SONANGOL UNIVEROS Universo30.pdf · 2013-10-18 · international access, support and expan - sion of broadband internet services, transmission to telecommunications operators and

SON

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E 30 – JUN

E2011

INSIDE:oil and gas news

Sounds sensationalLURING TOURISTS:how Luanda’s visitor appeal is widening

OLDEST ALLY:why Brazil enjoys such close links with Angola

FIGURES OF POWER:Paris bows to the force of Angolan art

UniversoJUNE 2011

2 SONANGOL UNIVERSO

Universo is the international magazine of Sonangol

Board MembersManuel Vicente (President),

Anabela Fonseca, Mateus de Brito, Fernando Roberto, Francisco de Lemos,Baptista Sumbe, Sebastião Gaspar Martins

Sonangol Department for Communication & Image

DirectorJoão Rosa Santos

Corporate Communications Assistants

Nadiejda Santos, Lúcio Santos, José Mota, Beatriz Silva,

Paula Almeida, Sandra Teixeira, Marta Sousa

Publisher Sheila O’Callaghan

EditorJohn Kolodziejski

Art DirectorTony Hill

Sub EditorRon Gribble

Circulation ManagerMatthew Alexander

Project ConsultantsNathalie MacCarthyMauro Perillo

Group PresidentJohn Charles Gasser

Universo is produced by Impact Media Custom Publishing. The views expressed in the publication are not necessarily those of Sonangol or the publishers.

Reproduction in whole or in part withoutprior permission is prohibited.

This magazine is distributed to a closed circulation. To receive a free copy:

[email protected]

Circulation: 17,000

The Universo team while in Luanda stay at:

www.hotelrouxinol.com

Davenport House16 Pepper Street,London E14 9RP

Tel + 44 20 7510 9595Fax +44 20 7510 9596

[email protected]

Cover:Chris Saunders

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Our June edition throws light on different aspects of life inAngola, reflecting its increasingly dynamic economy andreconstruction process.

Improvements in the quality of Luanda’s hotels along with theattractions of the capital’s short-break tourism options are examined inour Luring Tourists feature.We follow this with an X-ray of Brazil’s long-standing connections

with Angola, relations that continue to expand, especially in the buoyantservices sector.Angolan music in its multiple and infectious forms is the theme of

our third feature. Angola has not only inspired Brazilian samba butnewer genres, such as kuduro, which are wowing audiences worldwide.Their sensationally elastic dance moves make Michael Jackson’sroutines appear almost wooden in comparison. Paris, the birthplace of Cubism, is the fitting venue for our fourth

story, where Angolan art is on show. Universo reviews the exhibition ofAngolan artefacts of a kind that served as inspiration for this giant steptowards modern abstract art.

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JUNE 2011 3

CONTENTS

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4 AngolA news briefing

Angola’s giant dinosaur named; China’s Vice-Premier

visits Luanda; Russian credit boosts Angola satellite

project; Namibe-Lubango railroad on track; Luanda sea

terminals plan; Angola gets World Bank anti-poverty

loan; Luanda clampdown on traffic crime; Angola’s

largest import; Angolan census date set

5 figured out

A brief look at Angola in numbers

6 luring tourists

Luanda’s hotel sector is rising fast in quantity and

quality, helping provide growing visitor numbers

for the embryonic local tourism industry which is

also enjoying easier access to beaches, mountains

and wildlife

16 AngolAn Art

A look at inspirational Angolan art, traditional and

modern, in Paris’ Dapper Museum

22 oldest strAtegiC AllY

Brazil and Angola’s relationship dates back to the 16th

century but only fully-flowered in a mutually-

beneficial way after Angola’s independence. Today,

both countries are not only trading but investing

heavily in each other’s assets

30 AngolA’s HeArtbeAt

An A-Z of Angola’s music with a panorama of the

current scene in Luanda

39 sonAngol news briefing

Sonangol pens 30-year São Tomé port and airport

concession; El Paso Mississippi plant on schedule to

receive Angolan LNG; Sonangol invests in accident

prevention; Sonangol plans new office in Venezuela;

Girassol Clinic starts paediatric heart surgery

programme; Sonangol backs Saurimo schools;

Sonangol rally team wins Desert Challenge race;

Sonangol petrol stations boom; go-ahead for more

subsalt wells; Sonangol drilling in Iraq begins

43 PlAnet suite suCCess

Sonangol names its latest floating production storage

and offloading vessel, PVSM, after four planets, each

letter representing an oilfield off Angola’s coast

48 leAder role in refining

Sonangol vice-president Anabela Fonseca takes the

chair of the African Refiners Association, which aims

to attract greater investment to the sector

50 AngolA CountrY inforMAtion

The key facts and figures

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John Kolodziejski, Editor

Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan visited Luanda on a two-day visit to promote

relations between China and Angola.

The two countries established a strategic partnership in 2010, and Wang Qishan said

China was ready to increase its co-operation with Angola. New areas in the partnership, he

said, could include trade, energy, mining and the agricultural sectors.

China raises co-operation

The Moçâmedes train line (CFM)

from Namibe to Lubango is due

to relaunch in 2011. It will be followed

by the Benguela Railway (CFB), which

links the port town of Lobito with the

eastern border with Zambia via

Huambo in the heart of the country.

The Caminhos de Ferro de Luanda

(CFL) opened for service in late

December 2010 linking the capital

Luanda with Malange.

Desert lineon track

Angola’s giant

Angola news briefing

Angola has been granted a loan

worth $278.5 million from Russia’s

Export and Import Bank to fund a new

satellite project.

Placing the satellite, planned since

2008, will make it possible to provide

international access, support and expan-

sion of broadband internet services,

transmission to telecommunications

operators and access to support for

television and radio network services.

The financing agreement for the An-

gosat project was signed by Angola’s Fi-

nance Minister Carlos Lopes and the

chairman of Russia’s Eximbank, Nikolai

Gavrilov, representing a syndicate of

Russian banks including the Development

and Foreign Trade Bank, Roseximbank

and VPD. The satellite is expected to be

sent into orbit by a Russian operator

in 2012.

Set for liftoff

The first dinosaur found in Angola has been named the Angolatitan adamastor.

Angolatitan means ‘Angolan giant’ and adamastor refers to the mythical sea

giant of the South Atlantic feared by Portuguese sailors.

The long-necked sauropod was uncovered in 2005 about 70km north of Luanda by

Portuguese paleontologist Octá vio Mateus from Portugal’s Universidade Nova de

Lisboa and Museum of Lourinhã.

Remains of the large plant-eating dinosaur, which was believed to have been 13

metres long and lived 90 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period, were

found in marine sediments.

“These and other fossils tell us an amazing story about the climate and climate

change in this part of the world,” says Louis Jacobs from the Southern Methodist

University, who is a member of the Mateus PaleoAngola Project team. “In an oil-

producing country like Angola, this project helps us to understand the geology of the

region and the implications for its richness.”

The detailed description, in which the Angolatitan adamastor officially received its

scientific name, was presented in the publication Anais da Academia Brasileira de

Ciências (Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences).

As well as discovering Angola’s first dinosaur, the PaleoAngola team has uncovered

mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, turtles and other cretaceous marine animals.

The long-term goal of the project is to create a strong and lasting institutional and

scientific collaboration with Angolan academia.

4 SONANGOL UNIVERSO

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Angola is to get

eight maritime

passenger terminals

along the coast of

Luanda, Transport

Minister Augusto da Silva

Tomás told parliament.

The sites will be at the

slave museum (near

Luanda golf course),

Panguila, Samba and

Benfica with longer-term

plans to extend the

scheme to Cabinda, Zaire, Benguela and Namibe – and to rivers in Kuando Kubango.

Last year a private water-taxi service began commuter services between Futungo,

Luanda Sul, Sonils and Ilha do Cabo in the centre of Luanda.

Sea terminals plan

The World Bank has lent Angola $81.7 million to fund development projects. The

money will be spent on local schemes run by the government’s anti-poverty agency,

the Social Action Fund. It includes developing infrastructure, strengthening institutions

and improving local economic opportunities.

World Bank loan

Red light for traffic crimeThe provincial government of Luanda has created a special unit to combat traffic

problems and reduce congestion in the city. Plans include cracking down on traffic-

law violations by using cameras to record them, and having extra traffic signalling in order

to promote freer flow of vehicles. There are also plans for increased public transport

services, particularly to outlying areas.

Cement leads importsCement is Angola’s largest import

item. Figures from the Conselho

Nacional de Carregadores (CNC) show

that Angola imported more than 14 million

tonnes of goods in 2010 with cement

making up 19 per cent of that total.

Beer was the second biggest import,

followed by sugar and sugar products,

wine and meat. China was the largest

source of Angolan imports (with almost 25

per cent), followed by Portugal, Brazil,

Belgium, Spain and South Africa.

Census date setA full population census is to be

carried out in Angola in 2013.

The long-awaited study will collect data

on all aspects of Angolans’ lifestyles

including occupation, income, living

conditions and access to water

and electricity.

More than 40,000 people will be

involved in collecting and analysing the

data. It will be the first full population

census to be carried out since 1970,

before Angola gained independence

from Portugal.

JUNE 2011 5

Fivenew hospitals are being built

in Luanda during 2011

millioncarats of diamonds produced

by Angola in 2010

8 55.

399,469 expatriates living in Angola

GDP growth prediction for2012 by IMF

10.5OO

Amount to be spent on preserving the Palanca Negra giant antelope:

Figured out

$6million

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6 SONANGOL UNIVERSO

HOTELS & TOURISM

View from the Hotel Skyna

TOURISTSLURING

JUNE 2011 7

Luanda’s expanding hotel sector, sparked by Angola’s economic boom, is clearly inevidence as new tower blocks sprout along the city’s skyline. Universo examines whatthey offer and takes a look at tourist options within reach of the ocean side capital �

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Luanda’s story in recent decadeshas been one of crushingdemand for accommodation asthe population has swollen to

over 4 million. The city’s hotel sector has developed

at a somewhat slower pace than residentialdevelopments but hotels are now thereason for a raft of excitingly prominentprojects, especially at sites with easy accessto Luanda’s business district.

Luanda’s historic room shortages arereflected in sky-high prices. Thecomfortable but modest family-runRouxinol Guesthouse, at the lower end,charges $270 a night, while a room at thetop-of-the-range Hotel Talatona in theupmarket Luanda Sul district on the city’ssouthern fringes costs around $600.

