LUANDA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Angolan President Joao Lourenco has inaugurated an electrolytic aluminum plant in Barra do Dande Free Trade Zone, Bengo province, a project to boost regional industrialization and diversify the national economy.
The project is the result of a partnership with China's Hebei Huatong Wire and Cables Group and is planned to be developed in five phases. The first phase involves an investment of 250 million U.S. dollars, expected to produce 120,000 tonnes of electrolytic aluminum annually and create about 1,200 jobs.
At a press conference on Thursday, Lourenco said that Angola needs private investment across all sectors of the economy, not only to ensure more jobs for young people, but above all to expand the range of products and services that benefit the economy and the population.
Zhang Wendong, chief executive officer of Huatong Angola, said the aluminum industrial park is more than an investment, noting that it is a commitment to the future and to Angola's sustainable development.
He said professional training programs, internships, technical training and the transfer of know-how are being implemented to empower local personnel and build a solid skills base for the future of Angolan industry. ■