Like many capital cities in the developing world, Luanda has become the destination for people from the countryside who are seeking work and a better way of life for themselves and for their families. And like many other capital cities in the developing world, the number of people living there now is far higher than the city’s planners expected when they began its development.
In contrast, unlike the vast majority of cities in the developing world, the cost of living in Luanda is far from cheap. Not long ago, the capital joined the ranks of Tokyo, Moscow, Geneva and Zurich as the world’s dearest cities for expats. In March 2010 Luanda was crowned most expensive city by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Prices have been driven up rapidly by the entrance of so many multinational companies, especially in the oil and diamond sectors, who are willing to pay top dollar for the modern conveniences and luxuries their employees are used to back home. With annual gym memberships running to £1,500 and quality housing in safe areas setting renters back more than £6,000 a month, living in Luanda is anything but affordable by most people’s standards. Nonetheless, working with the country’s resources is so lucrative, Luanda’s connections to the global market are so excellent and the lifestyle enjoyed is so rewarding that most expat workers find it’s all worth it.
For the average Luandan, things are also looking up. Luanda has a population of about six million people, 12 times more than the half million the city was planned for.
A building boom is currently under way that will greatly increase the number of homes and offices available. The development is largely taking place following the master plan called “Luanda-World City”, whose goal is to give the capital the kind of urban infrastructure and amenities that will make it a modern city capable of joining the ranks of the world’s major metropolitan areas.
Included in the project are plans to develop coordinated infrastructure networks for water, gas and electricity, and at the same time develop transportation and mobility systems. Policies for collecting and processing solid waste are also being developed, with the goal of improving the city’s hygiene and fostering new habits of consumption and civic responsibility. The Government also has ambitious plans to invest in education, culture and leisure.
President dos Santos has been deeply involved in the work to improve the city for its residents since even before the end of the civil conflict in 2002.
0 COMMENTS