New outlookA recent addition to Luanda’s

accommodation portfolio is the swish four-star Hotel Skyna. This bright, modern hotelwas completed in time for the 2010 AfricanCup of Nations, hosted by Angola.

“We took a long time planning thehotel and opened in time for the soccertournament, showing we can deliver,” saidDanilo Cruz, marketing director atSociedade Comercial de InvestimentosGerais Lda, Socinger.

The Skyna is the first hotel projectdeveloped by the Socinger investment firm.“Socinger goes where the opportunitiesare,” said Cruz. The company has aneclectic approach to investment in Angola,which includes a glass factory, magazineand further-education publication sales.

HOTELS & TOURISM

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New blocks ease accommodation shortage

Hotel Skyna dining room

which historically had been booked upmonths in advance, now had vacancies.

Hotels with a service ethos are nowchallenging the previous take-it-or-leave-it mindset that resulted from chronicroom shortages.

Clients are not only being wooed bynew hotels but also by the growing supply ofaccommodation in residential blocks, oftenbuilt by multinational companies with long-term business interests in the country.

Although new rival hotels can be seenfrom the Skyna’s own doorstep, Cruzremains unfazed by competition. “Newhotels are good for Luanda as they offersynergies and help advertise the location.Corporate customers also open doors totourism,” he said.

Service rewardsSkyna rewards good service and also

runs an Employee of the Month schemewhere staff can nominate other colleagues.Its methods appear to be working as staffturnover rates are low.

Cruz believes that the secret of keepinggood staff and avoiding poaching by rivalsis not just about salary, but in makingemployees feel excited by their owndevelopment, learning experience and job security.

Growing competitionAs the supply of hotel rooms expands,

finding a place to stay is slowly easing inLuanda and is kindling competition. Onehotel manager noted that at least one hotel,

Cruz formerly held down top jobs inproduct planning and customer analysisfor Honda in Europe and is one of a newbreed of experienced, highly-qualifiedmanagers and specialists entering Angola’shotel sector.

He recognises staff training as the keyingredient in running a successful hotel,but points out that the concept of customerservice is a relatively new one in Angola andneeds developing. “Hotel service is ournumber one priority, and it’s equallyimportant to use Angolan staff,” he said.

Skyna treasures good local workersand wants them to stay with the hotel andmake their careers with it, said Cruz.“Eagerness and willingness to learn aremore important than having experiencebecause someone with a good curriculummay not have good work habits.

“We teach everyone the basics andassume they know nothing. We then offerstaff a clear career path, keep on trainingthem and aim to keep them happy.”

JUNE 2011 9

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“Hotel service is our number one priorityand it’s equally important to use Angolan staff”

– Danilo Cruz

HOTELS & TOURISM

10 SONANGOL UNIVERSO

Location, location, location

year-old son of owners Farah and FoadNaimi, enthusiastically embraces hisparents’ philosophy of personalised,dependable service and hospitality.

Our differential“Our differential is a clear identity and

knowing our clients,” said Shervin Naimi.His claim is backed by an impressive recordof customer loyalty with good numbers ofrepeat bookings, which include aidspecialists working with foreign embassiesin the nearby Miramar diplomatic quarter.

“You know what you’re getting at theRouxinol; good quality and personalservice in a family environment withhomely hospitality,” Naimi added.

Rouxinol ensures reliable facilities forguests. Two generators guarantee energywhen there are network problems,reflecting the belt-and-braces approach ofowner Foad, an electrical engineer.

Backup water supplies come fromhuge reserve tanks, and advanced

microfiltration equipment means ice andfood-preparation water is free fromharmful bacteria.

Rouxinol also provides cable TV anddependable Wi-Fi communications withsix high-speed routers, giving net coverageto all corners of the hotel.

Cleanliness and effective, silent air-conditioning complete the Rouxinol guestexperience in a quiet corner of a cul-de-sac.

Rouxinol’s assiduous service also paysoff in customer loyalty. When theguesthouse has faced unavoidabledisruptions, guests have been moresupportive, and during recent dusty andnoisy extension work they stayed on ratherthan sought alternative accommodation.

The newest addition to Luanda’s rangeof top-line hotels is the 288-room EpicSANA. This 5-star hotel, conference andleisure complex is very near completionwith opening on track for late 2011.

The venture is part of a well-established chain already boasting nine

Cruz said he saw signs of his runningcosts coming down. All the Skyna’s salads,vegetables and some fruits are now locallysupplied and delivered, he said. Thesuppliers themse lves are also facing morecompetition from greater rural productionbecause of improvements to Angola’s roadsand bridges.

However, Luanda’s current high costsare justified, said Cruz, listing hefty bills formaintenance, reserve generators, high landprices, fuel and technicians in order toprovide air-conditioning and other services.

A travel company specialising inadventure tourism noted that prices forflights to Angola and hotels had beenfalling slightly since the beginning of theyear, while prices to competitordestinations have been rising.

The Rouxinol Guesthouse providesarguably the best regarded lodgings inLuanda, recording the highest customersatisfaction in online reviews.

Administrator Shervin Naimi, the 22-

A key consideration for new hotel

projects is location. Luanda’s basic

geographical division is between the

lower and upper city. The lower city, the

Baixa, is home to the busy port,

offshore services, banks, oil and

diamond companies and some

government ministries.

The upper city hosts the

international airport and diplomatic

representations, as well as government

offices and commercial establishments.

Physical proximity is important

because Luanda’s roads are notoriously

clogged with traffic and short journeys

are as well done on foot.

Several major hotel projects are

halfway up the hill between the two

levels: the well-established Hotel

Trópico, newcomer 4-star Skyna and

two new much larger hotel complexes –

Epic SANA and InterContinental – both

currently under construction.

Epic SANA Hotel (left) InterContinental (extreme right)

Leisure complexThe hotel also boasts a conference

centre, swimming pools, sauna, Turkishbaths and gyms. The Epic SANA includes 50suites for long-term residential guests, a keysegment in Luanda where many visitors areex-pat workers on long contracts.

The fact that SANA is part of a chaingives the company a competitive edge andaccess to a pool of trained staff.

SANA has a department focused ontraining through its academia scheme.“One of the main characteristics of SANAhotels is the care and attention to thequality of personal service,” said Nunes.

Weekend tourism optionsAngola is blessed with many of the

natural resources that have provedmagnets for tourism in other parts of theworld. These include a tropical climate,hundreds of kilometres of unspoilt beachesand varied landscapes ranging from humidrainforests to highland plateaux. There arealso exotic flora and fauna and an oceanteeming with fish, and potential fornautical sports.

Heavily-populated Luanda has a goodnumber of these attractions within strikingdistance, especially for a weekend trip,thanks to much improved highways.

While some excellent beaches arewithin walking distance of the downtownarea, on the long protective spit of the Ilha sheltering Luanda’s harbour, the touristneed not go too far to enjoy almostdeserted beaches.

Just south of the city is another longstrip of less-visited beaches on the island ofMussulo. Access by boat restricts largemigrations to the beaches even at weekends.

Good quality beaches also abound,especially south of Luanda en route toKissama National Park and beyond. Here,turtles lay their eggs largely undisturbed.

Angola’s new investment law hasmade tourism a priority area, and RosaCruz, director general of Infotur, thegovernment’s tourism-promotion agency,is keen to help the sector grow. “Tourism

“You know whatyou’re getting at the Rouxinol;

good quality andpersonal service”

JUNE 2011 11

hotels in the Lisbon area and one in Berlin.SANA is part of the Azinor Group tradingcompany that has a strong presence inPortugal and Africa.

“Africa, especially Portuguese-speaking countries, is a strategic marketfor SANA. Angola isn’t an unknown marketfor us,” said Diana Sequeira Nunes,SANA’s marketing and communicationsdirector. “We can be a reference forexcellence in Angola as we are in Portugal.SANA has lots of experience, so adds valueto the Angola market.”

A range of luxury services planned forits Luanda hotel supports SANA’s bid forexcellence. Apart from panoramic views,the hotel will host five international eatingplaces that include Italian and Japanesecuisine, as well as five bars.

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Hot propertyRouxinol is fortunate to have

attracted the versatile João Pedro

Kasseca Muaxianu, who really

understands customer service.

João Pedro has experience of

managing hotels, restaurants and bars,

including the upmarket Cais de Quatro

and Espaço Bahia, Luanda bayside

leisure points.

He not only can turn his hand to

room equipment repairs but also works

as chef, and has been known to bake

cakes for the guests in between his

supervisory duties at the hotel.

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– Shervin Naimi

The largest hotel and leisure-complex project under way in Luanda is the giant

389-room InterContinental. The complex will give the city more specialty

restaurants and extensive conference facilities.

The wide frame of the 25-storey unfinished building dominates the hillside

leading up to the desirable Miramar diplomatic district, a likely source of visiting

guests. Construction of the steel-framed hotel slowed to a snail’s pace in 2010

during the global economic downturn, but by April 2011 work appeared to be

picking up speed again. InterContinental says completion is set for late 2014.

New giant on the block


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will add to Angola’s economy and helpdiversify it from mainly oil and mining,”she said.

She has been active in raisingAngola’s international profile in recentmonths by leading a mission of domestictour operators and hoteliers to industryfairs in Lisbon, Madrid, Berlin, Durbanand Beijing. Future plans includeattending similar events in the UnitedStates and Brazil.

Skyna’s Danilo Cruz agrees. “We thinkAngola has huge tourism potential, and thistranslates into future investment indeveloping Angola as a destination. Ibelieve we won’t have enough hotels here.”

He sees tourism opening up a new

facet to Angola’s oil-dependent economywith good, long-term prospects.

Special packagesCurrently, however, the Skyna though

busy during the workweek, is almostdeserted on Saturday and Sunday, so thehotel offers special packages to encourageweekend occupancy. Skyna’s clients canalso make use of local tourism optionsprovided by specialist companies such asEco-Tur.

Angola’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourismwill complete an inventory of tourismresources by July 2011, on which to base itsmaster plan for developing the sector.

Angola’s tourist sector created almost

Good-quality beaches also abound, especially south of Luanda en route to Kissama National Park

32,000 jobs in 2009, making a total of134,600 employees in the area, accordingto the Angolan Hotel and Tourism MarketStatistical Bulletin.

Most of the new jobs were madeavailable in the restaurant subsector, which rose to a total of 54,300. Luandaaccounted for the lion’s share of jobsgrowth during the year.

Nearly 366,000 people visited Angolain 2009, 55 per cent more than in 2008.Europeans made up the bulk of the touristswith 130,000 visitors, followed byAmericans with 76,000.

