Angola's president inspects Chinese-built dam

LUANDA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- President of Angola Joao Lourenco has inspected a dam under construction by Chinese company Sinohydro, which will alleviate water scarcity in the country's southern region upon completion.

Lourenco praised the Chinese company's professionalism and operational efficiency, saying he is satisfied with the progress of the project, according to a statement from Sinohydro.

The Ndue Dam project is located about 170 km from Ondjiva, the capital of Cunene province. Once completed in 2024, the dam will provide water to meet the needs of approximately 55,000 local residents, ensure a water supply for 60,000 heads of livestock and facilitate the annual irrigation of 9,200 hectares of land.

The dam, with a capacity to hold 170 million cubic meters of water, is important for the Southern African country, said Narciso Ambrosio, general director of the National Institute of Water Resources, who visited the construction site with the president on Friday. He said it will adequately cater to the needs of local populations and livestock, and notably enhance the overall quality of life in local communities.

According to the statement, the Ndue Dam will effectively address the persistent problem of water scarcity in the region.