His Excellency Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos Van-Dúnem, Ambassador of Angola to the United States, expressed his gratitude for a warm welcome by a group assembled on the Columbus campus in April before he and a delegation from Angola heard presentations from faculty from several OSU colleges towards exploring partnerships with universities and other institutions in his Southern African country.
A range of CFAES Faculty met with the delegation to discuss collaboration in different fields, including agriculture and environmental research and training. Emphasis was placed on new agricultural technology to enhance food production, a national priority for Angola, with fishing and aquaculture showing a growth rate of 8.7% last quarter, the faculty members representing CFAES were:
• Dr. Luis Cañas, Director, FAES International Programs and Associate Professor, Entomology
• Dr. Leah Bevis, Associate Professor, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics
• Dr. Ajay Shah, Professor, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
According to Angola’s National Development Plan, as summarized by The International Monetary Fund, “the agricultural sector does not move in tandem with oil prices, thus underscoring its potential to support economic diversification.” Agricultural employment has grown steadily, now constituting nearly 50% of all employment.
Th event was organized by the Center for African Studies in collaboration with the State Partnership Program of the Ohio Adjutant General’s Department and included the Columbus Mayor’s Office. A follow up visit from Ohio State representatives and collaborators from The Ohio Adjutant General’s Department of The Ohio National Guard is planned at the end of June 2026.