Cabinda — The new commander of the Northern Air Region, Lieutenant General Casimiro Tati Franque, reaffirmed on Wednesday in the Angolan city of Cabinda the commitment to work for the defense of the homeland.

The general officer, who was speaking at the presentation to the members of the Provincial Government of Cabinda and heads of the defense and security bodies, called for the dedication, commitment and unity of the personnel in the fulfillment of the mission.

"I am taking command at a special moment of transformation of the Angolan Armed Forces. The challenges are enormous, but with in-depth work at the unit level, the mission will be fulfilled responsibly," he said.

On the occasion, the commander of the National Air Force, Lieutenant General Virgílio António Pinto, highlighted the importance of the branch in the defense of national airspace.

He recalled that the Northern Air Region encompasses 10 provinces, defending, therefore, greater responsibility and readiness of the personnel.

For his part, the vice-governor of Cabinda for the technical sector, Agostinho da Silva, expressed the availability of the provincial government to continue working with the command of the Northern Air Region to safeguard the national airspace.

The Northern Air Region includes the provinces of Luanda, Bengo, Uíge, Zaire, Cabinda, Malange, Cuanza-Norte, Lunda-Norte, Lunda-Sul and Moxico. ING/PL/MCN/DOJ