Angola-Government Approves USD 190 Million Road Rehabilitation Programme

angolan government wednesday in luanda approved the 2005/2006 road rehabilitation programme estimated to cost usd 190 million, during a meeting of the cabinet council chaired by the head of state, josé eduardo dos santos.

after the meeting, the public works minister, higino carneiro, told journalists the programme will be carried out in two years, starting from the date of approval.

he said the programme includes projects that will be financed both with funds from the government and external sources he would not reveal.

the minister said as well that the programme will work over an extension of 1.200 kilometres, mainly on roads of relevant economic demand. the works will be carried out by the national institute of roads (inea).

according to a press release from the meeting, the cabinet council approved the project on the regularisation and control of the rivers catumbela, cavaco and coporolo, in central benguela province.

the cabinet also approved the regulation of the electoral registration law, the organic structure of the electoral registration, the electoral registration programme and the electoral registration civic education programme.

meanwhile, the angolan minister of territory administration, virgílio fontes pereira, said the scope of the documents approved is very wide as they serve for the government to reorganise and regulate the legislative electoral package.

left to be done are the documents on the regulation of the electoral observation law and the electoral law itself that are awaiting to be submitted to the cabinet council, the minister said.

on the other hand, the electoral registration programme, already approved, is a fundamental instrument leading to the electoral process, the minister said.

the cabinet council also adopted the drafts submitted by the foreign ministry, namely the one that approves the agreement between angola and russia on the setting up of the inter-governmental commission on economic, technico-scientific and commercial cooperation.

the commercial accords of economic cooperation and the one on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments between the governments of angola and of namibia, were also approved.

as to the documents presented by the justice ministry, the cabinet learned of the memorandum on the making and granting of identity cards, under the adults registration campaign, and approved the draft resolution that proclaims the "angolan pioneers organisation" as a public utility institution.

on the other hand, the cabinet council was informed on the reports on execution and recommendations approved in 2004 and the public investment programme for the first quarter of 2005 and the one on the implementation of the child rights convention, as well as the programme on improved and increased supply of basic goods and services to the populations in the 2003/2004 period.


the cabinet was also informed on the formal announcement of the end of the accord on fisheries between angola and the european union, and on the 10th meeting of the southern africa regional police chiefs cooperation (sarpcco) to be held in luanda.

the cabinet council also learned of the portuguese speaking community (cplp) games scheduled for august this year in luanda and of a case of poliomyelitis recorded in the angolan capital recently.