R 121407Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5534

UNCLAS LUANDA 000362 
 
 
FOR INR/MR, INFO AF/PD (CLAUDIA ANYASO, DAN WHITMAN, PATRICIA 
EHRNMAN) AF/S (Maya Harris) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OIIP PGOV AO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ANGOLAN CIVIL SOCIETY AND US AMBASSADOR 
DISCUSS THE NEW ERA OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO 
COUNTRIES AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE MEETING BETWEEN MINISTER ASSUNGCO 
DOS ANJOS AND SECRETARY HILLARY CLINTON 
 
¶1.  Angolan Government-run radio station, Rdio Nacional de Angola, 
on its June 6th two-and-a-half hour debate show "Tendncias e 
debates" held a roundtable discussion under the topic, "The New Era 
of the Angolan and US Bilateral Relations."  The roundtable, which 
was broadcast live to the entire country (about 14 million 
listeners), included the US Ambassador to Angola, Dan Mozena, 
Angolan Ambassador to the US, Josefina Diakit (participated over 
the phone from Washington D.C.), the Angolan Executive Director of 
the US-Angolan Chamber of Commerce, Francisco da Cruz, Professors of 
International Relations Professors Dr. Donato Biavanga and Dr. 
Belarmino Van-Dnem, and one of the most influential Angolan 
Businessmen, Artur Almeida e Silva. The following are excerpts from 
the discussion taken from a Portuguese transcription by the Public 
Diplomacy section of Embassy Luanda. 
 
¶2.  Ambassador Mozena(speaking in Portuguese)"in my opinion, the 
relations between Angola and the United States are very good. They 
are very strong after the minister's visit to Washington last month. 
These relations are getting better. That visit started a process 
that will further strengthen these relations.  I think that the most 
important result of the visit to Washington was that the Minister 
and the Secretary agreed that Angola and the US have the same 
objectives in Southern and Central Africa and in the entire 
continent (of Africa). They agreed that we are partners. They agreed 
that we have to create a strategic partnership and for this we need 
to strengthen and deepen our relations. In this context, the 
Secretary and the Minister discussed the idea of establishing a 
mechanism for dialogue and study that will link the United States 
and Angola. This is very important. 
 
There were other important things discussed too. The Minister signed 
a bilateral agreement between Angola and the United States: A Trade 
and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). Under this agreement, we 
will establish a bilateral council dealing with commerce and 
investments. In my opinion, this council will be very, very 
important. Under this, we will discuss the obstacles that hinder 
commerce and investments between Angola and the United States. 
...The Minister also met with the USAID Administrator. They talked 
about our HIV/AIDS program here in Angola. We will increase our 
program funding to fight malaria from 18.7 million to 32.5 million 
US dollars. This is a big increase for our assistance. In general, 
the visit of the Minister was very important for us and for our 
relations...." 
 
¶3.  Angolan University Professor Donato Biavanga: "Actually, the 
relations between Angola and the United States deserve a deep 
analysis because since the beginning they had a singularity. This 
singularity is based on the fact that after the independence of 
Angola, the United States was the major commercial partner of 
Angola. However, there was a paradox in these relations. This 
paradox is based on the fact that the US was the major commercial 
partner of Angola in the economic field, but there was a political 
difference that delayed Washington's recognition of Angola for 18 
years. Along the course of these relations, of course, there were 
highs and lows that both states were always able to control, always 
with mutual respect, and always on a reciprocal basis. In fact, we 
are now living a new era in the relationship between Angola and the 
United States, mainly after the visit of the (Angolan) External 
Relations Minister to the US. There was a great sense of 
responsibility on both sides, the United States and Angola, to 
define the course of these relations." 
 
