Angola ready for Namibian beef

The governor of the Cuando-Cubango province in Angola, Francisco Higino Lopes Carneiro, has called for more trade between Namibia and Angola. Carneiro was a special guest at the just-ended Omaheke Trade Fair (OTF) at the invitation of the Omaheke regional governor. Speaking at a meeting between his delegation and Omaheke regional leaders on Friday, Carneiro said Namibia should consider Angola as a formidable export destination for its meat products. He said while Namibia's largest meat export destination - the European Union (EU) - may offer the best prices for its products, exports to Angola would involve less red tape and could be a logistically hassle-free process compared to the EU. “Our province, which just like the Omaheke Region is Angola's backbone in terms of beef production, provides a huge market for Namibia's meat products. As such, I invite the Omaheke regional leadership to seriously consider exporting its meat to the Cuando-Cubango Province,” he said. Carneiro said the Omaheke Region is ideally located to attract huge investments from Namibia's neighbouring countries by serving as a portal into the Namibian market. The governor said Gobabis's location along the Trans-Kalahari Highway provides a vital link to neighbouring countries, something the Angolan delegation could use to advance their business interest across the rest of southern Africa. Intra-African trade has been described by many leading economists and development experts as the missing link in the economic emancipation of the African continent. Cuando-Cubango is Angola's second largest province, but one of the least densely populated, with an area of 199 335 square kilometres inhabited by some 700 000 people. It is situated in the far south-eastern corner of Angola, bordering with Zambia and Namibia. GOBABIS NAMPA