In his first statement on Angolan territory, which took place at the Luanda Science Center, the starting point of the visit to the city, Blinken considered the space "symbolic" of collaboration between the two countries, pointing out partnerships in the area of science.
He highlighted the recent accession to the Artemis Accords for the peaceful use of space exploration and highlighted the use of data collected in space research to respond to concerns such as mitigating the effects of drought and the effective use of water.
Angola, he continued, is also one of the first countries to join the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soil (VACS), with which the United States intends to deal with food security.
"In recent years, we have seen almost a perfect storm between Covid-19, climate change and conflicts such as Russian aggression, with a strong impact on food security," he said.
Blinken said that during his meetings in Africa he has heard his partners talk about the need for investments in their productive capacity, because "they need to have a strong system to produce food", starting with two basic things, seeds and soil.
He exemplified with the case of Angola, where some "incredibly nutritious" traditional seeds can be made more resistant to the effects of drought.
"If we have quality seeds and put them in quality soil, we can have a more resilient and nutritious system," he added, explaining that the VACS initiative, which is being built with Angola and other African partners, aims to help Africa feed itself and feeding other parts of the world.
"We want to reach new peaks, in space and on earth, and show how these two things are linked", he highlighted.
At the heart of these partnerships, Blinken continued, is technology sharing and transfer.
"This is as important as investment because this is what generates capacity in our countries and allows them to be strong", said the North American official.
