Angola plans to build a new city in its northern province of Zaire by 2016 to tackle the housing problem in the region, the provincial governor announced on Saturday.

Governor Jose Joanes Andre made the announcement after an inspection tour of a project dubbed Soyo-2, 14 km east of Soyo. The project covers 482 hectares, where 6,084 houses to be built in Soyo Municipality, which is expected to be rich in oil and natural gas.

The city to be built by China's Ciltic Construction company will have a university of oil, two hospitals, primary and secondary schools and other social and economic facilities.

Fang Jiangsheng, project manage for Soyo from Citic, said the project is at a preparatory stage and that his company is arranging building materials and logistic support.