The news agency quoted mineral resources minister Diamantino de Azevedo as saying that currently 99.5% of rough diamonds in Angola are exported, which was not benefitting the country.
De Azevedo said Angola should expand its cutting and polishing factories from the current three that were established in the last four years.
He told mining operators in Dundo, eastern Lunda Norte province that the plan to process 20% of the diamond produced in the country would be achieved in the "medium to long term".
Meanwhile, the minister said Angola will go ahead with its plans to open its diamond development hub this year in Saurimo, Lunda Sul.
The diamond hub will have the capacity to house 26 polishing factories.
He also said that a polishing factory will this year be constructed in the municipality of Chitato, in Lunda Norte, through a private investment of $20 million.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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