Brazil and Angola Discuss Human Capital Training

Portuguese Translation of the Week

Brazil and Angola plan to strengthen cooperation and intensify efforts in the areas of human capital development and scientific infrastructure. The idea is that Brazil's experience may contribute to Angola's strategic science, technology, and innovation plan (CT&I), still in initial phases, which hopes to graduate 120 doctors by 2020.

Brasil e Angola pretendem estreitar a cooperação e intensificar esforços nas áreas de formação de recursos humanos e de infraestrutura científica. A ideia é que experiências brasileiras possam contribuir com o plano estratégico angolano de ciência, tecnologia e inovação (CT&I), em fase de construção, que tem entre uma de suas metas titular 120 doutores até 2020.

This article has been translated from Portuguese. Click here to read the original version on Portal Brazil.

"Brazil has a lot of experience in training and education, which we do not have," explained Teta, while describing the country's recent efforts to create a Science and Technology policy, which has professional development and higher education as its cornerstone.

Other strategic areas for the government of Angola are: agriculture and fishing, information technologies and communications technologies, oil and gas, health, water resources, energy, and the environment. 

During the meeting, the Secretary of Science and Technology noted that Angola will count with the support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and from the Carlos Gulbekian Foundation in order to develop the Doctoral Program of Angola. He also emphasized the country's interest in having Brazilian universities and research centers assist in the training and education process.

An exchange of experiences in laboratory remodeling and updates, regulations, and the establishment of high level committees are also expected.

Executive Secretary Elias, who met with the Angolan Minister, stated that, "it is a determination of the Brazilian government to undertake cooperation efforts with African countries."

The cooperation in science, technology and innovation between Brazil and Angola is part of a greater South-to-South cooperation model that intensified among developing countries after 2003.

The bilateral relationship in this area was consolidated with the Agreement on Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, signed in 1980, with the objective of strengthening the ties of friendship and understanding existent between both societies and promoting cultural and scientific relations.

In June 2010, Brazil and Angola signed a strategic partnership agreement, which establishes the willingness to concede preferential treatment to issues identified as priorities for both countries. The agreement was signed during a visit of the President of Angola to Brazil during the Lula administration.

Many other agreements were signed, such as the agreement on Defense cooperation, which involves the participation of the Ministry of Science and Technology and is aimed at enhancing cooperative work in the military-technical area.

In November 2012, the first ever meeting of the High Level Commission Brazil-Angola took place, chaired by the foreign ministers of both countries at that time. In that occasion, additional clauses were added on to the agreement on scientific and technical cooperation.

Article translated by Anna Cardenas, Staff Intern for the Brazil Institute at the Wilson Center.

Photo attributed to Wikimedia Commons.