Luanda – Angolan president João Lourenço on Friday in Gaborone, Botswana, called for more investment in the energy sector from member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with the aim to industrialize the region.
João Lourenço made the statement during a meeting with senior officials of the SADC Executive Secretariat, as part of his visit to the organization's headquarters, in his capacity as President-in-Office of the community.
According to the Angolan statesman, it is the duty of the member states to take advantage of the huge energy potential of the region, mobilizing financing lines for the implementation of projects to build hydroelectric, wind and photovoltaic dams, as well as lines to transport the energy produced from some countries to others.
The Angolan Head of State explained that his country has considerably increased electricity supply through the construction of power stations and photovoltaic parks, and that it already has a considerable surplus that could be made available to the region to help it overcome the energy crisis faced by some of the SADC countries.
"We will take an important step towards regional integration if our countries mobilize financial resources to build electricity transmission lines to the region, via the Southern African grid distribution network," Lourenço said.
João Lourenço added that the mobilization of financial resources for the expansion and construction of road infrastructure should be at the center of the members' attention for a successful trade.
The Angolan president urged the region to develop a plan to build robust infrastructure and expand and improve existing ones, which will enable countries to be interconnected, in order to reap the reciprocal benefits of the potential of each of the member countries for mutual advantages.
João Lourenço stressed the important role that facilitating interregional trade plays as a factor of progress and development, having called for a special attention to simplified processes leading to normal functioning of the trade area to get it closer to the rates established in the Regional Integration Protocol.
"The mobilization of financial resources for the expansion and construction of road infrastructure must be at the center of attention, for the success of trade between the countries of the region," the Angolan statesman said.
On his arrival in Gaborone, the Angolan Head of State visited the SADC headquarters, where he unveiled the plaque marking his first visit to the building. IZ/ART/AMP