“I believe tourism will be one ofAngola’s top five industries by 2016,”predicted Infotur’s Rosa Cruz.�

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JUNE 2011 13

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A comprehensive one-stop shop for

hotels in Angola is available at the

www.hoteisangola.com website.

www.tripadvisor.com is a review

site indicating clients’ perceptions

of hotels.

Local tourism service providers:

www.eco-tur.com

www.aasafaris.com

Hotel contacts

Short break options from Luanda

HOTELS & TOURISM


One day: Kwanza River and Kissama game tour

One day: Massango (16th-century colonial fort on the Kwanza)

Two day: Dondo – N’dalatando-Malange – Pedras Negras (mammoth

black rocks on a plain) – Kalandula falls and Capanda Dam

Two day: Benga Waterfalls – Cada – River Queve – Sumbe –

Porto Amboim (seaside town)

Two day: Dondo – Calulo – Cabuta (highland coffee farm)

Two day: Calulo- Quibala – Waku Kungo

Source: Eco-Tur

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Mohamed Abdo, a Saudi national

and senior technical account

manager with Microsoft, took

advantage of his weekend break

while working in Luanda, by joining

Eco-Tur’s daylong safari jeep tour

combined with a Kwanza River trip.

“I really enjoyed every second

of our safari tour. The boat trip and

the welcoming experience by Má rio

[an Eco-Tur guide] impressed me

the most. I would absolutely

recommend it,” he said.

Abdo believes Luanda has great

potential in developing its tourist

industry. “It’s got the natural gifts to

be a very good tourist country: the

ocean, green land, weather, animal

reserves and mountains.

“But more 5-star hotels have to

be built and the visa process and

requirements need to be eased a

little,” he said, to improve the

tourist experience.

Kissama National Park

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ART


FIGURESOF POWER

JUNE 2011 17

By Bill Hinchberger

Angolan art is currently the subject of a dedicated exhibition at the

Dapper Museum in Paris. Interestingly, the show is in the very district

where Picasso saw an African art exhibition in 1907 and was inspired to

embark on his Cubist period �

The museum is opposite the formerresidence of Paul Valéry (on a street namedafter the poet) and within walking distanceof the Arc de Triomphe. It is located in thesame district as the now long-demolishedPalais du Trocadéro, where Pablo Picassovisited an exhibition of African art in 1907.That experience changed the history ofWestern art in the 20th century by inspiringPicasso, in tandem with Georges Braque, tocreate Cubism.

Press praiseOnly time will tell whether any

budding Picassos have visited Figures ofPower, but the exhibition has caught theattention of the French press. “Astonishingartistic creativity,” said Le Figaro. “Afascinating universe, a rare artisticensemble,” added La Tribune. One ofFrance’s leading art critics, Philippe Dagen,wrote in Le Monde: “Unlike mostexhibitions on Africa, this one is notexclusively ethnographic in its approach.Among the 140 works on show, many canonly be understood in the context ofpolitical or economic history.”

In that respect, the exhibitioncatalogue comes in handy – assuming thatyou read French, as Portuguese versions areprovided only for a preface by ManzambiVuvu Fernando, the national director ofmuseums in Angola, and in theambassador’s introduction.

The catalogue describes, for instance,the background story of the oldest item ondisplay. Dating from 750 to 850 AD, it isconsidered the longest-surviving woodensculpture from central Africa. Discovered in1928 by an engineer named Camille Turlotin the bed of the Liavela River, about 270 km

southwest of the southernmost point of theterritory now occupied by the Chokwe, thewell-preserved but weathered objectrepresents an animal head.

Before the better-known histories ofcolonialism, independence, civil war andreconstruction, the territory that is nowAngola was populated by a number ofrobust native civilisations. For a time afterthe first Portuguese expedition arrived in1482, commerce defined the relationsbetween the Europeans and the main tribalgroups such as the Kongo. But the growthof the slave trade and colonisation tooktheir tolls. Africans fled the coastal regions,and a whole way of life was disrupted. Thisexhibition highlights the surviving linksbetween the pre-colonial civilisations andtoday’s society.

Mythic heroPerhaps nothing better symbolises

this link to the past than the story of themythic hero Chibinda Ilunga, representedin the exhibition by his own wooden

P aris likes to think of itself as theworld’s cultural capital. Whetheror not it deserves that designationis open to debate, but it has helped

to solidify its position by hosting the city’sfirst comprehensive show of Angolan art.

The 140 pieces in the exhibition,entitled Angola: Figures de Pouvoir (Figuresof Power), come from ten Europeaninstitutions and the National Museum ofAnthropology in Luanda, as well as fromprivate collections. For some of the pieces,this is the first time they have left Africa.

The works include sundry styles ofmasks, carved statues of chiefs evoking themythic hunter hero Chibinda Ilunga,stunning magical-religious figures, andmuch more from the Chokwe, Kongo,Lwena, Lwimbi, Mwila, Ovimbundu andother tribal groups.

As Miguel da Costa, the Angolanambassador in Paris, says in hisintroduction to the exhibition catalogue:“French society and especially Parisians,along with art lovers and students ofAfrican art, have the opportunity to seetogether, as never before, artistic andcultural artefacts that give witness to thecreative genius of the peoples and culturesof Angola.”

The show is curated by ChristianeFalgayrettes-Leveau, director of the DapperMuseum, with Boris Wastiau, director of theGeneva Museum of Ethnography, servingas a scientific consultant. Figures of Poweropened in November 2010 and runs untilJuly 10, 2011. The Dapper Museum, whichspecialises in African culture, is namedafter Olfert Dapper, a Dutch humanist whoin 1668 wrote a seminal book calledDescription of Africa.

A FURNITURE FACTORY’S REVIVALART


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Mbenza ya ngana throneSongo, Angola

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(Opening spread) Chihongo mask, Chokwe,

Angola Ol ivier Gallaud

statuette, an imposing, if small (only 40cmhigh), sculpture of Chokwe origin, and bysimilar pieces representing different chiefsin his likeness.

With its broad shoulders, oversizedfeet, oversized hands – one holding whatcould be a club or a spear and the other arifle, and somewhat oversized genitalia, theChibinda Ilunga statuette bristles withvirility. His animal-like ears and dilatednostrils show that he is in a state of alert.

Chibinda Ilunga’s story is said to dateback to around 1600, when the hunter anddescendent of Luba kings married Lueji,the Lunda queen and granddaughter of theserpent king Chinawezi. After theirmarriage, she named him king. Resentful,her brothers stomped off into thehinterland, each with his own partisans, tofound new tribes. Unfortunately Lueji wasunable to have children, so she allowedChibinda Ilunga to take a second wife. Theson of this liaison ultimately engendered aline of Lunda rulers.

The statuettes of Chibinda Ilunga andthe chiefs in his image represent the first ofthe three “powers” presented in theexhibition – the political. Indeed, one of thedetails common in these statuettes is theMutwa wa kayanda (high hat-style headornament), a symbol of sovereigns inChokwe culture. Other symbols of poweron show include ceremonial knives, swordsand axes.

Among the most interesting are stoolsthat can be understood as symbolic thrones,sometimes very ornately decorated. One ofthe most remarkable is a Songo woodenstool, 74 cm high, called the mbenza ya

JUNE 2011 19

With its broad shoulders, oversized feet,

oversized hands andsomewhat oversized

genitalia, the ChibindaIlunga statuette bristles

with virility

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Nkisi phemba –Cabinda, Angola

Mythic hero, Chibinda Ilunga – Chokwe, Angola

Sceptre –Ovimbundu, Angola

A FURNITURE FACTORY’S REVIVALART


Pwo mask, Chokwe, Angola Kongo/AmbaquistaFuneral urn, Angola

Chikunza mask, Chokwe, Angola

Caryatid seat, Chokwe, Angola

Nkisi Nkondi

Altar, Hamba wa mwim Panel detail Nkanum, Angola / Democratic Republic of Congo

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MARCH 2011 27

Before they reach the main exhibition,visitors to Angola: Figures of Powertraverse an anteroom that featuresseven works by one of Angola’s topcontemporary artists, António Ole.This multitalented artist has worked inpainting, sculpture, installation art,film and photography. Though he hasbeen active for decades, this is hisfirst solo exhibition in Paris.

The works, dating from 1994 to2009, often make use of found orrecycled objects, notably modernones – for example,an old steeringwheel. So at onelevel they appeardistant from thetraditional objectsthat follow. Yet,especially in theirspirit and also inthe way the worksare shaped andpresented, theyprovide the perfectintroduction to thelarger exhibition.

Indeed, most if not all of Ole’sworks seem to draw directly from thenkisi (medicine sculpture) tradition,bridging the spiritual and physicalworlds in a seemingly crude, almostaggressive way, creating an emotionthat takes its effect before the mindcan catch up and figure out what isgoing on.

António Ole’s work is pervaded byhis doubts and intentions, his hopesbut also his sorrows. Sculptures andlarge-scale assemblages in the main,the seven works displayed here bearthe traces of the country’s collectivememory, much of it scarred by war.Ole’s further reminiscences embracesystems of signs that reflect theartist’s interest in the beliefs of severalAngolan populations, in particular themagical-religious practices of theChokwe and Kongo.

ngana throne. It depicts a sitting figure,holding up the seat with its hands and chest,its head sticking up slightly like a backrest.

Most of the other artefacts can bedivided into two broad categories: culturaland spiritual, the latter sometimes rootedin magic, sometimes in religion.

The spirits of ancestors can be invokedat various times, including for thecoronation of a chief, but they are alwayspresent at the initiation rites of adolescentboys, carried out in bush camps distantfrom the main villages.

Dancers who wear stylised masksrepresent the ancestors. The most colourfulitem in the exhibition is probably the red,black and white mask of Chihongo, theancestral male archetype (see picture p.16).

Chihongo’s female counterpart is Pwo,represented by a wooden mask withintricate carvings adorning her face, said torepresent the ideal of female beauty.Alongside is Chikunza, an aggressive figurewhose job is to keep evil spirits at bay fromthe camp of initiates. Black and white, withred highlights around his eyes and mouthand on his nose, and sporting a dunce cap-like pointy head, Chikunza could be a scaryclown out of a Stephen King novel.

Perhaps the most striking, and themost unsettling, items in the exhibit are theminkisi (plural term for the nkisi – sacredmedicine sculptures). Some of thesetortured figures of between 35 and 70 cmhigh have dozens of nails spiked into their

António Ole

JUNE 2011 21

humanesque wooden forms. Some carryknives, and one wears a soldier’s helmet.These figures are used by healers to bridgethe spiritual and physical worlds, and thusas tools to help sick and troubledindividuals recover from illness or solvetheir personal problems.

