U.S. Ambassador to Angola
Nina Maria Fite
3:00 P.M., Monday, July 1, 2019
Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony
between the US Government and the Government of Angola
in the field of Security and Public Order
Good afternoon everyone! Minister of the Interior Ângelo da Veigas Tavares, members of the Ministry of Interior, senior officials of the national police of Angola, members of the United States Embassy, journalists, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor for me to represent the United States of America at this signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on Security and Public Order.
The document establishes even greater cooperation between the governments of the United States and the Republic of Angola. Our law enforcement agencies already have a history of cooperation – today marks the formal agreement that further defines our shared goals.
The United States is committed to Angola as a strategic partner. Our engagement with Angola follows three guiding principles:
- The United States is interested in promoting stronger trade and business ties between Angola and America, to the benefit of the people of both countries.
- Second, we must harness the potential of Angola’s tremendous youth population to drive Angolan economic growth and real prosperity.
- Third, we must continue to advance peace and security as we are doing today in partnership with the Ministry of Interior.
This memorandum reinforces our excellent partnership
and creates a mechanism to support President Lourenço’s agenda in combating national and international criminal activities that pose a threat to our national interests.
Many of our programs have been in place for a long time. For example, every year the United States government sends Angolan law enforcement to the International Law Enforcement Academy in Gaborone, Botswana for exchanges and training on issues such as combatting money laundering, trafficking in persons and trafficking in endangered species. The United States also provides grant funds for small arms and light weapons reduction.
In fact, on Saturday June 28th, Police Commander General Paulo Gaspar de Almeida, representatives of HALO Trust, and a representative of U.S. Embassy Luanda participated in the reopening of the newly renovated police weapons storage facility in Luanda. The United States government provided the funding to renovate the facility and allow for the Angolan government and HALO Trust to cut stockpiles of outdated and excess weapons. Signing the MOU will allow us to formalize and hopefully expand these types of law enforcement cooperation.
This memorandum of understanding in the field of security and public order will support Angola’s efforts to establish a favorable climate for domestic and foreign businessmen, legal professionals, health professionals and other sectors to work in a transparent, secure environment, in accordance with the rule of law.
Through the MOU, Angola and the United States intend, in accordance with their national laws, regulations and policies, to cooperate in the fields of information exchange related to the prevention, investigation and combat of criminal activity, including the collection and processing of evidence.
It encourages the exchange of information on criminal investigation techniques, the implementation of professional training programs, exchange of delegations.
In closing, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to Angola. The United States greatly values its partnership with Angola as a democratic and economic leader on the world’s fastest growing continent. We look forward to working with the Angolan government and people of Angola to carryout today’s Memorandum of Understanding between our two countries.
Thank you!
