Angola

Abstract

Angola was a Portuguese colony until 11 June 1951, when it became an Overseas Province of Portugal. On 11 Nov. 1975 Angola became fully independent as the People’s Republic of Angola. The People’s Liberation Movement of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) committed themselves to putting their rival claims to power to a popular vote, but the agreement broke down in battles which left MPLA in control of the government and UNITA banished to the countryside. A peace agreement between the government and UNITA was signed on 31 May 1991. The agreement provided for a political-military mission backed by US, Soviet and Portuguese experts to supervise the ceasefire under UN monitoring. In Sept. 1992 José Eduardo dos Santos was re-elected President against the UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi, but the latter refused to accept the result, and fighting broke out again. On 15 Sept. 1993 the UN Security Council unanimously voted not to supply UNITA with war materiel. On 20 Nov. 1994 an agreement was signed in Lusaka between President Dos Santos and a representative of UNITA, but in the absence of Jonas Savimbi. The agreement envisages a ceasefire, the integration of UNITA’s forces into the Angolan military, the formation of a coalition government and the holding of fresh elections.