The exhibition features a myriad ofcultural objects. Indeed, in a strict sense,everything in the exhibition symbolises orrepresents a facet of the culture of one ormore of the tribal groups that inhabit Angola.

One important universe is that ofwomen, which the exhibition makes aserious effort to display. The mask of Pwo(mentioned earlier) is the most memorablefemale image in the show. Also noteworthyis a Kongo/Ambaquista terracotta funeralurn, rounded into a feminine shape anddepicting arms, breasts and genitals. Thereis also a small showcase of items used forfemale adornment by the Himba, Hereroand Kwanyane.

When the show closes, many itemswill make their way back to their respectiveethnographic institutions. But as Picassorecognised, one person’s ethnography isanother person’s art. So, for a few monthsin Paris, the world has been able to see therichness of the traditional art of the peopleof Angola. n

A former correspondent in Brazil forARTnews magazine, Bill Hinchberger is afreelance journalist based in Paris

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BRAZIL:BLOOD BROTHERAND OLDEST ALLY

BRAZIL ANGOLA


South America’s leading economy has had a major business friendship withAngola for over 30 years, its influence visible throughout the country. Universolooks at how those links developed and how they go far beyond just trade �

JUNE 2011 23

country’s morale. A Brazilian supermarketchain set up the country’s first post-independence hypermarket while Braziliansoap operas distracted a population rackedby shortages and hardship.

Brazilian companies, at that timeaccustomed to a chaotic domestic economicscenario, proved more adaptable and less risk-averse than rivals from more stableeconomies. They were more willing to look seriously at business opportunities in Angola.

Brazilians working in Angola, with theireffortless sociability and skill in improvisingsolutions, especially when facing obstructivebureaucracy – the so-called jeitinho, adaptedwell to the local environment and endearedthemselves to their Angolan hosts.

“It’s unnecessary to stress the sharedblood, closeness of behaviour and affection

“Angolans don’t forget that Brazilwas the first country to recogniseAngola’s independence, a

courageous gesture which upset importantsectors.... Its example conferred immediatediplomatic legitimacy on the new country,”said Angola’s President José Eduardo dos Santos.

Brazil’s modern-day partnership withAngola began with that “courageousgesture” in 1975 when its Ministry ofForeign Affairs determined it shouldpursue a pragmatic, strategic approach tointernational relations, regardless of theCold War politics of the time.

Recognising Angola, an ally of Cubaand the Soviet Union, was opposed byelements in the right-wing militarydictatorship then in power in Brazil. Butthe president at the time, General ErnestoGeisel, was very slowly clearing the pathback to democracy and favoured theforeign ministry’s long-term strategic aims.

Access to Africa’s oil resourcesundoubtedly played a part in the decision.At the time, Brazil was supplying only asmall part of its own needs when the 1973oil crisis put the brakes on its “economicmiracle” years of double-digit growth.

Indeed, state oil company Petrobraswas one of the first Brazilian companies todeal with the new Angolan government andhas had a long and mutually beneficialrelationship ever since, especially intechnology, now that Brazil is self-sufficientin oil.

Cultural affinitiesHowever, natural resources have had

nothing to do with the broader, positiveattitude of the Brazilian people towardsAngola. Brazil’s repressed domestic politicalopposition, led by artists and intellectuals,warmly supported Angola’s independencefor what it meant for the Angolans.

Brazil’s cultural affinities with Angolain terms of race, language, music, dance,cuisine and religion long predateindependence. As part of the Portugueseempire, Angola was a major source of theseveral million slaves shipped to Brazil.

Brazil’s greater presence in Angolaafter 1975 provided a welcome boost to the

between our two brother peoples,” Presidentdos Santos has said.

Dijalma Mariano da Silva, the tradesecretary at the Brazilian Embassy inLuanda, agrees. “Brazil’s relations withAngola are much wider than purelycommercial interests, much more than justtrade,” he said.

However, that trading partnership isdoing rather well. The general trend ofAngola’s economic exchanges with Brazil isone of growth. It more than quadrupled from$520 million in 2005 to peak at $4.2 billion in2008 before declining with the globaleconomic downturn.

While Brazil exports a wide variety ofgoods to Angola, over half of them processedfarm products such as sugar, meat, poultryand other foodstuffs, Angola’s return cargois almost all crude oil.

BRAZIL ANGOLA


Practical exercises

Brazillian instructors

Training simulators

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Brazil’s role in Angola’s post-independence economy has been largelyled and performed by multinationalcompany the Odebrecht Group. Thecompany has not only offered a variety ofsolutions to Angola’s reconstruction needsbut has proved resilient in implementingthem in often extremely tough conditions.

Odebrecht, Angola’s second-largestemployer after Sonangol with over 20,000staff, developed the civil engineering workof perhaps the most significant projectsince independence, the 520-megawattCapanda Dam.

Capanda, located near Malange,450km from Luanda currently suppliesnearly all Angola’s electricity. The deal wassigned in 1982 and the first generatorturned in 2004.

The Brazilian company won the

respect of the Angolan government byexecuting the project throughout the longperiod of conflict, enduring complicatedlogistics and at one stage witnessssed thewrecking of the company’s installations.Regardless of the dangers, Odebrecht fullycompleted the dam in 2007.

Despite the difficulties, the Braziliansdelivered Angola’s main power project.President dos Santos said Capanda“consolidated in practice a relationshipbased on dialogue, which a commonlanguage favours, on mutual trust andrespect, and above all on friendship”.

Just as Brazil’s relationship withAngola is not one of mere commerce,Odebrecht’s links with the countries itworks in are not limited to individualprojects. It has a philosophy of serving thecommunities where it acts.

Education and development havebeen a bonus coming with its Angolanprojects. At Capanda, technicians havebeen trained to operate the dam, whileschools and farming in the region havebeen supported. This has given locals astake, directly or indirectly, in theenterprise and has raised living andhealth standards.

As a result of the confidence and trustearned with the government, Odebrecht hasbeen a key player in Angola’s reconstruction.Since Capanda, the multinational has beentasked with developing water supplies notonly for Luanda as its population swelled toover 4 million, but for Benguela and Lobitoas well.

The company has also beenresponsible for major highway projects thathave been praised for their quality. There

Angola - Brazil TradeYear Brazil Exports Angola Exports Total Bilateral Trade

$ millions $ millions $ millions

2002 199.6 11.6 211.2

2003 235.5 7.5 243.0

2004 357.2 3.6 360.7

2005 521.3 0.1 521.4

2006 837.8 459.5 1,297.3

2007 1,218.0 946.3 2,164.6

2008 1,974.5 2,236.4 4,211.0

2009 1,333.0 137.8 1,470.8

2010 947.1 500.1 1,447.9

JUNE 2011 25

Source: Brazilian Foreign Trade Secretariat - Secex

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Recently graduated mechanics

student João Kafino

Hands-on experience

promote Angolan food self-sufficiencyand replace imports.

The Pungo Andongo farm consists of amassive 90,440 acres and produces cornand manioc flour, Angola’s staple food.Odebrecht developed this huge farm andstorage complex and then transferred it toAngolan control.

Fuel developmentA second major agribusiness project,

still under development, is Biocom, whichwill produce sugar and, in future, ethanol.The Brazilians are drawing on theexperience of its highly-efficientcommercial farming sector, where thecompany processes around 40 million tonsa year of sugar.

Angola currently imports around260,000 tons of sugar annually, largely fromBrazil. However, in 2012, Biocom will havethe planned capacity to supply all that isneeded. Angolan staff have been trained inall aspects of the business on Odebrechtplantations in Brazil.

Given Africa’s limited domestic oil-refining capacity, locally-produced ethanolcould be a cheaper way to run vehicles,either as a petrol additive or as pure fuel.This would be especially attractive in rural

was a time when Brazilian companiesstruggled to compete on the world stage.No more.

Odebrecht has itself proved a world-class operator, winning tenders inenvironments demanding the very higheststandards such as an airport in Florida inthe United States.

The company is also completinganother airport at Catumbela to serveBenguela and Lobito.

The South American conglomeratebegan building residential condominiumsin the city’s southern suburbs, Luanda Sul,in 1997 and has since developed large-scalehousing projects to meet priorities set by theAngolan government. It built Angola’s firstshopping centre and a high-class businesspark where it has its own headquarters.

Developing major projects providingAngola with basic infrastructure inelectricity, highways, water and housingwere the first steps by the Brazilianheavyweight, which has since expanded into a wide range of additionaleconomic activities.

Two major farming projects havebeen established by Odebrecht near toand benefiting from Capanda’s powersupplies. The aim of the giant farms is to

areas a long way from petrol supplies.The Brazilian major is also responsible

for developing the industrial park in theSpecial Economic Zone (ZEE) in Viana, inLuanda’s eastern suburbs, whereenterprises dealing with auto parts, glasspanels, electronics, irrigation equipment,hospital drips, paints and varnishes havebeen established.

Odebrecht also brought its logisticskills to the founding of the Nosso Supersupermarket chain, which has over 20branches throughout Angola. Furthermore,Odebrecht also has stakes in Angola’sleading industries; drilling for oil and gas,and diamond mining,

The Brazilian company’s presence inAngola has had a multiplier effect. It hasattracted to the country its own huge supplychain. Of Odebrecht’s 2,817 suppliers,nearly all of them have set up in Angola todo business. Other Brazilian companies andinstitutions have also followed in its wakeand are growing in number.

Brazil’s assistance in the educationand training of Angolans is also apparent.A shared language facilitates teaching andtraining. Angolans can almost seamlesslybe sent to train in similar functions in Brazilwithout the need for a special course in a

BRAZIL ANGOLA

There was a time when Brazilian companies struggled to compete on the world stage.

No more


Sugar cane project – Biocom

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Odebrecht Luanda offices

completely different language – this is anexperience many Angolans had previouslyhad in very different places such as theSoviet Union, Algeria and Bulgaria.

Odebrecht prides itself in itsdevelopment of local workforces and‘Angolanisation’, the training-up of localpersonnel to replace ex-pat workers.

Belief programmeAn excellent example of Brazil’s

contribution to Angolan development isOdebrecht’s Acreditar (Belief) programmewhere personnel undergo training close toits construction sites.

Acreditar gives vocational training to truck drivers, digger operators and also mechanics.

