Luanda:Angolan President Joao Lourenço emphasized the government's dedication to maintaining national sovereignty, peace, stability, and public order during his State of the Nation Address. He highlighted the crucial role of peace, security, and stability in fostering sustainable development and attracting investment to improve citizens' living conditions.
According to Angola Press News Agency, President Lourenço praised the Angolan Armed Forces, National Police, and other security bodies for fulfilling their constitutional duties. He cautioned that stability does not eliminate risks, especially given the international and regional challenges such as armed conflicts, terrorism, and transnational crimes.
The president stressed the importance of keeping defense institutions ready to tackle both traditional and emerging threats to national security. He detailed ongoing efforts to modernize the Armed Forces, including restructuring, re-equipping, and enhancing operational capacity. Training personnel through military education, both domestically and abroad, remains a top priority.
Significant investments are being made in the professionalization of Defense, Security, and Internal Order bodies, along with infrastructure development for military facilities. Projects include the construction and upgrading of military hospitals across the country, with new facilities in Luanda, Cabinda, Huambo, and Moxico.
Strengthening naval capacity, particularly the Navy, is another focus area. The Maritime Coordination and Surveillance Program aims to build and equip infrastructure in the Northern Naval Region and Coastal Observation structures. Modernization efforts are underway at naval bases in Soyo and Luanda, and the Namibe Regional Maritime Coordination and Surveillance Center is progressing.
The government is also advancing the Defense industry, working on an assembly line for armored vehicles and trucks for the Armed Forces and other agencies. Additionally, there is a focus on achieving food self-sufficiency and supplying clothing and footwear to the Armed Forces.
President Lourenço underscored the importance of citizen security, emphasizing the state's presence where people live and work. Measures to enhance the operational capacity of the Ministry of the Interior include hiring and training new staff. Efforts to combat violent crime and other offenses remain central, with new police infrastructure being developed in eight provinces.
Efforts to recover weapons from private security companies and reduce violent crimes have shown results, with approximately 50 percent of the 39,189 recorded crimes being solved. Despite progress, challenges like fuel smuggling, illegal mining, and vandalism persist. In combating smuggling, authorities seized over 1.8 million liters of fuel.
