LUANDA, June 29 (Reuters) - Angola is unlikely to open a tender for new oil exploration licences in 2009 due to low oil prices, a board member for state-run oil firm Sonangol said on Monday.

The last tender for oil licences was suspended in the first half of 2008 before the country's first parliamentary election.

'It is unlikely to happen this year, not with oil prices at these levels,' Fernando Roberto told journalists.

(Reporting by Henrique Almeida) Keywords: ANGOLA OIL/

(stella.mapenzauswa@thomsonreuters.com; +27 11 775 3161; Reuters Messaging: stella.mapenzauswa.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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