Inauguration of Four Basketball Courts in Angola

Good morning and thank you for the warm introduction!

Before going ahead with my remarks, I would like to ask for a minute of silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives due to the recent rains here in Viana and elsewhere.

I am very glad to hear of the emergency assistance and recovery effort underway by the Angolan Government to assist the victims of the recent terrible floods. The United Sates will do all that is possible to assist the people and the Government of Angola to recover from the floods.

The rehabilitation of the four public basketball courts was made possible through an excellent private-partnership. The Angolan Basketball Federation identified the courts and secured the required permit, the Sprite company donated over $16,000 for their rehabilitation, the NBA sent two stars (Sam Perkins and Ruth Riley) while Sprite and the US Embassy managed the project. This is an exemplary partnership that could be emulated for tackling issues from malaria to HIV/AIDS, community development to illiteracy, and many more. Please let's give a showoff hands for this successful collaboration!

Today's gathering is also about sports and its positive influence in the nurturing of a healthy, disciplined, and confident workforce that will serve as the engine of development and progress for Angola.

In this regard, I applaud the Government of Angola for its decision in building public basketball and football fields throughout Angola in the 80s and 90s.

The results of that vision are impressive: the basketball courts so built served as safe heavens during the civil war, popularized the game, and became the early training grounds for today's players of the National Basketball Team who have been the champions of Africa for the last eight consecutive years!

Basketball as you know is a national identity in my own country, the United States, and is especially heartwarming for me to learn of the popularity of the game here in Angola.

The love of this beautiful game is one of the many strands that bind us together and lays the foundation for even more cooperation in the future.

I would like to take this opportunity and wish the Angolan Federation all the best in hosting the 2007 African Basketball championship games in August of 2007. I would also like to extend my very best wishes to the African Champions -- the Angolan National Basketball Team!

Thank you all.