According to a note from the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), to which VerAngola had access, the minister said that in 2023 he also intends to "intensify the continuous training of the military, to promote the professionalization of weapons and services, to expand in the medium and short term programs modernization of weapons, technique and equipment of high quality".
In addition, the list of priorities also includes the "construction and requalification of infrastructures for quartering, education, multifaceted security, according to the characteristics of each military region, thus enhancing the engineering and military construction battalions".
In addition, in 2023, the production of uniforms and footwear will also be continued, to ensure the "self-sufficiency of this production" for the armed forces.
The head of the National Defense and Veterans of the Fatherland portfolio, who was speaking this Wednesday, in an end-of-year message, also referred to the year that is ending, having listed some advances, such as the "process of restructuring and resizing ongoing in the sector, with the production of important legislative initiatives regulating its activity".
He also highlighted the fact that "be in the approval phase, in related bodies, the Basic Law of the Organization of National Defence, of the Organization and Operation of the Angolan Armed Forces, of the Regime of Special Protection of Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland and of the Military Service", reads in the document.
Regarding the mastery of the Military Education system, the note adds that the process has been reviewed and adapted to current requirements, "boosting internal military training, as opposed to" external military training, and in the last five years (2017-2022) 15,066 military personnel have been trained in the country, against 1049 abroad.
With regard to the production of uniforms and shoes, the statement informs that, in a first phase, "75 thousand campaign uniforms were produced, against the 22 thousand initially foreseen", as well as 11 thousand pairs of boots were manufactured, having "a stock of raw material to produce 400 thousand uniforms and 60 thousand boots".
The minister also mentioned infrastructure, noting that the Soyo Naval Base and the Central Military Hospital are being refurbished, adding that the Regional Maritime Surveillance Centers in Lobito and Namibe are under construction, as well as the construction of the Luanda Maritime Coordination and Surveillance Centre.
He added that "actions are also under way to allocate funds for the construction of the new Main Military Hospital in Luanda, in the Grafanil area and three regional ones in the provinces of Cabinda, Moxico and Huambo".
In his balance sheet, João Ernesto dos Santos reported that with regard to former combatants "77,519 assisted persons were re-registered", of which 1,124 benefited from residences in different provinces and he also stressed that 80,457 pensioners are included in the pension payment system, including of which 46,128 retired, 64 due to disability and 34,265 due to survivors.
According to the communiqué, the secretaries of National Defense and Veteran of the Fatherland, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, national directors, among others, attended the end-of-year greeting ceremony.
