Saurimo, 10 November, 2024 / 8:35 pm (ACI Africa).
Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba of the Catholic Archdiocese of Saurimo in Angola has cautioned against overreliance on diamonds in the Southern African nation that is reportedly Africa’s fourth largest diamond producer and the sixth globally, its 2023 production estimated at 9.8 million carats.
In a Thursday, November 7 interview with ACI Africa, Archbishop Imbamba, who is the current President of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST) emphasized the need for formal education among young people if the challenge of poverty in Angola can be appropriately addressed.
“Young people need to understand that diamonds alone won’t solve our problems. We need to strive for broader horizons, dare to dream, and achieve more for our communities,” he said.
The Angolan Archbishop observed that Saurimo and the larger Lunda Sul province of Angola face many of the same social, economic, and cultural challenges across Angola, which he said are exacerbated by limited opportunities in the country’s regions with high poverty rates and low literacy levels.
“It’s necessary to demystify the myth of diamonds. The people of Lunda live in poverty and misery. This must change, and education is key,” he said, adding, “That’s why we continue to dialogue with the diamond companies, urging them to take responsibility for transforming the mentality of community members, so they can take charge of their own development.”