The project was first developed inBrazil and was implemented in Angola inSeptember 2010. So far, 530 Angolans havebeen trained and a further 1,500 are on thewaiting list for courses.

The growing presence of otherBrazilian companies in Angola has beenmarked since 2002.

At the top end of Brazilian technologysales to Angola is the highly successfulaircraft manufacturer Embraer thatrecently delivered executive jets to the

JUNE 2011 27

Odebrecht Luanda offices

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country. The company has an impressivesales portfolio that includes passenger jetsfor China and training planes for Britain’sRoyal Air Force.

Brazil’s prestigious agriculturalresearch institute Embrapa also enjoys aclose relationship with Angola’s farm sector.Embrapa has developed crop strainsespecially suited for the local environmentand has wide experience in tropical farming.

This role is likely to develop as Angolahas the potential to produce many crops inwhich Brazil leads world supplies, such ascoffee, sugar, oranges, cocoa and soya.

Brazil’s world-class media, publicrelations and publicity companies are alsodoing well in Angola. Brazilian PR played apivotal role in Angola’s election campaign.

Angolan TV shows a strong Brazilianinfluence in its programme format andcontent. A live appearance in Luanda ofBrazil’s Xuxa, a children’s TV presenter,attracted bumper crowds.

Brazilian writers, singers andmusicians have enthusiastic followings inAngola and frequently visit the country.Angola is now reciprocating in this areamore fully with an eye to a larger audience.

Brazilian soap operas have beenpopular in Angola for more than threedecades, helping raise Brazil’s profile andreinforce its positive image with the public.One area of Luanda, once home to a giantopen market, was even named after thelong-running 1980s Brazilian soap operaRoque Santeiro.

Services sectorBrazil’s service sector is finding a

profitable niche in Angola’s fast-expandingeconomy. Specialist doctors and dentistsfrom São Paulo find it worthwhile topractice part of the year in Luanda’sinflated market, while Angolans mayundergo relatively cheap medicaltreatment in Brazil while enjoying a vacation.

The country is Angola’s largest serviceprovider, the Brazilian Embassy says, withover 25,000 visas a year granted. Theseinclude those for Angolan students atBrazilian universities where they are betterable to assimilate courses and can save onthe expense of language courses needed inother foreign countries. A total of 130

The Association of Brazilian Businessmen in Angola, Aebran,has members in the following sectors:Oil and Gas Petrochemicals Diamonds

Power supply Logistics Agribusiness

Fish farming Cold storage Trucks

Textiles Catering Educational services

Construction Health Property developers

PR and Marketing Estate agencies Domestic electronics

Satellite TV Informatics Telecoms

Source: Aebran


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Brazilian Embraer-supplied jet for Angola’s Air Force

Angolan graduates are currently on post-graduate courses in Brazil. Brazil alsotrains Angolan teachers from higher-educational institutes.

Angola’s economy is alsointernationalising through Sonangol’sbusinesses abroad. One project involvesdrilling for oil in Brazil via local companyStarfish Oil & Gas S.A. Brazil’s deep-seasubsalt layer is expected to yield a bonanzaof between 10 and 20 billion barrels of oil.Angola, which shares similar geology toBrazil, is likely to also make such rich finds.

A strategic partnership in this areawith Brazil, which has developed leading-edge drilling technology and holds records

for deep-sea oil exploration, would be aperfect match.

Brazil’s Petrobras has been helpingSonangol study its subsalt region and hasalso trained Sonangol specialists in Brazil.It has been training Angolan oil technicianssince the 1980s. In Angola, Petrobrasparticipates in six offshore blocks. In Block34 it partners Sonangol in drilling in ultra-deep waters down to 2,500 metres.

The relationship between Angola andBrazil has flourished, and both countrieshave changed in so many ways since the1970s. Angola is now at peace and in aperiod of sustained growth as itreconstructs its economy.

Brazil is also in a period of acceleratedeconomic expansion and has also beenenjoying the benefits of a stable economysince 1994. It is self-sufficient in oil and hasa booming export market based onburgeoning world demand for its hugecommodity output – commodities thatAngola, with a similar climate, is alsocapable of producing on a large scale.

Furthermore, Brazil’s technologicaladvances and the success of its world-classcompanies, such as Odebrecht and Petrobras, mean Angola’s old strategicpartner has even more to offer as it diversifies and develops its economic potential. �

JUNE 2011 29

São Paulo, Brazil’s powerhouse

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Brazil is also in a period of accelerated economic expansion

Angola’s varied musical heritage draws upon deeply-

rich roots that have inspired not only major styles

such as Brazilian samba, but also continuously

absorbs influences from many parts of the world.

Universo surveys the current sound scene �

ANGOLA’SHEART


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ANGOLAN MUSIC A–Z

JUNE 2011 31

street music which since its inception in thelate 1990s is continuing to win globalacclaim. In a typical performance, lyrics areshouted into a microphone over the top ofa high-paced techno-style beat.

It is hardly melodic, but the draw ofkuduro, I have always been told is thedancing, and before my eyes in that tinyclub, I realise why. After a small break in themusic to allow the MC to shout the namesof the 12 contestants, the bass comes back.This time it seems even louder, and theshow begins.

Twisting, jumping, bouncing and evenshaking, these kuduristas move theirbodies in ways I have previously thoughtimpossible, somehow keeping in time withthe frenetic beat, and even occasionallypausing for cheers when their lyrics strikea chord with the assembled crowd.

“It’s about the dancing,” part-timewaiter and aspiring kudurista EstevãoChaves tells me. “It’s about involving your

whole body in the movement and reallyfeeling the rhythm.”

Twenty-two-year-old Chaves laughs atmy aversion to the volume and bass levels.“Yes, it’s noisy, but kuduro is a youth thing,and young people like loud music and lotsof rhythm and above all they like dancing,”he says.

The kudurista uniform seems to be aswacky as possible although it is usuallyshaped around a fashion label T-shirt,skinny jeans and big trainers. Sunglasseshelp, as does a peaked cap, preferably withsome sort of gold or silver emblememblazoned on the front.

According to CAN club owner andkuduro promoter Carlos Araújo, the style,sound and dancing of kuduro is uniquelyAngolan. “It’s an Angolan invention that’scome about through Angolan creativity,” heexplains, adding that despite its tough streetimage it is in fact an important vehicle forkeeping young people out of trouble.

It’s Sunday evening. The day’s stiflingheat is finally fading, as is the light,and a dusty glow hangs over theunpaved street outside the CAN club

in Luanda’s Cassequel district.The insistent boom of the bassline

beat from behind the metal door is makingit reverberate against its slightly crookedconcrete frame, but the pulse is invitingand we go in.

Down the corridor and inside, themusic is so loud that I can feel my internalorgans bouncing from within, and thesmoke pumped out of a machine next tothe DJ booth tickles my throat.

Pink and green disco lights alternatewith seriously powerful strobes, flashingonto a small hexagonal dance floor where agroup of “kuduristas” (singers / musicians/dancers) stand, assembled like a suspectline-up in an American police movie.

Kuduro is slang for “hard ass” and isthe name of a uniquely Angolan type of


Chris Saunders

kuduro’s evolution mirrors Angola’s own,from its long preoccupation with war andstruggle, to its new focus on a better future.

“A lot of children listen to this type ofmusic and the older ones have aresponsibility to make sure that they don’tmake material that is offensive, immoral ornegative,” adds Chaves the waiter.

One dreadlocked performer, dressedin what can only be described as an

“When it started, Angola was goingthrough its conflict and civil war, andkuduro helped a lot of young people whowere feeling marginalised – those who weregetting involved in crime and things – tostay right.

“It used to be very much a freestylething, where you’d sing whatever came intoyour head at that moment,” says Araújo.“Of course, that was often about theconflict and difficulties people were goingthrough, but now it has evolved and it’simportant to have good written lyrics and astrong message throughout.”

The messages, he says, are by youngpeople for young people, warning aboutthe dangers of getting involved in drugsand crime, and encouraging them to stickto their studies to make sure they get agood job.

Although there are still controversialkuduristas whose lyrics you would not playto your grandmother, in many ways

anarchic outfit of luminous yellow T-shirt,black and white floral plus-twos, knee-highwhite socks tied with rainbow laces and achessboard-checked peaked cap, backedthis up.

Expecting him to be advocating somesort of world revolution, General da China(as he calls himself ) informs me politely:“My kuduro has one very simple message.And that right now is advising everyone tostick to their career goals. When we arefighting for something, we mustn’t give up.”

According to club owner Araújo thereare more than 5,000 kuduristas in Angola,all striving for a lucrative record deal whichwill give them fame like idols such as thegenre’s creator Tony Amado or more recentsuccess stories Bruno M, Os Lambas andCabo Snoop.

The wide-appeal of kuduro isundisputable, certainly in Luanda wheremost weekends you will see kids as youngas five body-popping on a street corner,

“Yes, it’s noisy,but kuduro is ayouth thing”

ANGOLAN MUSIC A–Z

JUNE 2011 33

Chris Saunders

– Estevão Chaves

economy started to open up, with moreAngolans in work and with free time andsome money to spare, they startedinvesting in music, particularly semba.

“Also, you started having local culturalproducers who would take live musicshows from place to place at theweekends,” she says.

And while there had generally beenonly formal music venues in thePortuguese part of Luanda known as theBaixa, by the late 1960s clubs startedopening up in the townships or mussequeswhere the Angolans lived and the demandfor music and performances grew.

This home-grown music, Dr Moormansays, offered Angolans who were otherwiseheavily repressed by the colonial powers anoutlet to be themselves and enjoy theirAngolanidade (Angolan identity).

“People said they spent their day atwork speaking Portuguese and being astheir Portuguese bosses wanted, but atnight they could go home and becomeAngolan again, wearing their own clothes,

speaking in their own language, eating theirown food and listening to their own music.”

One of the bands that helped Angolansfind their identity was Ngola Ritmos(Angolan Rhythms) who were famous forsinging in the national dialect ofKimbundu, rather than Portuguese.

They formed in 1947, led by LiceuVieira Dias who went on to be a foundingmember of the MPLA (People’s Movementfor the Liberation of Angola), which is nowin government, and continued playing intothe late 1960s.

Inspired by natural rhythms and usingseveral layers of guitars, some almost likepercussion, Ngola Ritmos are widelyregarded as the fathers of Angolan music andtheir work has been described as “not only amusic genre but a state of mind, an attitude”,says music historian Dr Moorman.

