Uploaded on 2016-09-06 by Sérgio Ribeiro
These photos show buildings that were constructed by a Brazilian company in Angola, Africa during the period between 2008 and 2010. I was part of the team that worked in this construction. It´s a clear example of the huge development of this country at that time and also of the involvement of globalized economy in building construction there. First of all the brazilian team represented almost 40% of all the construction workers. The majority was made of Angolans that came back to the country after 30 years of civil war. They came from Portugal, France, Brazil and other countries. In terms of the construction and its planning, all the projects were developed in Brazil, but on the other hand the material applied to the buildings came from many countries as Brazil, South Africa, Portugal and China. Somo materials could be bought locally. Even in this situation in which they were produced in Angola in some way they had an international participation in its supply chain. Either the production inputs were brought from other countries or the companies that produced them there were as well foreign. I think that´s clear to all how difficult it was to construct these buildings in a developing country with neophyte workers and appliyng materials in it from everywhere. It was hard to manage its supply chain and the construction quality. I can say that it was not a sustainable and resilient situation in terms of construction and its supply chain and its effects in the country´s economy. On the other hand the construction industry was fairly responsible in employing many people and changing their lives for good. It can be said thus that even though the construction process was not sustainable, it also had as a result an intangible legacy.