Luanda: The Chief of the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), Aviation General Altino dos Santos, reaffirmed on Tuesday Angola's commitment to peace and regional stability. Addressing the opening ceremony of the Conference of Chiefs of Staff and Defense of Africa 2026 (ACHOD26), the Armed Forces Chief said the event has consolidated itself as the main forum for strategic coordination on the African continent.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Chief General highlighted that in the face of an international scenario marked by hybrid threats and asymmetric conflicts, the modernization, training, and readiness of the armed forces are priorities to guarantee sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national stability. He pointed to the conference as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation, interoperability, and mutual trust among African armies.
The Chief General said that the conference is expected to bring up concrete decisions capable of consolidating regional security, strengthening the partnership between AFRICOM and ACHOD, contributing to lasting peace and prosperity in Africa. The commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, on his turn, defended the need for a joint response to security challenges, emphasizing that the world is undergoing rapid transformations driven by the digital revolution, impacting society, the economy, and the military sector.
According to the US General, threats such as violent extremism, drug trafficking, and other forms of organized crime operate beyond national borders, requiring increasingly close cooperation between states. The General highlighted Africa's strategic potential, considering the continent one of the world's main centers of economic and demographic growth.
For the AFRICOM commander, security must be understood comprehensively, involving not only military capabilities but also political stability, economic development, and attracting investment. Among the topics debated during the conference are the relationship between security and the economy, the impact of information and digital technologies on defense operations, and the need to prepare security forces to respond to the challenges of the future.
Co-organized by the governments of Angola and the United States of America, ACHOD26 brings together defense chiefs from more than 40 African countries, senior officials from the United States government, representatives from Brazil, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the State Partnership Program, and the private sector. The conference runs until Wednesday under the theme "Stronger Together: Partnership for Security, Stability and Prosperity," with discussions focused on maritime security, combating terrorism and transnational crime, strengthening regional cooperation, and promoting an environment conducive to investment and sustainable development.
