LUANDA, Angola – Senior military leaders from the Republic of Angola, the Ohio National Guard and U.S. Africa Command opened a new chapter in U.S.-Africa security cooperation during the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program Adjutants General Conference and formal partnership signing ceremony June 29, prior to the 2026 African Chiefs of Defense Conference.
The conference brought together National Guard adjutants general and representatives from 10 U.S. states, African military leaders and U.S. Africa Command, or USAFRICOM, officials to align the State Partnership Program, or SPP, with broader theater security objectives before ACHOD officially began. Throughout the day, leaders discussed expanding military cooperation, strengthening partner capacity and building enduring relationships that support regional stability.
"This is more than a ceremony, it is a commitment," said Shannon Nagy Cazeau, chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Luanda. "A commitment between two peoples, two militaries and two nations to build something lasting together."
The agreement, signed by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew S. Woodruff, adjutant general for the Ohio National Guard, and Angolan Aviation Gen. Altino Carlos José dos Santos, chief of the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces, reaffirmed the Ohio National Guard's partnership with Angola and established a framework for decades of sustained military, governmental and institutional collaboration. The ceremony also established priorities for future cooperation in professional military education, leadership development, disaster response, medical readiness, cyber capabilities and joint planning.
"This is a historic day," Woodruff said. "Ohio has maintained successful State Partnership Program relationships for more than three decades, and we are honored to begin this journey with Angola. Together we will exchange techniques, tactics and procedures, grow our capabilities and build relationships that will endure for generations."
The partnership builds upon years of growing cooperation between the United States and Angola while laying the foundation for sustained institutional relationships that extend beyond traditional military engagements. Rather than focusing on one-time events, both nations committed to recurring exchanges designed to strengthen readiness and develop long-term interoperability.
"Relationships lead to trust, and trust leads to meaningful cooperation," Woodruff said. "Every engagement must build capacity for both organizations so that each exchange is mutually beneficial."
The SPP, administered by the National Guard Bureau on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of War and executed by state National Guards in support of U.S. geographic combatant commands, has connected U.S. states with partner nations since 1993. Today, more than 100 partnerships strengthen military readiness while fostering cooperation across government, industry and civil society.
"That's where a state partnership pays huge dividends because of that consistency over years to build a relationship and develop something deliberately," said U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin R. Anderson, commander of USAFRICOM. "Nobody else brings this. This is a unique capability that is purely American."
Holding the SPP Adjutants General Conference immediately before ACHOD allowed National Guard leaders and African chiefs of defense to synchronize priorities before broader discussions on regional security began. Organizers said integrating the two events reinforced how state-level partnerships support theater objectives while complementing strategic engagement across the continent.
"It ensures our state leaders understand the combatant commander's priorities and can reinforce those priorities directly with their counterparts," said U.S. Army Col. Anthony Passero, a senior National Guard advisor for USAFRICOM. "At the same time, every engagement increases readiness for both the partner nation and the National Guard unit."
The Angola-Ohio partnership officially began in August 2025 when Angola became Ohio's third State Partnership Program partner, joining Hungary, partnered since 1993, and Serbia, partnered since 2006. A letter of intent signed in Columbus, Ohio, in April 2026 established the governmental framework for cooperation, while the June 29 ceremony formally activated the military component of that agreement.
"This represents not only the strengthening of bilateral cooperation but the activation of a shared vision for security, stability and development," said retired Angolan army Gen. Lucio Gonçalves Amaral, head of Angola's Ministry of National Defense, Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland. "Military-to-military cooperation remains at the heart of this partnership through personnel exchanges, operational experience, joint training and professional development."
Angolan leaders said the partnership extends beyond defense cooperation, to include creating opportunities for collaboration between military and civilian institutions in emergency management, healthcare, infrastructure protection, education and economic development, while strengthening regional resilience.
"What makes this program unique is the National Guard's dual civilian-military identity," Cazeau said. "Ohio's Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen bring not only military expertise, but also the experience of professionals who serve their communities every day as doctors, engineers, emergency responders and educators."
As the SPP Adjutants General Conference concluded and ACHOD 2026 began, leaders committed to developing an annual engagement plan to guide future exchanges between the Ohio National Guard and the Angolan Armed Forces through professional military education, medical and cyber collaboration, disaster preparedness initiatives and senior leader engagements.
"The State Partnership Program opens the door for everything good that follows U.S. military engagement," Passero said. "It strengthens military-to-military relationships while creating opportunities for cultural exchange, industry engagement and foreign military sales that benefit both partners."