The European Union has shown interest in participating in the development process of the Lobito Corridor, taking into account the scope of sustainable and inclusive economic diversification, including the income of families in the region, the head of the European Union’s (EU) Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Unit said on Friday in Benguela. Sylvie Millot, who was speaking to the press at the end of a courtesy meeting between her delegation and the provincial governor of Benguela, said that the Lobito Corridor was one of the European Union’s priorities in Angola and the region.
He explained that the European Union really sees the Lobito Corridor not just as a transport corridor, but as an economic and development corridor for the entire region, now made up of five provinces, namely Benguela, Huambo, Bié, Moxico and Moxico Leste.
He clarified that, as part of the Lobito Corridor’s ongoing dynamisation, the European Union will also be working in the agricultural sector, as one of the first pillars, and it will be one of the most important areas of our intervention.
As part of the same process, she added, the aim is also to work on energy and human capacity building, justified by the need to cope with this new business dynamic that is beginning to emerge in the region.
Sylvie Millot pointed out that there are other sectors of intervention, such as sanitation, fisheries and other important areas in the region.
He explained that the European Union is actually one of the signatories of the memorandum of understanding that was signed with Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and the United States; initially, and that is why ‘we are 100 per cent behind this initiative as one of our priorities,’ he explained.
The other very important area, he pointed out, is the promotion of investment and trade, which will have positive consequences in the region. She also emphasised environmental protection and biodiversity, whose agreements were signed yesterday (Friday) between President João Lourenço and Commissioner Siquela in Paris, France. According to her, these are projects that will be developed over the next few years.
She emphasised that the visit to Benguela took place precisely at a time when, in Paris, France, as part of the visit by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, meetings were also held with the European Commission, where three important financing agreements were signed, worth 76 million euros, precisely in three important areas, including vocational training.
‘We are very satisfied with this region, we realise that we are perfectly aligned with the priorities of the Benguela Provincial Government, which gives us a lot of satisfaction that we can pursue. We’ll certainly be back here in Benguela many times, and in other regions of the Lobito Corridor, for the development initiatives that will emerge.
She was satisfied with the discussions held with the provincial governor of Benguela, Manuel Nunes Júnior.
She explained that, in a very open and aligned dialogue, there is a positive alignment in terms of what we want to develop in the Benguela region as a whole and in Lobito in particular, in a wide variety of areas, with the aim of promoting growth and creating jobs for young people.
Special Commission
The European Union mission to Benguela included, in addition to the head of the Unit for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean in the Directorate General for International Partnerships, the European Commission, the sector head of the Unit for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean in the Directorate General for International Partnerships, Hugo van Tilborg, the programme manager for the Lobito Corridor, the programme manager for the Angola-European Union (EU) Dialogues, among others.
During the visit to Benguela, in addition to meeting the provincial governor of Benguela, Manuel Nunes Júnior, the delegation met with Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) and visited the Port of Lobito. It also met with Civil Society Organisations, the local private sector and heads of local universities.
Jornal de Angola
