Participation in CAFRAD Activities

At the invitation of the Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communication, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Angola, the Director General of the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD), Dr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, participated in the sixth (6^th) edition of the ANGOTIC 2026 Forum, themed “On the Path to Digital Transformation,” from June 11 to 15, 2026, at the Talatona Convention Center (CCTA), Luanda. The forum aims to enable participants to engage in discussions with a view to:

• Promoting in-depth reflection on the development potential of ICTs for new business solutions;
• To showcase new projects and technologies developed by IT companies that improve service management and quality, increase productivity, build customer loyalty, and facilitate strategic decision-making;
• To ensure greater visibility for local businesses and the Angolan market as a whole.

A leading figure in the African institutional and diplomatic sphere, the Director General of CAFRAD intends to champion the Pan-African Intergovernmental Organization’s perspective in order to enrich the debates and exchanges that leaded to the measures and actions needed to achieve a human-centered, ethical, equitable, responsible, sustainable, just, and socially inclusive digital transformation, adapted to the realities of Africa and Angola.

Indeed, the renewed CAFRAD strategic roadmap, serving its member states, emphasizes a vision of structural, systemic, comprehensive, and profound transformation of African administrations to address the continent’s major challenges of sustainable and inclusive development, in line with Agenda 2063 and the continental AI strategy adopted by the AU Executive Council, entitled: “Harnessing AI for Africa’s Development and Prosperity.”

It is important to recall that the Republic of Angola is a very active member state within CAFRAD. In 2026, the Minister of Transport, the Secretary of State for the Hospital System, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Angola conducted a working visit and/or participated in activities at CAFRAD headquarters to understand the central and strategic role that CAFRAD plays in the transformation and building of “the Africa we want.” It is with the conviction that Africa, including Angola, needs CAFRAD more than ever to find its own unique path to development that the Republic of Angola has decided to deepen and strengthen the excellent membership and cooperation relationship between CAFRAD and the country.

The participation of the Director General of CAFRAD in this ANGOTIC 2026 Forum aims to forge a new, more productive, and more transformative partnership between CAFRAD and the Republic of Angola. To this end, all African states are encouraged to embrace CAFRAD’s new vision of digital, energy, ecological, and smart transformation. CAFRAD remains the only appropriate platform to support all African states in modernizing, reinventing, and continuously improving their administrative and governance systems—the foundation and driving force behind regional integration and development in all its dimensions.

Activities of the Director General of CAFRAD in Angola

June 11, 2026, was marked by the opening conference of the ANGOTIC 2026 Forum, themed “On the Path to Digital Transformation,” as well as visits to the high-tech booths. The experiences of technology startups, email providers, and companies manufacturing humanoid robots particularly caught the attention of the Director General of CAFRAD.

Dr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, Director General of CAFRAD, and the Minister of Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies of Angola, the host country, along with other Ministers from invited countries, visited the exhibition booths of high-tech companies and startups.

The exhibitions demonstrate the technological potential of Africa and Angola, which deserves to be developed for the benefit of the continent’s development, technological autonomy, and digital sovereignty. Diversifying the clean technology offering, supported by digitally literate skills, digital talent and digital leaders, remains a major challenge for Africa in a world dominated by American and Chinese technology giants.

In this context, CAFRAD encourages research, experimental development, and innovation as solutions to support States.

June 12, 2026, was dedicated to bilateral meetings with the highest authorities of the Republic of Angola. His Excellency Mr. José Filipe, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat, requested and obtained several audiences with the Director General of CAFRAD. This seasoned diplomat, driven by the desire to strengthen his country’s presence and influence within multilateral bodies and, above all, to enhance and revitalize Angola’s membership in CAFRAD, has access to all ministries and institutions of the Republic of Angola and, more importantly, knows how to leverage this access to identify opportunities and competitive advantages for his country as a whole. He possesses a keen sense of effective diplomacy.

Bilateral exchange between His Excellency Mr. Téte António, Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Angola, and the Director General of CAFRAD.

The discussions between the Angolan Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director General of CAFRAD, a leading figure in the African institutional landscape, focused on the urgent need to prepare and position Africa on major international issues and agendas within the context of geopolitical and geoeconomic reconfiguration, as well as the multifaceted changes affecting the diplomatic profession.

After reviewing the analysis of global affairs, the two officials acknowledged that new hybrid conflicts (Russia-Ukrainian, Middle Eastern, global terrorism/jihadism), as well as climate change, global transformations and dynamics, the race for critical and strategic minerals, and technological warfare, pose enormous challenges to Africa but also offer immense opportunities to develop its own development model. Indeed, faced with these global crises and upheavals, symbols of a new interdependent world, each African country, including the Republic of Angola, has defined several commendable strategies. Africa must also leverage its strategic raw materials and human resources, particularly its young and vibrant workforce, to help shape a new world order that benefits it. This will involve defining Africa’s international policy under the auspices of the African Union (AU). Thus, CAFRAD has a strategic role to play not only in training, capacity building, and the production of innovative knowledge and ideas, but also in preparing future-oriented African leaders, fostering anticipation, foresight, and future literacy. The pan-African intergovernmental organization must therefore work effectively with all state institutions, especially those responsible for research and training.

