Lobito — The certification of Catumbela International Airport, in the province of Benguela, depends on some procedures that are being refined for a better exercise of aeronautical activity, ANGOP learned on Thursday.
The information was given to the press by the Minister of Transport, Ricardo D'Abreu, who was speaking on the sidelines of the 15th Consultative Council of his department, which takes place in the railway city of Lobito.
According to the official, the certification of the aforementioned airport depends on a set of actions of an operational nature, procedures, review of manuals, training of human resources, infrastructure and equipment, which are in an 'advanced stage'.
The minister assured, however, that its certification will take place this year.
'We will have an excellent infrastructure available to support aeronautical activity, allowing international flights to come to Benguela and which can also be used in cases of emergency, if there is a need for an aircraft to land here for safety reasons', he clarified.
Ricardo D'Abreu said that there are other implications from an aeronautical point of view, such as benefits for other entities in the sector, with emphasis on air navigation.
'Once we have other infrastructures on the ground capable of ensuring this service, it also allows other routes to be implemented in airspace, particularly for aircraft that are in transit', he stated.
In relation to the Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport, he said that an action plan was presented to ensure its operationalization, which is being fulfilled.
"At the time we said we would start an operational transfer of cargo in 2023 and passengers at the end of 2024," he said.
According to the minister, to start the cargo operation it was necessary to guarantee certification, in order to receive international flights.
'We said a year ago that passenger flights are scheduled for the last quarter of 2024 and this requires the Airport to be certified', he emphasized.
In his approach, the governor also referred to the Southern Corridor, which covers the provinces of Namibe, Huíla and Cuando-Cubango.
Regarding this chapter, he said it is another opportunity that the country has to boost the value chain in that region of Angola.
'It has different characteristics from the Lobito Corridor, because it still has no border connection', explained the minister, adding that his department is preparing the conditions so that, in the second quarter of this year, it can launch the international tender for its concession.
Regarding the Lobito Corridor, he said that the benefits are beginning to be visible, but that it is not a finished work.
From his perspective, this work must be continued because there are obligations on the concessionaire's side and also on the Government's side, so that the corridor can be impactful and robust.
'This is ongoing work and will not cease. The experimental exercise of transporting minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia has already begun, with five weekly shipments, with the prospect of this number increasing to meet the obligations in terms of concession volumes,' he stated.
According to the minister, this factor is creating a dynamic around the corridor, integrating other sectors, such as agribusiness and industry.
The Lobito Corridor has as its concessionaire the Lobito Atlantic Railway, a joint venture formed by the Swiss companies Vecturis, the Belgian company Trafigura and the Portuguese company Mota Engil.
It won the international competition on September 4, 2021 and signed the concession contract on July 4, 2023.
Cabotage
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Asked about the cabotage service carried out at the ports located in the center and south of the country, namely the Port of Lobito and Namibe, the government official said that his sector initially prioritized the northern area, with emphasis on the province of Cabinda.
'The dependence of the province of Cabinda on the transport system is very great and that is why it was prioritized', he said.
However, Ricardo D'Abreu admitted that after consolidating this service in the north, it could benefit the center-south area of the country.
'We need to be able to evolve towards the center-south of the country', he informed.
The minister made a point of stating that the cabotage project is not exclusive to the Government.
'It is open to the private sector and those who want to participate in the project, which is commercially viable, have all the conditions to do so', he warned.TC/CRB/DOJ
