REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA IN JAPAN
INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION AND PRESS SERVICES
PRESS RELEASE
Last Friday, the National Assembly unanimously approved, with 161 votes in favor, three international legal instruments that strengthen Angola’s strategic cooperation with Japan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Republic of Korea, covering the telecommunications, defense, and economic development sectors.
The vote took place during the 3rd Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the 4th Legislative Session of the 5th Legislature.
In presenting the legislation, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Esmeralda Mendonça explained that the treaty is based on the fundamental principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual equality, and non-interference in internal affairs.
The official also reaffirmed Angola’s and the United Arab Emirates’ strict adherence to the United Nations Charter, the general norms of international law, and the other international obligations assumed by both states.
According to the minister, the agreement aims to define the principles, areas, and modalities of cooperation, while respecting each country’s domestic laws and the applicable norms of international law.
The agreement covers areas such as military training and education, the defense industry, technical and scientific research and development, logistical support, equipment procurement and maintenance, military health services, peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance, military intelligence and security, military history, maritime security, and the fight against piracy.
The Secretary of State clarified that the cooperation will take the form of visits by officers, bilateral commissions, joint exercises, and exchanges between military educational institutions.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça, clarified that the approved agreement does not mandate the automatic execution of operational military activities. Each initiative will depend on prior consultation and specific agreements, within the planning mechanisms outlined in the document itself, ensuring sovereignty in strategic decision-making.
Angola–United Arab Emirates Joint Committee
To ensure the treaty’s implementation, an Angola–United Arab Emirates Joint Committee will be established, a body responsible for the implementation, monitoring, and strategic management of the agreement.
The bilateral technical commission will be responsible for the detailed drafting of annual cooperation plans, as well as for the precise definition of activities, locations, and deadlines for achieving the outlined goals.
In financial and budgetary terms, the agreement adopts the principle of cost-sharing, establishing that each State will bear the expenses arising from its respective actions.
In terms of routine logistics, the visiting party will fully cover the expenses for transportation, lodging, meals, and other logistical costs for its operational and specialized personnel, unless otherwise agreed upon in advance by the parties.
The agreement uncompromisingly safeguards the national sovereignty and the criminal and civil jurisdiction of each State.
The document stipulates that all visiting contingents or personnel are strictly required to comply with the laws, administrative regulations, and safety standards in force in the host territory.
It is expressly stipulated that no privileges or immunities shall be granted that would place foreign personnel outside the legal and constitutional framework of the host State.
The text of the treaty also includes robust provisions on information security (strict protocols for safeguarding classified data and information of military interest), property and confidentiality (protection of intellectual property rights and mutual guarantees of technical confidentiality), and dispute resolution (clauses on force majeure, procedures for amending or terminating the treaty, and the stipulation that any disputes be resolved exclusively through direct consultations, amicable negotiations, or diplomatic channels, excluding recourse to international courts).
The international legal instrument will have an initial term of five years and will be automatically renewable for equal periods. The agreement will take full legal effect immediately upon receipt of the last formal notification, via diplomatic channels, confirming the completion of the procedures.
INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND PRESS OFFICE OF THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA IN JAPAN, in Tokyo, August 3, 2026. –
