Angola Wants to Hold Meeting of Military-Technical Commission With Russia in Near Future

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Angola would like to hold a meeting of the joint commission on military-technical cooperation with Russia in the near future in order to update the cooperation program, and there is an "urgent need" to sign a memorandum, Angolan Ambassador to Moscow Augusto da Silva Cunha told Sputnik on Saturday.

The ambassador recalled that the existing draft program of military cooperation for a five-year period initially covered the period from 2019 to 2024, but a new meeting of the commission was not held due to the pandemic, and the deadlines were shifted to 2021-2026.

"We believe that in this regard it is important to hold a new meeting of the commission on military-technical cooperation in order to revise and update the program... The military cooperation program covers a huge number of issues, including the supply of weapons and aviation... There is an urgent need to sign the memorandum," the diplomat said in an interview, adding that he could not disclose more details.

According to the ambassador, the meeting of the commission is planned to be held in Angola, readiness for which is needed from the Russian side.

The ambassador also said that the Angolan authorities hope that the launch of the Russian-Angolan satellite AngoSat-2 will take place by the end of 2022.

"The satellite is scheduled to launch this year. I would like to believe that it will take place before the end of the year. So far, we have not heard a refutation of information about the timing or that something could interfere with the launch. As far as I know, the Russian side has met the deadlines," the ambassador told Sputnik.

According to the diplomat, the project would improve the national security system in terms of ensuring closer control of the borders of both land and sea, and the launch of the satellite would contribute to the development of telecommunications, broadband internet, medicine, agriculture, industry and other areas.

In 2018, Russia and Angola agreed to build AngoSat-2 to replace the AngoSat-1 satellite. The creation of the satellite was entrusted to Russia's RSC Energia, but in 2020 it was reported that the work was transferred to Russian satellite maker ISS-Reshetnev Company at the request of the Angolan side.

Angola Has No Plans to Abandon Russian Fertilizer Plant Project

The ambassador pointed out that Angola has no plans to abandon the project for the construction of a Russian fertilizer plant set to be launched in 2026.

"There are plans for the formation of consortia, and a project for the supply of natural gas for the production of ammonia-urea is also being developed. The projects are scheduled to launch in 2026, they are under development. In particular, conceptual studies were performed. We are talking about a project that has already been signed, its cancellation is not provided for and is not planned."

The diplomat added that in the oil and gas sector, Russian investments come to Angola mainly through Russia's Alrosa and Lukoil companies with shares in Angolan oil concessions.

According to the ambassador, Russian companies have an equal chance of competing in the Angolan market with any other investors and companies regardless of their geographical origin.