Luanda — Forty-seven officers from the Angolan Navy (MGA) completed the Command and Staff Course and the Senior Officer Promotion Course on Monday in Luanda; these courses are designed to prepare personnel for command and leadership roles.
The closing ceremony for the 1st Command and Staff Course (CCEM) and the 3rd Senior Officer Promotion Course (CPOS) took place at the Naval Higher Institute (ISMA) and was presided over by Vice Admiral Eugénio Carlos Tomás, Deputy Commander of the Angolan Navy.
Of the 47 graduating officers, 15 completed the 1st Command and Staff Course, and 32 completed the 3rd Senior Officer Promotion Course.
The Command and Staff Course included senior officers from the Seamanship, Naval Engineering, Naval Administration, and Marine Corps branches, achieving a 100 percent pass rate and a final average score of 17.05.
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The training covered six curricular areas: Administration and Logistics, Naval Tactics, Joint and Combined Naval Operations, Strategy and Geopolitics, General Subjects, and Complementary Activities.
Meanwhile, the Senior Officer Promotion Course equipped participants with the skills needed to assume new responsibilities in command, management, leadership, and staff roles.
Trainees received instruction in subjects such as Naval Tactics, Staff Procedures, International Maritime Law, Naval History, Naval Logistics, Naval Operations, Naval Weaponry, Electronic Warfare, and Navigation.
Speaking at the event, the head of the Naval Higher Institute, Rear Admiral Bento Simão, stated that these training programs are part of the strategy to enhance the value and capabilities of Angolan Navy personnel, aiming to strengthen the officers' technical and professional skills. For his part, the MGA's second-in-command, Vice Admiral Eugénio Carlos Tomás, regarded the training as an essential pillar for addressing current maritime security challenges and ensuring the institution has highly qualified personnel.
According to the officer, rapid technological transformations and the growing complexity of threats in the maritime domain require military personnel who are increasingly well-prepared from both technical and intellectual standpoints.
Among the key challenges, he highlighted transnational crime, piracy, illegal fishing, and the trafficking of persons and narcotics--phenomena that demand an increasingly specialized response from naval forces.
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The Command and Staff Course, he explained, enables officers to deepen knowledge essential for supporting higher commands, planning joint and combined operations, and efficiently managing the institution's resources.
Regarding the Senior Officer Promotion Course, he emphasized that it represents a pivotal stage in military career progression, equipping officers with the competencies needed to assume roles of greater responsibility.
Eugénio Carlos Tomás urged the graduates to uphold the principles of discipline, military ethics, and commitment to the higher interests of the Republic of Angola.
In this regard, he stressed that leadership must be grounded in leading by example, the ability to build teams, and the continuous valuing of knowledge.
The Deputy Commander of the Angolan Navy also affirmed that the institution would continue to invest in training, technical capacity-building, research, and innovation as essential factors for strengthening the naval force's operational capabilities.
Established on July 20, 2014, as part of the Angolan Armed Forces' restructuring process, the Higher Naval Institute is tasked with ensuring the training, professional development, and capacity-building of Navy personnel for the performance of high-responsibility duties.
The ceremony was attended by general officers and admirals, representatives from the Angolan Armed Forces General Staff, the War College, the Portuguese Advisory Team, and the Russian Advisory Team, as well as faculty, students, and guests. VE/ACS/ART/DOJ
