Luanda, Angola – April 28, 2023. The Embassy of the United States of America and São Tomé and Príncipe announces the closing, on Friday, April 27, in Luanda, of the Conference of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) of Directors of US and African Military Intelligence, which took place for three (3) days.
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is proud to co-host the 2023 Directors of Military Intelligence Conference with the Government of Angola. This Conference reinforces the value that the Command attributes to this growing bilateral relationship.
The event opened with the ceremonial passing of the national flags by US and Angolan military personnel, followed by statements by General João Pereira Massano, Head of the Angolan Military Intelligence and Security Service, and Brigadier General Rose Keravuori, Deputy Director of Intelligence at US Africa Command.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Director of Intelligence at US Africa Command stressed that “The most recent developments at the global level have removed all doubt about the central role that Africa plays as a huge geopolitical force. This changed the past of my country; it is changing the present and the future. Efforts are rightly under way to reform the current framework of the global system so that African nations finally have a place at the decision-making table, so that African voices are
heard in influential global multilateral institutions such as such as the World Bank and the IMF.”
On this front, Brigadier General Rose Keravuori assured that “the US supports the assignment of a permanent African Union seat on the UN Security Council and the inclusion of Africa in the G-20.”
The 2023 Directors of Military Intelligence Conference showcases the importance US Africa Command places on working together with African partners to preserve peace and security across the continent. This conference provides an invaluable forum for developing multilateral solutions to shared challenges on the African continent with 29 different countries represented.
The Conference plays a key role in supporting the United States’ “Whole of Government” approach to engagement with African partners, which includes diplomacy, development, and defense. The senior level of US participation, spanning multiple departments and agencies, reflects Africa’s geopolitical importance to the United States.