The U.S. Department of State’s Energy Resource Bureau welcomed a delegation from Angola for the third installment of the U.S.-Angola Strategic Energy Dialogue. The Minister of Petroleum of the Republic of Angola, Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos, and the Minister of Energy and Water of the Republic of Angola, Joao Baptista Borges, participated in the discussion co-hosted by the U.S. Department of State’s Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, Amos J Hochstein, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Christopher Smith. The dialogue focused on Angola’s petroleum and power sectors.

During the dialogue, the U.S. and Angolan delegations reviewed progress made in the bilateral relationship in the energy sector since the previous strategic energy dialogue in August 2011. Participants discussed the need for regulatory changes in the energy sector as well as the importance of creating a favorable business climate to attract more private investment to Angola. Other topics included oil and gas sector operational security and the environmental impacts of oil and gas installations.

The U.S. and Angolan delegations concluded the dialogue by reaffirming their joint commitment to this important area of cooperation and mutual interest.