Uige — Angolan government plans to create the Best City and Municipality of Angola prize, with the aim to recognise innovative municipal management initiatives, the minister of Territorial Administration (MAT), Dionísio da Fonseca said Thursday.

The draft presidential decree creating the initiative and its regulations were assessed Thursday during the First Ordinary Meeting of the Local Governance Council (CGL) chaired by President João Lourenço.

Dionísio da Fonseca, said the Best City and Municipality Award is an initiative of the President of the Republic, underlining that the government intends to reward with distinctions, stimuli and incentives that recognise municipal management innovative initiatives that fill up the needs of the people.

New administrative division of the country

The minister added that the draft to amend the political and administrative division of the country is to be adapted to meet the demographic growth and increase of infrastructures, expansion of the population and the need to reduce regional asymmetries.

The minister said the conclusion of the process is scheduled for this year to enable that in the 2024 State Budge new State administration bodies to be created could be included in it.

The minister said priority would be given to the division of Cuando Cubango and Moxico provinces.

"In principle it is projected the creation of two more provinces, but we are also working on raising communes and urban districts to the category of municipalities", the minister said.

Local Governance Council is the auxiliary body of the President in the formulation and monitoring of the implementation of governance policies of the State Administration at local level.

Created by Presidential Legislative Decree, the body meets every six months. It comprises the Ministers of State, Ministers, Provincial Governors, Presidential Aides, Secretary of the Cabinet Council, among other entities connected to local governance issues. DC/AL/ADR/Amp/jmc