Luanda - The Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) celebrate, on the 9th of this month, 32 years dedicated to defending and safeguarding the country's independence and territorial integrity.
The anniversary occurs at a time when the institution, created on October 9, 1991, under the Bicesse Peace Accords, seeks to accelerate the FAA restructuring and modernization program, in order to face the major challenges of national security.
The ongoing restructuring and modernization plan follows a global assessment of available personnel and equipment which, despite being efficient, still proves to be insufficient for the arduous task of protecting the country and Angolans.
The aim of this strategic investment is to make the FAA more modernized and ready to fully respond to internal and external challenges, looking mainly at the integration of its personnel in peace support operations.
As part of the reconstruction process, the FAA is firmly committed to training its staff, at home and abroad, in order to save time, while adapting to the demands of present and future challenges.
As part of its modernization, the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces, for example, has improved the selection process for new personnel, bringing more youth to the armed forces.
The objective is to make it capable of facing global challenges, with emphasis on those of the regions in which the country is located, namely the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Great Lakes and the African Union (AU).
Furthermore, the FAA, as the National Army, in approximately 32 years since its creation, have managed to fight for the defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Angola, fulfilling, exemplarily, their constitutional mission.
Integrated by three branches, namely the Army (Land Forces), the Air Force (Aviation) and the Angolan Navy (Naval Forces), the FAA constitute a solid combination of human, material and spiritual potential, which has managed to form a cohesive republican body.
To give greater dignity to the personnel, the Angolan Executive approved, within the framework of the FAA restructuring and modernization process, the regulations on social protection in old age, in case of disability and death, as well as the regulation on funeral allowances for the military integrated in the Mandatory Social Protection System.
These are, therefore, strategic actions that have helped to increase the morale and patriotic spirit of personnel, although it is recognized that, in the current geopolitical and social context, much still needs to be done to improve their living conditions.
In fact, even if a lot is invested in the acquisition of sophisticated military material and in the modernization of technical resources, to fully respond to the demands of today's world, it will be of little use if there is no investment in the well-being of personnel.
After 32 years of an arduous task in favour of the Homeland, there is nothing more left than to reinforce investment in personnel, so that, in the short, medium and long term, the country can count on men and women ready for the great missions, from the tactical and intellectual perspective.
The Angolan Armed Forces were created on October 9, 1991, under the Bicesse Accords, which imposed the extinction of the former governmental Popular Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) and the extinct “rebel” Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FALA) into a single national army, giving rise to the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA).
The process of creating the FAA, which began after the ceasefire came into force, within the framework of the Bicesse Accords, began with the staff training period, which was supposed to end on the date of the first General Elections, in 1992.
The structuring period ended with the formal extinction of FAPLA and FALA, the declaration of which was made on September 27, 1992.
With the act, the following day, generals João Baptista de Matos, for FAPLA, and Arlindo Chenda Pena “Ben Ben”, for UNITA (2nd largest political party), were sworn in.
FMA/VM/VIC/CF/jmc
