Huambo: The French Ambassador to Angola, Sophie Aubert, expressed the French Government's interest in investing in staff training, along with the agricultural and industrial development of Huambo province. The announcement was made during a meeting with the provincial governor, Pereira Alfredo.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the ambassador's intention is to establish a multilateral cooperation platform that would adapt academic programs to meet market needs and facilitate student and teacher mobility between France and Angola. This initiative is aimed at strengthening the training of qualified staff, promoting innovation, and encouraging partnerships between French and Angolan academic institutions, particularly the Jos© Eduardo dos Santos University (UJES) and local research centers.
The ambassador emphasized that higher education, particularly in Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, Veterinary Science, Tourism, Arts, and Humanities, would be the main focus of investment. Special attention would be given to applied research and technological development. She also indicated interest in supporting initiatives to improve education quality and expand higher education infrastructure, thus fostering the training of specialized technicians for local industries.
In cultural domains, Sophie Aubert reiterated her commitment to promoting cultural exchanges, French language programs, and supporting cultural events that highlight the region's heritage and traditions. This would contribute to the cultural tourism sector in Huambo.
Governor Pereira Alfredo expressed openness to facilitating public/private partnerships, involving national higher education institutions in joint projects, and creating scholarships. He stressed the importance of aligning local demands with international cooperation opportunities to ensure that programs are relevant to Huambo's social and economic context.
The meeting aimed to devise a concrete action plan with short, medium, and long-term goals. During her three-day visit to Huambo, Ambassador Aubert will tour the biovaccine factory, the Ca¡la logistics platform, and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
