Representatives from Angola joined international experts this week in Geneva, Switzerland to explore the dynamics of trade in services, and consider new ways to harness services trade for more sustainable growth.

With more than 93% of exports in 2016 connected to the oil sector, Angola has identified services trade as a way to diversify its economy.

The development of services is key to promoting sustainable economic and human development. Services also play an increasingly important role in trade, and the creation of jobs and investment opportunities.

Fostering the role of services is also a critical part of economic diversification strategies, which can lead to more inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and support countries in their efforts to achieve the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This is especially relevant in commodity-dependent countries like Angola.

The sixth session of the Multi-Year Expert Meeting on Trade, Services and Development focused on water and sanitation, energy and food-related logistic services, examined the ways and means to facilitate and expand services trade with respect to achieving the relevant Sustainable Development Goals under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The meeting was held from 7–8 May 2018.

Important instrument

Manuel Quizembo, Senior Expert on Logistics Platforms, Ministry of Transport, shared Angola’s experience with trade and transport logistics.

“The Ministry of Transport, within the National Development Plan 2018–2022, has put in place a national network for logistics platforms,” Mr. Quizembo said. “This is an important instrument that will facilitate the integration of our country through the development of several logistics and transport corridors.”

“We have developed the Lobito corridor, from the Atlantic Ocean to east Angola and crossing four provinces, namely, Benguela, Huambu, Bié and Muxico. It ends in the eastern region of Angola, in the municipality of Luau, 12 kilometers from the first municipality of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Mr. Quizembo said.

“Recently, we transported the first shipment of ore from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The corridor and the Lobito commercial port region can also serve the landlocked countries of the region.”

Mr. Quizembo added: “The experiences discussed during the expert meeting are particularly useful for Angola to consider as we adopt strategies for more effective transport and logistics corridors.”

Diversification for development

The Republic of Angola’s participation in the Expert Meeting on Trade, Services and Development is one of the planned activities under the EU-UNCTAD joint Programme of Support for Angola: Train for Trade II, which was launched in April 2018 in Luanda, Angola.

Under the commercial diplomacy component of Train for Trade II, emphasis is placed on trade policies and trade negotiations in both the goods and services sectors.

This component aims to develop and strengthen policies, improve the regulatory and institutional capacities of Angolans, and expand the technical skills and expertise of staff and entities in various sectors as a means of promoting the diversification of the Angolan economy.

Training courses will also focus on data analysis, using platforms such as WITS (World Integrated Trade Solution) and UNCTADStat.

Forthcoming activities under Train for Trade II include a training session under the National Green Export Review (NGER) component scheduled from 11–22 June.