Since the first batch arrived a month ago, Angola has taken delivery of 4,500 cattle, said Simao. After oil, livestock is Chad’s second largest source of export earnings. The deal works well for Angola, which is keen to revive its livestock farming sector as part of efforts to diversify the oil-dependent economy. The second largest crude producer in sub-Saharan Africa spends $350 million each year to import meat for its 30 million people.
“The Angolan government has launched a programme to turn the Camabatela plateau (straddling three provinces in the north of the country) into a cattle-breeding and meat-production belt,” said Simao. Angola is in the throes of a deep economic crisis since the 2014 drop in oil prices. The coronavirus has only added to its woes. The economy is expected to contract by 1.4 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
