Luanda — Angolan president João Lourenço on Tuesday advocated a strengthened cooperation in the defense and security sector with the United States of America (USA).
Speaking at the opening of official talks between the Angolan and US delegations, in the presence of his US counterpart, Joe Biden, the Angolan head of state said that he would like to see cooperation in this area increased, especially in access to military schools and academies, military training in Angola, as well as more joint military exercises.
President João Lourenço also called for an increased cooperation in maritime security programs, for the protection of the Gulf of Guinea and the South Atlantic, as well as in the program to re-equip and modernize the Angolan Armed Forces.
The president underscored the importance of said some public investment projects underway, with funding from the American EXIMBANK, CITI Capital and the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), with American companies such as SUN Africa, Africell, Mayfair Energy, Acrow Bridge, GATES Air and others.
João Lourenço underlined the investments of oil companies Chevron and ESSO, which have been in Angola for several decades, as well as numerous American companies providing services in this field.
With the Amer-com company, the Head of State said, Angola is working on to build grain silos and collection points on platforms and parks along the Lobito Corridor and other points considered as potential granaries for the country in terms of food security.
As regards to the health sector, João Lourenço pointed out that with programs implemented by the USAID, GAVI and the Global Fund, Angola has benefited greatly from programs to combat malaria, tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS, COVID-19, as well as the robotic surgery program, which is starting to become a reality in Angola, in a partnership with the renowned hospital in Orlando, Florida.
João Lourenço also expressed his desire to see American investors involved in the construction of high-voltage power lines, under a public-private partnership regime for the countries of southern Africa, namely for the Copperbelt region in Zambia, as well as for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia, connecting the electricity grid of the Southern African Development Countries (SADC).
The Angolan president said that the country's ANGOSAT 2 project is working with NASA and Maxar Technologies to acquire high-resolution satellite images to monitor natural disasters, namely in the implementation of the Program to Combat the Effects of Drought in Southern Angola (PCESSA).
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During his speech, Lourenço praised the fact that Luanda will host the US/Africa Summit in June 2025, which will bring together politicians, businesspeople, academics and American and African civil society to talk about business, history, culture and others.
Lourenço also said that his counterpart's vision and commitment to the success of the Lobito Corridor, as well as his contribution to the energy transition program, through the construction of solar parks in southern Angola, will always be remembered as "a great contribution" to food and energy security and the economic and social development of Angola and southern African region.
President Joe Biden arrived in Angola on Monday for a three-day visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
This is a historic visit, as it is the first by a US President to Angola.
Joe Biden's agenda includes a visit to the Slavery Museum later today, where he will give a speech to highlight the enduring strength and relevance of US relations with Angola, in particular, and Africa, in general, and in tackling a wide range of global challenges.
On Wednesday, he will travel to Benguela province, where he will learn about the Carrinho Group factory and visit the Port of Lobito, an important infrastructure in the Lobito Corridor.ART/AMP
