Ohio State’s Center for African Studies is facilitating conversations to build long-term partnerships in research, training and capacity-building with counterparts in Angola.
To build on the State Partnership Program (SPP) between the Ohio National Guard and Angola, the Office of International Affairs hosted a delegation from Angola’s embassy in Washington, D.C., on October 14.
The State Partnership Program supports security cooperation between the United States and partner countries, U.S. foreign policy goals and civil-military affairs. Administered by the National Guard Bureau, it is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. The program uses a “whole-of-society approach,” connecting the military, government, academic institutions, economic centers and society to strengthen collaboration across these sectors.
The substantive discussions focused on advancing ideas and strengthening areas of mutual benefit between The Ohio State University and Angola’s universities, while enriching their respective societies.
The Angolan delegation was led by H.E. Ambassador Agostinho Van-Dúnem. It included Brigadier General Custodio Livulo, Defense Attaché; Delcio Nogueira, First Secretary and Counselor for Economic Affairs; and Fernando Marques, Counsellor for Political Affairs. Accompanying the diplomats were Simona Vaclavikova, International Affairs Advisor and SPP administrator for the Ohio National Guard, and Lieutenant Colonel Shelly Brackman of the Ohio National Guard’s SPP.
An Angolan government delegation also visited campus in April 2026 that explored collaboration opportunities across social science, healthcare, agriculture and environmental innovation, and business education—connecting The Ohio State University faculty and leaders with counterparts in Angola to advance shared priorities and people-to-people ties.
In late June 2026, an Ohio State International Affairs delegation of Rita Koryan, Luis Cañas and Ousman Kobo travelled to Angola with delegates from the State of Ohio and the Ohio National Guard to participate in the formal signing of the SPP agreement. With the agreement in place the Ohio State will explore potential areas of collaboration with Angolan partners as defined by the April visit.
