The Ecodima association, representing the leading operators in the commerce and distribution sector, has expressed concerns over the disruptions affecting business operations, which directly impact supply chain integrity, employee safety, and company assets.
In a measure to ensure the “safeguarding of people and property,” Ecodima announced a temporary closure of commercial establishments at 5:00 PM to “ensure the mobility and safety of sector employees.”
Throughout the day, several banking and commercial outlets issued alerts about their closure until Wednesday.
The events in Luanda coincide with a taxi operator strike and protests against the rising cost of living scheduled for today, Tuesday, and Wednesday in the Angolan capital.
Ecodima’s statement highlights “attacks and vandalism on various commercial establishments and distribution centers, endangering private investments and the regular supply of essential goods to the population.”
The statement emphasizes that the sector is “a mainstay of the formal economy, providing thousands of direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to non-oil tax revenue, and ensuring the national distribution of essential goods.”
“Any severe disruption to its usual operations jeopardizes not only the immediate welfare of the population but also the fiscal, social, and economic stability of the country, as well as the normal supply and restocking of goods,” it adds.
Ecodima urges the population not to target private properties and businesses, which it notes are “the guarantors of jobs and the livelihood of thousands of families,” warning that vandalism “compromises the continued maintenance of related jobs.”
Additionally, in a statement broadcast on television, the Angolan Ministry of the Interior labeled the incidents in Luanda since the early hours as “criminal acts,” asserting they “represent an attack on a democratic state of law.”
“These criminal actions, which threaten public stability, represent an attack on the democratic state of law and the well-being of citizens,” the statement emphasized on national television.
