São Paulo, November 3, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazilian help will be very important for the reconstruction of Angola, especially after the process of civil war that destroyed the country during the past decades. This affirmation was made by José Manoel Cerqueira, an economist and consultant to Angolan firms. According to him, his country lacks financial capacity to cover the costs of reconstruction. For this reason it needs the help of countries that are strong economically, not only in the financial sense, but in terms of technology.

For the economist, Brazil has the ideal profile for medium and long-term partnerships, since it shares common characteristics with Africa. "Angola needs partners who understand the African soul and the problems of the tropics, and Brazil, among the world's large countries, is the one with the greatest African vocation," Cerqueira affirms. One point in favor of the development of bilateral relations across the Atlantic is the Portuguese language, a legacy left by the Portuguese colonizers.

Angola hopes that Brazilian enterprise will invest mainly in infrastructure and the agricultural sector. "Brazil has great prospects for becoming the planet's largest agricultural power, and we need the transfer of this experience to Angola," the consultant judges. A large obstacle to the development of economic activities in Angola is the presence of land mines left over from the war. The economist believes that the Angolan armed forces will need the help of the Brazilian army to remove these devices.

Angolans also seek Brazil's contribution to the settlement of agrarian disputes in the country. With the end of the conflict, force stopped being the rule defining territories. "We have a lot to learn about matters related to property rights in order to administer a property system geared to sustainable development," Cerqueira affirms. (DAS)