2nd CONGRESS of Lusophone Engineers | Portuguese-speaking countries eye Chinese investment to develop infrastructures

As Angola strives to further develop its economy and tackle challenges triggered by Luanda’s construction boom, China is often seen as a good business partner by the Angolan government. Speaking on the sidelines of the 2nd Congress of Portuguese-speaking Engineers opening ceremony, the chairman of Angola’s Engineering Council, José Dias, assured that cooperation between Angola, China and Portugal, “bears fruit.”
“China, Portugal and Angola have been enhancing their cooperation on a wide range of [engineering areas], namely infrastructures, housing, logistics. [This cooperation] bears fruit, as Angola has positioned itself at the center of development in Africa,” he told reporters.
The congress, which ends today at The Venetian Macao, gathers about 800 engineering experts and professionals from various Portuguese-speaking countries, who are eager to further cooperation focusing on different working areas. These include renewable energies, transport infrastructures, agriculture management, electric transportation and waste treatment, among others.
Angola is one of Africa’s major oil producers, but it has been tackling huge physical, social and political issues. Its capital, Luanda, must strive to keep up with its booming construction, in a city now home to over 5 million people.
Mr Dias has a positive view of Chinese investment in the African city, assuring the media that the government strives to ensure the quality of construction works, while also giving priority to Angolan workers.
“We are cooperating with other countries to improve our quality standards, as it’s fundamental to ensure the quality of construction works that are now underway,” he added.
As “engineering knows no borders,” they need to cooperate with other countries to develop Angola, he added. “We live in a globalized world and we know that there is competition but there has to be cooperation too.”
In Africa’s quest for development, Mr Dias thinks that engineering will play a greater role in helping the continent become more productive and competitive.
“Engineering is a sector that connects every country. We think Africa should play a privileged role within [the engineering sector]. Angola has been aiming at leading this development, so that Africa becomes a true productive continent in different sectors,” he acknowledged.
However, Mr Dias recognized that Angola lacks engineers, as many young people choose to pursue different career paths. In this context, he acknowledged that Portugal has been cooperating with Angola, since Portuguese engineers have been working in Angola.
A lack of  engineers is also one of the challenges Guinea Bissau has had to endure, said the Minister of Public Works, José António da Cruz Almeida. However, since Guinea is part of an African sub-region, he said that they have managed to find enough engineers within the region.
At the moment, Guinea Bissau is working on setting up an Engineering Council that could “harmonize” the sector and provide engineers with official certification.
With a lack of infrastructure, Guinea has also relied on Portuguese and Chinese companies, which have invested in major construction works.
“We are completing the construction of several government buildings and a stadium which are being developed by Chinese companies, while a Portuguese company worked on the construction of a bridge that was funded by the European Union,” he recalled.
Mr Almeida sees the congress as an opportunity to exchange business ideas with other countries. Macau, he said, “is definitely a bridge between Portuguese-speaking countries and China.”
He added that, “China is the world’s second largest economy and it intends to invest on the infrastructure sector, so that’s why we’re here.”
The 2nd Congress of the Portuguese-speaking Engineers kicked off yesterday and ends today. Participants come mainly from China, Portugal, Macau, East Timor, Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea Bissau, and Mozambique, among others. A third edition of the congress is due to take place in Maputo, Mozambique, in 2016.