¶4.  Angolan businessman Artur Almeida e Silva: "Since the 
independence of Angola, I always had a very close relationship with 
the United States. In my capacity as President of the Angolan 
Association of Young Businessmen I want say that the US always 
played a major role through other organizations. I think that in 
this new era of relations between Angola and the United States 
certain aspects should considered. These aspects, I believe, have 
never been taken into account through the years that led to the 
recognition of Angola by the US. The relations were oil-focused. I 
guess that now it's time to propose to the US actions in several 
other sectors of our economy. Of course, the US plays an important 
role in social assistance. Some of USAID's programs in terms of 
prosperity are wide-reaching in our society. However in terms of 
economic relations, it is very oil-focused. I believe that the US, 
for its level of industrial and technological development, can offer 
a lot to Angola. We are the ones to identify our needs and propose 
an agreement to the US that will allow for investments in various 
sectors, such as industry, agriculture, and agribusiness because the 
US has a lot to give to Angola. I think it's time to propose to the 
US very concrete actions in these areas that should be dealt with on 
a partnership basis between Angolan and US business people and 
between the two states. In my opinion, there is a huge deficit in 
these relations because they are too political and business is 
involved very little. I can give examples: The visits abroad, I'm 
not saying on the side of the US because they have the US-Angola 
Chamber of Commerce that plays a very important role. There is a 
series of trade missions from the US to Angola but there are very 
few from Angola to the US. We must go (to the US) to get experience, 
know-how, and technology to bring back to Angola. I believe there is 
an excessive political character in these economic relations that 
should end. ... Our government should give incentive and create 
favorable conditions so that these partnerships are effective and 
the business sector can feel this dynamism." 
 
¶5.  University Professor Belarmino Van-Dnem: "After the 1990's, US 
interventions on the African continent aimed at strengthening the 
states, sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, 
construction, strengthening of democracy, and promotion of peace. 
The US had great involvement- I can even state that it was almost 
without any regard to its foreign policy - for example to restore 
hope in Somalia where it actually bore sacrifices. With the Angolan 
government, the US also took the same stand, giving development 
assistance in the fight against HIV-AIDS in the Angolan Armed 
Forces, strengthening democracy, and supporting civil society 
organizations. Now, we are seeing the turning of a new page. The US 
and particularly his Excellency the US Ambassador is working hard to 
create a new dynamic. The US is at this moment in a phase of 
cooperation- bilateral cooperation. Angola is also part of various 
US aid programs on the continent. Such as AGOA, etc, etc, etc. The 
truth is that these programs are not helping American investors. 
Many of them tried to come to Angola to explore the market but they 
found it difficult to work in our country. 
 
I may also point out the need for credit: a specific credit line 
which fits into the factual, structural, institutional or 
constitutional situation of Angola so that Americans can come to our 
country to collaborate, because there is already a good political 
climate here." 
 
¶6. US-Angolan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Francisco da 
Cruz stated "I would like to begin by saying that the US vis-a-vis 
Angola was both part of the war and part of the peace process. We 
were able to reach peace because the US played an important 
mediation role. 
 
...I believe that His Excellency Assungco dos Anjos' visit to 
Washington was an important step, and the meeting with Secretary of 
State Hillary Clinton marked a new phase in our relations. The 
creation of this bilateral mechanism for economic and investments 
will certainly provide opportunities to strengthen our cooperation. 
In this spirit, the US-Angola Chamber of Commerce organized a 
seminar last month to analyze ways to support the diversification of 
the Angolan economy. 
 
Doctor Belarmino Van-Dnem also focused on the need for financing so 
that cooperation may be improved. He Said "I want to remind you that 
the US Export Import Bank has approved a credit line of 120 million 
dollars to allow Angolan companies to acquire goods and services 
from the United States. On June 17th, officials from the Exim-Bank 
will be in Luanda for a seminar that will involve Angolan business 
and Banks that were selected within this program. They will discuss 
practical ways Angolans can access Export Import Bank funding. Just 
as the US Ambassador has been underlining, this is just an initial 
amount. It can be increased if the Angolans have the capacity to 
finish this first loan." 
 
¶6.  Angolan Ambassador to the US Josefina Diakit: "This is 
absolutely a new era in US-Angola bilateral relations. ...I would 
like to say that this new era has arrived in the context of the 
bilateral cooperation between the United States and Angola. Let's 
start with TIFA, which will open a huge window in bilateral 
relations for deepening collaboration between institutions (of both 
countries) that are active in trade...and production. On the other 
hand, in the perspective of the Bilateral Joint Council, we will 
improve relations to a level in which we seek to establish a 
strategic partnership and I believe we have made the first steps 
towards that." 
 
Hawkins