There is no doubt Angola is prime territory for enterprising businessmen looking for new opportunities but they should be prepared for major challenges. The World Bank ranks Angola at 169th out of 187 countries for the ease of doing business, putting them in the bottom 10 per cent of the world. Traffic, for instance, is alarmingly bad. The roads in the city of Luanda have not been upgraded in any significant way since the country achieved independence in 1975.
Now, with an influx of new cars resulting from the booming economy, a simple 10km drive can take hours. But Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the president of the country, does not have to worry about this. When he has an appointment, police shut down the streets so he can cruise through without stopping. Small-time politicians do not have the same sway but they still travel in motorcades with sirens blaring. All this contributes to near total gridlock at rush hour.
Walking is possible but security experts and guidebooks warn that street robbery is rife. It is difficult for foreigners to visit the country at all. Travellers need a local sponsor to qualify for a visa and often have to wait months before their applications are processed. A week-long trip will set back a foreign business traveller more than US$6,000 (Dh22,039), including an English-speaking driver and a car. Taxis are unreliable. Meals are expensive and hotel room rates are sky-high.
Add all of this to a country that is still turning its government from a war machine into an economic development operation and you are likely to be dealing with one of the most challenging business environments in the world. But that is what you get in a frontier boom-town environment. bhope@thenational.ae