Unfortunately, few recordings stillexist, but among their most well-knownsongs are Mbiri, Kolonia, Palamé and theirarrangement of the much-coveredMuxima, which tells the story of a man who

some to music blaring out from aneighbour’s house, others just following aremembered rhythm inside their heads.

Kuduro is popular well beyond Angola,filling dance floors in Lisbon, Paris,Amsterdam, São Paulo and New York withbands such as Buraka Som Sistemawinning critical acclaim.

But if you thought all Angolan musicwas loud and urban, you would be wrong.In fact, Angola boasts a rich heritage ofmusic formed by a variety of Atlanticinfluences from Brazil, the Caribbean andeven Cuba, but, like kuduro, shaped to theAngolan context.

Semba is widely acknowledged as thetraditional Angolan sound, although it onlybegan to be commercialised from the 1950s.Its roots go back to the 17th-century danceknown as massemba or umbigada, whichcomes from the term “belly-bumping”,giving you a clue to the fast-paced andsensuous style of movement.

Samba’s sisterOriginally played on tarola drums and

dilonga basins, but more recently on moreformal instruments such as guitars, sembais widely believed to be the precursor to itsmore famous Brazilian sister samba, havingtravelled there across the Atlantic on theslave ships.

Just as kuduro grew out of its uniqueAngolan context, so did semba, accordingto Marissa Moorman, author ofIntonations: A Social History Of Music AndNation In Luanda, Angola, From 1945 ToRecent Times.

Dr Moorman, an associate professor inthe Department of History at the Universityof Indiana in Bloomington, believes thepolitical and social context in the 1960s and1970s led to a real growth in semba.

“At this time there was an explosion inradio stations which play an important partin spreading music,” she says. “And therewas also a deliberate tactic by thePortuguese colonial administration inwanting to encourage local music overimports from neighbouring Congo whichwas already independent and seen as a badinfluence.”

Dr Moorman explains that as the

The term ‘belly-bumping’,gives you a clue to the fast-paced and sensuous style of movement

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BongaJosé Adelino Barceló de Carvalho –

better known as Bonga – began his

career as an athlete, representing

Portugal in the 400 metres.

Carvalho was forced into exile in

Rotterdam in 1972 after a warrant was

issued for his arrest in Luanda over

allegations that he passed messages

between freedom fighters in the

diaspora. He recorded his first album,

Angola 72, in Holland and changed his

name to Bonga.

Forty years later, with nearly three

dozen albums to his name and still

recording, the critically-acclaimed

Bonga is known as the “ambassador of

semba” and his music continues to be

popular around the Lusophone world.

Paulo FloresPaulo Flores is seen as the modern

innovator of Angolan music, as

comfortable singing semba and

kizomba as he is performing blues, jazz

and bossa nova.

His music combines a rich mix of

different rhythms and styles, from light-

hearted dance tracks to deeply melodic

ballads with thoughtful lyrics.

Flores spent part of his childhood

in Lisbon and is as well known in

Portugal as in Angola. He tours

regularly at home and abroad,

performing both stadium-style concerts

and more intimate acoustic sessions.

His first album Kapuete was

released in 1988 and he has recorded

ten more since then, his latest

being the eclectic three-disc box

set Ex-Combatentes.

Buraka Som SistemaBuraka Som Sistema put Angolan

kuduro firmly on the global map.

Although based in Lisbon, the group

claims Angolanidade (Angolan identity)

and has taken the unique sound of

Luanda’s streets to dance floors in

Paris, Tokyo, Amsterdam, São Paulo,

London and New York, winning much

critical acclaim along the way.

Yuri da CunhaYuri da Cunha is a true showman who

has opened for Italian pop legend Eros

Ramazzotti. Hugely popular in Luanda

and the rest of the Lusophone world,

including Brazil, Yuri mixes playful

semba, rumba and kizomba with great

dancing and plenty of fun.

Born in Sumbe, Kwanza Sul, in

1980, he got his big break aged 13 when

he won a singing competition for

youngsters organised by Rádio Nacional

de Angola.

He was voted best male singer in

Angola several times, and Sony will be

produ cing his next album.

Puto PortuguêsPuto Português (real name Lino

Serqueira Fialho) is the new kid on the

semba block. Known for his sharp

outfits and crowd-pleasing

performances, the 23-year-old started

out playing kuduro but switched to

semba last year, releasing his first album

Geração de Semba in December 2010.

Winner of the Rádio Nacional

de Angola record of the year in 2010,

he looks set to get even bigger in the

near future.

AfrologiaAfrologia is a new Angolan electronic

outfit made up of regular Elinga DJ

Soulbreakxtra (Carlos Cunha) and his

brother Coca o Faray Sem Mobile (or

Coca F.S.M. for short).

They offer a fresh Luandan sound,

mixing jazz, soft piano, chilled

electronic and, of course, plenty of

Afro-beat. Catch them at Elinga Teatro.

JUNE 2011 35

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Some key Angolan artists – and two to watch

Today, kizomba and its sensuousdance moves remain central to the Angolanmusic scene with its poppy electronic topand bass-heavy beat taking many awedding and party into the early hours,sometimes to the extreme displeasure ofthe rest of the neighbourhood which istrying to sleep.

Today’s popular singers such as Yuri daCunha, Anselmo Ralph, Matías Damásio,Yola Semedo and Ary fill football stadiumson a weekly basis with their mix of catchykizomba tunes and crooning love ballads.

Heady mixClaudio Silva, the creator of the

Caipirinha Lounge blog dedicated to theLusophone musicscene, says Angolanmusic is unique.

New York-basedSilva refers to a “powerful confluenceof traditional rhythmsfrom Luanda’s nearbyislands of Ilha andMussulo, psychedelicguitar sounds im-ported from neigh-bouring Congo, Latingrooves, old schoolCaribbean merengueand the hard beat

of the Angolan carnival bands”.This heady mix, he told Universo,

creates the “unique Angolan sound” whichis starting to catch people’s attention anddriving a new interest in Angolan musicfrom overseas.

“It’s hard to know how this resurgencestarted,” he says, “but it seems that as the country has opened up, so its music hasgot out.

“I suppose it only takes one person toplay it for it to be heard, and because it’s sogood people are then saying they want tohear more!”

Because of that, as well as a revival ofolder songs, there have also been severalinteresting new 21st-century takes ontraditional Angolan sounds.

Two albums of note, says Silva, areComfusões, which saw Brazilian producer

has been accused of witchcraft going to theMuxima Sanctuary near Luanda to provehis innocence.

Overlapping with Ngola Ritmos butplaying on into the 1970s, Os Kiezos areanother seminal Angolan band whosehighly rhythmic music is still heardregularly on the radio and widely respectedby people of all ages.

Artists such as Ngola Ritmos, OsKiezos, Carlos Lamartine and Jovens daPrenda were all part of that formative era ofAngolan music which is now enjoying arevival through new compilations such asAngola Soundtrack: The Unique Sound ofLuanda (1968 – 1976) released late last yearby the Analog Africa label.

Through the1970s, as Angola became independ-ent from Portugal,semba remained themainstay of Angolanmusic, with artistssuch as Alberto Teta Lando, Banda Maravilha and many others all leavingtheir mark on musi-cal and social history.

Kizomba’s arrivalBut then in the 1980s came

kizomba, semba’s cheekymodern nephew, which also hasthe power to fill a dance floor in seconds andis famed for its sensuous moves.

Kizomba was born through a fusion ofsemba and the at-the-time popular soundof Caribbean zouk, which was brought toAngola by the Martinique/Guadeloupianoutfit Kassav.

Based on a mixture of carnival, folkand calypso-style music, using keyboardsand electronics and with influences from asfar afield as Haiti and Jamaica, zouk was allthe rage across Africa and the French-speaking diaspora in the 1980s and it strucka similar chord in Angola.

Not content with just copying zouk,artists such as Eduardo Paim decided tofuse its tropical sound with their Angolansemba and so created kizomba.

ANGOLAN MUSIC A–Z


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Danny L

C4 Pedro

“It only takes one person toplay for it to be heard, andbecause it's so goodpeople are saying theywant to hear more”

– Claudio Silva

Maurício Pacheco raid the vaults of the Rádio Nacional de Angola and mix upold tracks with new beats, and similarly,Luanda-based Semba Comunicações’Angolan Sound Experience.

This had the likes of Yola Semedo,Matías Damásio and Sandra Cordeiroperforming modern twists on classicAngolan ballads by respected songwritersFelipe Mukenga and Ruy Mingas.

Silva says he believes that part of thegrowing appetite for Angolan music iscoming from the many twentysomethingswho have spent time abroad studying butare now returning to Luanda to live andwork, bringing with them eclectic tastescombined with a hunger for the traditionalsounds of their homeland.

Also informed by their study spells

abroad is a new generation of sometimescontroversial rappers such as Luaty Beirão,MC Kappa and O Conjunto Ngonguenha,whom Silva says are using the medium ofmusic to register their many views onmodern society.

And just like in the 1960s, whenAngolans wanted their own venues inwhich to listen to and play their music, sothe pattern is repeating itself with arenewed emphasis on live music events,particularly in Luanda.

Every weekend you will find an artistsigning copies of his or her new CD in thePraça da Independência and at large open-airvenues such as Cine Atlântico and Cine KarlMarx, along with the Cidadela and Coqueirosfootball stadiums where packed crowdswatch the band or singer of the moment.

Suggestions for further listening…Recordings by individualartists and bands

Ex-Combatentes – Paulo Flores

Eclectic, jazzy and refreshing. A

brilliant collection

Memórias 1968-1990 – Teta Lando

Catalogue of the late Teta Lando’s

most celebrated work

Best of Bonga – Bonga

Greatest hits compilation of Angola’s

ambassador of semba

Kuma Kwa Kié – Yuri da Cunha

Catchy fun pop performed by this

talented semba showman

Black Diamond

– Buraka Som Sistema

Second album of this global kuduro

electro sensation

Nós os do Conjunto

– Conjunto Ngonguenha

Gritty Angolan rap that tells it how it

is but not without some humour

Minha Alma – Yola Semedo

Angola’s queen of soulful kizomba is

in fine form in this powerful solo

album, sung in a mixture of English

and Portuguese

Tata Nzambi – Sandra Cordeiro

Afro-jazz at its best, fused with

Angolan rhythm and soul

Compilations

Angolan Sound Experience

– Various Artists

Modernist twist on Angolan classics

written by Felipe Mukenga and Ruy

Mingas and produced by Luanda-

based Semba Produções.

