Luanda: Angola's National Assembly unanimously approved a draft resolution on Friday to ratify a defense cooperation agreement with the government of the United Arab Emirates. The document was approved unanimously during the 3rd Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the 4th Legislative Session of the 5th Legislature.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda da Silva Gon§alves, stated that the agreement is based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of States, equality between the parties, and non-interference in internal affairs. The official reaffirmed the commitment of Angola and the United Arab Emirates to the Charter of the United Nations, International Law, and other international obligations assumed by both States.
Esmeralda Gon§alves highlighted that the agreement outlines principles, areas, and modalities of cooperation, respecting the internal legislation of each country and applicable norms of International Law. The instrument encompasses areas such as military training and instruction, defense industry, technical and scientific research and development, logistical support, equipment supply and maintenance, military health services, peacekeeping operations, and humanitarian assistance, military intelligence and security, military history, maritime security, and the fight against piracy.
The cooperation may involve visits by officers and specialists, bilateral meetings, participation in training courses and programs, exchanges between military units and educational institutes, conducting joint exercises, exchange of information and specialized knowledge, as well as technical support for the maintenance and modernization of military equipment. The Secretary of State clarified that the agreement does not automatically determine the performance of military activities, nor dispenses with prior consultation between the competent authorities of both countries.
Each initiative will depend on specific understanding between the parties and will be framed within the planning and monitoring mechanisms provided for in the agreement itself. To ensure its execution, a Joint Angola-United Arab Emirates Committee will be created, responsible for the implementation and management of the agreement, the preparation of annual cooperation plans, and the definition of activities, responsible entities, locations, and deadlines for execution.
Financially, the agreement establishes that each party will bear its own expenses. The visiting party will, as a rule, assume the costs of transportation, accommodation, food, and other expenses of its personnel, unless otherwise agreed between the parties. The agreement also preserves the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the host State, stipulating that visiting personnel must respect the laws, regulations, and security standards in force in the territory where they are located and are not granted prerogatives that place them outside the legal framework of the receiving State.
It also includes rules on the protection of intellectual property, confidentiality, safeguarding classified information, amendment of the agreement, force majeure, denunciation, and resolution of disputes through consultations, negotiations, or diplomatic channels. With an initial term of five years, renewable, the agreement will take effect upon receipt of the final notification regarding the completion of the internal procedures required by each of the parties.
The government stated that the entry into force of the instrument will allow for the strengthening of the training and specialization of the personnel of the Angolan Armed Forces, expansion of cooperation in strategic areas of defense, logistics, maritime security, and humanitarian assistance, the promotion of the transfer of specialized knowledge, and the strengthening of national participation in international peacekeeping operations. It added that the agreement is part of Angola's strategy to diversify international partnerships and is aligned with the objectives of the National Development Plan 2023-2027, particularly in the fields of defending sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, and affirming Angola's role in the regional and international context.
The Secretary of State emphasized that the agreement provides an adequate legal basis for deepening technical-military cooperation between Angola and the United Arab Emirates, without prejudice to national sovereignty, Angolan legislation, and the powers constitutionally attributed to State bodies, which is why she requested its approval by the National Assembly.
