Investors in Angola Should be Confident Says Ambassador Ballard-Tremeer on Eve of iPAD Angola

Luanda, Angola, August 06, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Now that Angola’s reserves have returned to end-2008 levels and a new investment law is in place, potential investors should again have the confidence to look seriously at the non-oil investment opportunities in that country, says the Honorary Chief Executive of the South Africa – Angola Chamber of Commerce, Ambassador Roger Ballard-Tremeer. In the run-up to the annual investment forum, iPAD* Angola, taking place in Luanda from 13-16 September, Ambassador Ballard-Tremeer says scores of South African and South African-based companies are very successful in Angola and the list is growing.

*iPAD = Infrastructure Partnerships for African Development

Says Ambassador Ballard-Tremeer: “The big non-oil foreign investment in recent weeks has been South Africa’s Nampak/Bevcan USD 160 million beverage can factory coming online in Viana outside Luanda. South Africa’s Standard Bank de Angola also recently opened its doors bringing with it not only the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China connection but, for the first time in the Angolan financial services market, the expertise and value of a world class banking operation.”

A myriad of opportunities
According to Ambassador Ballard-Tremeer, the emergence of a new Investment Law and a Public Private Partnership Law and the emergence of a major pro-ethics movement aimed at rescuing Angola’s social values from the negative effects of decades of civil disruption, “are impacting profoundly on the assumptions, concepts, values and practices of the Angolan business paradigm.”

He continues: “Applying sound business judgment principles to the myriad of opportunities on offer in the Angolan marketplace can certainly make the market work for those with an appetite for Angola.”

More South African and South African-based companies making it in Angola include: Aurecon, Barloworld and Megger.

Angolan government support
Senior Angolan cabinet members will once again head up a high-level, expert government delegation addressing prospective investors at iPAD Angola which will focus on infrastructure partnership opportunities in the Angolan agriculture, power, water, transport & logistics and mining sectors.

Highlights on the programme include:

- Review of the governmental projects, programmes and initiatives for infrastructural development in Angola
-- Her Excellency the Angolan Minister of Planning, Ms. Ana Dias Lourenço, Ministry of Planning, Angola*
- The importance of public-private partnerships to ensure the ideal profitability of public infrastructures and benefits from public investment
-- Mr. Mário Rui Pires, National Director, Technical Support Unit of Public-Private Partnerships - PPPs Unit, Ministry of Economy, Angola
- Transports & Logistics: Programmatic analysis of the partnership opportunities in the transport sector: review of the railway and port rehabilitation programme
-- Mr. José João Kovíngua, Deputy Minister of Transport, Ministry of Transport, Angola*
- Power: Evaluation of the investment opportunities within the national energy infrastructure construction and rehabilitation programme
-- Mr. João Baptista Borges, Secretary of State for Energy, Ministry of Energy and Water, Angola*
- Water: Biggest challenges in terms of water and sanitation's infrastructures in Angola - knowing the gaps in order to find opportunities
-- Mr. Luís Filipe da Silva, Secretary of State for water, Ministry of Energy and Water of Angola
- Mining: The new mining code and its impact on greater private sector participation and investment in the mining sector: designing an attractive legal framework for national and foreign investors
-- Mr. Francisco Queiroz, Manager, Technical Commission to Review Mining Legislation – CTRLM, Angola
- Agriculture: Steps being taken by the government in order to attract investment to the agricultural sector: review of the rural development and fertile soil distribution programmes
-- Mr. Domingos Nazaré Veloso, National Director of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Angola
- Workshop: The new PPP law - The law in force and detailed review of its impact as a business driver
-- Mr. João Caiado Guerreiro, Partner, Franco Caiado Guerreiro & Associados
Workshop: Private Investment law Dr. Nuno Chaves Frota, Attorney, GLA – Legal Law Offices, Angola
- Site visit: the Port of Luanda

*Invited speaker

Event dates: Pre-conference workshops: 13 September 2011
Conference: 14-15 September 2011
Site visit: 16 September 2011
Location: Talatona Convention Hotel, Luanda, Angola.

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