Luanda – The Home Affairs minister, Roberto Leal Monteiro "Ngongo", Thursday here announced the strengthening of patrol of maritime and river waters, aimed at stopping the entry of illegal immigrants into the country.

The Cabinet official was speaking at the act that marked the transference of five supervision boats from the Ministry of Fisheries to the Ministry of Home Affairs, part of a protocol signed between the two government institutions.

According to Roberto Leal Monteiro, the operative situation in the river and maritime borders is characterized above all by illegal immigration, and the new boats, from Spain, will help to step up the control of territorial waters.

"We are worried because we notice that the illegal immigration is starting from river and sea, above all in Zaire river’’, he said.

However, it is not difficult to understand ‘’our satisfaction when we receive these vessels, fruit of what we regard as institutional solidarity between the two ministries’’, he stressed.

The official added that the illegal immigration, above all in Zaire province, is carried out via sea and river, through barges and canoes used by fishermen, which prompts a redoubled surveillance by the Fiscal Police in order to contain the phenomenon.

He stressed also that the operative situation is still characterised by illegal fishing, smuggling of fuels and goods in the high sea, as well as theft and robbery with migratory character also using child trafficking.

According to the Cabinet minister, Angola is situated in the west coast of Southern Africa, whose geographic situation is very strategically important, having a maritime coast of less than 900 miles.

The national coast starts from the mouth of Cunene river to the south, up to Massabi lake Cabinda province to the north. The exclusive maritime zone is of 220 miles.

The act was attended by the high employees of the Ministries of Home Affairs and Fisheries, among other guests.