Relations between the United States and Angola suffer from lingering antagonism. As the United States searches for energy alternatives, Angola?s resources are being noted. Embassy Luanda?s reports are read with interest by people in a variety of offices within the Department and other U.S. agencies. Readers applaud the increased credibility of reporting under the present leadership. However, until the Ambassador succeeds in building team spirit, the embassy will continue to operate less than optimally. The Department bears considerable responsibility for the demoralizing conditions, particularly with regard to the physical plant. Using trailers, mobile homes, and prefabricated buildings, both the chancery and the annex have deteriorated steadily since Embassy Luanda was established in 1991. OIG found the combined chancery?new construction site to be dangerous. In response to OIG?s findings, the Department dispatched the construction branch chief and the area manager to Luanda to find ways to correct the identified problems and compelled the contractor to assign an American safety supervisor to the construction site. OIG supports these actions, but is still concerned. When the repair and renovation are complete, the embassy?s annex will remain unsafe, excessively expensive, and inefficient. The decision to continue leasing space at the annex for a sum of approximately $1,007,000 is questionable.
There is considerable dissatisfaction with administrative services, attributable to communications and computer systems disruptions and power interruptions. General services have improved, but there is still no effective procurement function. Also, greater attention to the management of Foreign Service nationals (FSNs) is needed.
The systems administrator is responsible for unclassified operations at the Miramar compound and Casa Inglesa. This workload which requires supporting about 50 workstations is enormous. Currently, there is no dedicated computer systems support for Casa Inglesa; consequently, long gaps in communications and breakdowns in systems operations occur frequently.
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