Angola and Russia have signed six cooperation accords in various sectors during Russian President Dimitri Medevdev's one-day official visit to Angola at the weekend.

The agreements covered such sectors as air services, reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, a four-year economic, commercial and scientific-technical cooperation program (2009-2013), the creation of a telecommunication satellite system called "AngoSat", technical cooperation in mineral resources, higher education and professional training.

Jose da Rocha, Angolan minister of Telecommunications and Information Technologies, told reporters that the creation of the Angolan satellite will improve the telecommunications services in the country.

According to Makenda Ambroise, minister of Geology and Mining, the agreement he signed with his Russian counterpart will give a new impetus to bilateral cooperation in mining sector for the two countries.

Joao Teta, principal of Agostinho Neto University (UAN) named after the founding father of the Republic of Angola Agostinho Neto, said the memo on higher education lays the groundwork for the implementation of the protocol signed with the Russian University of Friendship and Peoples.

Angolan Deputy Minister of Transport Jose Kuvingua said the new civil aviation service agreement will help settle the grounds for airline connections between Angola and Russia, while Angolan Deputy Planning Minister said the agreement on reciprocal promotion and protection of investment will help encourage and protect investments made by both Angolan and Russian businesspeople.

Meanwhile, the oil companies of both Angola and Russia are now in contact and discussions are under way to establish bilateral cooperation under the basis of mutual benefits.

"We urge them to continue such discussions to establish cooperation that is profitable for both sides," Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said.

Source:Xinhua