The two senior diplomats agreed on the need to train a new generation of diplomats in the evolving field of diplomacy and to develop an anticipatory, transformative, proactive, and preventive approach to diplomacy. The CAFRAD program, entitled “Better Representing Africa,” must be strengthened and implemented for the benefit of the entire continent.

This involves taking bold action to establish CAFRAD as a unique center of excellence in Africa for building, modernizing, and transforming public administrations and supporting African management. Given the complex, multifaceted, and exponential changes occurring globally and across Africa, as well as the rapid obsolescence of skills in the age of artificial intelligence, CAFRAD must remain a strategic tool for Africa in terms of mobilizing and renewing expertise, fostering technological innovation, sharing best practices (benchmarking), and promoting South-South cooperation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola commended the remarkable work of CAFRAD, a well-known organization on the African and global stage, and expressed his country’s commitment to strengthening its participation in the Organization’s activities and continuing to support its initiatives.

On the sidelines of discussions on issues of common interest and the convergence of views on building “the Africa we want,” the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063, and the indispensable role played by CAFRAD, Dr. Coffi Dieudonné Assouvi, Director General of CAFRAD, signed the Book of Condolences set up at the Ministry of External Relations to collect condolences in memory of the late Manuel Domingos Augusto, former Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2020, who passed away on June 5, 2026.

Working Session at the Ministry of Public Administration, Labor, and Social Security

On the instructions of the Minister of Public Administration, Labor, and Social Security, who was on assignment with His Excellency the President of the Republic, Head of State, and Head of Government, Mr. Pedro José Filipe, Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security, held a working session with the Director General of CAFRAD in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat. The Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security was assisted by three (3) of his staff, including the Director General of the Civil Service.

The discussions focused on CAFRAD’s mandate, vision, and work programs, and especially on the opportunities and advantages that CAFRAD can offer Angola. The Director General of CAFRAD emphasized the benefits that Angola could derive from its membership in CAFRAD. Through his presentation and the responses provided by the Director General of CAFRAD to questions from the Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security and his staff, the working meeting concluded on a positive note. This session enabled the Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security and his staff to understand the importance of CAFRAD within the African institutional framework and the irreplaceable nature of its support to States in developing state, technological, and human capacities, governance, and promoting South-South cooperation. They were convinced of the need for the Republic of Angola to strengthen its participation in CAFRAD activities.

Mr. Pedro José Filipe, Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security, extended his warmest congratulations to the Director-General on his resounding election, wished him every success in his new role, and invited him to visit the National School of Administration and Public Policy (ENAPP) of the Republic of Angola the following day.

This working session underscores the importance of the CAFRAD Director-General’s tour of member states, aimed at fostering their renewed commitment, collaboration, and participation in the activities of the Pan-African Intergovernmental Organization, and, most importantly, encouraging them to pay their financial contributions to the CAFRAD budget.

Bilateral Meeting between Mr. Mário Augusto DA SYLVA OLIVEIRA, Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communication

Accompanied by His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat, the Director General of CAFRAD, Dr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, had the honor of being received in audience by the Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communication. The Director General of CAFRAD expressed his gratitude to the Minister for the invitation to participate in ANGOTIC: ANGOLA ICT FORUM 2026. He then presented CAFRAD’s activities, the opportunities it can offer his ministry, and, above all, the commitments of the pan-African intergovernmental organization to the digital, energy, ecological, and smart transformation of Africa.

In this context, CAFRAD organized the conference on digital health in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) in February 2026 and the High-Level International Forum on: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Energy and Connectivity in Africa: Prospects for International Cooperation, in March 2026. The Minister greatly appreciated CAFRAD’s initiatives in promoting digital technologies and AI in Africa from an ethical, human, and responsible perspective. He pledged to appoint a contact person within his ministry to establish a permanent and dynamic partnership with CAFRAD.

On June 13, 2026, the Director General of CAFRAD participated in Panel 22: Innovation and Inclusion: The Impact of Technology on the Lives of People with Disabilities. the visit to the National School of Administration and Public Policy (ENAPP) of the Republic of Angola and the closing session of ANGOTIC the sixth (6^th) edition of the ANGOTIC Forum 2026.

Acknowledgments to the Highest Authorities of the Republic of Angola

Following my official mission to Luanda, Republic of Angola, at the invitation of Mário Augusto DA SYLVA OLIVEIRA, Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communication, and with the arrangements of His Excellency Mr. José Filipe, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat, the Director General of CAFRAD expresses his deepest and most respectful gratitude to His Excellency Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, Head of State, Head of Government, to the entire Government, and to the Angolan people for the very warm and benevolent welcome extended to him.

The official mission of the Director General of CAFRAD, from June 11 to 15, 2026, to Luanda, Republic of Angola, was a success. He was very satisfied with the achievement of his mission’s objectives. CAFRAD can now count on the strengthened participation of the Republic of Angola in its activities.