Washington d.c.: Vice President Esperança da Costa concluded on Wednesday her working visit to the United States of America (USA), which was marked by her participation in the annual gala of the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) and the signing of a memorandum of cooperation in the environmental field.
According to Angola Press News Agency, for four days, she pursued an intense political and diplomatic agenda, which contributed to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, as well as promoting Angola’s image and establishing new institutional contacts. The highlight of the visit was her participation in the annual ICCF gala, where Esperança da Costa presented Angola’s progress in economic diversification, protection of conservation areas, promotion of biodiversity, and ecological stability.
The work agenda included meetings with the Mozambican Head of State, Daniel Chapo, US senators, officials from Howard University, and representatives of the Tucker family, with w
hom she discussed topics related to cooperation, training, and environmental conservation. In the field of environmental cooperation, Esperança da Costa met with the Vice-President of the ICCF, Susan Lylis, with whom she discussed the boost of the partnership between the Angolan government and that organization, especially in the fields of conservation and sustainable development.
She emphasized that the collaboration with the ICCF, which began in 2017, has contributed to supporting the Angolan government’s priorities in conservation and environmental management, with the involvement of technicians from various sectors in training and exchange programs in Angola. The final day of Esperança da Costa’s visit was marked by a meeting with the leader of the US Senate, Christopher Van Hollen Jr., with whom the Vice-President discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
In this regard, the Vice President stated that the visit allowed her to present Angola’s progress in terms of environm
ental governance, namely the improvement of the legislative framework, the preservation of biodiversity, as well as climate action. During the multilateral meetings, she highlighted joint projects between Angola and Mozambique, such as the Miombo Initiative and the Ecologically Relevant Zones and Unique Ecosystems Project, considered to be of interest to the United States of America.
According to the government official, the Miombo Initiative Project, which covers about ten countries in the region, has funding of five billion dollars, intended to promote conservation and sustainable development. She also mentioned the visit to the hospital and Howard University based in Washington D.C., emphasizing the potential for cooperation between Angola and the USA in the field of medical training, in order to support the modernization of the National Health System and the expansion of primary health services.
Esperança da Costa advocated for the training of young Angolan physicians in the areas of digital health, adv
anced diagnostic technologies, and robotic surgery, highlighting the role of the US as a strategic partner in the field of technological innovation in health. The Vice President also highlighted the US advances in the treatment of sickle cell anemia, a disease that affects a large part of the African population, emphasizing that the new therapeutic methods have guaranteed greater longevity for patients.
Her working visit resulted in the signing of a cooperation protocol aimed at improving the management of national parks, with a primary focus on modernizing infrastructure, restocking wildlife, and enhancing areas of global ecological importance, such as Luengue-Luiana and Mavinga. Esperança da Costa also advocates for the creation of green jobs and the involvement of young people and local communities in biodiversity conservation, preserving traditional knowledge and environmental values.
Overall, the Vice-President of Angola believes that the visit allowed for the establishment of promising contacts and th
e strengthening of international support for strategic Angolan projects, such as the Lobito Corridor Initiative, as well as other national actions in the food security, energy, and technology sectors.
