05.10.2021.
Fifth Session of Joint Serbia-Angola Committee for Defence Cooperation
The Fifth session of the Joint Serbia-Angola Committee for Defence Cooperation has started today in the Guard Club in Topčider.
Opening the gathering, Cochairman of the Serbian part of the Joint Committee, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Aleksandar Živković pointed out that the Republic of Serbia and Angola are bound by historical ties and more than 46 years long relations, and that both countries honour and cherish the traditional friendship stemming from the times of former SFRY and membership in the Non-alignment Movement.
- The Republic of Serbia has always been on Angolan side in its struggle for independence and we, in our country, feel great affinity with the Republic of Angola and the Angolan people – State Secretary Živković emphasised.
According to him, this visit is of special significance for the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia.
- We are grateful to the Angolan side for the consistent support, extended from the highest state level, regarding the most important international issues, particularly in the matter of the non-recognition of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of so-called Kosovo, and support for the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia - State Secretary Živković stated.
Speaking about defence cooperation between Serbia and Angola, he underlined that there is an upward trend in that domain which represents the most developed form of the bilateral cooperation.
- Traditionally friendly relations between our peoples and states represent an excellent basis for further continuation and advancement of military economic and military educational cooperation, and for the development of military-to-military and military medical cooperation, and other forms of cooperation that are of mutual interest - State Secretary Živković stressed.
Looking back on the work of the Joint Committee done in the previous period, State Secretary Živković assessed that the body had significantly contributed to the development and enhancement of defence cooperation between the two countries and two ministries.
- The goal of the Fifth session is to further promote and deepen the strategic partnership, and identify the areas of cooperation of common interest, to resolve the issues which limit and burden the quality of the cooperation, and to conduct all-encompassing preparations for the signing of the Programme for Bilateral Military Cooperation that will take place during the following session to be held in Luanda - State Secretary Živković noted, expressing his belief that the session would initiate constructive discussions and quality and rational proposals, which would make a sound basis for further advancement and concretisation of the cooperation in the said areas.
The delegation of the Ministry of National Defence of Angola is led by Secretary of State for Defence Infrastructures and Industry General Afonso Carlos Neto, and the session was also attended by representatives of companies and Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
General Afonso Carlos Neto pointed out that Angola highly appreciated the friendly relations with our country and that it remembered and held in its heart the support which Yugoslavia had extended to Angola in its fight for the proclamation of independence. In that regard, General Neto stresses that Angola will always support the policy pursued by the leadership of Serbia in the struggle for the preservation of its territorial integrity.
General Neto said that due to the outbreak of corona virus there were no conditions to fulfil the plans from the Fourth session of the Joint Serbia-Angola Committee for Defence Cooperation held in 2018 in Angola, but he also said that it was the moment to rethink the frameworks of the cooperation between the two countries, and the projects and programmes of mutual interest. He particularly referred to the development of cooperation in the field of military industry and military education, since he believes that it would open the door for wider economic cooperation of the two countries.
In the framework of the Fifth session, the focus of the meetings of responsible sub-committees was placed on considering the opportunities for the education of members of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Angola in the University of Defence, the continuation of cooperation in the framework of joint medical engagement with Angola and Ohio National Guard, participation in medical conferences and courses in the fields of different specialities, and the exchange of experiences in the fight against Covid-19.
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VIDEOGALLERY05.10.2021
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