Angola and China signed a memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation in agriculture on April 16 in Luanda, with a view to promoting the construction of a tractor factory and the creation of an agricultural training school in the country.

The legal document was signed by the chairman of the board of directors of the SANEP Group, Luís Troso, on behalf of Angola, and by the vice president of the SINOMACH group, Li Xiaoyu, on behalf of China.

This is a private project aimed at boosting national agriculture with a view to increasing the supply of basic foodstuffs for Angolan families and exports of agricultural products.

The project is expected to begin within three months, initially in the province of Malanje, and will be extended to other regions of the country, involving an investment of US$12 million for the construction of a tractor assembly line and a training center for technicians in different areas of agriculture.

(Source: Agência Angola Press, on April 17)