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Africom Commander Visits Country


Angola Press Agency (Luanda)


NEWS
4 December 2007
Posted to the web 4 December 2007
Luanda

General William E. "Kip" Ward, commander of the newly formed United States
Africa Command (AFRICOM), begins this Tuesday an official 48-hour visit to
Angola, for the reinforcement of the bilateral military cooperation.

A press note from the Foreign Affairs Minister delivered to ANGOP indicates
that General Ward's visit to the country also aims at obtaining advices on how
Angola deals with African regional matters.



AFRICOM was created to work directly with nations and regional organisation in
co-ordinating the engagement between US and African militaries.

Such engagement includes the assistance of the USA in security programmes, such
as in the field of training and in joint activities of medical aid in the areas
of HIV/AIDS.

In the past, the referred programmes were management by three distinct regional
commands of the USA.

Meanwhile, this month, General Ward met with experts of the African Union to
boost the relations and continue with the dialogue on AFRICOM's assistance to
African security and stability efforts.

General William Ward, who had his first commission in the Infantry in June
1971, has a master's degree in Political Sciences from the University of
Pennsylvania State. His military career includes missions in Korea, Egypt,
Somalia, Bosnia, Israel and in Germany, apart from others in USA.


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