MEDIA REACTION: ANGOLAN CIVIL SOCIETY AND US AMBASSADOR

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