U.S. Ambassador to Angola and the Secretary of State for Information Technology of Angola, Pedro Sebastião Teta,, signed on Friday, January 16, a Cooperation Protocol to provide the U.S. Embassy and Mediateca opportunities to promote partnership and formalize tangible cooperation under the rubric of our Education Diplomacy dialogue.
The event that took place at the Mediateca de Luanda was attended by Angolan Minister for Information Technology José Carvalho Rosa and high level officials of the U.S. Embassy and of the Angolan Government, students and teachers of English language.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Helen La Lime said that Mediateca is a model for the continent and that this agreement highlights our partnership with this modern government institution that serves youth from across the country and functions as a dynamic platform for us to share educational, technical, and cultural resources from the United States in a structured and sustained way with Angolans.
“Our focus has always been on efforts to invest in people. We continue the parnership with Angola in areas that are important for this nation in support of the Angolan National Develipment Plan. The network of Mediatecas enhances the resources that transform lives,” added Ambassador La Lime.
Mediateca is the government of Angola’s prestigious nationwide network of modern high-tech information resource centers established in 2012. The U.S. Embassy has been nurturing a relationship with Mediateca since its inception. The Cooperation Protocol signed in January is the result of intense interaction between the two institutions. After conducting a number of successful programs in 2013 and 2014, including Young African Leader Initiative (YALI) recruitment sessions nationwide, English language book donations in Luanda and Huila, the American English Experience closing ceremony, and YALI candidate interviews via Skype with Mediateca centers from Huambo, Huila, and Benguela, the Public Affairs section approached Mediateca leadership with the idea of formalizing and enhancing our relationship.