Luanda, July 7, 2025 (Lusa) - Angola's transport minister said on Monday that the training and certification of professionals in the sector and navigation safety are critical issues for the national maritime system, a few months ahead of an audit by the International Maritime Organisation.

“Our critical issues are centred on human capital. We have to ensure that, from the point of view of inspections in maritime and port activities, we have the necessary skills and certifications to do this, and we also ensure that our maritime professionals are properly certified,” Ricardo de Abreu said on Monday.

In response to Lusa, when asked about the challenges facing the Angolan maritime system, he stated that maritime safety is also a critical issue in this transport sub-sector.

The transport sector has safety as a fundamental characteristic, “whether it be air, road or maritime transport, the essential issue is the safety of the activity to allow these activities to develop economically in an operationally efficient, competitive and safe manner,” he said, after speaking at the opening of the National Conference on Angola’s Preparation for the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) audit.

Ricardo de Abreu said that the audit by this organisation, scheduled for 3-10 November, is a deeply strategic action because, more than ensuring that technical aspects are compliant and operational, it is about positioning Angola on the international maritime map.

“That is why this conference marks a turning point: either we assert ourselves now and seize the opportunity to make the sea a structuring national asset,” he said during his speech.

He added that the audit scheduled for November “is a real test rather than a bureaucratic ritual,” stressing that the country is set to undergo scrutiny in the areas of navigation safety, environmental protection, training, ship inspection, port supervision, working conditions on board and others.

“They will audit the Angolan state. The entire state. And this is the first important message I want to emphasise so that everyone understands the importance of this conference and, above all, of the November audit. It is the country. It is all of us, and we must pass the tests that this process involves with distinction,” he said.

He added that the country should ensure that the National Maritime Agency (AMN) remains motivated, committed and technically prepared, and that “consolidating activities, processes and operating models are essential so that results emerge, are visible to all and profitable for the country.”

He also said that the department he heads has set up a multisectoral group, which has been working for months with the AMN in preparing the audit, which identified “critical points, weaknesses and grey areas” that gave rise to the 2025-2029 National Strategy on the implementation of the IMO’s mandatory instruments.

This document defines “clear priorities, measurable targets, institutional responsibilities and performance indicators. It is a plan for immediate implementation. It is a concrete roadmap to be followed and measured,” he concluded.

DAS/ADB // ADB.

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