An excellent collection of classic

Angolan songs from the golden era

of semba including Os Kiezos,

Jovens da Prenda and David Zé

Pérola

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JUNE 2011 37

Angola jazzLaunched in 2009, Luanda now has its

own International Jazz Festival whichshowcases local and other African jazztalent, along with big-name stars such asGeorge Benson.

Partly run by the organisers of theworld-renowned Cape Town InternationalJazz Festival, the event filled the CineAtlântico for three consecutive days and islikely to become a much-loved fixture onthe city’s entertainment calendar.

At the end of May, US rap star SnoopDogg was due to headline the Blue Fest atthe Coqueiros football stadium, the concertstill boasts top acts such as the new youngsemba sensation Puto Português, kids’kuduro favourite Cabo Snoop and Lisbon-based Buraka Som Sistema, playing theirfirst gig in Luanda.

This type of top-billing event follows ashow at Cidadela in April where the currentmembers of Kassav – of kizomba inspirationfame – drew a crowd of 30,000 to the Festivalde Saudades (Nostalgia Concert).

At the other end of the scale, the zanyMovimento X group has turned ElingaTeatro near Luanda’s Marginal into anessential destination for the morediscerning Angolan music lover who wantsto hear something new.

The preferred hang-out for the city’seducated trendsetters, Elinga almostnightly offers a wide range of music, fromhard house and hip hop to softer Afro-jazzand acoustic performances, all put on inthe inviting outdoor balcony bar with its

views across the bay. With Elinga’s’ focus on multicultural

inclusivity, there is a relaxed atmospherewith no dress code or formalities such as

guest-lists and VIP areas.The crumbling theatre, long

threatened with demolition, is seen as theheartbeat for alternative entertainment inthe city, also hosting dance, art andphotography exhibitions and theatre.

Caipirinha Lounge’s Silva loves EspaçoBahia, the restaurant-cum-bar-cum-club-cum-acoustic venue located a few hundredmetres along the Marginal.“All you need isone guitar and that place comes alive,” hesays. “It has a great vibe and there are someexcellent performances there.”

Another old theatre, Chá de Caxinde, isan equally trendy music venue and wasused extensively during the 2010 Trienal deLuanda which featured a number of livemusic, dance and theatre shows.

What is most certain is that throughAngola’s past and present, music is at thecentre of what it is to be Angolan.Remembering the family lunches of hischildhood, Silva says: “Whenever wewould get together there would always bemusic; someone would always play ordance or sing.”

Dr Moorman, from the University ofIndiana, adds: “Music is and always will bea very powerful force in everyday life inAngola. It’s very much part of the waypeople live, communicate and enjoythemselves.

“I have memories of sitting at thepublic archive office in the late 1990s whenthe power would go off and we’d beplunged into darkness. But the guy in thebarber’s shop across the road always hadsome batteries for his little radio, and so themusic never stopped...” �

ANGOLAN MUSIC A–Z

With Elinga’s’ focus on

multicultural inclusivity,

there is a relaxed atmosphere


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JUNE 2011 39

Luanda’s Girassol Clinic, run by Sonangol, undertook its firstpaediatric heart surgery in April when children with congenitalabnormalities were treated successfully. The operations werepart of a programme in partnership with specialists from thePortuguese Red Cross.There are around 300 children on the waiting list for treatment

at Girassol as part of the programme, which aims to reduce thenumber of children sent abroad for operations. The programmealso provides training for local doctors.

Heart surgery successSonangol will open new offices in Venezuela,

according to Jesus Alberto Garcia, trade secretary

at the Venezuelan embassy in Angola. The offices

will be used to oversee a recent 25-year oil and

gas exploration agreement signed by the two

countries and Cuba.

The trade secretary said the agreement brought

Angola and Venezuela, two important members of

OPEC, closer together and they could develop a

common position on oil prices. Garcia noted that

the IMF had said consumer dependence on oil

would be even greater over the next 30 years in

the wake of the nuclear accident in Japan.

South American ties

JUNE 2011 39

Sonangol news briefing



Being prepared Sonangol’s Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Office has bought 3,000metres of absorbent barriers to contain any accidental oil spills at sea. Thepurchase is part of Sonangol’s ongoing efforts to equip its emergency servicesfor pollution risks.

Saurimo schoolsupport

The Pascagoula liquefied natural gas terminal in

Mississippi, US, is on schedule for start-up in October

says El Paso Corporation, Sonangol’s partner in

the project.

Pascagoula has 1.3 billion cubic feet send-out

capacity and will be primed with its first test shipment

this summer. The facility will eventually receive natural

gas from Sonangol’s LNG plant being built at Soyo.

Esso Angola Limited, in thename of Sonangol and itspartners in Block 15, has laid thefirst stone for a new primaryschool in Saurimo, Lunda Sulprovince. Saurimo is 994km eastof Angola’s capital, Luanda.Block 15 is providing over

$800,000 for the new 12-classroom school in the firstphase, rising to $3 million intotal. The new educationalcentre will also contain arefectory, library, theatre andsports fields.

$12m ports deal

Stepping on the gas

Jacq

ues

Gu

illem

Sonangol has signed a 30-year concession

agreement with the São Tomé and Príncipe

government to modernise and operate its

port and airport. Investment of $5 million will

be made in the seaport and $7 million in the

São Tomé and Príncipe International Airport.

Sonangol’s administrator Baptista Sumbe

signed the deal, following two years of

negotiations, with Carlos Manuel Vila Nova,

São Tomé’s and Principe Minister for Public

Works and Natural Resources.

Sumbe described the concession as “the

start of a great

partnership” that he

hoped would turn the

tiny island nation into a

transport hub for the region. “We hope that a

year from now, when we return to sit here, it

will be to raise a toast with greater joy

because the port and airport will be

operational and we will by then have started

new projects,” he said.

Oil products are the largest items imported

by São Tomé and Príncipe.

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Baptista Sumbe

NEWS

Sonangol Schlesser’s buggy won

two stage victories in the Abu Dhabi

Desert Challenge in April. The

second-round race took place in

soaring temperatures, in the heart of

the burning sands of magnificent

dunes in the United Arab Emirates.

This was in sharp contrast to the wet

and muddy first-round venue in Italy.

Driven by veteran Formula 1

driver Jean-Louis Schlesser, the

Sonangol-sponsored team won the

two-wheel-drive category, putting

Sonangol-Schlesser ahead in the

Cross Country World Cup for dri-

vers and vehicle manufacturers

Schlesser’s co-driver was the Russian,

Konstantin Zhiltsov.

JUNE 2011 41

Rally team’s desert win


Piling on the pumps

Sonangol has given Cobalt International Energypermission to go ahead with plans to drill twosubsalt exploratory wells in Block 21. Drilling of thewells, Cameia-1 and Bicuar-1, is expected to startby the end of 2011.There are great hopes that Angola’s subsalt layer

will yield large oil reserves, as the same layer hasdone on Brazil’s continental shelf. The subsalt layeris a common geological feature of both countries,whose areas formed a single continental massmillions of years ago.

Licensed to drill Work starts in Iraq


Sonangol’s fuel arm, Sonangol Distribuidora, plans to build 200 more petrol stations in Angola over the next fouryears, bringing the total up to 639 units.

Al J

azee

raSonangol started drilling work on two fieldsin Iraq in April, according to the Iraqi Ministryfor Oil. The company won the explorationconcessions in an auction in 2009.The fields are Najmah and Quaiyara in

the Nineveh region. Najmah has reservesof 858 million barrels and a productiontarget of 110,000 barrels a day, whileQuaiyara holds 807 million barrels and willhave an expected output of 120,000 barrelsa day.

Sonangol officially christened Angola’s latest giant floating

production vessel at a Singapore shipyard in April. Universolooks at the new addition to the country’s oil-sector fleet �

PLANET SUITE

JUNE 2011 43

SUCCESS

NEWS

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NEWS

Sonangol, along with BPExploration (Angola) Ltd and theBlock 31 partners, took part in thenaming ceremony of a new giant

floating production, storage andoffloading vessel (FPSO).

The vessel is called PSVM, an acronymfor Plutão, Saturno, Venus and Marte, thePortuguese spelling of the planet namesand also the title of a cluster of deep-sea oilfields in Block 31 off the Angolan coast.Overall development of the block projectwill cost a total of approximately $10 billionand is scheduled to produce on average150,000 barrels a day in 2012.

The FPSO was christened with thetraditional bottle of champagne by Dr AnaMaria Martins, wife of Gaspar Martins,administrator of Sonangol EP.

The vessel will travel under its ownpower to the ultra-deep fields in Block 31located around 400km northeast ofLuanda, where it will be moored for itsworking life of around 20 years.

PSVMwill operate in sea depths downto 2,000 metres – serving Africa’s deepestsubmarine wells – and will be connected to77,000 tonnes of subsea equipment. A series of flexible and rigid flowlines willconnect the vessel to 48 wells spread over asea-floor length of 28km.

The double-hulled FPSO wasconverted from a very large crude carrier(VLCC) called Bourgogne at Singapore’sJurong Shipyard, a subsidiary of SembcorpMarine. The Bourgogne was built in theCadiz shipyards in Spain in 1996.

Sonangol and its partners led by BPsubcontracted Modec to undertake thework. The work involved leaving part of thetanker with a storage function but addingproduction units and an external turret.

The FPSO has a total of 19 moduleswith functions including oil and gasseparation, water and gas injection systemsto boost productivity from the reservoir,and water treatment. There are also fourgas turbine units capable of generating 100 megawatts of power.

One of the most noticeable changes tothe vessel profile is the superstructure, wherethe new pipe-laden processing modulesalmost double the height of the tanker.

PSVM will operate in sea depths down to 2,000 metres – serving Africa’s

deepest submarine wells


26.67

25

20

13.33

10

5

Block 31 partner stakes

Values as %

BP Exploration (Angola)

Limited (operator)

Esso Exploration and

Production Angola (Block 31)

Sonangol P&P

StatoilHydro ASA

China Sonangol

International Holding Limited

Marathon International

Petroleum Angola Block 31 Ltd

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Completion of the 8.1 million man-hourtask was undertaken without a single DayAway From Work case (DAFWc).

A number of key components used inbuilding the FPSO were manufactured inAngola and shipped to Singapore for fitting,including the pipe-rack structures, modulesupport stools and pressure vessels.

