Mbanza Kongo to build new airport, UNESCO recommends

The capital of the northern Zaire province, Mbanza Congo, will have a new airport, as recommended by UNESCO on World Heritage Site issue.

The fact was announced on December 13 in Angola's capital city Luanda by the provincial governor of Zaire province, Pedro Makita.

Makita announced this at the end of second Meeting of National Multi-Sector Commission for Safeguarding World Cultural Heritage, chaired by vice president Bornito de Sousa. He also spoke of the provincial authorities in Zaire engaged in mobilising national and international businessmen to invest in the hotel sector in the region.

The Luanda-Mbanza Kongo and Nzeto-Soyo roads also benefited from a new asphalt. On rehabilitation of historic monuments, the minister of Culture Carolina Cerqueira has identified a list of historic monuments in the country whose rehabilitation has been approved, as part of public investment programme (PIP).

They are fortresses of São Pedro da Barra (Luanda), São Nicolau (Namibe), Catumbela, Benguela, Missombo (Cuando Cubango), Massangano Historical Village, Ngola Cemetery in Malange and Archaeological Museum of Benguela.

Carolina Cerqueira said that the 2019 PIP also covers the construction of Cassanje Lower memorial, Ebo memorial, as well as Ambuila battle.

The meeting also discussed the continuation of scientific studies on DNA research to allow the African Diaspora, especially those in the American continent, to find their family tree in Angola (genealogy study, based on their origins in some countries of Africa, including Angola.

Carolina Cerqueira said that most of the 12 million slaves who left the coastline of Africa to the American continent were Angolan.

With inputs from agency.