Washington: Angola has already begun early implementation of the agricultural project called “AgriConnect,” which creates employment opportunities for young women, as part of an initiative of the World Bank Group (WBG). The guarantee was given on Saturday in the United States of America (USA) by the minister of Planning, Victor Hugo Guilherme, at the end of this global event.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the mentioned project was launched during the annual meetings of the WBG and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which took place from the 13th to the 18th of the current month in Washington, D.C. On the occasion, he stated that the project, launched by the chairman of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, is aimed at women, as they represent a sensitive segment of the population that deserves support to develop agricultural activities.
“Even before AgriConnect was launched, we had already begun work to obtain funding for this project, focusing on creating jobs for young women,” the minister added. Victo
r Hugo Guilherme also mentioned that one of the program’s focuses is job creation, which will increase productivity and, consequently, address poverty and hunger by producing more food.
According to the minister, this project is at an advanced stage in Angola, one of the pioneering countries to benefit from funds of the World Bank initiative. “I believe that, starting next year, this project could be in effect. While the number of beneficiaries is still unknown, there is already a strategy, for example, from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for this project, which outlines the lines that should be covered,” he emphasized.
He said that the products to be harvested include cereals, coffee, and fruits, which will require the creation of food-related production lines, with a focus on exports. The Angolan government official explained that AgriConnect, in addition to the WBG, will involve several other donors, such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development
Bank (AfDB), with whom Angola is already working in the East on an agricultural project that is also about to begin.
Mr. Guilherme considered it a broader project, which in addition to supporting agriculture, must create road and security conditions, above all, so that the productivity of families and businesses can steadily increase. AgriConnect is a World Bank Group initiative which serves to transform smallholder agriculture, create jobs, and strengthen global food security.
The annual meetings of the WBG and the IMF concluded on Saturday the 18th and were attended by the Angolan delegation, led by Minister Victor Hugo, Secretary of State for Finance and Treasury Ottoniel dos Santos, and officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning, Transport, and the National Bank of Angola (BNA). The World Bank and IMF meetings are annual gatherings that bring together representatives from governments, central banks, the private sector, and civil society to discuss the global economy, poverty eradication, as well a
s development. The next annual meetings will take place in Thailand in October 2026.