Deputy Secretary Sullivan Visits Angola

Photo: U.S. Embassy Luanda

Readout
Office of the Spokesperson
Department of State
Washington, DC
March 18, 2019

The statement below is attributable to Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino:

Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met today in Luanda with President João Lourenço and Foreign Minister Manuel Augusto. In these meetings, the Deputy Secretary commended President Lourenço and his government for their efforts to fight corruption and to foster citizen-responsive governance and dialogue. Deputy Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Minister Augusto co-chaired the U.S.-Angola Strategic Dialogue focused on strengthening U.S. and Angolan collaboration on global and regional issues, security and law enforcement cooperation, trade and investment, and the advancement of democracy, health, human rights, and development, particularly in the Okavango region.

The Deputy Secretary also conducted meetings with U.S. and Angolan business leaders where he highlighted U.S. goals for its partnership with Angola in the context of the U.S. Africa strategy. He also met with Angolan journalists, human rights activists, and youth leaders.

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Press Availability at the Angolan Presidency
03/20/2019 01:11 PM EDT

Press Availability
John J. Sullivan
Deputy Secretary of State
Luanda, Angola
March 20, 2019

DEPUTY SECRETARY SULLIVAN: Well, good morning. It’s great to be here in Luanda. I am here on a three-day trip to this beautiful country to reaffirm the longstanding and deep relationship between the United States and Angola. This morning, I was honored to have a meeting with President Lourenco, which I just concluded. We discussed a variety of topics, but my message principally is: the United States is committed to our strategic partnership with Angola. I will have a meeting later today at the Ministry of External Affairs and the Foreign Minister is part of that strategic dialogue. And the principal focus, my principal focus on this trip is also to broaden, develop, deepen the U.S. commercial relationship with Angola and to see all we can do to promote and encourage U.S. investment in Angola. And with that, I’d be happy to take your questions.

QUESTION: Mr. Under Secretary, we know that the U.S. are willing to help Angola to bring back the money which was stolen legally from Angola. So in which way will America contribute because we heard the FBI are going to work to support Angola in this regard, but how is it going to be done?

DEPUTY SECRETARY SULLIVAN: Well, we are in the midst of discussions, the United States government with the government of Angola on adopting an agreement on law enforcement cooperation, and that’s the principal focus of our cooperation … would be law enforcement agencies, principally the FBI, support that can be provided to the government of Angola and its drive to root out corruption, recover assets that were removed from the country. We’re in the midst of those discussions so its premature for me to comment on anything definitive because it hasn’t been finally arranged yet but there are a variety of ways in which the United States, through our law enforcement agencies and our Department of Justice can support and enhance foreign governments, like the government of Angola, in its effort to root out corruption and recover assets that were stolen.