Luanda — President João Lourenço on Wednesday reaffirmed the continuous implementation of policies to improve social conditions, training and technical means of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), in the interests of National Defense and Security.
This was expressed in a message from the President of the Republic, read out by the head of the Patriotic Education department of the FAA General Staff, António de Jesus Fernandes, during the celebration of its 33rd anniversary.
These efforts, according to the FAA Commander-in-Chief's message, are aimed at improving social issues, infrastructure, barracks, weapons and technical and material resources, as well as working and training conditions.
It also states that the FAA, within the framework of its missions to defend and safeguard national sovereignty, must continue to cooperate closely with other defense and security bodies in the fight against organized crime, border protection and the maintenance of public order and tranquility.
The president considered it essential to continue with the restructuring, resizing, re-equipping and rejuvenation actions underway in the Armed Forces, with a view to innovating, modernizing and developing their fighting capacity.
João Lourenço urged generals, admirals, senior officers, captains, sergeants, privates and civilian workers to improve their technical, military and professional knowledge to strengthen patriotism and loyalty to the homeland, respecting the principles that emanate from the military institution, "because the homeland does not beg its children, it commands them".
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Run under the motto "Angolan Armed Forces 33 years rejuvenate to strengthen preserving peace and territorial integrity", the event was marked by the display of the integration and disintegration of the National Banner in the general formation and parade of the troops.
Presided over by the Chief of Staff of the FAA, aviation general Altino dos Santos, the event was attended, among others, by the director-general of the Intelligence and State Security Services, Fernando Garcia Miala, the head of the Intelligence and Military Security Services, general João Pereira Massano, the deputy governor for the Political, Social and Economic area of Luanda province, Manuel Gonçalves, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Patriotic Education, general José Maria Marques, the Commander of the National Air Force, general Virginio Pinto.
Generals, admirals, commissioners, senior officers, junior officers, sergeants, cadets and other guests attended the event.
The institutionalization of the FAA October 9, followed the Bicesse Agreements (Portugal), signed in 1991 between the Angolan government and Unita, under which the former Popular Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA), the government army, and the extinct Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FALA), the military component of UNITA, were merged. MGM/SC/AMP
