How innovation in Angola is helping its economy thrive despite Covid-19

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2020/08/04 15 :56

Today's Vocabulary

1. outbreak (n)
 
a time  when something suddenly begins, especially a disease a or something else dangerous or unpleasant 

 

2. inhabitants ( n)
a person or animal that lives in a particular place 


3. arable (adj)
(of land ) used for or right for growing crops


4. thriving (adj)
growing, developing, or being successful

5. safeguard (v)
 to protect  something from harm

6. contain ( v)
 
to have something inside or include  something as a part 

 

How innovation in Angola is helping its economy thrive despite Covid-19

The south-west African country of Angola has been turning to innovative solutions to help safeguard its economy during the coronavirus outbreak.In this week’s Business Angola, Euronews’ Serge Rombi finds out more about its successful strategy.

Measures Angola has taken to help contain the virus include the widespread use of masks and rapid response effort, like opening a field hospital on an industrial site in record time.

Antonio Henriques da Silva, the head of the Investment and Export Promotion Agency of Angola, said: “When we see our reality and how we coped with the situation, we can definitely say that we have been so far successful. And in a humble manner we can say we managed to do this because we followed in an organised way directions that were given by the Government. We took it seriously.

“There is a sense of hope. But through hard work, being honest and also to make the country get rid of corruption and mobilising ourselves to the development efforts, which is not just a government task, but it’s a national task,” he added.

Mr Henriques da Silva also talked to Euronews about the country’s various assets that attract investors, including its agricultural sector.

“We have like 53 million hectares of arable land. Out of it, only 4 or 5 million has been used. So that is huge potential. It’s not only there for business people that are already in Angola, but it’s also an investment opportunity,” he said.

Angola’s agricultural sector is just one example, it also has a thriving tourism industry and in-demand water resources.

“The private sector, investors need to come to our country and effectively see that we are not just a land of opportunities but we are also working very hard in adjusting our institutions and the way we work to those standards that are seen as good references for projects and investment in a country, in an economy,” Mr Henriques da Silva added.

Resource: https://www.euronews.com/2020/07/08/how-innovation-in-angola-is-helping-its-economy-thrive-despite-covid-19

Discussion
  1. Which is more important to you, innovation or hard work?
  2. Do you appreciate innovation or do you prefer the same good old ways?
  3. If your practical knowledge didn’t limit you, could you think of ways to make your daily routines easier?

“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.”

Arthur C. Clarke

“What is now proved was once only imagined.”

William Blake