Angola and Botswana convened their respective ministerial delegations yesterday Wednesday 7th February, in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss cooperation in the mineral resources sector.
The ministers, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo from Angola and Lefoko Moagi from Botswana, explored the possibility of future bilateral meetings. During the meeting, the focus was on the foundational aspects of bilateral cooperation between Botswana and Angola, emphasizing the development of the extractive industry and the potential for strengthening relations in the petroleum sector.
Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum, and Gas, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, extended an invitation to Botswana’s Minister of Energy and Mines, Lefoko Moagi, to visit Angola and become acquainted with the country’s reality.
The encounter between Diamantino Azevedo and his Botswana counterpart, on the sidelines of the “Mining INDABA” International Conference, followed a meeting between the Angolan minister and the German State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Katjia Keul. In this meeting, issues related to the diamond certification system and sanctions against Russian diamond companies by the G7 were discussed.
Minister Azevedo, in statements to the press, deemed the meetings productive, especially the one with Botswana’s Minister of Energy and Mines. During this meeting, possibilities for cooperation in the petroleum sector, particularly in refining, were explored, alongside collaboration in the diamond industry.
Azevedo emphasized the relevance of cooperation between Angola and Botswana for the economic growth of both countries, considering their status as the world’s leading diamond producers. He stressed the need for increased collaboration in the business domain.
Regarding the G7’s current proposal on sanctions against Russian diamonds, the Petroleum Minister advocated for a coordinated approach, as the implementation, as envisaged, could have collateral effects on the diamond industry in both countries.
Azevedo stated, “This reality requires us to work together to make our voices heard and, accordingly, prevent such measures from affecting the diamond industry in our respective countries. In this context, we take the opportunity to invite the Botswana minister to visit our country to continue working on the discussed matters.”
New Investors
Minister Azevedo announced in Cape Town on Wednesday that he received assurances from medium and large companies interested in investing in Angola’s extractive sector due to the potential showcased at the 30th edition of the Mining INDABA Conference, concluding today.
Responding to journalists’ questions, Azevedo highlighted his objectives to attract new investments in the exploration of critical minerals for energy production, such as lithium, cobalt, copper, manganese, basic minerals, and precious metals.
“Our country has proven potential, partly demonstrated by existing activities in gold and manganese production, albeit on a smaller scale. Still, with proven occurrences of commercial deposits, we believe there are conditions for the presence of both medium and large companies,” he said.
Preferences for Major Players
Azevedo expressed the government’s desire to attract more of the world’s largest mining companies to the country, expanding the array of such sizeable companies already established in Angola, such as Rio Tinto, AngloAmerican, and De Beers. In addition to major companies, the minister noted promises from medium-sized companies, indicating an ongoing process that takes time, as these companies conduct in-depth analyses of geological potential, geological infrastructure, business environment, legislation, and contractual stability.
The minister expressed confidence in positive outcomes, emphasizing, “Since the beginning of President João Lourenço’s term, we have been committed to attracting these companies, and the results are visible.
