secret is to privilege those who invest, not only, in the boats, but especially in infrastructures on land.”
Speaking to reporters, the new Minister of Fisheries and the Sea, Maria Antonieta Batista, who replaces the position, Vitória de Barros Neto, guaranteed to make a diagnosis of the sector to meet the Angolan President’s plans.
The official, who has decided not to make promises, has assumed that she will face “a lot of work to control the extensive Angolan coastline, guaranteed to work as a team” to “bring the fish regularly” to the table of Angolans.
In relation to the Social Action, Family and Women’s Promotion sector, now in charge of Faustina Fernandes de Almeida, who was also sworn in today, João Lourenço called for “greater commitment and commitment to the recovery of moral, ethical and civic values”.
And the new minister of the sector, Faustina Fernandes English de Almeida, who replaced, Vitória de Barros Neto, assured that it will give priority to the education of families and society for the effective rescue of moral and civic values.
For the agricultural sector, João Lourenço stressed the increase in the budget in the State Budget (OGE) 2019 arguing that the sector “should also contribute to poverty reduction,” particularizing family farming that “should occupy the place it deserves “.
