Angola’s navy needs warships and should invest in naval shipyards, President João Lourenço said on Monday.
According to multiple media reports, Lourenço, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said Angola must be prepared to contribute to the security of the Gulf of Guinea, a crucial maritime trade route.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Angolan Navy, the president said that warship construction in Angola could lay the foundation for a naval industry.
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He said that an expanded navy would be able to protect territorial waters from external threats such as piracy, illegal fishing and the depletion of marine resources.
In February, the Angolan navy announced that it would spend a billion euros on three 71-metre corvettes that will be built by Edge Group from the United Arab Emirates.
Lourenço said the corvettes were part of the navy’s modernization efforts, and added that two Airbus C-295 aircraft, capable of maritime reconnaissance and surveillance missions, would be delivered later this year.
