Luanda, Angola, 11 Nov – Angola’s minister for Geology and Mining, Joaquim David, said Tuesday in Luanda that Angola’s industrial sector had so far this year posted growth of around 15 percent.

“Although it is a good rate, when compared to the worldwide growth rate it gives us an idea of the large amount we still have to do,” said the minister at the ceremony to inaugurate the new Cuca beer bottling line, as part of the festivities for the 35th anniversary of Angola’s independence, marked Thursday.

David said that Angola in the near future would have a diversified industrial sector with capacity to respond to the needs of the domestic and external markets.

“It is clear that when moving into the area of exports greater consistency is needed, as well as capacity not to fail and fulfil contracts,” he said cited by Angolan news agency Angop.

He also said that in order to achieve diversification of production, the government is working on the construction materials sector, structural industries such as the liquefied gas exploration project in the Soyo municipality of Zaire province, which will re-launch the petrochemical industry for fertiliser production.

“These are structural industrial units that require investments of between one and two billion dollars,” said David.

The minister added that the government was currently working on making use of bauxite for refining and manufacturing aluminium and added that large mining and metal working projects had been approved, which would make it possible to re-launch the iron mines at Cassinga in Huíla province, and copper mines in Uíge province in northern Angola. (macauhub)