Luanda - The United States of America (USA) on Thursday reiterated its interest to continue its cooperation with Angola, particularly in the maritime security field.
This was expressed by the Chargé d'Affaires of the American Embassy in Angola, Mary Emma Arnold, while speaking aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hershel "Woody" Willliams (ESB 4) of the US Navy, which docked last Wednesday at Port of Luanda.
The diplomat said that the U.S. government remains eager to build a bilateral partnership based on the shared experiences between the two countries.
Mary Arnold said the US supports and will continue to work with the Angolan Navy to preserve the future of the country's maritime coast and make the Atlantic Ocean safer for generations to come.
The diplomat underlined that Angola and the US can build a formidable force prepared to meet future challenges and capable of ensuring the Southern African country's maritime security, adding that this is exactly why the U.S. is prepared to work with Angola to preserve the Atlantic Ocean.
Mary Arnold acknowledged Angola’s healthy maritime coastline that offers abundant water for fishing, long beaches, sea turtles and shellfish, as well as tourism potential for visitors.
These marine resources, the diplomat said, must be conserved in a wise and intelligent way to ensure food security and the future of the next generations.
The Angolan Lieutenant-General Eugénio Bamby , on his turn, considered it an added value the maritime cooperation between Angola and the United States of America, stressing that the presence of the American Navy ship in Angola reinforces the partnership of both countries in this field.
This is the second visit of a US Navy ship to Angola since 2015, which symbolizes the close military cooperation between Angola and the US.
The ship, which leaves Angola Friday, has the third largest aircraft runway, with the capacity to land four aircraft simultaneously.
On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy promoted a guided tour to a group of national journalists, who checked various compartments of the military vessel, having received precise explanations about its operation.
The moment also served for American and Angolan sailors and marines to exchange experiences and technical knowledge.
The aircraft carrier USS Hershel "Woody" Williams is currently carrying out missions in the US Sixth Fleet area of operations, which covers approximately half of the Atlantic Ocean, from the Arctic Ocean to the coast of Antarctica, and almost the entire African continent.