Although a total of 16 countries as farapart as Indonesia and Scotland wereinvolved in supplying equipment for theproject, work was done at 12 assembly andmanufacturing sites in Angola, includingtwo new facilities for wellhead machiningand tree assembly near Luanda and apipeline multi-jointing and marine supplybase at Porto Amboim. �

The forward turret is the mostprominent alteration to the ship’s overallprofile. It acts as a giant swivel, allowing thevessel to move in accordance with oceancurrents and tides.

To install the external bow-mountedturret, a portion of the tanker’s bow had tobe removed.

Local contentThe turret for PVSM weighed 3,000

tonnes. The huge external tower surroundingthe turret and swivel was a source of pride forSonangol as Angolan engineer Kimi de Sousawas involved in its design.

The construction process safety recordwas another reason for self-congratulation.

NEWS

Gaspar Martins, administrator of Sonangol EP

and Dr Ana Maria Martins

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JUNE 2011 47

FPSO PSVM Key Data

203157m

22.2m 120crew

245,000,000ft3

1,800,000

20,000 tonnes

width

335mlength

In production until

draughtweight

Storage capacity of

barrels

Production capacity of

barrels per day

150,000Gas processing capacity of

Sonangol assumed the presidency ofthe African Refiners Association(ARA) during its annual conference at

Cape Town on March 28-30. AnabelaFonseca, the Sonangol vice-president withresponsibility for refining, took over thechair from Algeria’sAbdelkader Benchouia andwill preside for a year.

ARA was set up in2006 with the aim ofestablishing a forum for the exchange ofideas, and seeks to apply African synergiesand solutions to the continent’s oil-refining needs.

Africa currently produces 12 per centof the world’s crude oil but has only a 3.6per cent share of global refining capacity,according to a refinery survey conductedby BP in 2010. The continent is also facingthe prospect of importing more refined fuelto meet growing local demand.

Africa, therefore, requires significantfunding to upgrade existing refineries and

Angola Egypt Libya

Zambia Kenya South Africa

Nigeria Morocco Ivory Coast

Senegal Algeria Cameroon

Ghana Gabon Sudan

Congo Brazzaville Democratic Republic of Congo

build new ones. Many of its refineries are inneed of investment and modernisation.Angola is a case in point. The countryimports two-thirds of the refined productsit uses, Anabela Fonseca reported earlierthis year.

Africa wants the cleaner, higher-quality fuels demanded by consumerswhile aiming to reduce imports, especiallypoor-quality products.

The keynote speaker at Cape Town wasIan Taylor, chief executive of the VitolGroup, the recent purchasers of Shell’sdownstream assets. The conference was also attended by bankers, oilmen,government representatives, energyregulators and international and local oil traders.

Subjects discussed included the

development and protection of oilresources and the competition emergingfrom the Middle East, India and Far Eastwhere new refineries are being built.

ARA aims to attract new investors todevelop the continent’s refining capacity

and also wants its membersto support the newly createdAfrican Academy of Energy(ACAFE). This is aninstitution where best

practice may be shared across thecontinent on refining, technology,environment, human resources andsustainable development.

ARA originated in 2006 as a Pan-African non-governmental organisation forAfrica’s oil supply, refining and distributionindustry. It represents 36 of the 44 refineriesin Africa as well as many productimporters, storage companies andgovernment regulators. ARA’s annualconference is the only meeting place for thedownstream oil sector in Africa.

Sonangol vice-president Anabela Fonseca has been made president of Africa’s

Refiners Association which aims to increase local crude processing and cut imports

LEADER ROLEIN REFINING

ARA aims to attract new investors todevelop the continent’s refining capacity

ARA member countries


NEWS

Kim

esso

Kis

soka

Refining historyUp until 1954 Africa had no refineries.

Small demand before independence andthe wider use of road vehicles was met byrefined-product deliveries down the eastand west coasts from refineries in theCaribbean, Europe and the Middle East.

Tankers usually served more than onecountry on each trip.

The first refineries built were in 1954in Algeria and South Africa. Angola’sLuanda refinery was Africa’s third facilityin 1958.

The bulk of Africa’s refineries werebuilt in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s with onlytwo new refineries added in this century:Khartoum, Sudan, in 2001 and Middle East Oil Refinery (Midor) in Egypt in 2002.

The largest individual oil refineries arefound in Algeria (Skikda, 300,000 barrelsper day), Libya (Ras Lanuf, 220,000 bpd),Nigeria (Port Harcourt, 210,000 bpd) andSouth Africa (Durban, 165,000 bpd).

In terms of capacity, Africa’s mainrefining countries are Algeria, Egypt,Nigeria and South Africa.

However, many refineries producewell below capacity because of operationalproblems, often caused by prolongedunderinvestment.

Although a total of 48 refineries werebuilt on the continent, at least 11 havebeen closed, the first being SouthernRhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) as aresult of UN-imposed sanctions. The moreusual reason for closure was that therefineries were uneconomic. �

Anabela Fonseca was born in Huambo in 1961 but was brought up in

Kuito. In 1979 she studied chemical engineering at Luanda’s Agostinho

Neto University. She is married and lives in Luanda with her husband and

three children.

From 1982 to 1995 she worked in Angola’s oil ministry, eventually

specialising in the refining department. Fonseca joined Sonangol in 1996,

rising to be a vice-president and board member in 2005. Her responsibilities

include heading Sonangol’s refining-operations arm, Sonaref.

ARA’s new president

JUNE 2011 49

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Cabinda

ANGOLA

Luanda

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

BOTSWANA

ZAMBIA

AFRICA

ANGOLA

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Government of Angola: .............................................................................................www.angola.gov.ao

Banco Nacional de Angola: ..................................................................................................www.bna.ao

ANIP (Investment agency): .............................................................................................www.anip.co.ao

Tourism information: .............................................................................................www.minhotur.gov.ao

Jornal de Angola: ............................................................................................www.jornaldeangola.com

Angola News Agency (Angop):...........................................................................www.portalangop.co.ao

Angola online: ......................................................................................................www.angola-online.ao

RNA (Rádio Nacional de Angola): ..........................................................................................www.rna.ao

TPA (Televisão Pú blica de Angola): .......................................................................................www.tpa.ao

Fundação Eduardo dos Santos: ......................................................................................www.fesa.og.ao


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

www.angola.org 2100-2108 16th Street, NWWashington, DC 20009Tel: + 1 202 7851156

Consulates general in Houston and New York

UNITED KINGDOM

www.angola.org.uk22 Dorset Street London W1U 6QY Tel: + 44 20 72999850

PORTUGAL

www.embaixadadeangola.org Avenida da República, 68Lisboa 1050Tel: + 351 21 7967041 / 7967043

Consulate general in Porto

FRANCE

www.emb-ang.fr 19 avenue FochParis 75116Tel: + 33 1 45015820

BRAzIL

www.embaixadadeangola.com.br SHIS - QL 6 - Conjunto 5 - Casa 1Brasília DF 71620-055lTel: + 55 61 32484489 / 32482999

Consulate general in Rio de Janeiro

SOUTH AFRICA

1030 Schoeman StreetHatfield Pretoria 8685Tel: + 27 12 3420049 / 3420052

Consulates general in Johannesburg and Cape Town

Embassies Abroad

Useful websites

NAMIBIA

ANGOLA COUNTRY INFORMATION

LOCATIONSouthern Africa, bordering the South AtlanticOcean, between Namibia and the DemocraticRepublic of Congo. The province of Cabinda isan exclave, separated from the rest of thecountry by the Democratic Republic of Congo

TIME zONE UTC + 1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DCduring standard time) AREA1,246,700 sq km (23rd largest country in theworld). Slightly less than twice the size ofTexas or just over five times the size of the UK

CLIMATESemi-arid in south and along coast to Luanda;north has cool, dry season (May to October)and hot, rainy season (November to April)

TERRAIN Narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vastinterior plateau. Morro do Moco (2,620 metres– 8,596 feet) is the highest point

POPULATION13,338,541 (70th country in comparison to theworld) (July 2011 est.)

MAJOR CITIESLuanda (capital) 4.5 million, Huambo, Lubangoand Benguela

ADMINISTRATIvE DIvISIONS18 provinces – Bengo, Benguela, Bié, Cabinda,Cuando Cubango, Cunene, Huambo, Huila,Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul, Luanda, LundaNorte, Lunda Sul, Malange, Moxico, Namibe,Uíge, zaire

ETHNIC GROUPS Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo13%, mestiço (mixed European and nativeAfrican) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

RELIGIONSIndigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

LANGUAGES Portuguese (official), Bantu and other Africanlanguages

NATIONAL HOLIDAYIndependence Day, 11 November (1975)

NATURAL RESOURCESOil, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper,feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium, ornamentalstones

GDP$114.1 billion (2010 est.)

GDP PER CAPITA$8,700 (2010 est.)

GDP COMPOSITION BY SECTORAgriculture 9.6%, industry 65.8%, services24.6% (2008 est.)

AGRICULTUREBananas, sugar cane, coffee, sisal, corn,cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco,vegetables, plantains, oranges, livestock,forest products, fish

INDUSTRIESOil production, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates,quarrying, feldspar, bauxite, uranium and gold,cement, basic metal products, fish processing,food processing, brewing, tobacco products,sugar, textiles, ship repair, glass forconstruction, offshore services

ExPORTS$51.65 billion (2010 est.)

ExPORT PRODUCTSCrude oil, diamonds, refined petroleumproducts, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products,timber, cotton

MAIN ExPORT PARTNERS China 35.65%, US 25.98%, France 8.83%,South Africa 4.13% (2009)

IMPORTS$18.1 billion (2010 est.)

IMPORT PRODUCTSMachinery and electrical equipment, vehiclesand spare parts, medicines, food, textiles,military goods

MAIN IMPORT PARTNERS Portugal 18.71%, China 17.39%, US 8.51%,Brazil 8.22%, South Korea 6.72%, France4.51%, Italy 4.28%, South Africa 4.02% (2009)

CURRENCYKwanza (AOA)

INTERNATIONAL DIALLING CODE+ 244

INTERNATIONAL INTERNET CODE .ao

JUNE 2011 51

Partly-sourced from:https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ao.html Source: CIA, the World Factbook

Information

Palanca Negra GiganteGiant Sable Antelope

Proudly Angolan

Our mission is to promote the sustainable growth of the national oil industry and

to guarantee a higher return for Angola by engaging with national companies and

the workforce thus ensuring the generated results benefit Angolan society.

Documents

SONANGOL UNIVEROS Universo30.pdf · 2013-10-18 · international access, support and expan - sion of broadband internet services, transmission to telecommunications operators and