Angola’s National Agency for Private Investment (ANIP) on Wednesday signed 23 agreements – worth a total of 5.496 billion kwanzas (US$43.5 million) – with Angolan and foreign investors. The deals included projects with capital provided by China and Portugal, Angolan news agency Angop reported.

The 23 agreements were related mainly to the trade and services sectors, but the manufacturing sector was also well represented, Angop said.

Aside from input by Angola, China and Portugal, there was also investment from the United States, Nigeria, Switzerland, India and other foreign countries.

According to Angop, the 23 deals, once realised, should directly provide at least 1,070 jobs.

Maria Luísa Abrantes, President of ANIP, said – as quoted by Angop – that, so far this year, the agency has sealed investment deals worth US$1.5 billion. The amount is slightly below the aggregrate recorded in the same period last year, she said.

According to Ms Abrantes, Angola’s current economic situation has had a negative effect on investment in Angola by Angolan firms, but investment by foreign firms has remained strong.