en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Chilean Mining Chamber (Cámara Minera de Chile) has signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with Angola's ASAP TP – Projectos, Comércio e Serviços LDA (ASAP TP), aiming to expand economic and technical cooperation between the two countries in the mining sector and promote the transfer of Chile's expertise in copper, lithium, and sustainability.
The agreement was signed against a favorable backdrop for attracting foreign private investment in Angola. Angola has established legal frameworks such as the Private Investment Law No. 10/18 (Ley de Inversión Privada N° 10/18) and the Mining Code (Código de Minas), which provide guarantees and rights for foreign investors. This cooperation mechanism aims to facilitate investment, technology transfer, training, and technical consulting between the two countries.
Manuel Viera, President of the Chilean Mining Chamber, stated that these objectives will be achieved through joint activities in investment, consulting, technology transfer, training, and the promotion of bilateral relations, benefiting both members and the sustainable development of the mining sectors in both countries. He emphasized that Angola offers an opportunity for Chile to export its mining experience and build a regional business platform. Planned actions include organizing a business mission to Angola. Chile can provide assistance in training and public policy formulation, and consider adapting the model of the Chilean National Mining Company (Enami) to regulate mining development and prevent illegal or informal mining activities. These experiences have already been shared with Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico, and could be replicated in Angola.
Jorge Molina, Director of ASAP TP, noted that Chile is regarded as a global mining benchmark due to its experience, stability, and technological development. The linguistic similarity between Spanish and Portuguese facilitates cooperation. Angola could be a promising destination for Chilean professionals, especially mining engineers, who can find opportunities there and represent a non-traditional export. Molina added that Angola is working to strengthen diplomatic relations. Chile currently has an honorary consul in Angola, with affairs managed from South Africa, but Chile is seeking to establish a full-time consul and eventually an embassy in Angola.
Regarding investment conditions, Angola is currently at a stage similar to Chile in the 1990s, with limited mining experience and weak supplier infrastructure. Its economy relies heavily on oil and diamonds but is seeking diversification. The country needs skilled technical workers, technical expertise, and mining management capabilities. Molina emphasized that knowledge transfer and public policy support are the primary objectives of the agreement, along with leveraging experienced professionals to develop Angola's mining sector, thereby avoiding the pitfalls seen in other countries.
Angola has significantly streamlined investment processes, including easy company registration, an investor consultation platform, and tax incentives. For complex projects, the tax rate is as low as 5% to facilitate capital recovery for high-risk technical projects. Molina stated that the goal is to make resources that were previously unviable due to high costs exploitable.
Manuel Viera reiterated that the institutional DNA of the Chilean Mining Chamber is to foster international cooperation to drive sustainable socio-economic development. This is an opportunity to export the experience of Chilean professionals and members, as well as supplier companies with expertise in mineral development and extraction. The agreement opens opportunities for Chilean mining professionals, suppliers, and companies in an African market with potential for economic diversification.
