’Sustainable development, our commitment’

Angola’s national development strategy is commitment’s proof

Albina Assis Africano, general commissioner of Angola’s National Commission for Expo 2012 Yeosu, said Angola is committed to making this year’s international exposition in Korea the best ever.

Africano affirmed Angola’s expectation of great results for Expo 2012 Yeosu at the reception for Angola’s 36th Anniversary of Independence Day at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul, Nov. 11.

She said this was her third visit to Korea. The first time she came was for Expo 2012 Yeosu preparatory committee in April 2010. The second time was for the preparatory committee meeting in April 2011. This time, however, she was in Seoul to celebrate Angola’s National Day with her compatriots. After two successful preparatory meetings, Angola is, indeed, ready for an excellent expo in Yeosu next year, she said.

Africano said the theme of the Angolan Pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu is “Angola: Sustainable Development, Our Commitment,” and that Angola is working hard at home and abroad to make sustainable development as true into the future as it has been over the past decade.

Africano has a great deal of experience as Angola’s general commissioner of Expos. She became the general commissioner in 2005 and was in charge of Angola’s national pavilion at the Shanghai Expo in 2010.

The way Angola is working to make its rapid development sustainable is by diversifying its economy. The strategy is deceptively simple ― Angola is integrating parts of its economy to develop its energy sector, namely oil.

“Yes, oil is a crucial sector for Angola, but now something has changed over the last two to three years,” she said. “That is a dramatic improvement in agriculture development in Angola.”

Then it is using proceeds from that industry to develop its natural gas sector.

“Oil is still Angola’s No. 1 industry, but it is not as predominate as it was. And that is a very positive development, indeed.”

Africano knows what is she is talking about. After all, she was the country’s petroleum minister from 1992 to 1998.

Angola is already on its way to developing its agricultural sector to ensure food security, an internal market and even products for export.

“You know it was not long ago when Angola was the third largest producer of coffee in the world,” Africano said.

She added Angola was once well known for bananas, palm oil, herbs, coffee, even honey. By continuing Angola’s plan of agricultural development, the country is making its rapid growth sustainable. This is Angola’s theme at the 2012 Expo in Yeosu. Angola’s success is becoming a model to all Africa and, indeed, the developing world as well.