Luanda — The head of the Angolan Navy (MGA)'s department for Ships and Weapons System, Francisco Maria Manuel, defended last Thursday in Luanda the need for a continuous elevation of the three branches of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), aimed at an integral accomplishment of their tasks.

The official said at the MGA facilities in Luanda, during a ceremony that served to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), marked last Thursday (October 09).

In representation of the chief of the Navy's staff, Augusto da Silva Cunha "Gugu", the deputy admiral Francisco Manuel said that the empowerment covers aspects like staff training, acquisition of technical means, having into account the specific mission of each branches.

According to him, a multidisciplinary and qualitative training of the effectives, not only FAA's officers, on the basis of the developed military sciences and techniques in the world, will be an added value to the country in the domain of defence and security.

In his address, the Navy official reminded that with the end of the war in 2002, a wide process of rebuilding the Armed Forces kicked off, which is increasing more and more FAA's effectiveness in the National Defence.

"The FAA are the guarantee of the State defence", said the deputy admiral, adding that the FAA have been contributing to the consolidation of the reconciliation and national unity process.

The activities marking the 17th anniversary of the FAA are happening under the motto "The continuous modernisation, equipping, structural development and organisation of the three branches, namely the Army, Air Force and Navy".

FAA resulted from the Bicesse (Portugal) Peace Agreement, signed between the Angolan government and UNITA, on 31 May 1991.