Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Angolan Minister of Defense João Ernesto dos Santos at the Pentagon today to discuss the growing U.S.-Angola bilateral defense relationship. This visit builds on the success of the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding, the 2022 Joint Statement, and Secretary Austin’s trip to Angola in September 2023. The two leaders also discussed ways to deepen the relationship through the upcoming inaugural Joint Angolan American Defense Cooperation Committee on June 5-6, 2024 at the Pentagon and other areas of security cooperation.