Rich source: Catoca, Angola’s biggest diamond mine, powers the economy

Diamond key to rebuilding social fabric
Province of Lunda SUL Stability and security enable the authorities to switch from defense to development projects aimed at raising living conditions

he province of Lunda Sul, which has Angola’s biggest diamond mine, Catoca, has embarked on the task of reconstruction in the wake of the civil war.
The conflict inflicted severe damage as much of the province’s territory was occupied by Unita rebel forces for several years. “Now that the armed forces have expelled all the elements of Unita that were making development impossible, Lunda Sul is at a very important moment in its history,” says its governor, Francisco Sozinho Chihuissa.
“At this moment we can say that Lunda Sul is a province with security and stability, with all its territory under government control. This is a great improvement as we can now start developing programs for the economy and social issues such as health and education.”

Social conditions

Chihuissa: historic

The governor doesn’t flinch from the enormity of the task facing him and his colleagues, freely admitting that social conditions in the province are “terrible” as a result of the war.
“We have not really been able to carry out solid programs in this area because we have been living under conditions of conflict for so many years. Health centers and other social provisions were not a priority. In the past we had to direct all our efforts to fighting the Unita forces and getting them out of the region.”
Mr Chihuissa’s government has turned not only to the national capital for help but also to the diamond mining industry. Both are helping to rebuild the social fabric of Lunda Sul.
“The central government is showing serious concerns about the education sector, and there are several programs to build schools in different municipalities,” says the governor.

“The same is happening with healthcare, and we are building health centers and hospitals, and addressing issues such as vaccination programs to protect the population from disease.
“At the same time, the central government is taking care of rebuilding the damaged infrastructure in the province such as roads, bridges and power stations.”
Catoca is carrying out social programs of its own. Mr Chihuissa stresses the role of the diamond industry in boosting the economy and standard of living.
“Diamonds are going to be very important for Lunda Sul,” he says. “The industry is the most important source of economic development in the province. However, we don’t just want the money, we want other industries and other enterprises to arise out of the diamond industry – suppliers and small to medium-sized companies providing services.”

He wants Lunda Sul to receive a larger share of the revenues levied by the central government on diamond production. “We want the situation to be like it is for the provinces that produce oil, so that a big share of revenues coming from the industry remain in the places of production.”
He emphasizes that diamonds are not all that the province has to offer potential investors. “Lunda Sul has rich agricultural potential and we have large reserves of very good, very expensive timber which are almost untouched. We have to concentrate on the agricultural potential of the province since the people who live here have to eat, so this is a priority. It would be an easier life for our people if we could produce food for them.
“This province can produce a lot of rice, as in the past. We can grow corn and potatoes, and there are interesting projects aimed at developing large-scale soya production.”

Natural wealth
He argues that the province’s natural wealth in water and, hence, its potential for generating hydropower, make it a natural location for investing in industrial development.
“What I can say to every investor, national or foreign, who is interested in investing in the province is that
we are very willing to have them and we will make their job easy.”